What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

[26aftcab454]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

SANDER-- the Grapevine Fire Dept will tow your boat in for free-even from the Sand Bar
But an ample blessed young woman waving her bikini over her head will surely get a quicker response for assistance.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

That 4.5 mile walk would have put a quick end to my boating season.

we were just having a laugh about this tonight... and I was reminded of a running out of fuel incident too, but alas... this cottage "road" was only ATV or 4x4 passable in parts, thus the walk...
my g/f pulled up in her new-to-her Kia and there I am covered in sun-dried swamp muck. I think I sat on the floor in the back
luckily it wasn't too long of a drive back to my truck
The next day when I got to the boat, it looked like there had been a mud wrestling tournament on board.

 

[Sander]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

SANDER-- the Grapevine Fire Dept will tow your boat in for free-even from the Sand Bar

Awesome, this is who I will turn to in case of another break down, I will stay on Grapevine lake until I am 100% confident in my motor after the repair. Thanks for the info!

 

[wellcraft19]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

For those of us who boat in areas where Sea Tow and/or Vessel Assist is present, yes it does help to pay for a specific "Tow insurance", but most boat insurance policies (I have State Farm - boat, house, car, life, liability, etc) do also pay for the tow. I had the annual "session" with our agent today, and that was a thing she brought up again when we got into boating. I have to pay for the service, and they will reimburse (assume there are some limits) after the fact. I'm comfortable with that.

Only needed a tow once, last year, and I was fairly close to the dock. But a mid-week day, in late October up here, not that many out. Wife in the Caribbean, me and dog on the water. Repeated honking on the horn and the international distress signal (stand up, legs a bit apart, move your arms slowly from along your legs to up over your head, repeat motion up and down) caught the attention of some party goers on a yacht in the marina. They came out in a 45' and gave me a tow. Very nice.

To be noted is that this happened on the best of days. No boats out, no wind, no rush, sun still providing a bit of daylight, close to shore, bit not so close that it was getting dangerous. i think if I would have waited 10 hours, I would probably eventually drifted the 400 yards I had left.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

My last boat was a small closed bow with a '73 Johnson 85. I had it gone over by a mechanic and it ran well. However it did have a warn restart issue that would sometime give me fits and I didn't 100% trust it. My concern was that the one lake I boat on can be pretty desolate during the week or off-season. I bought a 4HP kicker motor and stored it under my closed bow. I never did have to use it and I think just its mere presence kept the old Johnson running. The 4 is now the main motor for my dad's little tinnie and I do not carry a kicker on my current boat. My '81 Evinrude 90 was even more thoroughly gone through by a real guru of a mechanic and runs fantastically and I trust it more.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

My last boat was a small closed bow with a '73 Johnson 85. I had it gone over by a mechanic and it ran well. However it did have a warn restart issue that would sometime give me fits and I didn't 100% trust it. My concern was that the one lake I boat on can be pretty desolate during the week or off-season. I bought a 4HP kicker motor and stored it under my closed bow. I never did have to use it and I think just its mere presence kept the old Johnson running. The 4 is now the main motor for my dad's little tinnie and I do not carry a kicker on my current boat. My '81 Evinrude 90 was even more thoroughly gone through by a real guru of a mechanic and runs fantastically and I trust it more.

Having a certified mechanic go over a used motor is a must, especially if it has a lot of years on it.

Trying to run an ill-tuned motor will kill it and if it doesn't leave you stranded you'll be darn lucky!

The thing that I don't understand is that people (in other threads, not this one) will claim that they don't have the time and/or money to do this and/or they're going to wait to have it done, but they always find enough time and money to fill it with gas and oil and take it to the lake and run it. Then they wonder why it died a horrible death. Then what have you got, a boat and no motor... and a powerboat without a motor is like a soldier without a gun.:facepalm:

 

[Fordiesel69]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

Hey guys,

Recently my motor has been giving me troubles, what is one to do if the motor fails and you are nowhere close to any ramp or people? No back up motor or means to move the boat.

There is only one direct answer to your question. Play the "waiting" game. Make whatever preperations necassary to do this. At some point there will be someone to help you out. During the summer when the water is warm, getting stranded isn not much of an emergency. When the water gets cold, adapt your boating so that you are either in a group of boaters, or close to shore. If neither is possible and you think it will break down, stay home.

Wost case is when you blow a ujoint carrier and it flys thru the bellows and the shaft comes out of the gimbal bearing. A waterfall will start thru your transom. That would be an example of an all out emergency. The waiting game is no longer a game.

 

[jspansel]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

Um... Paddles... I got stranded out on a fairly large lake while only having a trolling motor. 2 batteries died on me while trying to get back. Way bad chop going on and fighting bad wind. Got stuck out in a bunch of trees in the middle of the lake (shallow lake). 1 paddle was all I had and I was alone. Took me almost 3 hours to get back. Scary crap but the paddle saved my ***.

I have an actual gas motor now. I also always keep my trolling motor and battery on boat even if I dont plan on using it. I also still have the paddle on the boat. But I think when all fails, you should always have a paddle on the boat, if not one for every passenger. Man power!

 

[Knightrider2]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

WOW!, you really stirred the pot here. LOL

 

[Lakes84]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

I've towed two boats in off of Lake of the woods this year with my Ranger. Both times the captains had dropped anchor where they were at (a very good thing on that lake!). One of the captains did not know how to call for help. Knowing the appropriate channel to call for help is important, as well as having the correct navigation lights so you're not hit by other boater in the evening. I know this is all common sense, but it's amazing how much common sense is lacking these days.

See you on the lake

Joe

 

[zopperman]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

I paddled for an hour and a half two nights ago

 

[BatDaddy1887]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

2 years ago I finally installed a kicker motor......8hp Mariner. I check it often and keep a separate 6 gal tank for it. Before I installed it, my main worry on the water was getting stuck miles from shore, anything can happen out there, no matter how experienced one is....so now I have the confidence that I can get back, and not worry my people on-board.

 

[Lakemeadan]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

Drop anchor and drink beer. Someone will come along eventually...

And always tip the poor sucker who tows you in. And I always keep blankets and extra battery lighting on my boat. And you might have to call in sick to work. So carry a cell phone.

 

[Mike Zee]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

I boat on the Mon river in southwestern Pa. I was towed in once by a couple of guys who were out fishing. My almost 24' cuddy and them in their 14' alum boat. There boat had small HP, maybe very small HP. Towed me about 6 miles took forever, they got me docked then loaded on trailer. Offered them cash, they would not take it. I balled up a fifty, tossed it in their boat, then ran like hell for the truck. I still see them on the water and always stop to bs, man i love boating in Pa. I have towed 3 boats and a jet ski. I also never take the cash, I do it for the guys that did it for me. There always seems to be others around. I think the economy is causing people to push some limits on upkeep this year, maybe last year is catching up. I have also noticed more work being done on boats at the ramp/parking area. Just an observation from 15+ years of boating the same area. My tow job came from pushing it with the impeller for the third season, and i had the parts hanging in the garage. That was 3 years ago and i don't do that anymore.

 

[southkogs]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

I've done a mixture of all of these - I've paddled in before, but I have found a couple of times it's just easier to dive in with a bow painter and pull her along. I've even gotten muck in my pockets like Howard mentioned.

What works best depends on the water you run on. A couple of the bigger lakes around here have a tow service on them now, but more than anything else you can count (typically) on a fellow boater to stop, chuckle for a moment with you, drag you in, refuse the money, shake your hand and hope someone stops for him/her when it happens. It's kind of an unwritten law on the water.

Besides, most of us guys that are keeping the "oldies" floating get a kick out of pulling the newer boats back to port

 

[Lakes84]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

And always tip the poor sucker who tows you in.

The last boat I towed in offered me a whole wad of 20.00 bills for towing him in.....I flatly refused. I said I'd
rather jump in the lake than take his money. I told him just to help the next guy who needed help. Pay it forward
to speak. I do agree however that I would offer a tip as well

see you on the lake

Joe

 

[j11062724]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

Dude, you have to purchase a GPS and VHF radio.

 

[57crestliner]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

Besides, most of us guys that are keeping the "oldies" floating get a kick out of pulling the newer boats back to port

^^^^^^^^^^^This

 

[Shark_bait99]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

An electric kicker motor is a cheap and easy insurance policy. My 30lb thrust motor pushed my 25ft, 4500lb cuddy into the wind an hour yesterday to get me home safe and dry.

 

[coastalrichard]

Re: What TO DO if you get stuck on the water???

Im not sure if its been mentioned yet, but, you should also always tell someone responsible on land your float plan,i.e. Where your general boating area will be, number of people onboard (unless your Tony Soprano), and when you are expected to return (u may want to extend this a cpl hours in case the fishing is off the chains!) So of you do not return in that timeframe they can get a rescue plan going for you in the case you cant... Very important, I think that would have helped a number of people lost at sea...

And can you imagine... Lost at sea for weeks on end, eventualy the beer and beef jerkey will run out! I file a float plan with my father every time I shove off... And I pray he remembers that im out there eventualy :redface:

Bingo...the float plan is finally mentioned in post #58...I didn't bother to read the thread any further:facepalm: