What's your most memorable boating moment?

[Bilgamesh]

I am sure this has been done before, but I thought I would throw it out in case anybody wanted to wax nostalgic and share. Unfortunately I only recently bought a boat, so I cannot share a story. Instead I will share a photo of my very first boat that never hit the water. I built it in my apartment some 25 years ago from plans in a library book, at a time when I had more hair, more girlfriends and more free time! I guess the memorable moment was when it was finished, and I had to figure out how to get it OUT of the apartment. Getting the sawdust out of the carpet was fun too!

 

[JB]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

Most memorable moment?

It was 1983. . . .March or April. In my 1966 Boston Whaler Sakonnet 16 "Sunshine" (see avatar) I was in convoy with about a half dozen other fishermen from Miami to Bimini. The blue water started standing up so that I was often looking up at water on both beams, but the troughs did not coincide with my heading so I had to turn into the waves and climb them at about 45 degrees, surfing down the back side.

Everything was cool until one of the larger boats in the convoy crossed in front of me at below plane, creating a compound wave that I could not avoid. Well, Sunshine buried her bow in that wave and I was suddenly standing knee deep in water with my fuel tanks banging my shins.

I cracked the throttle on my faithful Johnny 70 and she stood up and dumped most of the water over the transom. I then left the helm briefly to pull the plug. Five minutes on a slow plane drained her dry and I replaced the plug.

I ran the rest of the trip in the wake of a big (24'?) Grady White.

Everyone in the convoy was sure I was lost and that Sunshine would become an instant derelict. In the next few years several of them changed to Boston Whalers.

 

[Les Robb]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

Easy, about 15-18 yrs ago we booked a charter out of Stuart FL and left the dock around 7:00am as we normally did. Tide was absolutely flat high with no movement as we cleared the inlet. Around 8:00 the Lady Stuart cleared and radioed back that on the the start of outgoing the swells were building. By 8:30 the inlet was a rage with waves cresting halfway to the seabouy. By the time the rest of the fleet hit the inlet they decided no go for the day.

Anyway Phil, Capt Lady Stuart elected to go to Ft Pierce when he heard the reports on inlet but my captain Ron (46' Post) decided to go into Stuart mainly due to our speed in a following sea.

Sea's were cresting at the bouy and you couldn't even see the inlet. Ron told me to get passengers in PFD's and settled them below in cabin. I joined him on the bridge and after watching the sets he hit the throttle and the great sleigh ride began. ( I have to admit I didn't appreciate his telling me to let him know when I saw the rocks as he was steering by compass, but we made it in and all the passengers thought it was a great thrill.

Later one of the Charter boats that took a pic of us from inside the inlet coming in showed it to us and the only thing visible was the tips of the riggers about 27 ft off the water.

Oh, I don't need any more thrills like that.

Safe boating ya'll

 

[mphy98]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

I was about 8 and went with my grandfather, a german from germany after ww1. we were out in his commercial fishing boat picking up the trap nets off bark river in the up of michigan. the first net was coming up and the boat was rolling over. I thought we were going to roll over. My grandfather just laughed and said to grab the net and help haul it into the holds. I will never forget that.

 

[grego]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

Where do I start? we past a small bay and a family on wetjets, 7 of them. crossed in front of us, WE HAD! to shut down from full power and just missed going through the middle of them. All of them running full throttle. I sounded my horn, just as we got our a*sses wet and took on enough water to soak everybody. "NOT one of them even saw us," it took 15 minutes to pump out the water AND! had to buy wife an air horn,because they could not hear her swearing at them and she NEVER! goes out without it. I remember it like it just happened yesterday and how close we came to running over a little kid. NOT ONE OF THEM SAW US!! / NOW !!the other side of boating!! buddies and me, met a group that was filming for boating mag. we got to hang out and do some of the filming from my boat AND! hang out with with the models almost all day. THAT WAS A H*LL of a day! GOD BLESS AMERICA AND G-STRING SWIMWEAR!

 

[Willyclay]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

Summer 1976, my family was enjoying the last boat ride of our vacation from GA in Stono Inlet between Folly and Kiawah islands near Charleston, SC. It was late afternoon and the sun angle/visbility was perfect for watching a large, square-rigger under full sail appear from over the horizon, making for the Bi-Centenial Tall Ship gathering in Charleston harbor. Dad and sons, nine and five, got a real kick out of the sight. Mom and daughter, eighteen months, were just okay!

 

[escapade]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

most memorable yet to come... the day I hit the water in my first fibreglass boat

My first boat that I owned was one my grandfather built an old flat bottom wood boat with an old leaded only motor, took my brother and his girlfriend out on the lake and we were dangerously low in the water but the motor pushed us long we were about halfway across the lake when all of sudden the motor stopped couldn't get her started luckly another boater came by and towed us back to shore.

turns out that my brother put the diaphram in the cap upside down but we loaded on the trailer by lifting up lol (it was small and light) and I never let him touch it again

 

[skargo]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

I remember fishing with my stepfather off of Thomas point lighthouse when I was 14 or so. We were in a 17' Hydrasport bass boat and looking back, we had way too short of an anchor rode. Thomas point light is near the main shipping channel, and a tanker came in really moving. When I saw the wake coming I yelled, my stepfather started frantically sawing at the anchor rode and cut through it in the nick of time. We just floated for a bit after that, not saying anything...

 

[eterry]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

My first boat was a 14' aluminum, had so many leaks if you dropped a minnow in the boat it would swim under a seat!! Had a 5hp sea king 1953 model I think. A buddy and I were running trotlines on rough water and I dropped anchor to untangle a line. Boat was pitching and bucking, we finally got line untangled and I cranked up motor and head for shore. I steamed right over the anchor line and got it fouled in the prop! My buddy just happened to bring a set of diving fins and snorkel and I had given him grief about it, but they sure came in handy about then. He donned fins and dove overboard, I handed him tools as he took the prop off, and cleared the shaft of trotline. Got the prop back on and he got aboard, almost swamping our little boat!! I cranked up, by now had drifted half-way across the lake! We started back, barely gaining ground against the waves and wind. We finally reached the No-Wake Zone of the boat ramp when the motor ran out of fuel, it had lost most of its fuel when motor was tilted up removing/replacing prop. We gladly paddled the last 100 yards to shore and swore off boating for a while!! Took lots of Bud Lite to get over that one!!
Eterry

 

[bhammer]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

14 or so years ago, was out for a night of cat fishing. Did good and my buddy and I were headed in just as the sun was coming up. The water was glass and we commented on how it would be perfect for skiing. It was early April and the water temp was mid 60s. Well, I stripped down to my skivvies and hopped in. After I got over my shakes, it was a lot of fun on the glass. Best skiing I have ever done. Boy was it cold and the yes, they did.... Ah, never mind we won't go there.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

My most memorable time was when I was about 10. Grew up on the Ohio river halfway between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. The river gets a bit winding in that area. Barge traffic was heavy one day and the current running at a good clip.

Dad tossed the anchor out, but it just kept dragging on the rocky bottom. He went to start up to move us back out of the channel as we were getting real close to passing barge traffic. He cranked on the engine, but it wouldn't turn over. So now he is getting into an extreme panic mode. I then see him putting a line on the 9.9 kicker motor and toss it over for an anchor. Luck had it that it worked in getting us stopped before getting into the middle of the river. Wondering if I should even ask him why he didn't just start the kicker to move us, he said "Settle down, I only did that because this morning it wouldn't start". Guess dad was smarter than I thought at that time

He cleaned the battery terminal and the engine fired right up. Funny thing about the whole thing was that dad had a big grin on his face. I think it had to do with revenge on that old kicker motor that always was giving him problems. There are many others, but this one has always stood out in my years of boating..........SS

 

[SeanT]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

Hitting an old stone breakwater from many many years ago in the lake my Dad has lived at for a few years. Neither of us knew it was there. We were cruising along, and just happened to slow down and come off plane at the wrong time (to oggle some property) and CLUNK CLUNK CLUNKCLUNKCLUNK.

Yeah - I was running a stainless steel prop, which unfortunately resulted in damage to the inside of the leg as well, and tore a chunk out of the bottom of my skeg. One of the scariest things I've ever experienced out on the open water, and we didn't even come close to tipping. It was just so completely unexpected, we weren't anywhere near anything. I did not take pictures of the prop at the time, but I was able to have it rebuilt. The chunk out of the skeg is a reminder every time I launch. I don't run stainless props anymore in unfamiliar water.

It wasn't until after, talking to some of the older folks in the area, that we learned right around where we were is a break water that existed a LONG time ago when the water levels were lower, that extends out from a particular point in the lake. I pretty much stay away from that area completely now. My Dad has gone looking for it since using his pontoon, but he still hasn't found it yet. It could be just one piece still standing or something instead of the entire wall, making it harder to find, and I was just extremely unlucky.

 

[lkbum]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

My wife and I were coming home from a July 4th party about 10 years ago late at night (maybe 11:00 pm or so). It started raining so hard you couldn't see the bow lights on our run about. We had no choice but to pull into an empty slip at a private dock and wait it out. Lots of lightning, howling wind, I put the covers on (84 207 Sear Ray Monaco SXL - Had the full bench in back)and made some incrdebly good use of the moment with my wife in the lightning and thunder!!!

 

[Les Robb]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

I take it you were praying for fair weather.

 

[oshkoshboating]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

3 weeks ago (seriously!) I bought my buddy's 1971 Steury 4 seater with 65 HP Johnson outboard for a measly $600. Beautiful faded avacago green paint job also! I figured hey, if the family and I don't like it, then I sell it to someone else for $600 and we move on.

We went down to the local boat docks, unloaded it into the water and started it up. Coasted out and went past the two NO WAKE pylons and asked my wife and son if they were ready. Both said yes, and I shot the throttle down. That's all it took - we bought a bigger & newer boat a few days ago.

To me, its similar to the feeling I would get when I road my motorcycles - that initial take off and that pull on your stomach and body; the wind in your hair, etc etc.

Except now, I can enjoy this similar feeling with friends and family.......and drink some beer as well! (RESPONSIBLY!!!)

 

[NW Redneck]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

I was about 11-12 years old and was with my dad in our 16', '68 Grew runabout with a 65hp Evenrude that had cable steering. We were boating around the Yuculta rapids by Stuart Island and they were running pretty good. There were several whirlpools that were several times the length of our boat!

We were keeping to the calmer areas along with a few other smaller boats just watching the spectacle when suddenly the boat swung around and started heading for the white water! I looked at my dad who was turning the wheel with no movement from the motor. The steering cable had snapped! Dad told me to man the throttle and he went back, sat up on the edge of the splash well and started steering the motor with his feet! We managed to pull into Big Bay marina and make up a new cable out of 1/8" rope to get us home to Powell River. I'll never forget the split second look of panic in dads face, then just as quickly changed to calm and cool to keep me from panicking.

I think I realized just how dangerous our situation was as we were just clearing the rapids and we saw a telephone pole sized log get drawn into one of the bigger whirlpools and disapeared, only to launch up out of the water almost 100 yards away!

 

[TJDave]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

It's a secret.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

The Good:

Putting our little SeaRay 170 in at the mouth of the Severn River on Lake Simcoe and running it all the way to Georgian Bay to my step-father's island off Parry Sound. It was my first real voyage requiring charts. Took about ten hours what with clearing all the locks, many intervening lakes and up the eastern coast of the Bay. I had jerry cans of gas lashed to the swim platform.

While there are marked channels, the waters are strewn with shoals and other nasties so it was a bit stressful. When I finally rounded the last point and saw the island I was whooping for joy and honking on the air horn. A real feeling of accomplishment but I didn't have a bimini in those days and standing out in the blazing sun at the helm all that time left me with a nice case of heat stroke. Went to bed and slept for hours. It was a thrill though.

The Bad:

Near the same island as my destination above. This time not so lucky with the rocks. It was 1989 or so and my step-father had just taken delivery of his new Hinterhoeller Limestone 24. A real gorgeous big (inland) water boat. Nice dry ride and tons of space for hauling supplies back and forth to the mainland.

Anyway, even though it was brand spanking new, he gave me the helm and a heading and called for planing speed. I opened it up and we began the climb onto plane. Engine at full bore, putting out max torque and digging real deep. The sound was glorious.

Then...Wham! WHAM! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! --and we were dead in the water. I had put her right onto a shoal. Destroyed the outdrive to the tune of many many thousands of dollars on a boat with less than ten hours on it. I was devastated, was a broke student at the time and couldn't imagine how long it would take me to pay that off.

My SF just gritted his teeth and did his best to smile. Told me the heading and call for throttle were both his responsibility and not to worry about it. A true gentleman but it still haunts me.

The boat, long since repaired is still running strong these two decades later. This pic was snapped just last summer.

 

[Mike Robinson]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

Most memorable moment?

...Everything was cool until one of the larger boats in the convoy crossed in front of me at below plane, creating a compound wave that I could not avoid. Well, Sunshine buried her bow in that wave and I was suddenly standing knee deep in water with my fuel tanks banging my shins...

Now JB, this wouldn't be case of premeditated negligence, now would it?




(Sorry I couldn't resist the opportunity to tease you.)

 

[MushCreek]

Re: What's your most memorable boating moment?

After a near lifetime on the water- it would be hard to narrow it down.

I remember taking my girlfriend-of-the-moment out very early in the morning so she could take pictures of a sunrise. We motored way out, and the sunrise was glorious- very colorful. It was only after she had the film developed that I found out she was using black and white film- color film was too expensive for her!

We once rode out one of the worst thunderstorms I've ever seen in a 20' cabin sailboat. We had maneuvered into a small cove, and since the storm hit at night, there was no way to get out of there until it was light out. The storm lasted 4 hours, with seemingly continuous lightning all around us.

In another thunderstorm, in another sailboat, we had anchored for the night. A 38' boat, the engine was dead due to low batteries, so we were kind of stuck. A strong front swept through around 1 AM, with 60 mph winds and lightning. We were really getting tossed around because we were in relatively shallow water. It didn't get too exciting until the anchor windlass SNAPPED OFF at the base, dropping a few hundred feet of chain to the bottom of Tampa Bay, and leaving us adrift without power in a bad storm. We put out the second anchor, but the rope was very ratty, so we called the Coast Guard. They motored out, and managed to throw us another anchor line after many tries. They asked if we wanted to get off of our vessel, but when we found out we'd have to swim clear and get plucked out of the water, we declined the offer. Why does this stuff seem to happen at night?