Stupid Human Boat Tricks

[RJ Martin]

I decided to fish the late afternoon, outgoing tide at Plymouth today. I launched from the left side of the ramp and tied my boat up at the end of the floating dock. Another couple had their boat tied up along the outside of the dock, 90 degrees to mine. If you're not familiar with Plymouth, the floating dock is "L" shaped, with the base of the "L" parallel to the concrete sidewalls of the ramp, and the body of the "L" parallel to the shore. As
I walk back to park the truck, I see a guy launching a boat about 21' alongside my trailer. I'll call him guy #1. He's at the bow of the boat, unhooking the winch strap.
All of a sudden, he's hanging off the bow rail and the boat is backing itself off the trailer. No one is driving!!
As my brain struggles to digest an unoccupied boat, moving in reverse, with a guy hanging off the bow rail, I notice that the stern of the boat is arcing right towards the floating dock, and thus, towards my boat. Oh Sh**....

I run from my truck, across the bridge and jump in my boat. Guy #1's boat clears my boat but arcs around the end of the dock, and heads (stern first), directly towards the side of the boat tied along the side of the dock. Guy #1 is still hanging off the bow rail..... The harbormaster materializes from nowhere, and, the guy prepping his boat (guy #2) is able to push the engine of guy #1's boat away from his boat, preventing a "T-bone". He (guy #2)then jumps into the runaway boat and kills the engine. Guy #1 lets go of the bow rail, and heads for the swimmer's ladder on guy #2's boat. Guy #2 jumps onto my poling platform as I push the runaway boat off my stern.

The harbormaster, now alongside the offending boat, is yelling-"Someone get in this boat!!"

Guy #2 and I look at the harbormaster and say-"it's not our boat..."

Guy #1 is pulled out of the water buy several bystanders and guy #2. I have to say, guy #2 was very cool about the whole thing.

Anyway, no damage was done, and the harbormaster quickly secured guy #1's boat. I don't know what happened next, because I parked my trailer and got the hell out of there!!

Funny thing was, when I was trailering my boat later, guess who motored in and tied up? Yup, guy #1.....After all that, he still went out.

I won't comment on the fishing, because it was all downhill from there.

Stay Sharp,

RJ Martin

[medburd]

That is a pretty whacky situation.....so let me guess..guy #1 started the boat, tried to get the boat off the trailer and put it in reverse....realizing he didn't detach the strap holding his bow to the trailer gets off the boat to detach..all the while forgetting to put the boat in neutral. Gets winch strap off and give the bow a good lift and push to get it off the bunks or rollers..and low and behold a runaway boat..sucked to be him!! thank god no body was hurt and no boat was damaged. That could've been REAL UGLY!! RJ - Glad to see you & your boat are O.K.

[RJ Martin]

Medburd-Yeah, you nailed it. I didn't see the events preceeding the boat leaving the trailer, but what you propose would account for the boat being in gear with no one driving. Talk about surreal.....Fortunately, the DEP guys working the ramp got on the radio in a hurry and the harbormaster was close by. It all happened very quickly. 5 seconds later and I would have been in my truck, pulling my trailer out and I'd have missed the whole thing.

There's a lot to be said for launching at 5AM on a weekday............<G>

RJ

[ducatiboy]

I sometimes go to the Plymouth ramp just to watch shiz like that. Its better than tv :-%

[offshoreisle]

My retirement plans include occasional trips to the ramp with a beach chair and a six pack. There is always a great show...

[Luv2Fish]

Initially I want to LMMFAO but then saw the possible VERY danderous side of what coulda been. (#$119)

[RJ Martin]

Yeah, it could have been ugly. When the runaway boat backed up against the other boat, it was going about 5 MPH. The engine cowl was so close to hitting the hull, the prop must have been spinning directly below the docked boat. I kept waiting for the grinding noise, but, amazingly the prop never contacted the hull. Guy #2 was definitely at the top of his game.