Scary misadventure on the water

[Robert H. Wilkinson]

I've discovered that around the docks - boaters love to tell stories of their misadventures and other boaters love to listen. Like fishing stories - sometimes the waves get bigger each time it is told. Thought I'd start a thread where all can chip in with their story.

Here's mine for 2013.

We didn't get much boating in this summer - 6 hours total but the week before Thanksgiving promised good weather so we took our boat down to Lake Erie and arranged for space on the transient dock in Port Dover. We enjoyed 4 beautiful calm, sunny days on the water to end the season.

On the Thursday we went out late afternoon for a short cruise. The lake was so calm(very unusual for Erie) that I decided to do a little WOT run. My top speed so far has been 55mph but in a 20' boat with a deadrise of 19deg. that speed is not prudent most days on Lake Erie. After cruising out about 2 miles at 30mph to get things warmed up I cracked the throttle. Midrange(25 to 45mph) on the Volvo MPI is amazing, after that the climb slows - I was watching the gauges and slowly trimming the drive up. The last time I remember checking the speedo it had just cleared 53mph.

That was when we lost steerage - went into a full lock turn to starboard and did a full 360 before coming to a stop. All within seconds. Luckily I did manage to pull the throttle off before I was thrown across the boat - landing on the floor at my wife's feet. Funny thing was in the split second between pulling off the throttle and getting thrown I remember thinking that I should get over to the other side of the boat to add my weight to the high side!! At this point there was nothing I could do but sit there and enjoy the ride. Coming off plane and because of the turn - the stern was quickly falling into a big hole, I remember sitting there watching our wake as we came around on it and at the gunwale on our starboard stern quarter which appeared to be mere inches above the water and thinking - crap - I hope this ride ends before we cross that wake!!

The boat levelled up before crossing the wake - nobody was hurt and I was able to cobble together a temp. fix to get us home. Last fall our steering actuator was replaced under warranty and a mechanic forgot a cotter pin to secure the pin on one of the steering rods. Could have been a deadly mistake under different circumstances. Like another Bratt said in another thread a year or so ago - "An immediate apology goes a long way". Even the owner came over to apologize and immediately dispatched a mechanic to the marina to check for any damage and install the proper cotter pin. I told him I was a mechanic myself(auto) and understood how mistakes can happen - nobody was hurt - we made it home safe - so there was no point in me being upset at them. I know the mechanic will feel bad enough already without any theatrics from me.

OK who's next with a tale to tell??

Regards, Rob

[SENSEI]

53 mph in a 22 c-dory
that is way to scary. what motor or motors do you have on it??????

[thataway]

Lucky to have not been thrown out! I believe Rob said it was a 20 foot boat with 19 degrees deadrise--most likely not a C Dory...

Good skills to have chopped the throttle, and a good reminder when going fast to have one hand on the wheel and the other on the throttle when going fast, or in close quarters. This is the way the racers drive (often with a helmsman and a throttle man). We lost steering in about the same way in a 35 foot sailboat--where the cable was not properly secured. Fortunately no one was injured, since it was in the middle of a small boat racing fleet. I also lost the shifter on the 62 footer we owned for a number of years, as we had committed into a tight basin where our slip was located. There was a turning area, and we made a 360 barely and got back into open water--same type of thing--a cable pin had come loose. Always check the shifter and throttle as well as steering before committing into a tight situation....

[Dreamer]

I'm guessing that Rob was not aboard his C-Dory as he mentions a Volvo MPI engine.

[DuckDogTitus]

that story reminds me of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYX1rIe3SaQ

[bridma]

One macho driver trying to impress the bikini babes. Not good.

[Robert H. Wilkinson]

Roger - I should have clarified re. the boat in this post - a 2009 Stingray 205cs - the last 20' cuddy made by them. Volvo 4.3 MPI.

In 2009 I saw my first C Dory at the Toronto boat show and fell in love. Started here as a guest. FF to the 2011 boat show and the dealer(Boatmax) was trying to unload their last C Dory at cost. I was offered this still new 2009 22 angler for $30,000. I e mailed the salesman back and forth and I was so sure that I was going to get it that I joined here and listed it as my boat! The week before we were to make the trip to see it - we went to the Hamilton boat show. My wife fell in love with the Stingray - which was also a new - non current 2009 - well, the rest is history.

Now I can't figure out - despite trying several times how to remove the C Dory from my profile.

I also forgot to add my "lesson learned" on this post. Although I normally wear a life jacket at anything above hull speed, I am bad about wearing the kill tether. I like to stand at the helm - find it gives me a better "read" on the waves(and makes them less scary looking ) - but sometimes when going slow I move around and forget about the tether. Kill the engine every time! I will definitely be wearing it though the next time I decide to act like I'm 16 again!!

Regards, Rob