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Okay...let's share our boating bloopers so that people can learn some good what not to do tips. I got a good one day.
We had just finished up fishing and were starting to head in to the dock and had been swapping spots in the front and back of the boat a bunch of times. I pulled on my vest, attached the kill switch, and started the main engine. My partner relaxed in the passenger seat. Wanting to get on plane quick, I pushed the throttle forward. The bow rose up as the Opti sang it's sweet song, and I gave a quick "oh yeah" to my friend. Except he wasn't excited. No, he was yelling! He was yelling two dreaded words. Two words that you never, ever, want to hear when your Optimax has just reached 4000 RPM.
"TROLLING MOTOR!!!"
A torrent of water washed over the bow and hosed us, the tackle bags, phones, and everything else on deck with the same force as a garden hose on on full blast. In my haste, and Everglades water induced blindness, I killed the throttle too quickly and was smacked with backwash.
We sat there in a momentary silence...soaking wet...as a airboat full of tourists idled by taking photos. The silence was finally broken with the hum of the bilge pump kicking on.
We had just finished up fishing and were starting to head in to the dock and had been swapping spots in the front and back of the boat a bunch of times. I pulled on my vest, attached the kill switch, and started the main engine. My partner relaxed in the passenger seat. Wanting to get on plane quick, I pushed the throttle forward. The bow rose up as the Opti sang it's sweet song, and I gave a quick "oh yeah" to my friend. Except he wasn't excited. No, he was yelling! He was yelling two dreaded words. Two words that you never, ever, want to hear when your Optimax has just reached 4000 RPM.
"TROLLING MOTOR!!!"
A torrent of water washed over the bow and hosed us, the tackle bags, phones, and everything else on deck with the same force as a garden hose on on full blast. In my haste, and Everglades water induced blindness, I killed the throttle too quickly and was smacked with backwash.
We sat there in a momentary silence...soaking wet...as a airboat full of tourists idled by taking photos. The silence was finally broken with the hum of the bilge pump kicking on.