Stupid moves

[swardco]

A bit like the ill-fated nighttime barefoot story. In my defense this happened over 30 years ago and I was probably at the ripe old age of 19 or 20 (so not too bright).

 

Skiing with a buddy and one other girl in the evening. We finish skiing and decide to watch the sun go down from the boat in the middle of the lake, and have a cold one (maybe more, that memory isn't clear). It is a small, private lake and we are the only boat so we sit for some time drinking and talking. As we are slowly motoring back in, it seems like a perfect night to ski. In hindsight it would have been an even better idea if there had been any moonlight.

 

I realize after getting up, that I can't really see the boat, it is that dark, and the spotter in the boat can't really see me either. I start by just riding behind the boat because I can't really see much. But after a bit I decide to be less timid, I pull out to the right side, and feel the boat turning left. Since it is so dark and I can't see anything, I was mostly looking at the tip of my ski. The next thing I see is the the shore 6" off the tip of my ski...

 

So I hit the shore at something like 30-35 mph. Miraculously the shore where I hit was a muddy, even surface. I have no idea how far I flew and tumbled, but I remember slowly picking myself up and seeing if all by body parts worked. Somehow I came out unscathed, except being a bit stunned and maybe a bit in shock.

 

The boat driver said he couldn't see anything either until he saw the shore and cranked the boat hard left, then his spotter says "I think he might be down" and my buddy thinks "I think he might be dead". His only other thought was "Thankfully the boat is fine so Steve's Dad won't kill me"

 

Moral of the story is 19-20 year old males do NOT have good critical thinking skills.

[dvskier]

Bulletin proof!

[DSP]

Age 16. Dad buys our first family boat. 87 Bayliner. I’m excited because it has a steering wheel. Far too many fishing trips with a small outboard. Mom & Dad are at work. I’ve just waxed it and am burning the ends of small pieces of rope that will be tied to dock bumpers. Blowing matches out, tossing them in the cup holder on the engine box. All done. I look up..six foot flames coming out of engine box. Bucket of water puts the fire out. Two cup holders destroyed. Engine box looks fine except the foil like liner on the underneath side of the box. Put $1.50 of gas in the Camaro. Drove to Bayliner dealership, bought two new cup holders that both matched and fit with my life savings. Bought a roll of foil like duct tape and taped the entire inside of the engine box. Ten years later, long after moving out, Dad asked if I knew anything about char marks under the engine box. “Well, now that there are sufficient miles between us, plenty of depreciation and you won’t kick my @*!, why yes I do!” I never got away with much but was pleased to get away with that one.

[wettek69]

One winter morning (in Northern Queensland, Australia, so winter is a bit loose). Water was glassy with a low fog on it, so decided to go for a barefoot. All fine and dandy, great run, fog was from water level up to about mid chest level, so I could see the boat, and my crew could see me from waist up, but when I threw the rope and was just floating in the water, my boat crew couldn't see me, and I couldn't see them. Luckily, we were the only boat on the water. After about 20 minutes of yelling, and the boat idling back and forth, the fog cleared a bit and we managed to see each other, but it certainly made us realize that it wasn't such a great idea to ski in fog. Great while you are up skiing above the fog line, not smart when you are at water level and can't see past 20 feet...…………..

And yes, I have forgotten the plug. I figure there are 2 types of boaters, those that have forgotten it, and those that haven't forgotten it...…… yet.

[ski6jones]

On leaving the plug out there are those that admit they have and those that won't.

[teammalibu]

We were having a bite to eat on shore after launching and anchoring several Nautiques,the boats had been in the water for about 30 minutes when i said to my buddy man your boat sure sits a lot lower than the other two. All he said was oh shit and took off for his boat. Yep you guessed it!

[keithh2oskier]

No issues with the plug. I leave the engine cover open in the garage so I always check before I close it.

 

My dad ripped the platform off our brand new Prostar in 94 doing a power slide. I am pretty sure it was the VERY first time out. The little pin had fallen out of the platform bracket on one side causing one end to lift up and rip the bracket off the gel coat.

 

I'm still young so I have many more years to do stupid shit in a boat.

[Rednucleus]

Ahh, we have moved from plugs to platforms! My buddy's Sportster platform now lives on the bottom of Bow lake. We looked for it ALOT with probe poles & a depth finder. Pro Tip - Don't forget the pins!!

[jetpilotg4]

So how much are swim platforms going for now?? Asking for a friend :D

[Rednucleus]

@jetpilotg4 the Sportster was fiberglass and could not find a replacement, so got a nice teak one - ebay I think; had to trim it to fit. I like the look better than the fiberglass one.