What a way to start at a new marina

[Brian D]

Well, on the 15th I moved my boat up to a marina 15 minutes from my house. One of the requirements is to have the boat "inspected". That wasn't a problem. My boat is ready. So the inspection was today. No problem. Did it and passed.

However, on the way back to my slip my motor stalled. Just as I was entering the slip and started to back her down by putting the motor in reverse, the motor stalls. I know, I said that twice. Probably because I couldn't believe the motor stalled.

Results? I run into a fire hose box on the dock and punch a nice 2x2 inch hole. Not the boat, but the box. It was brand new and I penetrated it. I wasn't going fast at all, but I was too far from the finger to get off the boat and stop it. Crap!

Went to the office and reported it. What a way to start my new stay in this marina.

Has anything like this ever happen to you?

 

[Ctskip]

Nope . Can't say I've ever done anything like that. "snicker, snicker" I have a friend who is in a slip near you and she called and told me about this knucklehead in a sailboat, who ran his sailboat into a fire hose box blowing a good size hole it is. She figured you couldn't find the brakes. I told her there are no brakes on a sailboat, just powerboats have them. So that was you, eh?
I got a few stories but none on my first day at a new marina. There just hasn't been that many first days for me. And when there is a first day, I always do it in the middle of the week, during the morning when there are as few people as possible, exactly for that reason. I really don't like embarrassing myself, especially when I know better.And on the first day.You just have to know your slip neighbors were watching the new guy come in. Mechanicial failures happen everyday. They just happen to the other guy. lol Did you figure why the motor stalled? I have a diesel and the throttle is the shut off also. I have been known to accidently shut it off myself when coming into a slip. I try to make it look like I planned it that way. Theres just so many things going on, to get them in the proper sequense at the proper time is asteep learning curve. Not to mention the sun beating on ones head all day and the rum swishing in the belly doesn't help. Look at the positive side. At least you didn't damage someone elses boat.
The best part is, you are talking about it. That helps. lol
Please dont feel I am laughing at you. I laughing with you. Yea thats it. lol

Keep it up,
Ctskip

 

[Bilbo]

Well, on the 15th I moved my boat up to a marina 15 minutes from my house. One of the requirements is to have the boat "inspected". That wasn't a problem. My boat is ready. So the inspection was today. No problem. Did it and passed.

However, on the way back to my slip my motor stalled. Just as I was entering the slip and started to back her down by putting the motor in reverse, the motor stalls. I know, I said that twice. Probably because I couldn't believe the motor stalled.................
Went to the office and reported it. What a way to start my new stay in this marina.

Has anything like this ever happen to you?

My sympathies. So far my wife and I have simply been putting on verbal entertainment for the sailors around the docks.
At least you didn't go to the office to report to the harbormaster that you just took out the transom on his yacht (Aka: his now freshly appointed mooring anchor).

Perhaps Takara really is the Japanese phrase for "Murphy's Law."

Glad that fire hose boxes are fixable and that all of thel people are alright.

 

[Brian D]

No one saw me hit it. Really. But I did point it out to a few people on the docks today.

I went and inspected my motor. I suspect the reason for it stalling was going from neutral to reverse without really letting the motor engage gears first. It just stalled.

Anyway, I also ran some Salt Away in my cooling system. It needed it. The motor has been running hot lately. We'll see if the Salt Away cleans out the system. I even back flushed it with Salt Away and let it sit in the system for a good 20 minutes. I'll check on it tomorrow.

In the mean time, I need to learn fiberglass repair so I can batch that hole in the hose box. I don't feel like paying for a new box, if you know what I mean.

 

[Mike Davis]

You've got my sympathies, Brian. Similar thing happened this afternoon to me. Pulling boat out of slip to put on trailer for the winter (water ballast, don't want to take the chance even in central Oklahoma). The alleys in the marina are REALLY tight, so you have to get up some speed in order to have the steerage as you make the hard left. So I am clearing the slip, turn the wheel, and gun the motor, and it dies. And I've completed just enough turn to have full freeboard presented to the southerly 20 knot winds, which promptly pushed me into the sterns of the boats across from my slip. Fortunately, for my gelcoat, the primary impact was my shrouds and rub rail vs the cover and swim platform of a ski boat that had been lifted out of the water with a slip hoist. The swim platform kept some VERY large prop blades off my hull, but it looks like I've purchased a new ski boat cover, and possibly some swim platform trim. Could have been way worse. As soon as I had bounced off the boat, my outboard restarted just sweet as can be.
Also fortunately, there was no one at the marina for me to be embarrassed in front of. I called the marina owner, reported the incident, and he said he would put the ski boat's owner in contact with me tomorrow.

 

[Brian D]

I know what you mean. But if nothing else, you reported it. I am sure you could have just turned the other cheek, so to speak. LOL Good on you for owning up to the responsibility. I'm hoping that my marina will just kind of chalk it up and say... Oh well. I'm hoping! LOL

 

[Ken Honeycutt]

Not an engine failure, but a mental mistake. I was pulling into a fuel dock at a somewhat unfamiliar marina with a 10 knot wind on the stern. Pulled up to the dock just fine and jumped onto the dock to assist with the lines. Well, guess what...a 10 knot wind will push a boat just fine from the stern. Managed to kiss the concrete wall with my bow anchor just missing a couple of PVC conduits and pipes. Luckily the boat was only moving about a 1/2 knot so there was no damage..just a scratch on the wall...embarrassing...yes. Learning experience - definitely.

 

[unhappy owner]

OOOOps

About twenty years ago in the days before floating marinas it was high tide and the wharf was about an inch above the water. Had just had the throttle lever replaced on the boat. Before replacing it the only way out was FULL throttle reverse so thats what we did. Wife on the bow to let go of a few ropes. Anyway - the mechanic had put the throttle cables on backwards - we headed off in full forward. With the low tide we rode over the wharf back about half way to the mast step!.

Trust me - everyone saw it!

Boat ended up having to be lifted by a crane barge

 

[Brian D]

Funny you should post that. The Catalina 27 next to me had a similar event. He was coming in and was on his final approach to his slip. He put the gear in neutral and thought the boat was coasting, but a little too hot. So he puts it reverse and the boat did not slow down. He then give it WOT and the boat took off like a bat out of hell and ran right up the on the dock. When he shut the motor off, the boat slid back into the slip.

It appears that the linkage broke and the motor was stuck in forward gear. He reports that there were many witnesses to the event. Wish I was there to see it.