was up at a local lake yesterday, for a kids picnic party. It was a bit windy and the ramada was near the boat ramp. It was a quiet day on the lake, but being bored, I was watching the boats coming and going.
Not to start another "boat ramp bash", but I just gotta share this, I have never seen it before. A 20~footish cuddy comes roaring into the ramp area, not at plane, but pushing a big wake. A young boy, early teens, on the bow, no rail, no pfd, holding a line. Boat approaches the lee dock, boy does not know what to do, so dad leaves the helm and grabs the "line" which by now I can see is webbing. Boat engine dies, boat begins drifting away from dock as dad tries to heave the webbing to someone on the dock. Several misses and the boat has drifted off too far and is heading to shore. Fisherman gets in his boat and starts to come around to help the guy. Meanwhile, intrepid sailor is fixing a 10" crescent wrench to the end of his heaving line. Fisherman's boat nears, and intrepid sailor begins winding up for the heave, Fisherman, in panic, waves him off from the toss, and approaches close for a hand off. Intrepid sailor still takes a few good swings before aiming at fisherman. Fortunately, fisherman caught the crescent wrench. fisherman stands on bow, holding line and fisherman's friend begins pulling intrepid sailor's boat off the shore, eventually getting him back to the dock. My daughter and I just sat there and categorized all the mistakes. She knew them all.
Not to start another "boat ramp bash", but I just gotta share this, I have never seen it before. A 20~footish cuddy comes roaring into the ramp area, not at plane, but pushing a big wake. A young boy, early teens, on the bow, no rail, no pfd, holding a line. Boat approaches the lee dock, boy does not know what to do, so dad leaves the helm and grabs the "line" which by now I can see is webbing. Boat engine dies, boat begins drifting away from dock as dad tries to heave the webbing to someone on the dock. Several misses and the boat has drifted off too far and is heading to shore. Fisherman gets in his boat and starts to come around to help the guy. Meanwhile, intrepid sailor is fixing a 10" crescent wrench to the end of his heaving line. Fisherman's boat nears, and intrepid sailor begins winding up for the heave, Fisherman, in panic, waves him off from the toss, and approaches close for a hand off. Intrepid sailor still takes a few good swings before aiming at fisherman. Fortunately, fisherman caught the crescent wrench. fisherman stands on bow, holding line and fisherman's friend begins pulling intrepid sailor's boat off the shore, eventually getting him back to the dock. My daughter and I just sat there and categorized all the mistakes. She knew them all.