First proper boat trip: a comedy of errors

[Guest Guest123456789]

Hi raiders,

Took the boat out by myself on Sunday. My third journey and the first in the ocean. Left home 5am bound for hardys bay Brisbane waters.

Came into hardys bay, still dark. Managed to get the boat in the water and the trailer parked without too much fuss. Started the journey, a few metres out and kicked over the motor. It then fails. Tried a few more times, thought I flooded it but again she still won't start. Then realised I forget to connect the fuel line!

Finally underway coming around to ettalong I'm following the markers. Red to green out to sea, I've got this. Where did the markers go? Must be deep water everywhere. At WOT doing 20 knots I ran aground. Thankfully it happened slowly, the motor dragged early and I slowed down. Stalled, I jump out, check the outboard for damage, all good, push back into deep water and take off again.

Approach box head and see other boats targeting liveys. Mark the spot on my GPS, manage to catch two yakkas! Woohoo, a little victory!

Head out to west reef. Send out the livey and also half pilchard paternoster rig. Send out the anchor but forgot to tie it off! Luckily I catch the rope but damage the aerial in the process. Radio check, works fine damage is more cosmetic than anything.

After fishing 20 mins manage the catch 2 trevally, throw the undersize back. Yay!!

Bring in the anchor and take her for a run out wide. Cop a bit of spray and gets a bit bumpy - man that Spring under my seat was worth the effort! Monitoring my fuel, think I better get back into brissy waters, do so without much fuss. Logged off with marine rescue, drop a few baits around a few spots. Catch a legal blue spot flathead! Awesome.

Head back to boat ramp, tie off and get the trailer. As I do so I hear a grinding noise. Forgot to take off the wheel lock! Thankfully no damage.

All in all made lots of mistakes but had some wins along the way and had a blast on the water. Thanks for reading.

Luke

Edited August 21, 2016 by Guest123456789

[Ojay Samson]

Lol good effort & entertaining read. Thankfully these mistakes didn't end up as hard learnt expensive ones.

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[big Neil]

Good reading Luke. It will all help with anticipating possible future problems. Good luck.

[amkr]

oh man thats an adventurous trip!

I've got a mental checklist that I do before I go start towing the boat, before I launch the boat and before I drive it home. So far we haven't had any serious trouble *fingers crossed*

Sounds like most of those things wont happen again though, anchor will be tied off permanently and you'll more likely remember the channel markers

[Guest]

You have now made those mistakes and still live so you are now a CAPTAIN of your own destiny

[frankS]

lessons learnt, I hope !. it's simple to make mistakes but if you learn from them and do your best to not make them again the lessons are well worth the trouble they have caused you.

Good luck from now on and get out there often.

Frank

Edited August 21, 2016 by frankS

[Greyfox]

Man o man that was a great read and laugh, we have all been there and done that. I remember one of the first times in my boat I told the wife to through the anchor out, which see did but did not tie it off ( I did not tell her to tie it off) , my mistake, how could someone not know to tie an anchor rope off?......

Anyway we all learn by our mistakes.

[Guest Guest123456789]

Thanks guys, glad you enjoyed the read. It wasn't funny to me at the time but I had a good laughs thinking about it just now.

I felt a bit silly on the water and at the ramp to be frank. Everyone else on their 40s and 50s driving 6 metre plus, old fibreglass boats with 90hp on the back wearing and dirty old high vis gear. There I was, early 30's, clean shaven wearing my ironed, collared fishing shirt the wife bought me with my little, shiny new aluminium boat and trailer decked out like space ship with a lawnmower engine on the back. Felt like a right d@&*head. All the gear, no idea lol.

[Cargo05]

It can only get better from there flatheadluke.

[rickmarlin62]

all you need to do now is leave the bungs out next time and you have just about everything covered ...hahahaha...rick

[Scratchie]

Lmao Luke! We all make mistakes but thank god none of yours were to costly.

On serious note, give yourself a routine everytime you launch and don't get distracted. Then it will become second nature! Great read!

Cheers scratchie!!!

[NaClH2OK9]

Thanks for sharing. Made me chuckle thinking back to my first few trips... It does get easier..

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[jeffb5.8]

I've done all of the above and a few extras.

Not all at once but usually a couple at a time,

1. Left bungs out (lucky bilge and high speed sorted that)

2. Trailer hitch on tow ball but handle and clip:lock not released

4. Hitting the low tide mud flats at Rydalmere in my old tinnie

5. Throwing the anchor out and watching the anchor go one way and the chain another, loose D shackle.

6. Going fishing and forgot to pack Hooks

I'm going with it happens to the best of us, like the others I do the checks and triple checks especially when I have the kids with me.

Also my mate text me to check the bungs each time I post a boat photo.

Edited August 22, 2016 by jeffb5.8

[Blood Knot]

Your a good sport for sharing Luke and it makes the rest of us who have all done this stuff and not fessed up to it feel a bit more human.

Cheers Blood Knot

[Guest Guest123456789]

Haha Jeff I'm guilty of forgetting hooks before. Got to the spot and it was a hot bite too!

[Guest Guest123456789]

Another good one I remembered on he maiden voyage, I put all 4 rods in the rod holders while driving to the ramp. My wife was following in her car and called me up to confirm the rod tips were scraping buses in adjacent lanes as well as trees and shrubs. Now the rods lay in the floor of the boat until I get to the destination.

[fragmeister]

Lmao Luke! We all make mistakes but thank god none of yours were to costly.

On serious note, give yourself a routine everytime you launch and don't get distracted. Then it will become second nature! Great read!

Cheers scratchie!!!

"Don't get distracted" That's a little gem of advice from Scratchie.

Last time I got distracted the boat ended up through the rear window of my jeep!

Anyway.. good read Luke. You'll be an old hand at it soon enough.

Cheers

Jim

[sam bros]

Thanks for sharing mate

Great read

We've all had those moments

[tackleberry]

flatheadluke next time you run in to someone that looks like they have it all together

and can do no wrong just remember they have probably done all that and them some .

[big Neil]

Your series of mishaps reminded me of a couple which I've done. Fishing the oyster racks at Batemans Bay I tossed the anchor over, made sure it held and tied it to the boat. Unfortunately the knot? wasn't any more than a few loops and next thing I realised was the boat drifting rather hastily away...minus 1 x anchor, chain and rope.

Fishing in the river I took a mate out who had never caught a Murray Cod (with the promise that I'll get you onto one -wink, wink). Hurtling upstream I hit a submerged log and had forgotten to unlock the vertical lock on the motor. Almost flipped the boat, knocked the motor into a peculiar angle where the prop was barely in the water. Needless to say, that was the end of that trip as I limped back to the ramp (several Kms away). Then there was the Cod which I was releasing which (unfortunately) swam away with my lip grips firmly attached to its lower jaw...not to mention numerous rods which mates and I have lost through being inattentive. It's all a learning curve I guess. No point being down over these things, is there? We learn from the errors and try hard not to do them next time. Cheers.

[sydney south]

Yep, We have all done that and then some. There are no instant experts in boating.

The one that I smile about, is leaving the ear muffs on from one trip to the next.

Wasn't till I exited the 8 knot zone and opened up the throttle, that I realised something was wrong when the overtemp alarm went off.

[amkr]

yeah I've done the earmuffs too hahahaha

[mrsswordfisherman]

Thanks guys, glad you enjoyed the read. It wasn't funny to me at the time but I had a good laughs thinking about it just now.

I felt a bit silly on the water and at the ramp to be frank. Everyone else on their 40s and 50s driving 6 metre plus, old fibreglass boats with 90hp on the back wearing and dirty old high vis gear. There I was, early 30's, clean shaven wearing my ironed, collared fishing shirt the wife bought me with my little, shiny new aluminium boat and trailer decked out like space ship with a lawnmower engine on the back. Felt like a right d@&*head. All the gear, no idea lol.

I loved this!

I should make a new badge just for you BEST DRESSED FISHO or STYLING MASTER etc

I always subscribe to the "if you can't be one dress like one" method in anything hahahah

Good on you Luke

[haynze]

Can't learn if you don't make mistakes.

I always watch my engine when flushing it with fresh. After the second time I ever took it out the hose kinked while the muffs were on, any longer and I think I would of screwed my motor.

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[kiwicraig]

Yeah - I've done many of those. Just be careful in Ettalong channel and out towards Lobster Beach - the sand banks can move around a lot. I've seen some of the red bouys sitting high and dry at low tide. If you can't see well enough and have not been through in a while slow it down. I'm had my boat for a couple of years now and I am still a learner in both boating and fishing, but I fish in Brisbane Water and Broken Bay regularly, so happy to head out together sometime and show you my routine. I well remember the early trips, but trust me you will get to a point where it is almost easier to do it still than with a helpful mate who does not know your routine.