Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?
I concur that there isn't enough detail to give an opinion one way or another.
I've been in a similar situation....
I launched my little 12' 10hp on a lake, docked it up and tried to start the engine .... no luck. I tried for what felt like hours, then one guy came down and helped me take the carb off, strip it, free the float and put it back together again. No expectancy of anything but a thank you. I saw him again later that day at the campsite and I gave him a bottle of wine for his troubles and he was almost embarassed to accept! Really a good samaratin if ever there was one!
A few weeks later, we were camping at another lake and a guy launched a larger boat.
The camper next to us told him not to bother and that he'd never get that big boat through the channel onto the main lake, even though the launcher stated he had a 2' draft. (You know the the type? "I've been around boats all my life blah, blah, blah")
I asked him if he'd like to come out in my 12'er just to check out the channel and he was shocked that I'd even offered.
Turned out the channel was 3' and we took his boat the second time, with me at the bow, watching for sunken obstacles with no issues.
He offered to pay for my gas, but I declined stating that my little 10hp would have used about a cup of gas! lol
All 4 of us (my wife, I, the guy and his wife) had a blast for the rest of the week, sharing boats and campfires and Smores! lol
When we got back, the guy who said it couldn't be done was surprisingly quiet!
A few days later, I was at the other end of the lake, just enjoying the beach and a family were launching a little 10" with a 6hp and it wouldn't start. The father was getting visibly tired and frustrated pulling the rope, so I offered to help. Turned out that the carb was clogged, so I stirpped the carb, fixed the float and they went on their merry way! (Karma eh?) It took me a couple of hours, but the smile on his sons face was enough!
Just thought I'd share!
