Oh yes! This adventure from a few years ago when I owned a 25' Bayliner and
kept it on a lift:

3-28-99



Yesterday afternoon upon arriving at the dock from fishing on the Sacramento
River, I was just finishing up the chores of docking and raising the boat on
it's boat lift. I do these chores after every cruise, there's nothing to
it!



A boat lift is a fine device when operated properly. It acts much like a
submarine. Pump out the air by filling the tanks with water through valves
and it submerses down on guides so that the boat may be guided in above it.
You then pump out the water with air and the boat lift raises, bringing the
boat high and dry out of the water....just like the picture shows!



My boat happens to weigh in at about 6,000 lbs or so. In the process of
lifting the boat out of the water, the bow comes up first, probably at about
35 degrees, and the dock lines at each side of the boat hold it in place on
the bunk while on such an angle. The stern is then raised until it reaches
the same elevation as the bow.



I discovered today that it takes BOTH lines to hold this boat in place while
on the steep angle!



Because the delta canvas was still in place around the cockpit (back) of the
boat, I placed the line under the canvas to attach to the cleat, but somehow
forgot the last part....the "attach" part.



Of course, by this time the outdrive is raised, the cabin door is locked and
my briefcase, cell phone, etc. are setting on the dock waiting to go home.
Upon reaching the 35 degree angle, with only a single dock line in place,
the four year old tired, frayed dock line snapped in two with a loud SNAP
followed by another POP as the shore power cord parted company with the dock
plug!



Now then, things move pretty fast at a time like this. The boat began a
sudden, unannounced launch at 35 degrees into the river! At this point, one
must gather his senses pretty quickly and decide among these options:



A) WHAT THE HELL!!

B) WHAT THE HELL!!

C) Let the dang thing go, I'll swim in after it....

D) This boat ain't stopping no matter what I do and I damn sure better get
on as she slips gracefully down the ways!!!



I chose D. Within two or three seconds of "SNAP!...POP!" I was aboard a
moving boat with........ 1) The engine off, 2) the outdrive up, 3) the cabin
door locked, 4)no telephone to call for help, and 5) a thoroughly confused
skipper now in need of fresh underwear! Also, the cockpit was surrounded by
canvas, the bow hatch was locked tight and so were the windows.



Fortunately, no one was near the dock to witness this fine boat handling
moment! (I Hope.)



It was truly amazing how quickly one can unbutton a section of canvas at a
time like this! I unlocked the door quicker than humanly possible, then
lowered the outdrive and started the engine so fast that the engine computer
still hasn't caught up!



After all was said and done, nothing was damaged but the dock line and the
shore power cord receptacle. My pride was not damaged, of course, because I
had just come home from a fishing trip, utterly skunked, and with no pride
left!

-Dale Gillespie 3-28-99






--
Dale Gillespie

My Homepage: www.FishWisher.com
My RV Site: http://groups.msn.com/CoachpotatosRV..._whatsnew.msnw
"Genius? Not!" wrote in message
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