Bad day at launch

thataway · Posted: Thu May 05, 2016 2:26 pm Post subject:

Duct tape and a boat hook, uncouple the tiller arm of the motor! Whatever it takes in an emergency. Also a good reason to have at least a minimal tool kit, and....Duct Tape!

Larry Patrick · Posted: Thu May 05, 2016 5:54 pm Post subject:

No kicker motor,wish I had one that day. If I even had a paddle could have made it into slip,instead of floating around for half an hour or so. I have Boat US ,incase we break down out in the lake. Also going to add my Obrien pull behind tube to the boat ,will store it inflated somewhere. Since we don't have a dingy yet. The two of us could sit on it if boat fire ect. I invested in ACR plb, floating marine radio with weather alert. . Now that im seeing unexpected things occurring. If I cant get a house call will take boat few miles to repair center.

Bill K · Posted: Thu May 05, 2016 8:10 pm Post subject:

I bought a collapsible paddle at West Marine that fit's in my lazzeret on my 22' cruiser. Just in case.

Bill Kelleher

hardee · Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 5:15 am Post subject:

At Everett on day I talked to a couple who came back from Friday Harbor, with twins and trim tabs and no steering. The wheel would spin in either direction with no effect at the OB's. They were able to manually center them and then tied them off with a dock line and made the trip which must be about 45-50 miles. They did say it was good that the Juan de was pretty flat that day.

As to having a paddle. I would consider it part of my safety gear, and have had one on board since the first time I left the dock.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

AstoriaDave · Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 11:10 am Post subject:

About that paddle.

On my 20 ft Bartender, I twice used the pair of 10 ft (yes, ten feet long) oars to slowly move to safety in a failed engine situation. One oar, or one paddle, is only good for rotating the boat. It will not move the boat in a desired direction unless the wind is zero and you can rapidly scoot back and forth across the boat to alternate sides. The J-stroke on a 20 ft or larger OB equipped boat turns into all correction and little propulsion. We found we could get 1.5 knots, max, pulling for all we were worth, standing or sitting, in calm conditions with those 10 ft oars.

In the usual 10 knot breezes on my home waters, the oars would help us pick which downwind beach the wind would drive us onto, and also which pointy end would hit the beach first. Get us upwind? That is to laugh! Across the wind? Yup, some.

The paddle will work if it is fourfold, with four burly Samoans to operate it (them).

Larry Patrick · Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 12:25 pm Post subject:

Mailing a key to the boat door ,Bayfront marina says they will fix it at dock. Hope they are good techs. We are 5.5 hrs from Erie farthest yet from a marina. But Lampne Marina has a campground next to marina ,so we will be staying in our truck camper when we go,and staying on the boat. If I had known this at home would have attempted the project.

hardee · Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 12:31 pm Post subject:

Dave, You are right about the paddle and wind, but I have used the paddle to move the boat about 100 feet in a marina, to a dock space, mostly using a sculling motion with few switches from side to side.

The paddle also serves on the inflatable, as a backup, and as a back rest.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

AstoriaDave · Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 4:26 pm Post subject:

Harvey,

The comments about "a paddle" as a nonsolution to a dead engine are intended to convince others that if they are adrift in other than completely protected waters, the first to go for is your anchor! That paddle is only useful when you have missed the float/dock by a couple feet and there is no wind.

Even the ten foot oars have very limited usefullness getting the boat to go anywhere. But, glad I had them , both times I used them.