Your bad docking experiences (embarrassing is good too!)
08-06-2016 | 07:02 AM
#31
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,122
Likes: 967
From: Seaford, VA
My worst ever was unfortunately at the Powerboating for a Cure poker run here in Norfolk - naturally with my slow ass boat I was one of the last people back so 90% of the participants saw me come in, deal with two stalling engines and and just royally **** it up. Several members in here had to come to my rescue - it was embarrassing and the only solution was cheap bourbon....
08-06-2016 | 10:04 AM
#32
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Joined: May 2001
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From: Worldwide
My worst ever was unfortunately at the Powerboating for a Cure poker run here in Norfolk - naturally with my slow ass boat I was one of the last people back so 90% of the participants saw me come in, deal with two stalling engines and and just royally **** it up. Several members in here had to come to my rescue - it was embarrassing and the only solution was cheap bourbon....
08-06-2016 | 11:15 AM
#33
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,640
Likes: 14
From: MI
On my old 28 cat the shifter and throttle were positioned so that when you put the boat in forward the action of extending your arm would cause your forearm to hit the throttle. Hit a pontoon and a boat lift because of it, design flaw for sure.
08-06-2016 | 02:45 PM
#34
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Port Colborne ON Canada
Not really a bad docking story but I did not make many friends a few years ago
We had a 23 ft Chris Craft Scorpian that was well used by previous owners. We were at the beach and it was one of the rare glass days in Lake Erie. Went to leave with the wife, my son who was 7 at the time and the family dog.
Tried to get on plane and no luck. Boat would just not come up.
So I go to lift the engine cover and see water above the starter and its rising. Lost a driveshaft bellows for sure and that is a big hole in a boat even with good bilge pump. My buddy slides up to see whats wrong and I get the wife and kid on his boat and told him with a bit less weight in the boat I'm going to try to make the marina about 3 miles away.
Well I still have the dog with me, she looks at me like "I'll go anywhere my master goes" so we get it on plane and head to the marina.
There is and S bend rock wall real close the the ramp at our marina here for fishing guys to use so they don't have to idle through the whole marina. Well I did that S bend at close to 30mph, right turn, left turn , gunnels about in the the water.
6 or so boats lined up at the ramp and I drove on plane right up to the dock and stepped off shouting "BOAT IS SINKING" and tossed a guy on the ramp my bow line. People are yelling a me as I backed the trailer down in and cranked it on, towed it up in the 4 lane ramp aways and everybody calms down as they see a 4 inch hole where the bellows should be spewing water down the ramp,
My dog is standing up on the seats grateful for all the attention she is getting for being the co-pilot .
We had a 23 ft Chris Craft Scorpian that was well used by previous owners. We were at the beach and it was one of the rare glass days in Lake Erie. Went to leave with the wife, my son who was 7 at the time and the family dog.
Tried to get on plane and no luck. Boat would just not come up.
So I go to lift the engine cover and see water above the starter and its rising. Lost a driveshaft bellows for sure and that is a big hole in a boat even with good bilge pump. My buddy slides up to see whats wrong and I get the wife and kid on his boat and told him with a bit less weight in the boat I'm going to try to make the marina about 3 miles away.
Well I still have the dog with me, she looks at me like "I'll go anywhere my master goes" so we get it on plane and head to the marina.
There is and S bend rock wall real close the the ramp at our marina here for fishing guys to use so they don't have to idle through the whole marina. Well I did that S bend at close to 30mph, right turn, left turn , gunnels about in the the water.
6 or so boats lined up at the ramp and I drove on plane right up to the dock and stepped off shouting "BOAT IS SINKING" and tossed a guy on the ramp my bow line. People are yelling a me as I backed the trailer down in and cranked it on, towed it up in the 4 lane ramp aways and everybody calms down as they see a 4 inch hole where the bellows should be spewing water down the ramp,
My dog is standing up on the seats grateful for all the attention she is getting for being the co-pilot .
Last edited by Clayfan; 08-06-2016 at 08:34 PM.
08-06-2016 | 09:24 PM
#35
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 314
Likes: 1
From: Riverside, MO
Last year, by myself in my single engine Baja 29 Outlaw. I pride myself on being able to dock this boat but the truth is, I'm usually smart enough to set my ego aside and know when it's just better to go somewhere else. Usually being the key word here.... This boat is tricky to nose in, very challenging to side walk and with a mere wafting of a sparrows wings, a real MFr' to back in.
I was alone because it was a Friday run. A little deal they call Support Our Troops was the event here at LOTO. I didn't participate but did spend the morning watching the big boys head for the first stop. I spent 20 minutes at 4 corners (bout' the 31MM) and as the big boys thinned out, I decided to head for a place with a view. Paradise.
As I round the wave break, I pick my spot. Not by the size of the slip nor the ease of getting in but more by the value of the boats next to the empty slip and whether a slip of the throttle will lead to an ass whooping or a 5 figure insurance claim. (Never take a chance on parking next to an older Fountain blaring trap music and 3 guys with bad tribal tats. Their skanks will serve up the ass whoopin'). But I digress....
I swing around, stern to the slip. A black Thunder on one side and the dock on the other. I start to get sideways. No.... Aw crap, now I AM sideways, across the nose of a BT, an empty slip and ya.... That Fountain. The breeze is pushing me into the boats which was part of my plan, I just didn't plan on being sideways. My plan was wind on the nose helping me to ease into the slip. I YELL (panic has set in, I never claimed to be cool under fire) Help! Kick me off the nose, kick me off the nose! The BT gal knows exactly what is happening and sits on her Black Thunder now with her legs out on my transom area and I yell to Fountain skank, "do like her, NOW !! The fourth boat that I was lined up to be in the side of was an Outerlimits. A ten penny nail couldn't have been beat in my ass with a 10 lb. sledge at this point.
I crank it hard right and apply reverse. This gets my ass end moving away from the BT but also now means my bow is coming back towards the BThunder at more of a port now to their port nose. The gal on the BT foot walks me off her boat and I am now backing away from exactly how I came in.
And at this point I realize, Paradise was a stop on the run and there are at least 180 people watching my fiasco.
I do not drink on the boat and Millers has breakfast so I went there, parked nose in and ordered 3 bloody Mary's and a Budweiser and told the girl, I am going to be here as long as it takes to drink all this, then anoth two hours to sober up.
Just for kicks, may put a bow thruster on this boat just say it's the only single 29'setup for LOTO dcking. Tbird
I was alone because it was a Friday run. A little deal they call Support Our Troops was the event here at LOTO. I didn't participate but did spend the morning watching the big boys head for the first stop. I spent 20 minutes at 4 corners (bout' the 31MM) and as the big boys thinned out, I decided to head for a place with a view. Paradise.
As I round the wave break, I pick my spot. Not by the size of the slip nor the ease of getting in but more by the value of the boats next to the empty slip and whether a slip of the throttle will lead to an ass whooping or a 5 figure insurance claim. (Never take a chance on parking next to an older Fountain blaring trap music and 3 guys with bad tribal tats. Their skanks will serve up the ass whoopin'). But I digress....
I swing around, stern to the slip. A black Thunder on one side and the dock on the other. I start to get sideways. No.... Aw crap, now I AM sideways, across the nose of a BT, an empty slip and ya.... That Fountain. The breeze is pushing me into the boats which was part of my plan, I just didn't plan on being sideways. My plan was wind on the nose helping me to ease into the slip. I YELL (panic has set in, I never claimed to be cool under fire) Help! Kick me off the nose, kick me off the nose! The BT gal knows exactly what is happening and sits on her Black Thunder now with her legs out on my transom area and I yell to Fountain skank, "do like her, NOW !! The fourth boat that I was lined up to be in the side of was an Outerlimits. A ten penny nail couldn't have been beat in my ass with a 10 lb. sledge at this point.
I crank it hard right and apply reverse. This gets my ass end moving away from the BT but also now means my bow is coming back towards the BThunder at more of a port now to their port nose. The gal on the BT foot walks me off her boat and I am now backing away from exactly how I came in.
And at this point I realize, Paradise was a stop on the run and there are at least 180 people watching my fiasco.
I do not drink on the boat and Millers has breakfast so I went there, parked nose in and ordered 3 bloody Mary's and a Budweiser and told the girl, I am going to be here as long as it takes to drink all this, then anoth two hours to sober up.
Just for kicks, may put a bow thruster on this boat just say it's the only single 29'setup for LOTO dcking. Tbird
08-06-2016 | 10:00 PM
#36
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Joined: May 2001
Posts: 24,215
Likes: 1,613
From: Worldwide
Last year, by myself in my single engine Baja 29 Outlaw. I pride myself on being able to dock this boat but the truth is, I'm usually smart enough to set my ego aside and know when it's just better to go somewhere else. Usually being the key word here.... This boat is tricky to nose in, very challenging to side walk and with a mere wafting of a sparrows wings, a real MFr' to back in.
I was alone because it was a Friday run. A little deal they call Support Our Troops was the event here at LOTO. I didn't participate but did spend the morning watching the big boys head for the first stop. I spent 20 minutes at 4 corners (bout' the 31MM) and as the big boys thinned out, I decided to head for a place with a view. Paradise.
As I round the wave break, I pick my spot. Not by the size of the slip nor the ease of getting in but more by the value of the boats next to the empty slip and whether a slip of the throttle will lead to an ass whooping or a 5 figure insurance claim. (Never take a chance on parking next to an older Fountain blaring trap music and 3 guys with bad tribal tats. Their skanks will serve up the ass whoopin'). But I digress....
I swing around, stern to the slip. A black Thunder on one side and the dock on the other. I start to get sideways. No.... Aw crap, now I AM sideways, across the nose of a BT, an empty slip and ya.... That Fountain. The breeze is pushing me into the boats which was part of my plan, I just didn't plan on being sideways. My plan was wind on the nose helping me to ease into the slip. I YELL (panic has set in, I never claimed to be cool under fire) Help! Kick me off the nose, kick me off the nose! The BT gal knows exactly what is happening and sits on her Black Thunder now with her legs out on my transom area and I yell to Fountain skank, "do like her, NOW !! The fourth boat that I was lined up to be in the side of was an Outerlimits. A ten penny nail couldn't have been beat in my ass with a 10 lb. sledge at this point.
I crank it hard right and apply reverse. This gets my ass end moving away from the BT but also now means my bow is coming back towards the BThunder at more of a port now to their port nose. The gal on the BT foot walks me off her boat and I am now backing away from exactly how I came in.
And at this point I realize, Paradise was a stop on the run and there are at least 180 people watching my fiasco.
I do not drink on the boat and Millers has breakfast so I went there, parked nose in and ordered 3 bloody Mary's and a Budweiser and told the girl, I am going to be here as long as it takes to drink all this, then anoth two hours to sober up.
Just for kicks, may put a bow thruster on this boat just say it's the only single 29'setup for LOTO dcking. Tbird
I was alone because it was a Friday run. A little deal they call Support Our Troops was the event here at LOTO. I didn't participate but did spend the morning watching the big boys head for the first stop. I spent 20 minutes at 4 corners (bout' the 31MM) and as the big boys thinned out, I decided to head for a place with a view. Paradise.
As I round the wave break, I pick my spot. Not by the size of the slip nor the ease of getting in but more by the value of the boats next to the empty slip and whether a slip of the throttle will lead to an ass whooping or a 5 figure insurance claim. (Never take a chance on parking next to an older Fountain blaring trap music and 3 guys with bad tribal tats. Their skanks will serve up the ass whoopin'). But I digress....
I swing around, stern to the slip. A black Thunder on one side and the dock on the other. I start to get sideways. No.... Aw crap, now I AM sideways, across the nose of a BT, an empty slip and ya.... That Fountain. The breeze is pushing me into the boats which was part of my plan, I just didn't plan on being sideways. My plan was wind on the nose helping me to ease into the slip. I YELL (panic has set in, I never claimed to be cool under fire) Help! Kick me off the nose, kick me off the nose! The BT gal knows exactly what is happening and sits on her Black Thunder now with her legs out on my transom area and I yell to Fountain skank, "do like her, NOW !! The fourth boat that I was lined up to be in the side of was an Outerlimits. A ten penny nail couldn't have been beat in my ass with a 10 lb. sledge at this point.
I crank it hard right and apply reverse. This gets my ass end moving away from the BT but also now means my bow is coming back towards the BThunder at more of a port now to their port nose. The gal on the BT foot walks me off her boat and I am now backing away from exactly how I came in.
And at this point I realize, Paradise was a stop on the run and there are at least 180 people watching my fiasco.
I do not drink on the boat and Millers has breakfast so I went there, parked nose in and ordered 3 bloody Mary's and a Budweiser and told the girl, I am going to be here as long as it takes to drink all this, then anoth two hours to sober up.
Just for kicks, may put a bow thruster on this boat just say it's the only single 29'setup for LOTO dcking. Tbird
08-07-2016 | 06:22 AM
#37
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 346
Likes: 3
From: Pittsburgh, PA
My sister just bought a 1980 century arabian. Good starter boat from her. Well I replaced the steering cable and helm one night. Then my father and I decide we will take the first run. Go make sure it works and Doesn't take one water. I back it in and dad fires it up. After a short period of monitoring while still on the trailer, " let her loose" so I do. Dad starts backing up to the left towards the marina with the 35ft cruisers right there. Tell him to turn and he turns more to it. He get the boat out of the marina without hitting anything then calls me. " the steering is backwards." Turns out it matters on that system if the cable is above or below the helm. I out it below because it was easier. It got a lot harder to correct it in the middle of the river.
08-07-2016 | 07:42 AM
#38
Gold Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,122
Likes: 967
From: Seaford, VA
We will get back - we really miss that weekend, but have just had a bad run of conflicts the last few years, between children, motor issues, etc...... At least they no longer stall constantly so if I screw it up again it's all on me......
08-07-2016 | 08:26 AM
#39
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Joined: May 2001
Posts: 24,215
Likes: 1,613
From: Worldwide
My sister just bought a 1980 century arabian. Good starter boat from her. Well I replaced the steering cable and helm one night. Then my father and I decide we will take the first run. Go make sure it works and Doesn't take one water. I back it in and dad fires it up. After a short period of monitoring while still on the trailer, " let her loose" so I do. Dad starts backing up to the left towards the marina with the 35ft cruisers right there. Tell him to turn and he turns more to it. He get the boat out of the marina without hitting anything then calls me. " the steering is backwards." Turns out it matters on that system if the cable is above or below the helm. I out it below because it was easier. It got a lot harder to correct it in the middle of the river.
...and the steering AND the gear shift were both set up backwards inadvertently. The boat owner never noticed until the company owner told him when they were back at the dock. (Boat's owner didn't drive the boat that day.)
08-07-2016 | 12:38 PM
#40
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
From: Pasadena, MD
considering all I ever had was a john boat and am getting close to splashing my 251 convincor... I'm sad but positive I'll add to this thread in one way, shape or form 
At least I'm not too proud to ask for help and mentors
At least I'm not too proud to ask for help and mentors
