Summer boat stories

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So everyone who owns a boat probably has a story about some type of boating mishap, and if you don't you probably haven't been around boats long enough. I've been around boats my whole life and have owned a few. I know boats can be expensive and are a pain to maintain and keep running perfectly but boating is in my blood and my happy place is driving across a lake and totally forgetting about all my other problems and responsibilities. Just last year I rented a house with a dock on Grand Lake O' the Cherokees and took my girlfriend, daughters, and their boyfriends for a 4 day weekend. Some of the boats are enormous on that lake and one boat made such big wave I headed into it straight on in with my 19 foot open bow ski boat and the nose dipped down in the trough of the wave. The water crashed over the bow soaking my daughters then over the windshield drenching me and my girlfriend and they were all laughing hysterically while I was really scared we were going to get swamped! On a later trip to Tenkiller lake we were in a cove tubing and my boat died and wouldn't start. The wind was putting us deeper into the cove and there was no one around to give us a tow. All of them had to grab a rope, including my 61 year old girlfriend, and start swimming. After about 25 minutes of swimming we got out of the cove and a jet ski saw us and towed us back to the dock. We still laugh about that trip and we're all heading to the lake tomorrow for 4 days so maybe we'll bring back some more memories but hopefully no boating problems.
 
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I am really not a boat guy, I hate to fish but I have nothing against those that enjoy those hobbies. Couple years ago, my ex-brother in law finally retired and found that he had a lot of free time since his wife still had another year to work before she retired. BIL decided to buy a small older SeaRay boat that was in really nice condition. BIL immediately started bugging me to go fishing or boating with him until I finally broke down and said I would be willing to take a short ride. The appointed afternoon arrives and we meet and head to the local lake, launch the boat and everything goes pretty smoothly. The lake is actually fairly crowded, the water is a little choppy as a result, and for some reason the boat seems to sit awfully low in the water which makes me a little nervous. My BIL is still trying to figure out how to operate the boat smoothly, so it's not the most enjoyable experience and my kidneys are taking a beating. When I advised him that I have had about all the fun I can stand he agrees and we head for the launch/ramp. BIG PROBLEM, the entire ramp is closed off by emergency vehicles, DNR patrol boats are blocking off the entire area, so he can't get to the dock area to let me out to get his truck and trailer so we can meet at one of the other ramps. The ramp area is packed full of boats who are all wanting to leave but it ain't happening. Within a couple minutes of our arrival we see the local area rescue dive trailer pull up and a big heavy duty semi type wrecker pulls up shortly after and positions itself at the top of the ramp.
The divers talk to the wrecker operator, suit up, grab a bunch of cables from the wrecker and down the ramp they go. It didn't take very long for the divers to surface and give the wrecker operator a thumbs up and the recovery begins. Within a remarkably short period of time, out of the dark currents comes a brand new silver GMC Sierra 4x4 4dr cab pickup and attached boat trailer. Not sure how it happened or whether it occurred during launch or recovery but it sure was an expensive trip to the lake for someone. As we waited for our eventual turn to get to the ramp, I talked to a couple other boaters who said it happened a couple times a season and that is why the FD/Divers and wrecker had it down to a well practiced routine.
 
Friends and family have owned ski boats and sail boats over the years so I never needed to buy one until 7-8 years ago when I got a kayak. Had a lot of fun fishing and just exploring mountain lakes with it. There have been winds strong enough that I couldn’t paddle back to my put in spot and I’d just have to head to shore and wait it out. The most exciting have been quick moving thunderstorms with lots of lightning when you’re way out in the middle.Rain gear and a skirt don’t quite cut it then lol
 
I have owned a lot of boats but the most embarrassing thing that I have done was not putting in the PLUG !!

One time going salmon fishing on the Sacramento river, early in the morning, I thought my partner put the plug in.
I got wet from the waist down as I put the plug in, with4" of water in the back of my boat and the bilge pump, hard at work.

The Second time was when my other buddy, put the plug in the live well intake hole, by mistake.

I tried to bend over the back of the boat to get the plug in, which I did but
I went past center line and gravity took me into Pyramid lake.

When I stood up in waist deep water, and looked around, all the fly fishermen on the bank near by were clapping and giving me high fives !!


From then on, I was the one that put the plug in, if it was needed, as well as a spare boat key in the car.
 
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My dad loved to duck hunt. There was a good spot on the river behind our house, but you couldn't get there over land. The nearest boat launch was 10 miles downriver. My father's duck boat was a homemade, lightweight plywood job with a 15 horse Johnson on the back. With 2 guys, decoys and guns, plus a lab, it would still get up on plane and could buzz upriver at 25-30 MPH. If it was just him it was even faster.
Now the honey hole was known, and the good spots filled fast. Dad would launch the boat in the dark, wait until it was just light enough to see where you were going and off he'd go. He'd zip up the river and get the spot.
One morning, as he was headed upriver at dawn, he thought he heard some yelling, so he put it in neutral and drifted, listening. Hearing nothing more he headed off to find ducks. He limited out by noon and was headed back home soon after.
When he got to the ramp, there were emergency vehicles of all types. Police, fire and an ambulance, plus one of his co-workers in the ODFW. As he loaded the boat, he noticed a couple of guys wrapped in army surplus wool blankets, talking to the police while being attended to by the EMT's.
After pulling clear of the ramp, he parked and went over to his co-worker and asked what had happened.
"Oh, those 2 left out of here while it was still dark with a flashlight to light the way, took the shallow fork around the island, hit the rocks and sunk their boat. They were clinging to rocks, yelling for a couple hours before they finally made it to the island somehow and started a fire. They waved down the sheriff's boat about an hour ago and they brought them here." "Why are you here?", dad asked him. "Oh they told the sheriffs that they were duck hunters, but they didn't have any duck stamps on their licenses, so, he called me to come cite them. Must have pissed him off, somehow. You know the stupid thing? They said they were trying to beat this guy in a fast little brown boat to the honey hole."
He then looked at my father's little brown boat and smiled. Dad just waved and drove on home.
 
My dad and his best friend bought small runabouts in the late 60's early 70's. We had a 55 horse Evinrude that would pull 2 skiers out of the water with ease.

We'd ski in the Miami, and Ohio river every weekend when the weather was good. Boat would have a oil line around the hull, and we all smelled like motor oil from the pollution.

Most embarrassing thing that ever happened to me was once when I was driving the boat on Cumberland Lake, and hit the wake of another boat. I was sitting on the back of the seat and fell to the floor as we were heading towards a cliff. My dad grabbed the wheel just in time.

Few years later his friend put a 90 horse motor on his boat. Him and 2 other dudes were on the Miami river fishing at sun up. They drifted into a foggy area, and he gunned it to plane off. Hit a steep bank and broke his neck on the windshield and drowned. Happened right on the Ohio Indiana border. Both states wanted the other to drag for him. My dad got his boat and pulled him out with a hook they gave him. That was the last time he ever took the boat out.
 
My dad and I went fishing on Lake Erie in a rented 16 foot boat and my dad's 9 hp outboard motor. We were out quite a ways on the lake when a storm blew up. We barely made it back to the boat ramp. Dad said he didn't think we were going to make it back.
 
As a young man I was constantly removing, cleeaning, and reinstalling the spark plugs in my outboard.

Some of you know what's coming. One time I didn't get one in tight enough. Next time I fired it up the plug blew out. That was a short trip to the lake. Got it repaired with a helicoil, but it just never seemed to run right after that. I eventually replaced the head, and that seemed to fix the issue.

Don't currently have a boat, but I miss it. I'll probably get one when / if I retire.

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Before I was born my Dad bought some plans and built a boat in his garage using plywood and fiberglass. I've only seen pictures of it. Looked pretty nice, but quite small. He bought a used 25HP Johnson for it, and told me it would pull a skier with that motor. Must have been pretty light. He only got to use it a few times. Cruising up the Concho River with 4 people on board he hit a stump and promptly sunk it. Boat and outboard were total losses. He decided not to rebuild it.
 
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Most of my boating takes place on the Great Lakes and Niagara River. I have a good friend that lives on Lake Ontario. There’s a group of guys out there with big HP Offshore sport boats. One evening we ditched my buddies 24’ Big Block Formula and went out on a friends 36’ Cigarette. He said we might meet up with some others out on the water. I’ve been on fast boats. I’ve been on smooth boats. I was drinking a Bud Lite at 82 mph on this Cigarette. The water was like glass but still, we were doing 82. Just when I thought we were kings for the day we got passed. The friends we might meet up with went by us at 98 mph in a 36’ Outer Limits. He was pissed that he couldn’t get 100 mph with 4 guys in boat. Anyone who’s ever done 60 mph on the water knows it feels a lot faster than it is. I’ve always considered that a fast boat. After that evening I had to rethink things.
 
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