Launched the Carver yesterday: Really windy and I was worried about
negotiating the new slip we have this year. Wind was no problem, but
that was just the start.

After securing the boat I thought I'd grab a bottle of bleach and
scrub the dock trying to clear away the winter's worth of duck $hit
all over the place. Scrubbed down the decking and proceeded to
connect the shore power. Since they are covered slips, the usual
protocol is to run the shorepower cord up the posts that support the
roof, across the rafters, and back down to the power supply at the
front of the slip. No problem.

Borrrowed a nice fiberglass 8' step ladder from the harbormaster,
grabbed my zip-ties, and went to work. Ever notice that bleach is a
little slimey, even when you wash it off??? I leaned the ladder
against the column and got about 4' up the ladder when the bottom
slides on the wet wood and flies right out from underneath me. All I
remember was riding the ladder down to the dock where it tilted
towards the boat on the edge of the dock, rolling me off on my back
into 12' of 46 degree water between the boat and the dock. I remember
opening my eyes to look up and see light while under about 5 feet of
water & thinking I've really got to come back up between the boat and
the dock or I'm toast.

I come back up and I'm holding onto the edge of the dock and decide
I'll just swim around to the back of the boat and use the swim
platform ladder to get out. Not a problem, and I'm a lucky guy. Went
down below, changed clothes, and then started to add up the damage:

3 month-old cell phone w/ water running out of it: $210
Keyless remote to the car: $72
Replacement featherweight progressive-lense Luxottica frameless
glasses: $422
The fact that I'm here to tell you about it; Priceless!

I'm hoping the balance of the year goes smoother...

Coff

Damn, life is good!

On 9 Apr 2004 19:16:34 -0700, (Coff) wrote:

Launched the Carver yesterday: Really windy and I was worried about
negotiating the new slip we have this year. Wind was no problem, but
that was just the start.

After securing the boat I thought I'd grab a bottle of bleach and
scrub the dock trying to clear away the winter's worth of duck $hit
all over the place. Scrubbed down the decking and proceeded to
connect the shore power. Since they are covered slips, the usual
protocol is to run the shorepower cord up the posts that support the
roof, across the rafters, and back down to the power supply at the
front of the slip. No problem.

Borrrowed a nice fiberglass 8' step ladder from the harbormaster,
grabbed my zip-ties, and went to work. Ever notice that bleach is a
little slimey, even when you wash it off??? I leaned the ladder
against the column and got about 4' up the ladder when the bottom
slides on the wet wood and flies right out from underneath me. All I
remember was riding the ladder down to the dock where it tilted
towards the boat on the edge of the dock, rolling me off on my back
into 12' of 46 degree water between the boat and the dock. I remember
opening my eyes to look up and see light while under about 5 feet of
water & thinking I've really got to come back up between the boat and
the dock or I'm toast.

I come back up and I'm holding onto the edge of the dock and decide
I'll just swim around to the back of the boat and use the swim
platform ladder to get out. Not a problem, and I'm a lucky guy. Went
down below, changed clothes, and then started to add up the damage:

3 month-old cell phone w/ water running out of it: $210
Keyless remote to the car: $72
Replacement featherweight progressive-lense Luxottica frameless
glasses: $422
The fact that I'm here to tell you about it; Priceless!

I'm hoping the balance of the year goes smoother...

Coff

Damn, life is good!

Don't throw the cell phone away! I dropped mine in the bilge under about three
inches of water. Finally found it, and it was full of water. On the way home I
put it in front of a heater vent in the pickup, and by the time I got home the
damn thing was working! It's been working ever since - over a year.

Also, check your homeowner's policy. Many of them will at least help with some
of the costs.

John H

On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

Been there, done that...but I didn't have ANY of the expensive toys in my
pocket.

I, however, would still be floating around the dock if my neighbor hadn't
had his boarding ladder down. My boat didn't have one. The nearest dry land
was a couple of hundred years away...Even in Houston, TX, winter time water
temperatures were probably in the fifties, and my old butt would probably
not have been able to swim that far.

Nice to know that you came up OK, in spite of a few bucks paid for the
lesson.

Welcome back, Kotter.... or ( John H )!
--
RichG
http://groups.msn.com/CarolinaSkiffOwners

"Coff" wrote in message
....

.. All I
remember was riding the ladder down to the dock where it tilted
towards the boat on the edge of the dock, rolling me off on my back
into 12' of 46 degree water between the boat and the dock. I remember
opening my eyes to look up and see light while under about 5 feet of
water & thinking I've really got to come back up between the boat and
the dock or I'm toast.
....

3 month-old cell phone w/ water running out of it: $210
Keyless remote to the car: $72
Replacement featherweight progressive-lense Luxottica frameless
glasses: $422
The fact that I'm here to tell you about it; Priceless!

I'm hoping the balance of the year goes smoother...


I'm really glad that it's only the ruined and lost stuff you're talking
about. Friend of mine had ladder slip out washing windows above deck of
house - 2 broken wrists, broken jaw and nose, multiple lost teeth and
subsequent tooth implants, facial plastic surgery, big scar on lower jaw and
some I can't remember. Much missed work. A train wreck. Alone at rural
home, had to crawl in to phone 911 and wait 30 minutes for ambulance.

I had one slip out on me (frosted deck surface) when I was up on the roof in
the winter - luckily I was only about 8 feet high, but managed to stay on
the roof and it just left me sitting up there yelling for the wife to come
help! She says "why did you do that?"

Your last point about "priceless" is right on - glad to hear it. Knock your
head going in.... Can't be too careful w/ladders, people, especially on
wood surfaces. And I used to paint houses (flinching at some memories).
Thanks so much posting a good error/ warning story.

Cam