urgh... today at the lake

[Waterski-Rebel]

Well, I had a 3 hour window on the lake today. It was supposed to be some time with my family, and a couple of my kids friends. I have only had my boat out twice this year, and was looking forward to it.

Well, my wife ended up running over our "tube" rope, and wrapped it around the prop and drive shaft. I was in the water for 1.5 hours trying to get it undone, till we finally were able to get another boater to tow us to the dock. We pulled the boat out of the water, and it was wrapped around (tightly) at least 15 times.

After removing the rope, I did a quick run around the lake, and didn't notice any new vibrations, so I'm good there. Then it was time to leave an head home. :-(

Oh well, at least no one was hurt, and the boat wasn't damaged. The rope had to be cut off, but it has been used heavily over the past 2 years, so it's not a big loss.

The next chance I'll have to get my boat out will be the 27th (assuming my son's baseball team doesn't win 4+ games in the playoffs). Hopefully we'll have nice weather, and a better day on the lake then.

[MTtigekid]

sucks man.. make the most outta the time you do get though

[talltigeguy]

I let my friend borrow my rope this last week while we were at lake Powell. They promptly ran over my favorite wakeboard rope.

They did what I would do...Don't waste time trying to get it untied. Just get a knife and cut it off. I think they lost about 5 minutes with the whole thing.

The teaching pearl here is this: Always have a cheap pair of goggles in the boat and a knife.

[Jeffe]

My wife did that while skating doubles & took out (2) Accurate Jacket lines & (1) Watson Handle & (1) Byerly Handle.

[dingleberry]

My wife did that while skating doubles & took out (2) Accurate Jacket lines & (1) Watson Handle & (1) Byerly Handle.

Ouch! Two handles also?

[Memphis]

I let my friend borrow my rope this last week while we were at lake Powell. They promptly ran over my favorite wakeboard rope.

They did what I would do...Don't waste time trying to get it untied. Just get a knife and cut it off. I think they lost about 5 minutes with the whole thing.

The teaching pearl here is this: Always have a cheap pair of goggles in the boat and a knife.

yep, we had this happen last year, took us about 30 mins to cut it off though

[Booms]

That happened to me once. Was doing about 30 mph then it felt like the boat hit a rock! It stopped and all I heard was a clanging/knocking. I thought my shaft and prop and rudder were gone. Good thing I was 200 yards from teh boat landing. Wife called me on the cell phone b*tching that I should not be going that fast and I should stay further away from shore. Long story short a guy in a pontoon pulled me in and when I was pacing the back of the boat seeing dollar signs float away I saw a rope dragging behind the boat. Once we got it out of the water the I saw that the clanging/knocking were from the metal carabiners the fishing boat used to attach the ski rope. The wife then said sorry for yelling at you.

[Jeffe]

Ouch! Two handles also?

Yeah I had to cut both ropes & the handles are in the shapes of J's hanging on the wall in the garage. This happened like 5 years ago and she is a much better driver now.

[Timmy!]

That sucks Alan but at least nothing major is wrong and noone got hurt!

[SPBFAN]

It is so hard when that happens. You really have to force yourself to be nice to the wife and make lite of the situation so they do not get offended. Or for as long as you own your boat you will never be forgiven.

Last year we were at mead and I am sure some of you guys will remember this but we had just launched the boat and I jumped in. She had to move real quick to get out of the way of another boat and it put us smack dab in the middle of a very shallow area by the gas lines and dock cables. I could hear the cables hitting the fins on the bottom of the boat and she wanted to drive the boat out of that area. I snap out of urgency and told here to not put it in gear and shut it down. I will be in the dog house forever with that one. My concern was two fold gas lines and boat damage if we hit shore or rocks. She did nothing wrong. It was a situation that happened and she did the right thing to avoid a collision but in this case we needed to paddle or push the boat away from that area rather than drive it.

The point is will she never have the confidence again at that same place to launch the boat. I hope so but I know she will remember that and remind me of that forever.

[dogbert]

The teaching pearl here is this: Always have a cheap pair of goggles in the boat and a knife.

Great advice, tall. The best knife is a fisherman's filet knife that's properly sharpened.

[Waterski-Rebel]

The teaching pearl here is this: Always have a cheap pair of goggles in the boat and a knife.

We agreed yesterday I need to buy both and keep them on the boat. I don't know if the goggles would have helped yesterday, the lake I go to most of the time is really murky, but it would have made it easier then trying without them. I'm also going to buy a scuba set, and attach 5 feet of clear tubing to it, so I can stay under longer.

Timmy - Agreed!

spbfan - I was totally calm with her, but while I was in the water trying to undo it, she was getting impatient with me. Go figure!

[Duncan]

ahhh, two more items to acquire ...

What do boat owners not on TOF do? Get stranded more often I guess.

[SPBFAN]

spbfan - I was totally calm with her, but while I was in the water trying to undo it, she was getting impatient with me. Go figure!

That is because he was affraid you were going to get stuck under the boat and not get back out probably. There has been a couple of times when changing riders we did not pay attention to the rope being out and it driffted under the boat and generally would get stuck on the fins or rudder but we noticed it before starting the boat and putting it in gear thankfully. So I would dive under the boat and pull it off. Sme thing my wife would worry that I would not come back up.

ahhh, two more items to acquire ...

What do boat owners not on TOF do? Get stranded more often I guess.

I agree I have saved myself and others many time because of experience shared here. I do like the idea of a 5ft. Tube to attach to my snorkel set. This will allow for much more time under water to find and figure out what is going on.

[zany]

I agree I have saved myself and others many time because of experience shared here. I do like the idea of a 5ft. Tube to attach to my snorkel set. This will allow for much more time under water to find and figure out what is going on.[/QUOTE]

Be careful attaching a five foot extension to your snorkel, I'm not sure you would be able to clear all the air out of the snorkel and may be re-breathing your own air.