rescued a boat today

We are cruising just after getting into the lake at 4PM and out of the corner of our eyes we notice a flag waving around. There was a newer wakesetter up against the cliffs full of people. Turns out they had the rope wrap around the prop. They said we were the 5th boat they had seen in the last 2 hours and were very happy we saw them. The wind was blowing them against the cliff and they didn't know what to do.

I felt bad for the father, you could tell his day wasn't going well.

watch the rope!

Makes me wonder what kind of gameplan I'd have if I couldn't run the boat. Those afternoon winds really blow you around.

-Daniel

we also towed a boat in today. sucked but did it cuz we are good people and love points on KARMA

I find it funny that some people don't have anchors on their boats. It's probably since I have always been around the ocean and not many lakes.. but why not have one?

Yea, I guess if they had had an anchor, they could have avoided hitting the canyon wall.

yeah we went out today and there was a boat there that a pontoon towed in that we had towed in last year. if i was them i would sell the boat and upgrade if i had to keep getting a tow. the worst part is that they were only out for about 20 mins tops

what good would an anchor do if they dont have line deep enough to go down to the bottom? Some lakes are really deep in spots too and if they were up against the cliff who knows how far that went down... just my thoughts

cruisin at powell on way back to camp twenty mins before sun set,and the electric system dies. no nothing. No flash light(rare occurance). wind was blowing us on to a rocky point. Even at current levels, there was probably three hundred feet under us. We don't own a rope long enough to anchor us there. Longer story longer I had to tie the flag in a knot, dip it in gas from a can, and set her a blaze so my uncle who was out looking for us could see us and tow us back.

Doesn't everyone have an oar. I thought that was a law.

I always carry a mask and a sharp knife. Had to learn that the hard way.

This is good stuff.

Seems like it would be good to have the following,

A couple paddle devices.
A mask
A knife

Cell phones don't work on my lake, so getting someone's attention on a slow day could be an issue.

I have to carry flares by law, but they are very cheap and a good idea if you are in a remote area where cell phones don't work.

i always thought the mask/snorkel and knife were a little overkill. until earlier this year when i was under the boat in 50* water trying to free the rope. luckily, we had a full suit to help out.

mask and knife are now in the boat. i think i'll throw in some flares.

no anchor?!? i kinda thought that was common sense...

Here in Cal, paddles & a non electrical horn are required, among other things

Hmmm - I just put a knife on my boat last week, thinking I will throw a mask, flares and a whistle in there now too after reading this thread!

A whistle!!! thats a good idea, maybe hanging off your keychain, next to the bottle opener???

Well I always keep a pocket knife on the boat just in case for the rope.
So far this season I've towed in two and gotten gas for one its always a mad house out on the delta.

I have all those things on my boat, knife, goggles and tool case. I got my rope wrapped and we worked on it for at least an hour trying to cut the rope free. No luck it was on there good. Still had to get towed in. The crappy thing was I just bought that rope and it wasn't cheap.

I always tell someone on the boat that they are in charge of the rope and somelse in charge of the flag. That way the chances are slim for a screw up.

I have a knife I keep in my glove box just in case of wrapping the rope. I also make sure I take the key out of the ingition. You know, just in case.
Wadd$

back in the day of running old I/O's I'm all too familure with breaking down on the water. It's the worst to break down in the wind. being pushed up against rocks really sucks.

Though, in my Malibu it broke down twice in it's first 110 hours. Steering cable and faulty safety landyard switch...Steering cable is an impossible situation is remedee on the river.

Get that anchor down quick. especially if you have wind or the current taking you in the opposite direction of your launch site. You'll save the poor chap who is pulling you in pleanty of gas.

>Doesn't everyone have an oar. I thought that was a law.

A wakeboard works as an oar in a pinch.

Craig - you took the words out of my mouth. Wakeboards work great as oars. Also - fat sack hoses work good as snorkels - gives you more time down there.

Ted that is a fantastic idea on using the fat sac hose as a snorkel. Where I ride there are lobster traps and stuff - a lot more ropes to get caught on. I'm sure I will use that in the future, thanks.

Without an anchor, cell phone, VHF radio, knife, and mask on my boat I would be in Cuba.

You guys are like young McGivers!!!
You could also use a blender as a trolling motor!
It does suck when the rope is sooooo tight you cant even cut it off. No rocks or cliffs down here just gators, snakes and lots of muck.
dreevs, you had an "oar" out in the boat with you at Wakefest.

Paddles /oar is law on boats under 20 ft in TN, not required on larger boats, I guess they think you cant paddle a big boat.

I don't know how cold the water was and how rough the conditions were but if it were possible I would have all people in the boat out swimming to keep the boat off the rocks.

We wrapped the rope around our prop at the end of last year. And we did have to swim/pull the boat out into the open so we didn't hit the rocks. That situation sucked. It'a amazing how little time most people can spend under the boat in 50 degree water. Freaks you out.

Last year that happened to me to, the girfriend ran over the rope. I had to do the old deap sea dive to try and untagle it. I freaked out and cut the crap out of my hand on the prop. I think I will keep a pair of swim goggles in the boat this year for this task, it's bound to happen again.

The best thing I have ever cut a rope with was cheap little scissors from one of those cheap Walmart Johnson and Johnson medical kits. It cut through a house boat anchor rope in about two cuts. They looked like the scissors they used to use in the trainers room to tape ankles in football.

Last year a couple friends took out their boats. A new guy came with us. He ran over the rope. Me in the other boat, had to come in and do the diving. The guy that ran over the rope wouldn't get in the water, because it was too cold.

.. He never got invited out again.

Great info here guys, but trust me, BE EXTRA CAREFUL GOING UNDER A BOAT, especially inboards.

Last year, a friend of mine accidently drove over the rope. I was the one riding, and since I've done this before, and I was in the water, I told the guys in the boat to hand me the diving mask (without a snorkel) and I'd get the rope. I took off my vest, held my breath, and went under. While messing with the rope under the boat, my zipper lanyard on my wetsuit floated up as I was coming up for air and caught on the cotter pin on the drive shaft. It only let me out enough to get caught under the swim deck. I panicked, but when I did, it tore the velcro under the zipper and let the zipper unzip, and let me swim out from under the boat. I had never been that scared before in the water, and I will definately re-think the way I go back under my boat, a breathing hose is a really good idea, so is taking off the swim deck for easier access to the prop...