Mistakes

[Steplift]

Many years ago my dad had the weekend off so we decided to run a few hours up to our favourite walleye lake. Get up well before light cook breakfast and off we go. Dad must have forgotten about the little pebble stuck in the breaks but at least we had something to listen to on the two hour drive. We finally arrived at the boat launch I’m unpacking the truck into to boat and see the old man standing there in complete discussed. He forgot the key to the boat so we jacked up the truck pulled the tire removed the pebble and went back home.

I remember it being a quiet ride on the way home lol.

 

[chris73]

Ok, here is one of my Oops confessions:
My friend Dave and I have been doing an annual fishing trip up to Malcolm Island each year. Usually take one of my sons as well. Routine is to trailer from Victoria up to Telegraph or Alder Bay, launch the boat there, my son and I boat over to Malcolm while Dave takes the truck over by ferry. As there is usually only one ferry over per day we usually text each other to make sure he made it on ok as we two boat over and often fish already on our short way over. Couple years ago, boat is launched, Dave off to the ferry and my son and I push off and goof around jigging some reefs when suddenly after a short jigging stop the main motor won't turn over. Turn the key - nothing. WTF? Starter toast? Pop the cowling of the F115 Yammi - check everything, wiggle all cables, knock on starter, switch batteries, check fuel - try again, nothing. What now? Had 4 days fishing planned; nearly impossible without main engine. No mechanics or services on Malcolm Island. Maybe Dave can still turn around and we abort the whole trip? I text Dave - he is already on the ferry - no turnaround anymore, so we are committed going over for sure. So, we start the kicker and putter across which takes about an hour and a bit. My son is totally disappointed as the trip looks like a write-off. Dave texts back indicating resignation and frustration too. We are nearing our destination and while I am assessing the docking procedure under kicker-power while sitting on the helm seat, my view falls onto the control lever of the main engine. It stands upright but is it fully upright in neutral? Can it really be that simple?!! I touch it slightly and it clicks into neutral. No way!!! I am almost fainting for embarrassment but then also jubilating internally that our trip may not be a bust after all. After a couple of seconds of this wild emotional swing I decided to have some fun with my 17 year old son who stares disappointed and depressed at the tip of his feet. So I get up, pop the main cowling again and pull demonstratively my swiss army knife out and say out loud "Ok, last chance, let's try the German method!" and pretend going busy with the tool at the motor. Then I confidently go up to the helm and calmly turn the key - motor starts flawlessly. I am relieved but my son looks bewildered up to me - he couldn't get his mouth closed: "How did you do that, Dad? What did you do?!". "Uh, you know, this and that, Swiss Army knives fix it all.", I said as we pull up to the dock. He thinks I am a genius. A little while Dave pulls up in the truck and walks down to our dock with a sour face. My son breaks the fine news to him that I miraculously fixed the issue with the pocket knife. Dave looks at me in awe. At that point I confessed and we all broke out in loud and relieved laughter. We had a fantastic trip after that.

 

[Eden Island]

Ok, here is one of my Oops confessions:
My friend Dave and I have been doing an annual fishing trip up to Malcolm Island each year. Usually take one of my sons as well. Routine is to trailer from Victoria up to Telegraph or Alder Bay, launch the boat there, my son and I boat over to Malcolm while Dave takes the truck over by ferry. As there is usually only one ferry over per day we usually text each other to make sure he made it on ok as we two boat over and often fish already on our short way over. Couple years ago, boat is launched, Dave off to the ferry and my son and I push off and goof around jigging some reefs when suddenly after a short jigging stop the main motor won't turn over. Turn the key - nothing. WTF? Starter toast? Pop the cowling of the F115 Yammi - check everything, wiggle all cables, knock on starter, switch batteries, check fuel - try again, nothing. What now? Had 4 days fishing planned; nearly impossible without main engine. No mechanics or services on Malcolm Island. Maybe Dave can still turn around and we abort the whole trip? I text Dave - he is already on the ferry - no turnaround anymore, so we are committed going over for sure. So, we start the kicker and putter across which takes about an hour and a bit. My son is totally disappointed as the trip looks like a write-off. Dave texts back indicating resignation and frustration too. We are nearing our destination and while I am assessing the docking procedure under kicker-power while sitting on the helm seat, my view falls onto the control lever of the main engine. It stands upright but is it fully upright in neutral? Can it really be that simple?!! I touch it slightly and it clicks into neutral. No way!!! I am almost fainting for embarrassment but then also jubilating internally that our trip may not be a bust after all. After a couple of seconds of this wild emotional swing I decided to have some fun with my 17 year old son who stares disappointed and depressed at the tip of his feet. So I get up, pop the main cowling again and pull demonstratively my swiss army knife out and say out loud "Ok, last chance, let's try the German method!" and pretend going busy with the tool at the motor. Then I confidently go up to the helm and calmly turn the key - motor starts flawlessly. I am relieved but my son looks bewildered up to me - he couldn't get his mouth closed: "How did you do that, Dad? What did you do?!". "Uh, you know, this and that, Swiss Army knives fix it all.", I said as we pull up to the dock. He thinks I am a genius. A little while Dave pulls up in the truck and walks down to our dock with a sour face. My son breaks the fine news to him that I miraculously fixed the issue with the pocket knife. Dave looks at me in awe. At that point I confessed and we all broke out in loud and relieved laughter. We had a fantastic trip after that.

Hey Chris. You may have reasons to prefer TC to launch, but here's a brief pitch for Port McNeill.
- no gravel road; highway and pavement right to the ramp
- less crowded launch area
- 2 minutes to the ferry to Malcolm
- diesel and gas right near launch
- 4 miles by water to marina on Malcolm Island [vs ~15 from TC]
Several options for mechanical help if you ever have something you can't fix by Swiss Army knife - Shoprite for outboards, Progressive Diesel, others.

 

[Damn Ugly]

My former neighbor sold me my 1969 17' Starcraft w/1980 30hp Evinrude 2 stroke almost 20 years ago for next to nothing when he upgraded to a new Hewescraft. I took the boat out for a couple spins on Pitt Lake and fell in love with the freedom of owning my own boat. I promptly loaded the (ex)wife, our newborn son & faithful dog into the truck with several hundred pounds of camping & fishing gear and headed for Wells Grey and Clearwater Lake. Once there, I successfully launch the boat & load the wife, kid, dog & gear and go to start it.....it turns but won't fire. I check everything twice unsuccessfully while I'm getting bombarded with abundant unsolicited advice from a flock of boisterous German/Austrian tourists hovering on the dock above me. In frustration, I fire up the electric motor and take the boat, wife, kid, dog & gear 3km down the lake to a perfect campsite that we'd call home for the next week. I completely field-strip the motor, buffing, gapping, cleaning and polishing everything I can and baking it in the sun on the beach to dry. Reassembled...it still won't fire. A week later and I park said boat, ex, dog, kid & gear in the driveway and my phone immediately rings - the neighbor wants to know how the trip went. I told him: Camping was superb, fishing was amazing, weather was perfect, boat was stable and awesome....motor was $#!t. He's so apologetic and offers to split the cost of any repairs necessary. 5 minutes later he comes over while I'm unloading ex, kid, dog, gear, etc. and he asks if I checked the man-overboard clip. So, I says to him...."What?!?", and he replies...."Yeah, that dangly little clip on the end of the bright red lanyard....try clipping that in!". Engine fires, first try, and he compliments me on what a fine tune up I did. Apparently the motor never started so easily or sounded that good for him. Asides from several other cringe-worthy "Oops" moments over the years (great camp-fire stories, and even better lessons learned!), the Damn Ugly and old reliable Evinrude still get us into our fair share of fish & adventures rather successfully.

 

[chris73]

Hey Chris. You may have reasons to prefer TC to launch, but here's a brief pitch for Port McNeill.
- no gravel road; highway and pavement right to the ramp
- less crowded launch area
- 2 minutes to the ferry to Malcolm
- diesel and gas right near launch
- 4 miles by water to marina on Malcolm Island [vs ~15 from TC]
Several options for mechanical help if you ever have something you can't fix by Swiss Army knife - Shoprite for outboards, Progressive Diesel, others.

Thanks! Yes, we prefer the other options because we leave my trailer there during our stay on the island. And no gravel road there either. Also, our destination is Mitchell Bay which is closer from TC or Alder. Cheers!

 

[trophywife]

letting my bud operate the other downrigger, he didnt know it was on metres instead of feet. somehow he had switched it. ugh... 2 balls later we figured it out.

 

[Wondermur]

Some 20 years ago went fishing for first time to Pitt Lake , didn’t know at the time it was tidal lake. I was wondering why other boaters were keeping to the right side. Well, I found out soon after. We were stranded in the middle of the lake in less than 12” of water , at least 100 yards from shore.

That was pretty much me and my buddy at osoyoos lake south of the bridge 12 years ago. Must be great entertainment for the people who have views onto that part of the lake.

 

[Rockin Rob]

Great storys . Two of my own that i will admit too . Once while pounding my way down the Renfrew road back when it was a long gravel road I looked in the truck mirror and wondered what that was whipping around behind the boat , pulled over to have a look and found my kicker laying on road being held there with the fuel line.. Learned to slow down a touch. Another time fishing Nitnat the main would not start no mater I did, I tried everything but no go , as iI was starting the long slow rid home on the kicker a older FN fisheries Guardian pulls up and asks me if it's in neutral. I touched the control and it moved a fraction and we all heard a click, he smiled nicely and pulled away shacking his head and probably thinking dumb white man

 

[Reel Time]

Probably around 10 years ago, when the excitement to get on the water created great oversight (still does). I loaded my tote of 400 feet of rope into the boat and placed 2 prawn traps that were in tandem connected by 40 feet of rope on top of the tote. When we got to the spot to drop the prawn traps my buddy yells to throw em over, so I grab the first trap and toss it over.... 40 feet later rope and i grab the second trap, give it a good toss over the boat.... UGH... quietly watch it sink without being attached to the 400 feet of rope in the tote.

Excitement always gets me, little more patient now in planning my days on the water and double checking.... I also have tossed flashers and lures over board without attaching to the rod... I have fished a lure for an hour or so until realizing it didnt have a hook as I was replacing them or supposed to.

Ditto to boat plugs in earlier years. But I was bendy enough to hang off the back of the boat and reach in to install... I would probably still just jump in the water and install if needed again.

 

[Totally unexpected]

Watched my boat and truck slide down the ramp at lions bay after leaving the plug out and frantically grabbing the truck getting the trailer out of the pile of trailers you had to leave them in and my ex asking why are my flip flops floating in the bottom of the boat. Had the same boat unhitch from the truck halfway up the ramp at Rocky point,after a frantic night and day trying to take the family to the fireworks,I actually had gone down early to get a spot but had unhooked the trailer to go gather everyone and when I returned I forgot to lock the trailer onto the truck. About ten years ago when my now wife and I got the boat we still have now I said to her on the way to Rocky point again " let's not be those people that we have laughed at all these years from the boardwalk" big mistake as we get there I make sure the plug is in I get backed up I jump in the boat the wife backs me in I put her in reverse nothing I get her to back in further ...nothing ,now I'm yelling at her the truck bumper is literally under water I'm still hammering reverse finally I get her to pull up...sure enough left the rear travel straps on....idiot!!!

 

[Max123]

Been piloting our family boats since I was about 12. Bought my first 'personal' boat back in 2019 (lovely little 14ft Lifetimer with a centre console and 40hp suzuki that they built for me). First time out in the boat, we launch at Pitt Meadows marina and head upstream towards Pitt Lake. Used to do it a lot as a teenager, but had probably been 15 years since I'd been in the river. Head up past Goose Bar, past the quarries, lovely day on the lake. Cruising back down the river at the end of the day; tide is low and we round the last bend coming up to goose bar...

For those that don't know (which I didn't at the time), Goose Bar is a sandbar that has a loooong tail just under the surface going up the river towards the Lafarge quarry. There is a helpful warning buoy - but its so far upstream from the island that you almost don't realize that the bar could possibly extend that far. At high tide, you might get luck and cut across this tail without even knowing its there. On a lower tide, you absolutely cannot.

Well back to the story, we were coming downstream on the north/west side of the River and I realize we should be on the east shoreline to get back to the marina, so I cut across (we have passed the warning buoy at this point without registering its significance)... Everything happened really fast. The skeg hits sand and kicks the outboard up and out of the water - massive sound, prop flinging mud/water everywhere. We decelerate hard - I slam the throttle back into neutral and kill the engine (or it dies, can't remember). After recovering from the sensory overload/disorientation, but with adrenaline still pounding in my ears, we find ourselves floating in the middle of the river in about 18" of water. I get us off the sandbar, put the engine back down - no start. Paddle/drift across to a log boom and tie-off, and to try to get the engine fired - still no start.

Little did I know that Suzuki's have a notoriously finnicky neutral position switch - basically the engine won't start if it thinks it is in gear. Slamming the throttle back when the engine popped up didn't help this. If had just shifted it into gear and back into neutral, it would have reset and started - I didn't know this and thought I'd just killed my brand new outboard. At this point I'm desperate, because it won't even crank - so I have the cowl off, and am trying to manually start the engine with the ripcord on the flywheel. Pointless - its not going anywhere.

Thankfully the river is pretty busy and we flagged down two gentlemen in a crew boat heading to the Gillnetter, and they gave us a tow the last mile to the marina (with many thanks, and refused offers of a few bucks for gas). In the end, no damage other than a sandblasted skeg (which was easily repainted), and a sorely bruised ego. Especially bruised since I towed my 'dead' boat back to the dealer (with full disclosure of my sins), and they get it started on the first try.

 

[Max123]

Here's another one - not me this time - just the witness.

So we are up at Pitt Lake - beach at Osprey Creek marine park. We are there for the day, and as you guys might know there is very little sandy beach to pull up your boat - its generally pretty rocky and also exposed to wind - combined with the tide changes, its generally a good idea to anchor your boat rather than beach it.

Anyway, there was a stiff breeze that day and I've got my little boat anchored about 50ft off shore. Around 2pm, a late arrival shows up looking to moor - brand new boat (larger Bayliner). The guy is having some trouble with his boat - he initially thinks he's pulling up on the beach, but quickly realizes he's going to destroy the bottom of his new boat on the rocks. At this point he starts messing trying to figure out his brand new anchor.

At this point, the guy is distracted by the anchor and isn't paying attention, so the wind starts to push him around, and his giant Bayliner begins to drift into my boat. I shout at the guy to pay attention. Clearly flustered, he circles the boat back around - and moves a bit farther out (probably 100ft out, in about 30ft of water).

Frustrated, he's up on the bow and heaves the anchor out (no windlass). The anchor goes down, chain follows. Chain keeps going - still no rode - its all chain. By this point the anchor has hit the bottom, but the chain is still accelerating - the weight of the chain is like a self sustaining reaction pulling out more and more chain - faster and faster. It dawns on the guy - its not going to stop. I can still see him on the bow doing the little dance - you can almost see him thinking "should I reach down and try to grab this flailing chain and maybe lose a finger...". As you rightly suspect - the chain was not secured to the boat and after about 20 seconds, the end of the chain clatters over the side. Nothing left but a splash, where only moments before was a brand new anchor and about 150' of new chain.

Thankfully he didn't try to stop it and no fingers were lost - ultimately he made the right call. But after about 2 minutes of idling and staring at the water he sped off...

After that, I secured a small buoy to the end of my anchor rode...

The anchor and chain is still there in about 30ft of water, and I've been trying to snag it with a magnet ever since.

 

[Alison2]

In the early days of launching, I took all the trailer straps off a bit too far away from the water on a low tide. You probably know what comes next....my wife was climbing in to the boat and the boat started to slide backwards. She yelled "not yet!" as she thought I was backing the boat down to the water but I wasn't even in the truck. In slow motion, I watched the boat slide half way off the trailer, slam the stern on the concrete as my wife fell in the boat and cracked a rib on a cannon ball. Luckily it was an 18' aluminum and with the help of another couple we managed to just barely crank it back on the trailer. It was a quiet and painful ride out that morning

 

[Thunder21]

Years ago with a previous boat I pulled up to Sidney spit and tilted my engine up not quite out of the water and hopped out of the boat to go for a walk and forgot to turn the engine off. It was so quiet at idle I didnt hear a thing until the overheat alarm went off. The other mistake was I tied my salvage boat with a boom of 100 or so logs up in a protected bay and we happened to get a freak outflow that night. It blew the boom and boat way up on shore so I spent half of the next day salvaging my boat and then the logs again. Luckily the boat was fine.

 

[Rockin Rob]

Here's one i witnessed years ago at the Beachy Head launch. While we were all waiting our turn to launch a fellow gets his turn to go . He caught our attention as his rig looked brand new, New trailer, new bright and shiny boat ,not a scratch or a bit of dirt on it. Once he gets all lined up his wife gets out on the ramp with instructions to hold on to the bow line,nothing else just hold the bow line. About halfway down the ramp the boat zips right down those brand new rollers and lands on the ramp . The fellow jumps out of the truck and runs down looking pretty pissed . The wife stood there holding the line and not saying a word. Smart lady

 

[Alex_c]

I bought my first boat in 2011 - an old, leaky 14’ tinny with a 35 hp Evinrude. I took it upon myself to hone my seafaring abilities mainly on the stretch of the Fraser between Peg-Leg and the mouth of the Vedder. For those that don’t know, some call that section “the gauntlet” because it’s very wide and shallow in sections, with lots of side channels, and a main stem that changes year to year. With near zero visibility year-round, and a bottom structure that constantly changes as you move up and down the river, you really have to rely on your charts, depth sounder, and river-reading skills - all of which I did not posses at the time. Anyway, I stuffed that boat up on a gravel bar a few times before I started to get the hang of it. Got pretty good at straightening my prop too. Naturally, this led to me being cocky, so one morning I launched at Barrowtown with a buddy (RIP Rob) and headed up to meet some friends at Grassy bar. About halfway there, just up river of Richie Bros, you can fork left or right. Going right takes you by Old Orchard, and straight to Grassy, so it’s a short cut. I had taken the route a few times already so I figured I’d be fine. So here I am, throttle pinned, doing 40 km/h when I notice the water surface looks a bit suspicious - the flow had slowed down and little riffles were appearing. Before I had the sense to slow down and try to find some better water… BANG! My motor shoots up out of the water, revs up to a million RPM and stalls. I drop the motor down and try to start it and it sputters and dies. I smell gear oil, so I lift the leg, where I can see a 2” square hole in the side of the gear case where the dog had shot through. I tell my buddy to drop the anchor, but he’s panicking and can’t find the right end of the rope. By the time he gets it out, we’re in 20’ of fast water and getting dragged along. I tell him to pull it back up and we try to paddle out of the middle of the river to the shore where we can land the boat. We paddle for a few minutes before a passing boat came to save us. He drags us to shore, and later my buddy comes by and tows us back to the launch with his 14’ jon boat with 4 dudes in it. It was a bit sketchy.

Anyway, I found a parts motor and was back up and running with a new drive shaft and lower unit in a couple weeks. The prop hit so hard that one blade was completely bent, one chipped, and one totally untouched. Shortly after I went out and bought a depth sounder and avoided that section of the river for a while.

 

[Eden Island]

Something about stern tie downs? But that should buff right out...

 

[Max123]

@eden_island - so I've been thinking about this scenario a lot over the years and I'm never sure if its the stern tie down or the bow safety chain.

I think about it this way. The stern tie down straps are secured to the trailer, but the trailer is shorter than the boat. If the boat starts to slide forward, the stern straps a going to go slack - then tight. But at that point the boat might have enough momentum that there's no stopping them.

The bow safety chain is much shorter, and should hold the bow in place - preventing it from going over the bow stop to begin with.

I'm not saying my theory is right - just that I've probably thought about it too much. Anyway I always use both.

 

[Eden Island]

@eden_island - so I've been thinking about this scenario a lot over the years and I'm never sure if its the stern tie down or the bow safety chain.

I think about it this way. The stern tie down straps are secured to the trailer, but the trailer is shorter than the boat. If the boat starts to slide forward, the stern straps a going to go slack - then tight. But at that point the boat might have enough momentum that there's no stopping them.

The bow safety chain is much shorter, and should hold the bow in place - preventing it from going over the bow stop to begin with.

I'm not saying my theory is right - just that I've probably thought about it too much. Anyway I always use both.

Thanks Max -- you've given it more thought than I did with my flippant caption - so I agree, the bow chain is more critical to this forward and aft direction of movement. The stern ties would behave as you said. Securing the stern seems more important for preventing the boat rolling off under lateral forces. So both bow and stern ties are needed, and may not be enough in the event of disastrous forces.

 

[CIVANO]

under the cleats on both sides and secured to trailer on both sides