LESSONS LEARNED, Things You Do Only Once

[MotoBoat]

Ok, Mike, here you go.

Back in college, I was working on my old Toyota pickup. I was having timing/electrical issues under the hood, so was working on the distributor, cap, plugs...and of course, wires. It was something like my 4th or 5th time pulling all this stuff apart and putting it back together and was testing out various leads and such. Since this job required about four hands and I only had two, I was occasionally holding wires in my mouth. At one point, I had the end of what I thought was an extra wire in my mouth and asked my dad to turn the starter over to see if the truck would fire......that extra wire in my mouth turned out to be the wire from the coil, which was still plugged in. That is something you only do once.

And then the truck actually started..........Human bodies.......are.........good conductors of Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelectricity!!

Um - I chewed aluminum foil on a dare once

My mouth is now tingling and I'm just readin, not chewin a thing.

[Mike Carey]

That sounds like something you'd see on "A Million Ways to Die".

[MotoBoat]

That sounds like something you'd see on "A Million Ways to Die".

Not familiar with the term "A Million Ways to Die". Is that a reality TV show?

Okay, another story. This time on the humorous side for Mike C. If you know the boat ramp at Shilshole in Ballard. Then you also know there is an elevated area to the North of the launch area. With a fence for people to lean against and "onlook" what is happening at the boat ramp, marina area and view of the sound. Normally that area is devoid of people. This part is especially important and will come up later.

I had fished everyday during a week in August. Weather was sunny and warm. I launch and retrieve the boat alone as I am a single fisher on this occasion. For warm weather launching. I wear shorts and those foam "Crocks" that drain very well, to avoid the daunting task of putting on and removal of hip waders. A good launch sequence usually goes like this. Back down the ramp in neutral (don't know why people are in reverse when on a steep incline). Until boat starts to float off trailer, place in park, jump out and up onto the floating dock, run back, grab boat, move boat back to allow for another to launch and tie off, drain water from Crocks, go park.

On my 4th of 6 straight trips, the rear of the boat just begins to float off the trailer, that is my signal to get out of the truck, jump up onto the floating dock. This time the boat does not float off the trailer. Hmmmm.........I jump down, climb on the boat trailer and do the "balance on the trailer frame" to the boat trick. I am pushing on the boat while one foot on each left and right frame rail. Spread eagle as it were. A good push and..........my right Crock slips out like if on ice, the rear of the boat starts moving to the left, away from the dock and off the trailer as I am leaning to far forward to reverse the sequence, so I hold on. I see the water is pretty deep and my left foot kicks out. I decide to let go of the boat since the water only gets deeper from here. I end up landing on one of the frame rails in a sitting position, each leg straddling. Bottoming out on my manly parts. Water is coooold, my manly parts confirm this. Guy launching next to me sais "dude, you okay!". As I attempt to quickly get out of the cold water by standing on the single, 3" wide frame rail. I must quickly abort said action by once again slip off the frame rail and plunge into the water. Boat is making a get away. So, what the heck. Lung forward 6 ft, grab boat, now standing in armpit deep water, pull boat back onto trailer. With my back to the elevated fence that is normally void of "onlookers". I casually turn to see 10-12 of them lined up, all eyes focused on me. Feeling the need to say something quick. I say " Water is fine if you feel like coming on in for a swim" and "I am here on Tue and Thurs at 2 and 4pm, every week, tell yer friends". I take a bow, and get a round of applause. Certainly not for comedy, but for the boat ramp launch follies.

I tie up the boat and go fishing.

Lesson learned:


Crocks have no traction.
Bring and wear colored arm floaty's
Cold water feels good on damaged manly parts.
Expect a crowd during untimely occasions.
Leave cell phone and wallet in the truck until boat is launched.
True to my word, return on Tue and Thur at 2 and 4pm for a repeat performance.
"life is like a box of Chocolate's"........Forrest M. Gump. CEO, Bubba Gump shrimp Co.

[BentRod]

.......Cold water feels good on damaged manly parts..........

Couldn't help but laugh. Good story. Kind of made me double over a little just reading it.

[G-Man]

MotoBoat - thanks for the story, I needed the chuckle, I use that launch quite a bit myself.
One thing you may want add to your lessons learned: Use 20+ feet of bow line and tie it to the trailer prior to launching.

[MotoBoat]

MotoBoat - thanks for the story, I needed the chuckle, I use that launch quite a bit myself.
One thing you may want add to your lessons learned: Use 20+ feet of bow line and tie it to the trailer prior to launching.

I do have approximately a 20 ft piece of cotton cord that has a 10" piece of wood broom handle tied in the center on one end of the rope and the other is tied to the boat bow ring. I have tied it to the truck canopy door and the frame of the trailer. I have had the rope tangle on the guide on's and other parts of the trailer. The canopy door works good. I just rolled the dice on this particular occasion. Ended up entertaining a bunch of folks in the process.

Thanks for the tip G-man.

.......Cold water feels good on damaged manly parts..........

Couldn't help but laugh. Good story. Kind of made me double over a little just reading it.

Your site name plus adding beans to the end, pretty well describes my damaged cit-she-ation.