Am I the only idiot?

[zad0030]

New off topic thread!
Post some stories of your clueless things that make you say, " how could I have been so stupid"


Ill start,
My dad and I are backing the boat into the driveway. For whatever reason we never plugged in the trailer lights, he starts to back up and the brakes go on. Headscratching now my dad and I look at each and go, " ok what did we do different?" He pulls forward tries again, same thing. So we put that pin in that does not engage the brakes. He backs up, it falls out and the brakes lock up. So now im holding the pin in while hes backing up. After a few tries we get it on the driveway. Later we realize the plug was not in. I look at him, give him a pat on the back and say, "Well that was your job dad. "

[wannabewakeboarder]

Well we(my dad and I) loaded our boat before backing down the ramp so we wern't hogging/blacking ramp and i took the boat on and around to the dock while my dad parked the truck and realized the boat allthe sudden started to sit a little lower in the water like we were gaining water ballast because we were...we forgot the plug.

thats why i plan on geting this "reminder mirror" it says" Is the plug in dum bass" if you can't read it.

[mtnsmith]

I'll play

The very first time we took the boat out we got back really late so I was having to back it in and thread the needle that is my yard to get the boat between two palm trees, an oak tree, and the house. Well, as I was backing up I noticed the palm tree off rear port corner of the boat looked a little close and then "THUMP", I backed into the tree. That was bad, but then since I smashed the little red corner running light into the trailer and grounded the hot wire every one of my fuses in the truck that had anything to do with lights proceeded to blow since I still had my trailer lights plugged in Now I can do that routine with my eyes closed in the rain and not hit anything, practice makes perfect

[chpthril]

If I started posting all my "newbe" stupid stuff you'll would accuse me of running up my post count.

Here is one: The first time out at night, I had a little trouble trailering the boat. Every time I would pull the boat out of the water, the boat would be sitting all jacked up sideways on the trailer bunks and fenders. So I would back the trailer back into the water to get the boat nested back into the bunks, and again it would be all croocked when I pulled up the ramp. I must have repeated this about half a dozen times before Gilligan (the wife) and the Professor (my son) started yelling at me to STOP!!!!!!

I forgot to put the lower unit in the "trailer" position and the whole time I was draging the skeg up and down the ramp

[Tequilasun]

I once stopped the boat so people could swim. When we got back in to take off, I couldn't get the boat started. I was a little freaked out, checking all the switches, gauges, fuses, etc. I had the throttle handle just outside of neutral.

Took me longer than I like to admit to figure it out.

[mtnsmith]

That hurts!!! My friends, whom all have sterndrives, still ask me on occasion if I trimmed the motor up before I pull the boat out, I holler "nope, don't need to!"

[G-MONEY]

I once stopped the boat so people could swim. When we got back in to take off, I couldn't get the boat started. I was a little freaked out, checking all the switches, gauges, fuses, etc. I had the throttle handle just outside of neutral.

Took me longer than I like to admit to figure it out.

I was on the ramp launching and the same thing happened to me. Took me about 10 min to figure it out.......

[Domsz06]

I once stopped the boat so people could swim. When we got back in to take off, I couldn't get the boat started. I was a little freaked out, checking all the switches, gauges, fuses, etc. I had the throttle handle just outside of neutral.

Took me longer than I like to admit to figure it out.

I've done that one before!! it sucks!!

[dogbert]

If I started posting all my "newbe" stupid stuff you'll would accuse me of running up my post count.

Here is one: The first time out at night, I had a little trouble trailering the boat. Every time I would pull the boat out of the water, the boat would be sitting all jacked up sideways on the trailer bunks and fenders. So I would back the trailer back into the water to get the boat nested back into the bunks, and again it would be all croocked when I pulled up the ramp. I must have repeated this about half a dozen times before Gilligan (the wife) and the Professor (my son) started yelling at me to STOP!!!!!!

I forgot to put the lower unit in the "trailer" position and the whole time I was draging the skeg up and down the ramp

So I gave my wife 2 options when we got our first boat: (1) learn to drive the boat or (2) learn to back the trailer. She first opted for the trailer, but after 30 minutes of frustration changed her mind. So, fast forward to us loading up the boat where I'm backing down the trailer and she's driving the boat onto the trailer. Each time, before I pull the boat out I ask her if the ignition is off and the I/O drive is raised. I *always* got a grumpy response because she somehow thought I was implying she was an idiot...until the day I proceed to drag the boat up a very long ramp (100+ yds) on Lake Travis with the drive scraping across the concrete. After that, she would politely check and confirm Our boat was only a couple of months old at the time.

To my credit, I did remain calm and didn't say a word, knowing that if I wanted to continue boating with her that each time out needed to be a positive experience.

[Domsz06]

Dog,

your very wise!!


I have done the same with my gf. She can't back down a trailer to save her life, so I always have to do it. She has gotten very good at driving the boat to the trailer, where I just winch her the rest of the way up. She is too scared to hurt something. I have never yelled at her, she does a great job, unless it's windy then it's hard. One day she will probably be able to drive it up, but untill then at least she can get it close

[Tequilasun]

Dog,

your very wise!!


I have done the same with my gf. She can't back down a trailer to save her life, so I always have to do it. She has gotten very good at driving the boat to the trailer, where I just winch her the rest of the way up. She is too scared to hurt something. I have never yelled at her, she does a great job, unless it's windy then it's hard. One day she will probably be able to drive it up, but untill then at least she can get it close

I've been pretty good at that myself. The wife drives the boat up as close as possible, I winch the rest of the way. Only had one incident last year, I got kinda mad, but not really her fault, wind and a bit of *current* were screwing with getting the boat centered on the trailer.

I was tired from a long day, and snapped a bit, had to apologize. I felt bad about it.

[Domsz06]

yeah i have had to bite my tongue at times, really hard after a few adult beverages.

[dogbert]

yeah i have had to bite my tongue at times, really hard after a few adult beverages.

You know, you can get those rubber mouth pieces they use for shock therapy to prevent you from biting your tongue

[Domsz06]

dog, your so funny!!

[zad0030]

So I gave my wife 2 options when we got our first boat: (1) learn to drive the boat or (2) learn to back the trailer. She first opted for the trailer, but after 30 minutes of frustration changed her mind. So, fast forward to us loading up the boat where I'm backing down the trailer and she's driving the boat onto the trailer. Each time, before I pull the boat out I ask her if the ignition is off and the I/O drive is raised. I *always* got a grumpy response because she somehow thought I was implying she was an idiot...until the day I proceed to drag the boat up a very long ramp (100+ yds) on Lake Travis with the drive scraping across the concrete. After that, she would politely check and confirm Our boat was only a couple of months old at the time.

To my credit, I did remain calm and didn't say a word, knowing that if I wanted to continue boating with her that each time out needed to be a positive experience.

I've been pretty good at that myself. The wife drives the boat up as close as possible, I winch the rest of the way. Only had one incident last year, I got kinda mad, but not really her fault, wind and a bit of *current* were screwing with getting the boat centered on the trailer.

I was tired from a long day, and snapped a bit, had to apologize. I felt bad about it.

Sounds like you guys need a teenager to drive the boat.