Boating fail thread

[jEt_jAk]

With so much stuff to remember, pack, or do when boating there is always room for error. Anyone have some funny stories?

This weekend I filled up with gas at the dock, pushed off dock and floating away, went to fire engine and it didn’t start. Just cranking. Panicked and jumped in water brought it back to dock only to find out I forgot to put lanyard in. Whoops

 

[Gym]

Anybody who says they haven't been there is lying. Thanks for sharing.

 

[jEt_jAk]

I did find it interesting though that without the lanyard in the engine still cranks but never fires!

 

[2kwik4u]

I did find it interesting though that without the lanyard in the engine still cranks but never fires!

I did this EXACT same thing this weekend.

Go check my post in the 190 section about hot water out of the bilge........It wasn't great.....

Then I had the 16mo old little boy crawling all over the boat, and he likes to pull the lanyard a lot, so I usually remove it while floating so he doesn't break the switch.

I completely forgot about that, tried to start the boat, wouldn't start. After just having hot water come out of the bilge I thought for certain motor was toast. Tied a line on the back, swam it over to a friends boat (in hindsight, his motor was working, why didn't he come to me?). Tied up and spent another 20 minutes figuring out what was wrong with it.

Then I found the lanyard in the glovebox, reinstalled, and all was well.

 

[Beachbummer]

Forgotten clean out plugs a few times... Thankfully no harm except to my ego.

Worst one ever from me... No loctite on bolts holding the flame arrestor to the carb... Bolt backs out and straight to the intake. Cost me $650 for the brass gear replacement on the 717 Sea doo. Still hurts!(did not feel comfortable replacing myself. I should have in hindsight, but not my most competent moment)

 

[Recoveringfiberglassaddic]

If you ever want to see some boating fails check @thequalifiedcaptain on IG. So many fails.

As a mechanic I will share one of my worst fails, tho it wasnt on the water. Pushing a boat with the forklift into a tight spot on the lot. The transom step on the trailer stuck out farther than the fender. Caught the very top of the tongue latch on the trailer next to it as I rounded the corner. The trailer I hit turned and scratched the gelcoat of the boat sitting next to it. So all in all, sheet metal work and paint on one trailer. New latch assembly on the other. Gelcoat repair on the third boat in the mix. Not my best day at the shop.

 

[AlphaKap]

On my previous boat, a 2000 Larson 226 (it was about 10 years old when I bought it), I forgot the keys at home on our first outing. Wife went to get them while I stayed with the boat and my two little ones. Youngest one dropped the center window and completely shattered it. Mega fail.

Done the lanyard thing also long ago.

This year I took the plug out because I had it in space without a cover for a few weeks. Forgot to put it in and remembered after I backed it off the trailer. Fortunately it didn't take on much water.

 

[DavisAR195]

Last year I took my cousin and her family out on the boat. I was at a new boat ramp which was rather busy and through off my normal launch routine. I backed the boat down the ramp and swapped with my wife so I could back the boat off the trailer. I unhooked the winch and safety chain before hoping in and firing up the boat. I instructed by wife to back down the ramp a little further so the boat would lift off so I could back the boat off the trail. I through it in reverse and nothing was happening, I signaled my wife to back down further with no success. Then it hit, oh crap I left the tie downs on. So on a busy ramp, I signaled my wife to pull forward, released the tie downs after hooking the winch back up. [HASH=617]#fail[/HASH]

 

[jEt_jAk]

Haha I totally did that before! Old boat accidentally left back tie downs on the trailer was floating! Caught it pretty quick though.

 

[mark_m]

Was walking up the dock to get my truck to retrieve and noticed the guy was backed into the water almost 3/4 up his rear wheels. The guy attempting to launch was struggling to get it off the trailer. I told the guy, “bet you left on the transom straps.” “SHIT! He replied, pulled up, removed the straps and off he went.

 

[Wiremanmike]

Had issues with one engine not starting last week. We were 6 miles from marina on table rock. Checked "what I thought" was all the normal issues, like lanyard, clean out plug lid switches and such. Decided to limp home. Wife kept saying did you check fuses and battery. I kept saying the other engine starts fine. After an hour of going no wake speed and sweating our asses off I decided to open the engine bay and look around. Didnt dawn on me earlier to check the ECU fuse. Opened up the cap and looks like the 20a fuse melted. Swapped it out and it fired right up. She will never stop reminding me that I didn't listen to her.

 

[Matts18]

With so much stuff to remember, pack, or do when boating there is always room for error. Anyone have some funny stories?

This weekend I filled up with gas at the dock, pushed off dock and floating away, went to fire engine and it didn’t start. Just cranking. Panicked and jumped in water brought it back to dock only to find out I forgot to put lanyard in. Whoops

First off, I am jealous you have 91 octane at a gas dock!

One of the first launches this year (solo) I unhooked the straps and winch and thought I would ease the boat into the water then hop out and guide it off the trailer using a dock line and tie up to the dock next to the ramp. Boat slid off the trailer and floated away in front of a crowd. I had to dive in after it....felt very cool.

 

[jEt_jAk]

First off, I am jealous you have 91 octane at a gas dock!

One of the first launches this year (solo) I unhooked the straps and winch and thought I would ease the boat into the water then hop out and guide it off the trailer using a dock line and tie up to the dock next to the ramp. Boat slid off the trailer and floated away in front of a crowd. I had to dive in after it....felt very cool.

Yup Havasu has full Chevron station!

 

[MacGydver]

With so much stuff to remember, pack, or do when boating there is always room for error. Anyone have some funny stories?

This weekend I filled up with gas at the dock, pushed off dock and floating away, went to fire engine and it didn’t start. Just cranking. Panicked and jumped in water brought it back to dock only to find out I forgot to put lanyard in. Whoops

I docked at Cape Lookout, had a great time. Went to get ready to leave on my SX240 with < 5hrs on it when neither engine would crank. Almost ran the battery down trying to crank it. Then I go to good old handy manual (got to do that before calling someone) and well, sometimes the manual helps (prove you are an idiot). Looked down and yes, the lanyard was on my life vest and it was disconnected because we anchored and I left the helm.

2 fails on my part:
Not checking before taking off that the lanyard was connected to me and secure
Not realizing the reason why the boat would not crank was due to the lanyard.

Sometimes we have to disappoint ourselves to make the procedure stick

 

[Betik]

left the drain plugs off on my Jetski when I went out in the Gulf. Good think the Venturi effect does work LOL.
Lesson learned and bilge pump installed.

 

[arlowe13]

If you ever want to feel better about your boating abilities, just follow "thequalifiedcaptain" on Instagram.

 

[haknslash]

Last weekend I was boating solo. At the ramp I backed my truck down, hop out and chock the front wheel, pull the boat off and docked it to the side. Run back to the truck since the ramp was busy. Jump in the truck and start pulling out when all the sudden a loud boom! The guy next to me launching his pontoon jumped back. As soon as I heard the boom I knew what it was. Hopped out to clean up the shrapnel of my exploded plastic wheel chock . Shit happens.

 

[S1LV3R4D0]

2 weekends ago i noticed the bilge hole puking water after backing away from the dock. We had friends onboard and my checklist got discombobulated. The cleanout plugs didn't get put in. That section of my list is, transom strap, plug, plug, strap. Well he wanted to help so i told him to do it in that order. Well thats what i get for not double checking. I really wanted to make him dive in and do it but screw it. Want something done right, do it yourself, lol. Lesson learned. Just like guns, always double check even after they check.

 

[Recoveringfiberglassaddic]

This showed up on the Tige Owners forum. Trailer got unhooked with no wheel chocks. Rolled down the driveway and into the transformer across the street. Hopefully the engines salvageable.

 

[Beachbummer]

Ouch...Hopefully he was insured!! He's going to need it!