Everyone has a moment when their plans go awry and blunders happen. Most often boating blunders results in humorous circumstances, but every once and a while mistakes can lead to injury and harm. Everyone loves a good boating story, and we have collected quite a few from our friends and readers of Pontoon & Deck Boat.
Failure To Launch
Dean Jones from Washington writes, “The first time I launched my boat was also the first time I backed a trailer into the water from the dock. About 25 minutes later with the boat still on the trailer, I notice my boat was sinking in the water. A quick investigation revealed that I had forgotten to plug the boat. I pulled the boat out of the water, inserted the plug and then re-launch the boat. Then 10 minutes later while backing the boat back in the water the boat starts floating sideways. This is when I realized the straps were still attached. So I took off the straps and now with the boat was in the water, I noticed that the crowd had grown to over 50 people. I parked my truck and to my chagrin, the crowd erupts into applause. Once on my boat I then realized that I left the boat key at home.
Truck Thief
Stoney Smith, from South Carolina, shared the following unfortunate misadventure, “I took my boat to the lake by myself, unstrapped the boat, and made sure the plug was in. Not thinking that I was all by myself—and the only person at the ramp—I backed my boat in the water as usual. Before I realized there was no one in the boat, the boat started to float off. I quickly jumped out of the truck, ran down the dock, and leaped what seemed to be over 20 feet—it was much less—into the boat. Lucky me, I thought. I cranked the boat and tied it to the dock. Walking back to my truck, I looked up and my truck was gone! Then I realized, I forgot to put the truck in park, and it had idled to the top of the parking lot and into a small drainage ditch. Embarrassed, I looked around to see if anybody saw what had happened. I don't think anyone witnessed it, but you never know.”
Not On Plane
Heather Hill Cooksey from Missouri submitted, “I remember once while boating that my RPMs were really high, and the boat was going so slow. I felt like the boat was dragging and plodding through the water. I had my husband check the sides and he said we were clear. All of a sudden, a yank happened while crossing the channel of the Tennessee River. After that, I regained speed and better RPMs. Upon return, when we were 10 yards from our loading dock, the motor died and the throttle locked up. After we investigated, we discovered what looked like the anchor rope...someone forgot to pull the anchor in. Lesson learned: Get up and check everything for yourself!”
Bow Thruster
James Difebo Jr. from Pennsylvania recounted, “Once, I had too many people on our 18-foot pontoon. As I powered down the boat, I didn’t realize that everyone was on the bow of the boat, which went into nose dive mode! A few people were thrown overboard and got wet! Fortunately, no one was hurt. Lesson learned: We need a bigger boat!”
Hitched
Tim Elgin from South Carolina witnessed one of the biggest blunders a first-time boater can make, “One day, I watched a family riding on a new pontoon. I quickly identified that the boat didn’t look quite right and appeared to be under powered. The man had to fight the steering as he went down the lake. Later that day, I’m sitting close to the ramp when they pull in. They approached the ramp and the man got out, walked up to his minivan, and backed down the ramp. It was odd, and I could tell he was mad about something. The man gets back on the boat and everyone else on the boat gets off. The man starts to crank his pontoon, and it moves toward the ramp. As he gets close to the van, I see a trailer tongue pop up out of the water in front of the pontoon. Another man was directing him in, until they finally hook the boat trailer back to the mini van and pull it out of the lake! I laughed to myself as I pulled ashore and asked them what had happened? I hated to tell him, but you have to take the boat off the trailer and go out on the lake, not unhook the trailer and try to go out!”
Boats Don’t Brake
Dennis Bowsher of Illinois, wrote, “I was coming into the boat harbor one evening a little bit too fast, so I put her into reverse like I have done a million times. This time however, the boat died and I hit the wall soundly. All I heard after I hit was my uncle, who was sitting outside sipping a few beers, clapping. So I bowed to him and continued docking.”
Crowd Pleaser
Elizabeth Meyer-Tinsley White from Michigan told the following, “With the water a little rough, I attempted to dock at a nearby lakefront restaurant. The place was full of people that I could see through the windows and along the lakeside docks. To compensate for the choppy water, I increased the speed on my pontoon. Then, BAM, I hit the dock so hard I thought I took it out! People came running from everywhere to assist me to tie up my pontoon.”
Throttle Control
Always remember that boating blunders can be serious, as Denise West Hersman, from Ohio, related, “Coming into the dock I was perched on the nose of our 21-foot open bow so I could grab the dock. My hubby was going just a little too fast, so he decided to pop it in reverse to keep from hitting the dock. The problem was he put it too far into reverse, which in turn launched me off the front of the boat. I landed half on the metal dock and half in the Ohio River. Luckily, there was a guy on the dock that saved me. It was a long walk to the truck and trailer, trying not to limp in front of the 20 people around the ramp that day!”
Be Safe
Pontooning is our passion and we love the different stories shared with us. We want to remind and encourage everyone offer a helping hand when another boater in need, and to always practice safe boating. If you have a boat blunder that you’d like to share, visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pdbmagazine and tell us all about it.
