How did you make it home?

[Trent]

Iv been boating all my life and you will have breakdowns from time to time. Sometimes you can come up with a way to get home. How did you do it. Here are just a couple of mine.<br /><br />Ten miles from the ramp the waterpump/alternator belt breaks. (I/O) Cut a ski rope up and made a makeshift belt and back to the ramp.<br /><br />Boating in rough lake water in another (I/O) and the boat just quit. After troubleshooting I found no fuel to the fuel pump. Found the fuel tank pickup tube broken off in the tank. Removed tank sender and stuck the bilge pump hose down in the tank and rigged it to the fuel pump and home we went.<br /><br />A friend of mine in the Gulf of Mexico hit a object (just under the surface) and puctured the hull of a wooden Crusier. Water was comming in at a good clip and many miles from shore. Bilge pumps were loosing the battle. This was a twin set up so he stopped the boat and unhooked the rawater intakes and stuck them into the bilge and the engines sucked their cooling water up and out the boat. Made it back to the marina.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: How did you make it home?

I was about 5 or 6 miles from the boat ramp in my Ski Nautique when the raw water pumps impeller failed... <br /><br />I pulled the hose off the raw water pump and cut the belt and then I hooked up the bilge pump hose to the engine water supply hose.. Then I removed the hose from the water intake strainer and let the water flood the bilge and controled the excess water with the aux. bilge pump and the water intake valve..<br /><br />Fliped the main bilge pump switch on, and cruised on home...

 

[crab bait]

Re: How did you make it home?

that's good stuff..!! gotta luv it..!!<br /><br />when it's 'sink or swim time',, ya do what ya gotta do..

 

[Jack Shellac]

Re: How did you make it home?

Luckily, my only problem was a failed fuel pump. My son just kept pumping the primer bulb to keep the carbs filled and we went right on home.

 

[roscoe]

Re: How did you make it home?

Row, Row, Row.<br />Got a tow once when my glass float bowl broke, don't ask.

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: How did you make it home?

Blew a coupler once while putting in a river about five miles from my public ramp on a Sunday night. A kind older man let me use his boat lift and even gave us a ride home. From there I had to go back to the public ramp to get my van and trailer. The next day (I didn't want to over stay my welcome) I went back to get my boat. I first had to scout out a place to pull it out at. I came across one of those back yard salvage yards (you know one of those places that has two or three boats that haven't seen the water in twenty years and a pile of salvage lumber laying around) about a mile up river. They really didn't have a ramp but they said they launched a boat or two off a slope behind the reeds but......... I would have to do it quick because the neighbor would call the cops on them for knocking down the reeds (a B-S county ordinance). He also said he wouldn't be there just in case the cops showed up. I would have a better chance playing on there sympathy with out him there. I didn't ask. <br />Then the mile walk begin. Talking to my buddy on the way we discussed how we would just row a 19' Larson I/O to the ramp if we had to but it wouldn't come to that. We thought would just slip the first boater we saw a couple of bucks for a tow. Well we got to his pier and after fooling with a unfamiliar lift I got it back in the water but never saw any boats. Just my luck. So out came the oars. After paddling for about a half hour (realizing how heavy the boat was) a small breeze came along a blew us right back to where we started from. We tried again two more times with no luck. Still no other boats. I tied two 25' lines together and jumped in going for shore. When there I walked the shore line (where the was one)pulling the line with my buddy in the boat. Around piers,trees,boats and threw the mud I went. I am sure we were a sight in this rich water front neighborhood going to the unwelcome neighbors property. When there I ran for the van and trailer pulled it on the lot and backed down the slope (thinking the cops were on the way) heart beating fast and not sure if the van would sink up to its axels or not I stopped when the tires hit the water thinking that had to be enough. I run to the back of the van and still saw the trailers lights still sticking out of the water. Dam! I have to try and fast the rear tires are starting to sink and there is no other place to go now. Out comes the winch cable and the two of us began to crank fast. When it starts up the rollers on the trailer it heads for the sky and the transom hits the sand bottom. Now the cable is real tight as we franticly crank away. Finally my buddy got the idea to get up on the bow to bring it down. Down it came "SLAM !" and he flips off the bow into the one and a half foot of water. No physical injuries, just pride. This would have looked real good if the cops showed up now. Finish cranking it in while my buddy picks himself up (couldn't help him had to complete the mission first) and hooked the safety chain to the bow eye and headed for the drivers seat. On the way by I noticed the rear tires were real low in the wet sand now so my buddy thought he better push just to make sure I didn't get stuck. He really didn't want to see the cops. I didn't ask. With a few spins of the tires it broke lose and up to the road I went. When I stopped and got out I saw the unnamed friend back in the river. When he got back up to the van he told me he was covered head to toe with sand from spinning tires and since he was already wet...Thinking the worst was over and we beat the cops out we had smiles on our faces thinking Navy seals could not have done it better. We stop at the stop sign at the entrance of the community where they have a bulletin board. As both of our smiles faded we read "USCG Warns not to swim,fish or have prolonged contact with the river". We were lucky to find out the next day it was going to be lifted in a couple of days and there was nothing to worry about. I glad I am not having any more kids.

 

[Capt Ken]

Re: How did you make it home?

Do you really want to go there Trent? Once while checking a problem in a customer's Shamrock, the w/p impeller gave up the ghost. No problem, just fire up the kicker and motor back. Nada, no water pumping out on that one either. Outgoing tide and in the middle of the channel, what do I do? Run a hose from the wash down pump and attach it to the inlet water hose of the main engine. Kept it cool enogh to idle back in. At first Trent, I thought you was wondering how I got back from the Marti Gras party this evening. It wasn't easy!!!

 

[Jacques321]

Re: How did you make it home?

Was about 2 miles from shore when my starting battery died. Corroded connections so alternator wasn't charging. I could have switched batteries but decided to test my deep cycle.<br /><br />I wasn't very far from home so I popped in the electric motor and fished all the way home(caught a few fish on the way). Took a good hour and a half and full throttle on the electric motor to make it home. Lucky for me my deep cycle had a full charge !

 

[Bondo]

Re: How did you make it home?

WEELLLLL,<br />Returning to the mainland, from a company party on an Island, in the 1000 Islands, With my Drunken Paving Crew(Luckly, I'm Sober), Towing a 14' rowboat, the Mighty 4.3LX dies, just off the channel.... Switch tanks, NO start... Ummmm, tap on tanks, Yep, Both Bone Dry(could've sworn I filled it,CRS strikes again)....No Problem... Call my Fearless Leader on the cell phone, He brings gas tank from an outboard..... Laughing, says,"I couldn't find a funnel, don't know how you'll transfer it, Ha, Ha ,HA.....Drunken Crew is franticly trying to figure out a funnel,+ how to get out to the side of the boat, where the Fills are..... I reply,"No Problem"...... I pull out my K-Barr,+ cut the motor end Off the bosses tank gas line, Slip it onto my fuel filter nipple, turn the Key,+ We Roar Off Into the Sunset......<br /><br />Moral of the story is;<br />The Fearless Leader has put up with me for over 10 years because,<br /> I Can Get 1 More Lap, Out Of Any Machine.....<br /><br />(footnote, CRS = Can't Remember Sh-t)

 

[Seaboo2]

Re: How did you make it home?

Atack of the stupids.... I took my brothers old boat (an I/O that had sat for a yr or so) out to a rescue squad camping trip. Little did I know that the bellows leaked (I kinda found out 8 hrs. latter when it was pretty full of water...I had it beached). That was no big deal until I found out the bilge pump was gone (removed...). We wound up having to take some (rescue) ropes, set up a z drag, haul the boat on to the beach and drain it out. Then we had to hook a boat behind it, pull it off the beach, hook to the front of the boat and haul a$$ (towing it) to a boat ramp and manually load it on a trailer (with what else.... a broken winch).<br /><br />Leason to learn....Never take a boat out that's been sitting that your bro. says it runs fine, have fun.

 

[Kesh]

Re: How did you make it home?

One of those days where you regret you didn't plan for a fishing day, so you didn't wake up early. The day turns to be blue sky perfect and calm by 11 am, so you think it is still early to go fishing. Next question: find a fishing buddy. Not easy, as you didn't plan for the fishing trip, so you didn't call a friend the day before. It doesn't matter, I can find somebody willing to go out under such a wonderful day I said. After 20 failed phone calls, brother of my wife appears, so I decided not to ask, just told him "go onboard" lets go to the islands and catch some fish. Near 1pm by the time we were crusing. As we have no plan and it is a bit late afternoon, we selected a random spot, near the shore of an island. Looked great. Lets anchor. Ok. We started trying some casts. After a while we decided to move the boat a bit as "that place over there looks better" (recognize that situation? ). Ok, lets pull the anchor. Oops...seems to be bolted to the bottom of the sea. Hmmm....what the hell ?...lets pull togheter.... oops...we pull hard and the bow points to the water like a pelikan in final approach... Hmm... suspecting a rocky bottom under us has eaten our anchor....wind starts to make things harder, so decided to cut the rope (damn, at least 15 ft of a good rope gone). Marked the spot in my memory (so I can come back another day with my partner and his diving equipment to get it back). Ok, no problem, we had no fish, no anchor, lets go back to port. Cruising back, we were crossing what I call "Cape Fear"...lol...a place where the currents meet and waves are crossed...worst part of the way home. Nothing too rough, but not easy. Just entering that piece of the way, I decided to turn some degrees to the right, to avoid some debris on the sea surface. OK...a bit to the right...ok...correct path...ok....OOOOWWWWW !!!! what the hell, the boat starts a very sharp turn like a mad cat !!!!!......Cut engine !!!! ...ok....what the hell happened...looked at the outboard to check the steering cable, and suprise! the bolt that attaches to the link it is completely out!...Ok, I can repair that...thanks god the bolt is still there...I grabbed my visegrip and started to screw in the bolt...nothing easy when you are jumping in a rough sea...lol...Brother of my wife was alert looking other boats and current, so to advise in case of problems...Finally, after praying to avoid losing the bolt and/or the visegrip I made it. Bolt is in and secure. Cruised back with no more problems.<br />Since then, I avoid fishing trips without at least one day in advance planning and boat checking.

 

[mattttt25]

Re: How did you make it home?

it's funny. this month's edition of 'boating magazine' has an article about this very subject. many of the 'creative' methods you guys mention using are listed in the article.

 

[Solittle]

Re: How did you make it home?

Years ago the wife and I are boat camping down in the lower Florida keys. Late one afternoon we head about 4 miles off shore to check out a diving spot. I check it out and find nothing spectacular. Hop back in the boat, fire up the Merc and ease it into gear. Move about 50' and there is this loud clank from the motor which stops instantly. I look around and there is not another boat in sight and the sun is going down. Of course I figgure that a rod let go so we are in deep do do. Still I head for the back to see what happened. I tilt the motor up and see this black line tightly wrapped around the prop. It was not difficult to unravel and after it was free of the prop I pulled and felt quite a resistance. As I looked down into the clear water I could see a lobster trap at the end. We boated the thing and retrieved three nice fat legal ones. The motor fired right up and we headed back to a key near the highway and dropped the hook. We had a Coleman stove aboard, a porclin pot, a stick of butter in the cooler and a jug of wine. I'll leave the story here.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: How did you make it home?

Mine isn't a get back home story, but of an improv. When I was on vacation a few years back, the starter on my 50Hp Force burned out. I didn't want to fix it until I got back home, so I decided to just pull start it for the rest of the vacation. I got real good at yanking that rope. Cold starts were the only problem.<br /><br />What my wife and I laugh about still is how we docked at a water side restaurant for dinner. This restaurant had a deck full of people that overlooked the dock and the channel. She didn't want to look like the Beverly hillbillys. So I said "don't worry I'll be discreet" about pulling the rope.<br /><br />When it was time to leave, I just went around the back of the pontoon and pretended I was putzing around with the tank and bulb. I slipped the cover off, wound the rope, and a half pull and she fired right up.<br /><br />She said, "hurry up and let's get out of here". And off we went.