I have been on boats all my life and have been an operator for over thirty years. I really prided myself on never having an accident since one when I was 17. I didn't realize how much I prided myself on this until today when the streak ended. I was out on my first trip of the season really just doing my annual checkup to see if everything is working well. I went to Sunset Cove on Lake Lanier. There was a crosswind and I was trying to set up to back into a slip. In the process the wind caught me so I decided to pull out and try again. As I was aborting the process I nudged the gas a bit to get away from a boat I was being blown into. Not thinking about my bimini support frame/pole sticking up and the adjacent boat's anchor hanging down from their windlass - the anchor hooked the pole and stopped me dead in my tracks. Suffice it to say I was REAL lucky! There was not a scratch on either boat. My pole was bent. My pride was hurt.
I docked on the opposite side of the dock - better protected from the wind. I looked to see if anybody was on the other boat. They weren't. I told the dock hand what happened - but he did not seem to care. I went and ate lunch and returne d to my boat about an hour later. I approached the boat which now had 2 men on it. I told them what happened. The owner (I guess) said one of the other people on the dock had already told him. I could never not own up to something like this but I know there are countless people that would. The two guys were great about it and appreciative that I reached out to them. I hope they read this and know how much I appreciate their understanding.
I docked on the opposite side of the dock - better protected from the wind. I looked to see if anybody was on the other boat. They weren't. I told the dock hand what happened - but he did not seem to care. I went and ate lunch and returne d to my boat about an hour later. I approached the boat which now had 2 men on it. I told them what happened. The owner (I guess) said one of the other people on the dock had already told him. I could never not own up to something like this but I know there are countless people that would. The two guys were great about it and appreciative that I reached out to them. I hope they read this and know how much I appreciate their understanding.
