So.............. I went for a swim yesterday

[Fastdoc98]

   I feel like I can tell you guys this story, this is a safe place, right?  Went to take my Eclipse out for the first splash this year.  Had the boat all prepped from winter storage - sails on, cushions in, motor fired in a bucket, fresh fuel, fresh water, bearings repacked, tires pumped.  Head out to the lake with Jake the Boat Dog (cause how could I leave him out of this?) with winds predicted 12-15 mph, gusts up to 22.  Get to the lake and boy, it's really blowing!  Looks more like 20 mph sustained and white caps across the entire lake, but hey, I'm here, I'm ready.  Setting up in the parking lot Jake decides his retractable leash is too restrictive and in about 2 seconds scissor-jaws his way through the webbing and has a brief moment of freedom to chase squirrels.  Get him back and use the back-up 6ft leash and decide he's better off in the Jeep while I finish up.  All ready to go, so back it down into the water part way, step out and tie off the rear port horn to the dock cleat and then hop back in the Jeep for the last bit.  Back down a few more feet and give it a 'bump' to pop it off the trailer.  Watching in the mirror seeing my boat float off the trailer and waiting to see the boat stop moving backwards when the line tightens.  Only it keeps going.  Pull up the Jeep and few feet and jump out to see my Eclipse drifting away.  Where we were was fairly protected from the offshore wind, but not too much farther out and it's really blowing away from us.  Drop my cell, wallet, and at the last second the key fob in my front pocket, kick off shoes and lose the flappy shirt and dive in!  About a 50-60 yard mad swim and at times notice I'm swimming as fast as I can and not closing much distance.  Manage to catch up to it before it hits the big breeze, drop the ladder and climb in.  Motor fires up first pull (God bless Tohatsu) and I drive it back to the dock where the trailer waits.  Along with my dock line still attached to the cleat.  And my other dock line still attached to the port horn.  Turns out it was 2 lines bunched together that I mistook for my longer line.  Soaking wet and generally freaked out I suddenly lost my desire to head out anymore and pull it in the parking lot, break it down, and head home with my tail between my legs.  Jake spent several hours pouting that he didn't get to go out on the boat or even swim like I did, but there'll be other days.  Hopefully better than this one.

[Cpy23ecl]

The older I get I find it gets easier and easier to make mistakes like that.  Lucky for me my first mate is good at pointing out that I'm about to really mess up.  Getting old really isn't for sissies.

Fred

[Andre]

I don't know where you were, but you're fortunate that the water wasn't too cold! That could've made for a really bad situation.

About 10 years ago I was driving a beater Taurus and working 2nd shift (3-11) so I had the early part of the day free for sailing.  As I was backing down the ramp with my PC, the brake pedal went to the floor!  A couple of quick pumps, parking brake, and park stopped me in time.  I sat there for a couple of minutes thinking what to do. Wound up calling out from work, launched the boat, parked the car and trailer (it was only a 100 yd drive), and went sailing. Afterwards I rounded up someone at the ramp with a 2 inch ball hitch to retrieve the boat and trailer, called AAA to get the car towed, and had my girlfriend pick me up. The nearest garage was an hour from home.  It turned out be a blown brake line as I suspected.  It was a nice day for sailing and without work I was out sailing most of the day 😁


Andre

[crazycarl]

You're not alone.  The winch strap hook broke and our 19 floated off into a stiff breeze with nothing but a long shoreline of broken concrete to stop it. I knew there was no way I could catch it in that wind, but luckly some kids on a bass boat saw what happened, picked me up at the dock, and brought me to the boat. 

Another time I was fishing the Illinois river with our dog and took a break ashore to let her run.  Upon returning to the boat, it was drifting out of the cove into the current.  Like the idiot I am, I stripped to my undershorts and dove in.  I caught the boat, climbed aboard and stood on deck just as a family on a pontoon boat came around the bend.

[kickingbug1]

carl remember that story from the clr. i do

[Fastdoc98]

Well I certainly appreciate the kind words from everybody.  All in all it could have been worse, but for sure could have gone better!  One more lesson learned..........

[deisher6]

You could also motor out of your slip, about 8 feet, before you note that you are still connected to shore power AND the shore power pedestal has broken off at the base!  (Of course witnessed by several live aboard and two sailing buddies to remind me of 'the show' from time to time.

There should possibly be a rating system for such events.

Smooth Sailin'
regards charlie

[brackish]

Hey it was just last week that I launched my 14 foot skiff without putting the plug in.  Second time in four years.  Boy I'm glad I put that flotation foam in those compartments.  I'm going to put a sign on the winch post, "is the plug in stupid?"

[Reighnman]

True confessions of CPYOA! I left the plug in over the winter on the scout and found 5 inches of slurry ice in March. Perhaps we can make stickers for down launch and retrieval.  Also forgot to lower the mast on my first sailboat, Siren 17, as the ramp was back-up and I got flustered. Got about 50 feet and hit a low wire which brought it down nicely.

[Renae]

Hey it was just last week that I launched my 14 foot skiff without putting the plug in.  Second time in four years.  Boy I'm glad I put that flotation foam in those compartments.  I'm going to put a sign on the winch post, "is the plug in stupid?"

Did that with a Waverunner (Forgive me, I was young) once about 10 years ago.  Launched it, drove it to shallow water and told my 13-ish son to hold onto it until I got back from parking the trailer.  The Waverunner was about 8 inches low in the water.  I realized my mistake and was able to get the motor fired up and the PWC moving.  It self drained, but it felt more like a listing battleship for a couple hundred yards.

[crazycarl]

You could also motor out of your slip, about 8 feet, before you note that you are still connected to shore power AND the shore power pedestal has broken off at the base!  (Of course witnessed by several live aboard and two sailing buddies to remind me of 'the show' from time to time.

There should possibly be a rating system for such events.

Smooth Sailin'
regards charlie

Charlie your "event" makes mine look very mild, but here goes.

Race day at CLR and as usual, we are the last boat to leave the marina.  Motoring out, all the boaters in the marina are staring at us and we graciously wave and nod.  Not until we are out in open water do I see we had caught one of our deck chairs and it was hanging from the bowsprit. 

[Bob23]

The deck chair story is immortal and will live on into eternity!