Problem Child Stikes Again

[H2OGirl]

This last week has been fun with the boat, should I say embarrassing...thursday we went to local lake, boat won't start...ahh not again I am thinking...turns out it wasn't the boat's fault this time, Lance goes...oh I was listening to the radio for around 5 hours or so while I was working on my car. We had to be jumped by a really nice couple in a PONTOON :eek:

Yesterdat at Hatfield out for our early morning fun, it was perfect out, Lance looks down and says "we are out of gas, the needle says E" he tells the guy in the water I'm going to start pulling you towards the dock. We didn't make it. Shut boat off to empty the ballast and sacks and boat wouldn't start again. Stranded in the back of the lake. Boy did we look silly. Thankfully some very nice gentleman out with his family enjoying Father's Day, pulling his kid in a tube comes over. He was very nice and pulled us all the way back to the dock. All morning we were complaining about all the boats running in our area of the lake, when we were out of gas not a boat anywhere to be found. This guy was super nice, we couldn't even talk him into taking any money from us for his gas, cause his boat was working really hard, smaller fishing boat pulling our X-10 back to shore. We never let the gas go below 3/4 tank, we had heard the last half goes fast, didn't realize how fast!!

NO more complaining about the pontoons or tubers...We got her home filled her up with gas, ouch first time we've had to fill the tank from empty...took her to the water to make sure she still starts (heard rumor that running them out of gas ruins the fuel pump) she is good to go!!!!

I'm starting to get attached to this boat....we've been through so much together :cry:

[JEREMY79]

Hey I got towed by a pontoon once. Had been working on the boat. Went out rode for a while listened to the radio. Wouldnt start. I forgot to hook the alternator up :mad:

Glad you got everything fixed.

[H2OGirl]

Can't blame anything on the boat this time...it was all us!!! Shame on us. We got some good laughs out of it though.

[jimmer2880]

we've all been there before. I'd bet that 90% of the folks on the water have gotten towed at least once.

Glad it wasn't the boat's fault this time. You had me worried with the title! ;)

[OhioProstar]

I was towed back 20 miles by a 18'6" I/O when my started went out. We ran the battery dead listening to the radio and the beer ran out. Other than that we were just happy to have found someone to help from our ramp.

[H2OGirl]

We always stop if it looks like someone needs help, you never know when it might be you. I wish everyone was as polite.

[peason]

On Saturday, I yelled at a jet ski because he was making all sorts of waves close to the ramp, while another boat was towing someone in and then he cut us off as we were pulling into shore to drop someone off - I was mad to say the least :mad: and the driver on the jet ski just didn't get it - he had no clue that the other boat was being towed.

Later in the day, we towed an I/O into their dock after their battery had gone dead.

I've been stranded a couple of times before and it's always nice to know that there are a lot of good boaters that are willing to help!

[Ryan]

Glad to know there are some nice boaters out there.

The last night on the Montana trip I took my family out on the family boat rather than mine. Ran out of gas and had three or four boats pass us (fairly close mind you) as we paddled back to our dock. We were going to ski but were too tired after the workout.

I'm a nice guy, I waved to all these fisherman all week. Not one wave back, and in a time of need not one person even blinked when they saw two people rowing a boat that shouldn't be rowed. :( Are we like jetskis to fisherman? I lost a little respect for them last week.

[dmac]

I have not had the opportunity to tow anyone this season yet but I did last year after their motor had been "repaired". As with most everyoine, I too have been towed. But, not with this boat.

[east tx skier]

I helped two people out this past week. First ones were in an I/O. Somebody had cut them off. They slammed it into reverse and ruined their drive drain. Other boat just kept going. We gave the owner a ride back to his dock (it was already past dark and this lake has marked channels. He had a nice Sportstar on the dock in which to go retrieve his I/O. We were spotting channel markers with a flash light all the way home. Made it in on fumes.

The next day, I went to pick up some gas in my father-in-law's truck and towed a dually/diesel who had run out of gas about a mile to the gas station. I had just driven a long way for 89 octane and was glad he needed diesel.

Hopefully this good karma will pay off in the future.

[toothawk]

good thing she re-started.... I ran my dry and so went the fuel pump. But nothing that $700 didn't fix. Most expensive tank of gas i've ever bought. Now if it gets below 1/2 I start looking for my gas cans.....

[sizzler]

i have towed 2 back to dock this season already...not too far ....and have had to paddle my self home with a wakeskate as well,,,,that'll learn me not to keep the paddle in the boat......

[zberger]

Hopefully this good karma will pay off in the future.

I hear that.. I need some good karma myself right now.. :(

[milkmania]

last time I was on the lake I helped jump start a fella's boat that was still on the trailer/ramp & then helped an elderly couple get their dead pontoon loaded onto a trailer @ the ramp.
I enjoy helping people...
Went to the baseball field early saturday morning and there's a major highway going near the ball fields... this guy was broke down on the side of the road. I asked if he needed any help, he said he had his father in law coming in to trailer him home.... last contact was father in law was in Hamburg, Arkansas. the guy said he'd broke down approx. 11:30 friday night.
I told him there was a convenience store/ diner about a mile down the road and I'd be more than glad to take him down there to eat. he declined.

I came back by about 30 minutes later and said, "hey, why don't you take my truck to the diner and get something to eat? your broke down truck & trailer ain't going anywhere"

long story short, finally!
the guy came back and helped us work the gates and concession stands till his father in law got there. this guy was from Louisiana and helped me run a tournament...he was as appreciative as I was.

question:
is is not illegal to pass up a stranded boat on the lake if you are summoned over to help?

[east tx skier]

In Texas, I have never seen a law that says it is illegal to refuse aid to a stranded boater. It is illegal to fail to stop if you have been in an accident. I always offer a tow or a ride. This last weekend, I'm glad it was a ride. It was scary enough navigating this lake post dusk. Had I towed, I would've definitely run out of gas.

[SDmc205]

I agree, we always help tow or just ask if someone who looks stranded needs help. Last time out we pulled in an old bayliner that's engine took a dump. You never know when its going to be you.

I've even gotten off the freeway and driven back to see if people need help (especially when they are stuck on the fast lane side of the road).

[sbuell]

Keep an eye on the fuel pump. The issue with running out of gas on the intank pumps is that they use the gas surrounding the pump to keep it cool. Once the pump is completely exposed it heats up quickly. We ran out of gas on our Suburban and the fuel pump failed two weeks later. Never let it get that low any more. Of course my gas gauge doesn't work anymore since we changed the pump in the parking lot on an early Saturday morning 500 miles from home (but that is a story for another time and another thread).

[lakes Rick]

Glad to know there are some nice boaters out there.

The last night on the Montana trip I took my family out on the family boat rather than mine. Ran out of gas and had three or four boats pass us (fairly close mind you) as we paddled back to our dock. We were going to ski but were too tired after the workout.

I'm a nice guy, I waved to all these fisherman all week. Not one wave back, and in a time of need not one person even blinked when they saw two people rowing a boat that shouldn't be rowed. :( Are we like jetskis to fisherman? I lost a little respect for them last week.

I told you to cover up your California plates......

[Leroy]

Too funny Rick!

[Ryan]

That you did Rick. LOL! I'll have to sling some lake mud on my reg numbers next time.

Seriously though, does anyone else get a nose-up-attitude from fisherman? No offense to those of you who fish.

[BriEOD]

Ryan--Being here in SC we have some hardcore bass fisherman. My personal opinion is these guys are some of the biggest a$$holes on the water and most unsafe. They run wide open all the time, they don't slow down for anything, and they aren't friendly. Now, I'm sure they're are some good ones, but by in large I haven't seen many good ones. They don't observe a safe distance and they don't slow down for downed skiers. I almost ran through one of those Triton Bass boats last weekend. A friend of mine fell and this boat was coming right at her wide open. I spun around full throttle and was heading right at him. He finally turned slightly but was no more than 10 feet away from my boat when he passed. I gave him the one finger salute and had a few choice words...

[Cloaked]

Ryan--Being here in SC we have some hardcore bass fisherman. My personal opinion is these guys are some of the biggest a$$holes on the water and most unsafe. They run wide open all the time, they don't slow down for anything, and they aren't friendly. Now, I'm sure they're are some good ones, but by in large I haven't seen many good ones. They don't observe a safe distance and they don't slow down for downed skiers. I almost ran through one of those Triton Bass boats last weekend. A friend of mine fell and this boat was coming right at her wide open. I spun around full throttle and was heading right at him. He finally turned slightly but was no more than 10 feet away from my boat when he passed. I gave him the one finger salute and had a few choice words...Word.

Too bad ignorance is a danger on the water.

I too salute those in guilt.


I towed a guy a few years back...actually about 10 years ago. Turned out he owns the nicer gym here in town. Been going ever since the tow at no charge.

Always pay it forward is my opinion. :cool:

[lakes Rick]

A little OT here about good deeds...

Late 70's I was working at a glass shop.. Guy dropped off his car to have the rear view mirror bracket reglued.. Most shops got 3 bucks for doing this.. Whoopy doo. I came up with the idea to do it for free, but remember us when you have a bigger job.. This guy owned half of the town... Kept us busy with windshields and apartment window breakage.. My boss loved me after that one...... Good karma does good things...

[Ryan]

Bri, I would have grabbed my skier by the vest, yanked them in and chased that sucker down! But then I may be a little confrontational. I just think people should be accountable for being an a-hole.

Last night after a movie this guy was honestly one foot from my bumper, couldn't see his headlights or most of his hood at 40mph. When I let him pass I see it's my alley neighbor. I went back and confronted him. I'm not sure he even knows who I am. Must be a bass fisherman! I need some good Karma.

Um... thread jacked.

[peason]

Bri- I hope your co-captain son wasn't with you at the time! :eek:

The lake we ski on has a sun up till 12:00 noon no wake rule, and we got on the lake right at noon to begin our day. Had the whole lake to ski on but the rule is counter clockwise - well I came too close to a bass fisherman and rocked his boat a bit. Anyway when I went to trailer my boat that afternoon, he had cut my strap on the trailer - man was I pissed- never have seen him on the lake again - good thing for him and I! :D

[jimmer2880]

We have some pretty HC fishermen here also, but they are generally a good croud. We respect their space, they respect ours. However, now that it's mentioned - I don't remember seeing a boat being towed by a fishing boat.... hmmm....

I've towed my share of boats and always stop. Sometimes, if the water is glass, I'll stop & say - we'll be back in 10 minutes :D .

Never had such a nice reward as free gym membership though. That's a nice one!

Did have a buddy who ran out of gas in front of my dock 4 weeks in a row with his 39' formula (he also owned a 'bu). Never had to ask twice for a parasail ride again.

[BriEOD]

They irritate me. I consider myself (and wife) to be very considerate boaters. When someone falls we pull the throttle up wait for the wake to subside and then turn around and idle back to the skier as to not make a ton of waves. We wave to everyone, stop if people need help, etc. I got into it one time with some dude that almost ran my wife off the river while I was skiing. He was totally in the wrong. But, it was some bubba and 4 of his buddies in a 1970 tri-hull. I was seriously waiting for him to pull a gun. Carla was pregnant and I wanted to drown this dude. But, you can't reason with an idiot.

The jet skiers follow to close to the boat trying to jump wake (I have now wake) and the bass fisherman blow past you and cut you off. But the thing that is most irritating to me and just makes me boil is taking up the entire ramp. The ramp we use easily fits two rigs at once. You get some jerk that backs right down the middle and takes 20 minutes to get on/off. Normally, someone is on the ramp before I back down and we are on and off before they are done.

However, the majority of people on the water all wave and are friendly. It's just a few that ruin.

[H2OGirl]

Thanks for the advice on the fuel pump, I'll keep an eye on it. We had stopped to empty the fat sacks and ballast before it died because we were out of fuel, we just couldn't get it re-fired. I wouldn't let the guys keep trying either, I remembered hearing or reading on this site that running these boats out of gas was bad for the fuel pump.

About the fisherman, most of them on our lake are pretty cool, they stay on the edges and do there thing, we run down the middle and do our thing. A couple of times they must have gotten sick of the rocking all day because they drove over to us and gave us the finger and asked us how we liked to rock all day (they tried to rock us with their wake, we laughed). I do agree that they run wide open and most of them can't see where they are going because they leave the trim all the way down so the bow is so far up in the air. My family has been towed in several times by fisherman, so there really are some good ones out there.

[Granite_33]

But, you can't reason with an idiot.

Nothing more true than that.........

For instance, my ex neighbor getting a divorce, allowed his home to go into foreclosure rather than selling and splitting the profits with his ex-wife.... :noface:

[BriEOD]

Wow, I don't get that one!

[Granite_33]

Wow, I don't get that one!
No one did.

Of course it stands to reason.......insurance money for a hail damaged roof went to a vacation and patio furniture instead. It goes down hill from there.........

[bigmac]

Ryan--Being here in SC we have some hardcore bass fisherman. My personal opinion is these guys are some of the biggest a$$holes on the water and most unsafe. They run wide open all the time, they don't slow down for anything, and they aren't friendly. Now, I'm sure they're are some good ones, but by in large I haven't seen many good ones. They don't observe a safe distance and they don't slow down for downed skiers. I almost ran through one of those Triton Bass boats last weekend. A friend of mine fell and this boat was coming right at her wide open. I spun around full throttle and was heading right at him. He finally turned slightly but was no more than 10 feet away from my boat when he passed. I gave him the one finger salute and had a few choice words...I have a buddy and his brother that really have it in for fishermen on their lake - kind of an ongoing low-level raging war. They were out skiing a few years ago (when we were all younger) and there was a couple of guys parked right in the middle of the bay fishing out of a little putt-putt. The guy driving the ski boat signaled the guy skiing to spray them. He made the pass, and just as the skier was starting his cut, the driver chopped the throttle dropping the skier about 20 feet from the fishermen. The driver then gave it full power and the slack plus the power yanked the rope out of the skier's hand leaving him paddling right next to the boat he'd just sprayed. Their dock was only a couple of hundred yards, and he was left to swim it with the wet guys in the fishing boat pretty pissed.

[Ryan]

Maybe I missed something. Why did the driver take off? Fear of being accosted by the fisherman? Maybe this spraying story got around on some bass fishing forum and that's why some are jerks to us.

[bigmac]

Maybe I missed something. Why did the driver take off? Fear of being accosted by the fisherman? Maybe this spraying story got around on some bass fishing forum and that's why some are jerks to us.Nah, he was jerking his brother around. He thought it would be funny to drop him next the fishermen he'd just sprayed. It was, but I guess you had to be there...