Don't forget your paddle..Not a tin, but a today boat story

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richg99

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Messages
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Location
Houston, TX & Crossville, TN
This happened to me, this morning.

Soon Sue won't let me go out on any water by myself!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

After a couple of hours of no-catch fishing this morning, I decided to investigate a new back-water lake. I was in my 16 ft Carolina Skiff.

As I traversed through the three tight turns into the lake, I noted that the tide was starting to rush out. That should be a good thing for fishing and I planned to stay and throw a few casts after my reconnaissance.

The current turned and pushed my little skiff up a channel, which I happily fished while drifting along. Soon I was near the channel's end. The current was much stronger as the channel necked down. The small "river" then emptied into Clear Lake.

To get out and away from the tidal push, I turned on the 40 h.p. motor and its lower unit quickly hit a stump. The motor stopped instantly and I worried that I may have bent the stainless steel prop, or even damaged the lower unit.

I flipped on the trolling motor to move away from the tide and quickly raised the gasoline engine. No apparent damage!

Turning the key, the engine roared to life. However, when I engaged the gearing, the prop started to spin the boat directly into the concrete barriers bordering the channel.

No amount of force, applied to the steering wheel, changed its direction. I shut the power off and fended off the cement wall. I soon realized that the steering tube had been damaged by the stump collision. The motor was locked down in one position and couldn't be turned to steer at all!

It was 8/10th of mile to the launch, and luckily, I was upwind. I was able to use the trolling motor to get me out to the open lake, but I lacked confidence that the trolling motor's battery would hold up for an open water trip of nearly a mile. I had used it for two or three hours already that morning.

Starting the big motor and engaging its gears; then immediately turning it back off.... allowed the boat to power forward, but.....all the while turning the bow to starboard. This arrangement wouldn't get me home soon!

Luckily, the winds were out of the South East, and my destination was, more or less, to the North-West. Sooner or later, I would drift close to the launch area. I could actually see my van, parked at the launch, three/quarters of a mile in the distance. Since my adventure was happening on mid-day during the week, very few boats would be coming by.

None-the-less, I fashioned a signal flag by tying an orange poncho onto my fishing net.

One boat did run by, well to the South. I raised the flag and waved, and waved, and waved. All to no avail. That craft was a good mile away, running a channel to the Southwest. It seemed that I was going to have to get myself home.

I thought back to my sailboats. In every one of those, the tiller held the rudder against the power of the sail, which was constantly pushing the hull in an opposite direction.

Well, my Yamaha was pushing the boat in an opposite direction, opposite to where I wanted to go!

Every good boat has a paddle for emergencies. Sure enough, mine was stuck way back up and under the forward deck. Out it came.

Just holding the paddle in the water and trying to use its flat blade to steer, while the engine surged against it, wasn't going to work.

No, I had to find a way to brace the paddle against a side force, sufficient to overcome the power of the engine. Luckily, I had rod-holder bases installed on either side of the hull.

I fetched the thick plastic rod holder and snapped it into its base. Using that object as my fulcrum, my paddle became a rudder, with its handle working as rudimentary tiller.

As I applied more power to the Yamaha, the pressure increased against the "tiller" and while I held the "rudder" angled into the water, I was able to move the skiff further along my designated path.

I also left the trolling motor running. With it pointing to the port side, it acted to slightly counter the starboard forces of the motor

Nothing worked as perfectly as described. The paddle would slip; the waves would push; and the engine would often over-power my jury-rigged steering.

However, after thirty minutes or so, I was at the mouth of the launch basin. The trolling motor still had enough juice to drag the skiff to the dock.

I had to back the trailer nearly all of the way into the bay to float the boat on, but a little wet-wade to strap the skiff down was welcomed, given where I had been just under an hour ago.

Just another fun day on the water.....I may have to take up golf.....Oh!....I already do that...... badly.

Ha Ha Rich

p.s. I also had a whistle, and a phone, and I could have called for help....but...what fun is that?
 
I carry a paddle in both my boats. You never know when you may need it to push off a bank, or turn around in a narrow area with underwater logs, etc.

And worst-case scenario, you can use it to paddle back to the hill. (This is why I usually run up-stream from my launch point when I run inland rivers, if I break down, I can drift back)

As for using the paddle like a rudder....done that, too. In fact, that's how I used to run my little 14 foot duracraft in real shallow water, I'd lock the tiller straight, then, stand in the bow with the engine in gear and idling, and use the paddle's blade like a rudder to steer.

Although it's not a piece of USCG required gear, every small boat under 20 ft should have a paddle.




A quick side note about jury rigged steering, or a failed steering system, I had that happen a few months ago in my jetboat. Rode for 1/2 hour or so, with 2 passengers, then stopped at a dock. Went to leave the dock, and the boat wouldn't turn right. It would turn left, but no right. WTF?

So, I reached my hand under the back platform and felt the steering nozzle, and that's when I realized that the cable had snapped inside the cable conduit. On a left turn, the cable end would press against the swaged rod, pushing the cable, which makes a left turn. But, on a right turn, the cable is retracted, and that was the problem...being snapped, it wouldn't retract the swaged rod, so, it wouldn't turn right.

No problem. I told my passengers to sit in the bow, to the starboard side. On the ride home, left turns were not an issue, although, I did have to hold left more than usual to compensate for the off-balance weight in the boat. On a right turn, myself, and my passengers, would lean right, and that would actually steer the boat. It worked well enough, I was able to go through the narrow channel in the flats, on plane, at night, on a falling tide, through the dreaded S-curve, even with a failed steering cable. Probably pushing the envelope, to say the least, but hey, it did work. I'm just glad it failed out here close to home, and not out in the middle of nowhere!
 
Yikers Rich! Glad you're ok. It's amazing how quickly things can get hairy. Seems like it's never just one problem at a time either. They always seem to come in bunches. It almost happened to me the other day too. I was out toodling around my local lake, which is sort of famous for all of its submerged hazards, and just as I stood up to take a look around I saw a mondo stump slide just beneath the starboard side of the boat (GULP!). I didn't hit it, thankfully, but it makes you realize how far away from help and the dock you are when something like that happens. Better to be lucky than good, I suppose. I'm always worried about getting stranded. Most of the places I go don't have cell phone reception, so I try to take several forms of back up propulsion. I always have my trusty old long canoe paddle and an air cooled kicker motor, but I think I use my trusty bamboo pushpole most of all. It clips right on to the rubrail so I can grab it in a moments notice. It's gotten me out of several jams and is great for pushing off of rocks, docks and sea walls, etc... I can even us as sort of a kayak paddle in a pinch. Best of all it was free:) Glad you made it home in one piece. That'll teach you to go out in those nasty glassers ;) Btw, is the motor ok aside from the steering tube?
 

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Glad things turned out ok, Rich. Despite all the "stuff" we have on our boats, you cannot beat the creativity and quick thinking of a skilled captain.
 
Good use of the paddle in a larger boat.

I just sold a 14 foot open bow glass boat and the paddle was useless as a paddle, even sculling.

I have a paddle in my current 16 foot glass boat, but again, it's there for inspection purposes. If I get caught in your situation, my plan is to throw the anchor out and pull until I get around to getting a kicker.

My tin has the gas motor, trolling motor and oars which will easily pull that boat around.
 
It's law to have atleast one paddle or 50' of line and an anchor,where I'm at...among other things.
 
Motor troubles are minor. See P.S. below.

One thing that has come out of this discussion ( which I posted on two other sites) is that we all ought to double check our tool boxes and be certain we have enough proper sized wrenches to help get us out of harm's way.

I was lucky that the winds were blowing the correct way.

A vhf would be nice, but, where I fish, a cell phone probably gets better reception.

More than one responder told about duct taping the paddle to the cowling...Hmmm. I don't carry duct tape with me, Guess I should start now!

Thanks for all of the well wishes, guys. rich

p.s. took her in to Steve Wright at Bowden in Humble. Got her back today with a straightened and cleaned steering tube. I trust that guy implicitly. If he would have told me that I needed new steering, I would have had him put in new steering. I don't worry about Steve, if you don't need it, you don't get it! RG

p.p.s. took her to Baytown for a few hours after picking the boat up. Got two keeper sized specs on a silver spoon. All is well that ends well. RG
 
A paddle is a required piece of safety equipment in 'Bama, just like a fire extinguisher... and you can get a ticket for not having one.


Keep practicing and one of these days you'll learn how to operate a boat safely.
 
Not sure who that sniping was aimed at, but I saw the muzzle flash, so, I'm going to return fire.

:shock:

Can't speak for anyone else here, but, as for myself operating boats safely......hmmm, 28 years of operating in a marine environment, as well as a riverine environment, with all classes and sizes of watercraft up to 50 ft, including PWC and sailboats.....USGC Boating Skills and Seamanship course completed in 1988, American Sailing Association Certification completed Sept 1993, which essentially certifies me to charter a sailboat up to 50 ft in length, anywhere in the world....oh, and did I mention, top in my class for that one. Oh, and PADI-certified rescue diver and medic first aid, if you want to add those. Got a few more on the list, as well............



Anyhow, just to clarify CFR's vs. state laws:

STATE LAWS may vary from USCG regulations, which, the USCG does not list "paddle" in its CFR's (if it does, someone show me that title/code/statute, and I will stand corrected, but it'll sure as hell be a news flash to me)

In SC, for instance, DNR laws do not list "paddle" as required equipment for a vessel of any size. But if you don't have a whistle or a sound-making device, they will not hesitate to write a 155 dollar ticket.....and that's because the sound-device statute is not a DNR law, it's a FEDERAL law, the USCG. As are nav lights, PFD's, and fire extinguishers (which are only required if tanks are strapped/clamped down, or mounted below deck, as per CFR's) They write tickets for those things as well, again, they are enforcing federal law, which is pretty much what SCDNR bases its boating laws upon. Other states may have their own specific regulations in addition to CFR's.

Is it prudent to go out in a small boat without a paddle? Well, you know the old phrase about being up a certain creek where the wastewater plant discharges sewage...without a paddle, right? #-o
Really shouldn't have to be a law that mandates common sense, should there? Don't we already have enough freakin' laws on the books? :roll:


Whether the law requires a paddle or not in my state, I carry one on ALL my boats, including my little Hobie Bravo sailboat (can't tell you how many times I've had to use it to push off the edge of the marsh when I couldn't catch the wind and needed to tack, going through a narrow creek) Paddles are handy for poling through shallow water (as long as the bottom isn't too soft), fending off from pilings, rocks, docks, etc when coming alongside something, and if need be, they also make a right handy little CQB weapon for adjusting the disposition of a drunken attacker (true story, right here, locally, we won't go into that one though)
 
Well, as the OP, I have NO IDEA what the snipe was all about either. It certainly didn't come from me.

I've been doing this for 50 years and owned and run, successfully, over 20 boats with many hundreds of hours on the water.

Some guys just have put a shot across the bow, to see if others will react. I choose to ignore them and go on to more fun on the water.

This is a great site, and one of the reasons many contribute here is to avoid "sniping" nonsense. Let's keep it that way.

regards, Rich
 
thank you for sharing your story. glad all is well with you. i think you have convinced me that it is time to put the paddle in the boat and leave it there - really need to stop forgetting my paddle :(
 
Thanks for posting about your experience. Many people can learn from a story like this.
Glad all worked out. We all run into situations out on the water. Sounds like you handled it just fine. I needed my paddle a few weeks ago also. I was pulling the boat out of the dock to the trailer and thought I smelt fuel. Immediate shut down and inspection and the fuel pump was seeping. Broke out the oar and got in on the trailer. No big deal. Glad it was there also. Never had any early warning signs. I just replaced the plugs and inspected the enigne, I always inspect before first start. She is 32 years old. No leaks till this.

P.S. While researching for the fuel pump (easy) and fuel lines (PITA) I came across an article from a BoatUS insurance company's claims on fuel leaks rising. Seems boat older than around mid 1980's are having fuel leaks more often due to the ethanol and other additives in the gasoline affecting the plastic of older fuel systems parts. Just another reason to inspect.
 
richg99 said:
p.s. I also had a whistle, and a phone, and I could have called for help....but...what fun is that?





How refreshing to hear of someone who uses their head to get out of their own mess! Nice work sir!
 

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