How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

[Dustin099]

Examples-

Outboard won't start up after you pull up anchor and you have to use a trolling motor the whole back.

A pair of spark plugs in the glove box saved you one day.

A couple paddles saved you one day.

I'm hoping to improve my preparation on the water through everyone else experiences.

 

[ziggy]

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

I'm hoping to improve my preparation on the water through everyone else experiences.

take a boater safety class through the us power squadron. then take further education through the power squadron. when i belonged to the usps one of the electives was engine maint. imho. it was a very condensed class that covered almost as much as the 1.5 year auto tech classes i took through my local community college years ago (though no hands on). the usps classes will be geared towards marine power instead of auto.
do get the oem s/m's for whatever your gonna be working on. there's a lot of info in them books.

as for how many times i've been saved. every time i go out w/o incident i guess i've been saved...

 

[Silvertip]

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

Proper preparation is not so much saving yourself while on the water as saving yourself BEFORE you get to the water. A properly maintained engine and boat should not be an issue. In the 50 years or so of boating I have required a tow once and that was due to an engine that chucked a piece of piston skirt throught the block. Distance of tow was about 50 feet to shore. Can't see that coming. That does not mean one shouldn't take along a set of plugs and a reasonable set of tools and perhaps tape, electrical wire, etc) but if one inspects the boat before every outing you shouldn't need that stuff. As we preach here, if your engine or boat acted up the last time you were out, that issue will likely happen again sooner rather than later so investigate why before you go out again. Problems don't generally fix themselves.

 

[takirb]

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

3 right off the top of my head. Proper preparation involved having a paddle, DNR's number programmed in my phone for emergencies, and bottled water came in handy when i was stranded for hours in over 100 degree heat in a remote location up a river. An extra battery never hurt either, just make sure it's properly installed if you have one.

I did almost drown 2 years ago at a local sand bar. I had a throwing device on the boat, but i failed to inform the driver where the emergency equipment was located (always do that!). Luckily, 2 other people had jumped off the boat with me. They were able to pull me up and drag me to shallower water. Lake water sure is warm when it's coming back out of your lungs

 

[takirb]

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

Proper preparation is not so much saving yourself while on the water as saving yourself BEFORE you get to the water....

if your engine or boat acted up the last time you were out, that issue will likely happen again sooner rather than later so investigate why before you go out again. Problems don't generally fix themselves.

I always make it a point to start my engine on muffs in the driveway prior to an outing if it's been longer than a week or two since she was out. My last motor was as lemon, and i've just gotten in that habit...

 

[dingbat]

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

Silvertip hit it right on the money. Proper maintenance will elevate most of your on-water needs

The only issue I've had on the water was a blown oil cap on the reserve oil tank. Fixed it with a sandwich bag we had onboard and a rubber band we use as release clips on the planer boards.

 

[emilsr]

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

I've been saved more than once by a beer can. Seriously. Had an old electric shift 'rude that had a habit of blowing the fuse on the ignition pack. A slice of aluminum got me back to the dock on more than one occasion.

Yea, yea....I know....should have always had extra fuses....but it's a much better story this way don't you think?

Do your maintenance on shore, religiously, and be willing to think out of the box if/when something does happen on the water. IMO that's a better plan than carrying around 500lbs of tools and spare parts like some folks do. If Boat Tow US has service where you live that's the best route, but not every place has it.

 

[98Shabah]

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

Hmm.. Was out on LOTO on the ex wife's parents 18' Celebrity 4.3 and it blew a manifold cooling hose off the thermostat housing (the worm style clamp broke in 2).. No tools in the boat (not my boat), I pulled the string out of the waistband of the swimming suit and wrapped it as tightly as possible around the house to hold it in place until we got back to the dock.. surprisingly it worked.

Once I was out with my uncle, he had an older pontoon boat, I had my kawasaki 1100zxi.. He'd apparently been pumped full of NON premix gas for his old 2 stroke OB, the engine seized at the south end of the lake.. The ramps were at the north end of the lake, about a 1hr trip at 15mph.. We used the jetski to tow the pontoon back, it used around 20 gallons of fuel for the tow.

Had a boat battery die because we listened to music for too long on the one and only battery in the boat, luckily we had a jump start pack that saved our butts.

Spare prop, cotter pin, and wrench are always a good idea too.

Non boat related story: I once used duct tape to repair a cut upper radiator hose on a 78 malibu after it'd flung the fan belt off and cut the hose.. That little fix got us 25 miles back home. I always carry duct tape in the boat toolbox.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

+10 with the proper maintenance and a tool kit.

1) Fouled spark plugs after having the motor trimmed a bit too much over a shallow area and it was sucking a bit of air. A tool kit and a set of plugs had us going again in 10 minutes.

2) Lost a prop 10 miles out in the ocean. Spare prop under the console (with nut, thrust washer, & cotter pin) made sure I didn't need a tow home.

3) Shredded a timing belt in the river on an old Bayliner. That paddle was a lifesaver.

4) Got my brother's boat going after his kid killed the battery watching TV. My 2 battery system (installed a few months earlier) saved his butt.

5) TowBoat U.S. peace of mind for $100 a year? Priceless.

 

[DaNinja]

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

Having a spare fuel filter/water separator onboard saved the day on LOTO once. We keep two now with a sealable jug with an opening big enough to contain the contents and also a filter wrench. I also taught the wife how to do that simple operation.

We also carry a spare prop with the tools and hardware to replace it. The portable power pack onboard hasn't saved our day yet, but the captains of the boats I've jumped sure appreciated it.

 

[sasto]

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

I don't know where to start.

I once missed Walkers Cay, Bahamas by 30 miles. The owner was blind. I was lost.
I carry all the spare parts I can stow, and all the tools to replace these parts. Spare parts do me no good without the proper tools needed.

 

[robert graham]

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

Back when I was in training to fly an airplane, at least once during each flight my instructor would just reach over and turn the engine off, and say,"now what you gonna do?"...had to start looking for an emergency landing area, set the approach, and right when we turned the engine back on, he would say, "we crashed and probably dead, OR, you did pretty good, tore up the landing gear, but we survived". Well, it's the exact same thing with a boat, just think of anything and everything that might go wrong, mechanical, weather, heart attack, etc. and try to survive it, plan the nearest port, whatever it takes! Think about it a lot and plan! Good Luck, and you may need that too!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

For me, in old boats, shared boats, salt water and sand, winter conditions, isolated locations, big tides, unmarked waters in the dark--I don't care how hard you work to keep things running well: these conditions are out to get you, and you have to be able to deal with them yourself. I learn as much as I can about both the boat and the environment, and try to know what signals an approaching problem.

When you ask about preparation, your boat mechanics is only half of it; you have to know about your boating conditions. For example, a lot of people don't know that your anchor is your most important safety equipment, and why. That's the sort of preparation that is as important, if not more, than knowing how to bypass a fuel or electrical problem. In some of my places, a shove pole is essential; in others, useless. No one here can tell you everything you need; your local boaters can.

Also, "preparation" is more than having a bilge pump to rely on; it's having an extra pump, a hand pump, a plug, a bailer and a means to signal distress/call for help. In other words you must learn not to rely on your systems no matter how well you maintain them. You must have back-up and/or redundancy for the important items.

I have probably rescued more people than have rescued me, and I've rescued my self a whole lot. Last year I got an 80 year old man and his son off a mud flat in a blizzard where I was the only boat out within 10 miles. Had to leave the boat. I've paddled, shoved and walked my boats out of jams plenty. To me it's just part of boating, at least my life style.

My closest call was probably when I rolled a canoe in rapids goose hunting in January; it was about 25 degrees out and we were about 6 miles upriver from our landing. My preparation, of both how I dressed and how my partner and I knew how to get back afloat, saved my life. Matches in a baggie in my shirt pocket, thermos of hot liquid, dry bag of dry clothes, helped. Two other duck hunters in a canoe died that same day.

In nature, there are no rewards or punishments; only consequences.

 

[sasto]

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

There is alot to be said about some of these posts. Well put, guys!

 

[JimS123]

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

My Kicker got me home 3 times the first year I owned my current boat. The boat was bought brand new. Each time it was a defective part and it was covered 100% by warranty. Mercruiser QC sucks - at least back then it did.

The fourth time my kicker got me home was 10 years later on the same boat and the problem was BECAUSE of good maintenance. The boat was running flawlessly, but I decided to do a preventative maintenance tune up anyway. Turned out the brand new condenser was defective and it shorted out 2 miles offshore. I always carried spare plugs and points....don't know why I didn't carry a spare condenser....LOL.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

Keep you eye on the forums in the Summer and we have had people access iboats and ask questions while they are out in the boat

 

[hostage]

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

Every time I put the plug in

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure - Ben Franklin

 

[Fireman431]

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

I would like to add one little extra thing about preperation:

*AHEM* (on my best soapbox)...Make sure you aren't the only one who knows how to run the boat and use the VHF to hail for MAYDAY!! If there is trouble, you'll have your hands full keeping it above the water. That is not the time for a crash course on how to use the GPS and VHF to radio out your location. Train the family (kids, too) and even write it down if you have to. What if you get injured or drop dead and leave your family helpless because they can't deploy an anchor and call for help?

All facets of boat operation shouldn't be secrets. Teach everyone. Heck, might even make your time out more fun when you don't have to do all of the work.

 

[DaNinja]

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

I would like to add one little extra thing about preperation:

*AHEM* (on my best soapbox)...Make sure you aren't the only one who knows how to run the boat and use the VHF to hail for MAYDAY!! If there is trouble, you'll have your hands full keeping it above the water. That is not the time for a crash course on how to use the GPS and VHF to radio out your location. Train the family (kids, too) and even write it down if you have to. What if you get injured or drop dead and leave your family helpless because they can't deploy an anchor and call for help?

All facets of boat operation shouldn't be secrets. Teach everyone. Heck, might even make your time out more fun when you don't have to do all of the work.

Yep, that's why I mentioned that I taught the wife how to replace the separator. She takes both boats out on her own sometimes and I really don't want to give a crash course via cell phone. Very good prep point!

 

[sasto]

Re: How many times have you been saved by proper preperation on the water?

Keep you eye on the forums in the Summer and we have had people access iboats and ask questions while they are out in the boat

Now that's some power and knowledge behind the operator.

I'll remember this!....Never know.