Now I am in the club too!

[WaterHog]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

I guess I've been lucky, I live about a block from the Inter Coastal, We have a neighborhood ramp for homeowners and in my afternoon walks I've seen it all down there, Some real old boaters to, Dont feel bad. "Spiff Happens" One suggestion though, When I hook mine up and were ready to go, I start at the back of the boat and sometimes out loud go through the drill, Rods, Plug, Tackle, Vests, Cooler, Batteries charged, Etc. The wrench for my rear plug stays at the house, Its the first and last thing I do.

 

[smalloutboardsarecool]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

I like to see a picture of this 35 foot baha

 

[roncoop]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

I've left the plug out on one occasion, I actually parked the truck after launching the boat. I have a floor in the boat so I didn't see it until I got in the boat. I pulled it as far up onto the bank as I could and let the water drain. I was alone so I couldn't push it back into the water because of the sand piling up at the back of the boat. So I backed my tilt trailer up to the boat and winched it onto the trailer. I never realized how heavy my little 14' aluminum boat can be when your dragging it over the sand and up onto a trailer. I was so ticked off I just went home and took a long nap. Thank God no one was there to see it!

 

[dave buckner]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

new boater here. i went to lake with drain plug removed. i assured myself i had a launch "checklist" , and would add plug at ramp. at ramp, i had never seen 3 ramps, 14' wide each, with a line to launch boats. in launch rush , drain plus was overlooked. i realized this quickly and was treading water in my leather shoes in no time, but i will never forget the lesson. in my opinoin the idea of loading/unloading a boat 3' from the next guy. is wrong to begin with...

 

[skeer]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

Attaching the tag to the bow hook.... PERFECT!!!<br /><br />I don't have a plug story but...<br /><br />Second year I owned my baby we take it camping on Lake Pend O'Reille in northern Idaho. When we arrived, about 6pm, I put it in the lake, hooked an anchor line to an underwater cement piling and set 'er up for the night. As I was going up to the campsite a local fella says "Are you sure you want to leave it in for the night? This lake can blow up without warning..." I says "I've got it anchored good. She'll be fine." (We had it in the same lake the year before so I thought I knew it all...!)<br /><br />Skip ahead to the next morning....<br /><br />I am lying in bed happily snoozing away my first morning of vacation when the camper door flies open and my 13yo son yells "Dad, get up! The boat's on it's side on the beach!" I thought he was joking until he assured me he was dead serious. Well I'll tell you, it was a nice crowd gathered around this 21 ft ski boat lying at a 60 degree angle on the beach with 4 foot waves POUNDING into it. At least there were enough to get it pushed off the beach, bailed enough to float it over to the ramp and get it out of the water. Made quite a few friends that day....! Three days later the sand and gravel were power washed out enough, the hull was temp repaired (no major damage, just a lot of scratches), the interior was put back together... we managed to get a vacation out of it at least. When we got it home and into the repair shop it wound up being a $10,000 repair bill to get it back to original shape!!<br />There is a lot to be said for the advice of locals... I always heed it now!!

 

[divepat]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

roncoop.No dumb boating goes unwatched.think about it.

 

[Scoop]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

I have never left the plug out of my boat. Now with my brother-in-laws boat that is another story. Family at his house on the lake. He asked my Dad and I to launch his boat. No problem. He said everything is ready to go. Got it off the trailer with people waiting to use the ramp. My Dad drives off, I start the motor and feel that sinking feeling. I look all over heck for the plug. boat getting more and more water in. I yell for my Dad to get back here, put it in gear and figure to at least get it back to shallow water. We did get it winched onto the trailer and drained the water. I still could not find the plug. We get back to my Brother-in-laws place and he comes out opens the glove box and there it is. He has never asked me to launch his boat again. I have to admit, I was the entertainment for that day at the ramp. Since then, I have never forgotten again.

 

[splinter]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

I'm not saying that you should do this but at one of our local docks someone spraypainted "Don't Forget the Plug" in 3 ft. letters on the side of the drydock building next to the ramp.Ya I know it's vandalism, but humorous.

 

[Scoop]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

Not a bad idea to put a nice sign up, but where are we going to get funny boating stories?