"Things I did on my Ranger Tug that will make you laugh"

[knotflying]

Please feel free to add to the list. I have found that mistakes are the best teaching aids in life.

Docked, turned on the power, filled the refrigerator with food, found out the next morning I did not turn on the refrigerator breaker.

Trailered the boat for 5 miles without the hitch latched.

Searched and "fixed" a leak in the cave that turned out to be a water jug.

Went to a dock with my dingy and came back with the wrong one.

Pushed off from the boat in my dingy with my fairly new Torqeedo and forgot about the magnetic key. No problem, but I
also only had one oar. Wife swims with noodle and key to Dingy. Dinner at restaurant that night

Launched boat, parked trailer and truck. Wife asks why both bilge pumps are on. MOTHER -/X?O!! -forgot to install bilge plug. You have never seen a man run so fast, get trailer in water and retrieve boat. Also knocked wife in water while backing up trailer. Dinner at restaurant that night also.

 

[SlackwaterJack]

I have found that mistakes are the best teaching aids in life

Do NOT take up skydiving 😉 !

 

[Boatdreamer]

OK, my turn. We picked up our new 27 from the dealer with my new F150 EcoBoost. On our way to the boat ramp, I couldn't feel the trailer brakes working, so I thought it had to be a problem with the new Float-On trailer. After our new boat day on the water, I took the boat and trailer back to our dealer. They put the boat on blocks and sent the trailer back to Float-On, only to find out it wasn't the trailer, it was the truck. Ford doesn't think anyone is going to really use their truck for towing so they don't put the trailer brake fuse and relay in the panel. That fixed and everything seemed good. Except the boat was pulling to new F150 with a tow (yea right!) rating of 11,200 lbs all over the road, and no I wasn't singing to Easton Corbin lastest country song! So back to the Ford dealer for a new F250 6.7 diesel. Now we're all set. I'm really happy Seagate Marine doesn't lock the gate when they see me coming. That's what make Tugnuts so great, we all have a chance to lean from our mistakes and share with others so they don't make the same ones we did.

Tim
Gratitude

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

I've been thinking hard of all the things we've done over the years that make us laugh, after the fact but not necessarily when it happens. Two summers ago Lisa and I towed Kismet up to Canada's North Channel to launch her for a two week cruise. We prepped the boat, unpacked the truck contents onto the boat and backed Kismet down the very nice deep well launch ramp. At the point when the boat should be floating, with Lisa standing on the dock, she yells to me the the trailer is floating! and that the boat is not releasing free and floating by itself. My initial thought is that this is impossible, how can that be so I jump out of the truck and climb into the boat. I start the trusty Yanmar and just as I go to put the transmission onto reverse and power off of the trailer I realize that I forgot to take the transom trailer straps off. Back off of the boat I pull the trailer out of the water, take the straps off and accomplish at successful launch. My positive take on this is that those straps sure work well!

Jim

 

[knotflying]

Here is another one. A few months ago I was launching my boat with a friend. I was on the boat and my friend was backing up into the water. The tide was at low. The boat would not float off and I could not power off. As you know when this situation occurs a tap on the brake once trailer is submerged usually works, so I start yelling out the window to my friend to "jerk me off". After seeing a guy at the ramp giving me and my buddy a weird look I realized what I was yelling. People seemed to be relieved when we departed the dock the next day.

Another time, same trip, same buddy we were inflating his slightly deflated fender. I was using a hand pump and he was holding the fender. I asked him if it was getting bigger and his reply was, no, but it is getting harder. My wife who was in the cabin yelled out asking "What are you guys doing out there?" Another marina that won't let us come back.

 

[JamesTXSD]

I've been thinking hard of all the things we've done over the years that make us laugh, after the fact but not necessarily when it happens. ...
I start the trusty Yanmar and just as I go to put the transmission onto reverse and power off of the trailer I realize that I forgot to take the transom trailer straps off. Back off of the boat I pull the trailer out of the water, take the straps off and accomplish at successful launch. My positive take on this is that those straps sure work well!

Jim

The REALLY positive take on this: the boat can handle a load! 😎 I wonder what the equivalent number of bottles of wine would be compared to that trailer weight? 😉

Best wishes,
Jim B.

 

[Dale777]

A couple of years ago in southwest Florida, when I was departing from a marina fairway there were two large yachts docked at the end of the fairway blocking my view of the channel that I needed to turn to starboard into. Since there was a strong tidal flow at that time and my view was blocked, I shifted into neutral as I approached the channel so I could coast out into the channel to get a better view and then be able to reverse quickly if there was any traffic.

Suddenly, both my brother and sister in the cockpit were yelling at me that I was about to back into one of the yachts. They both grabbed fenders and my brother grabbed the boat hook to fend my boat off the very expensive looking yacht. So, I immediately shifted back into forward to narrowly miss this large expensive yacht. Then I explained to my brother and sister that the tidal flow must be really strong at that point to push me that fast backward. A couple of minutes later, as we were safely out of the area and I could relax, I realized it was not the tidal flow, but I had mistakenly shifted into reverse without knowing it. So, I had to confess to both of them about what really happened. As the older brother, that is no fun to confess.

Last year as I was departing from my slip at our condo, we had 3 guests on board who were eager to help with all the lines. Of course, I explained how each person could help with each line - 2 at the bow, 2 at the stern, a spring line at the port stern and a line to pull the boat to the finger pier for boarding. As I was at the helm, I asked if it was okay to depart and everyone said yes. All seemed okay at first as I pulled completely out of the slip, then suddenly the boat stopped hard and swung to port with everyone yelling that we are hung up on a line. Yes, you guessed it. The spring line was still in place. When only Karin and I are involved, we have a routine for handling lines that seems to always work. Maybe we should just stick with that.

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

So Mike Rizzo I have a question for you.....after your recent post about when you mention the two episodes with your "buddy".. who did you have to take to dinner this time? Your buddy or Jess?

Jim

 

[Hydraulicjump]

My list is endless, and the ability to laugh at these things keeps our marriage going.

First time backing the boat off the trailer after studying every detail (almost) in YouTube video from Ranger Tug starring Jeff and an R-29 launching. All of this in front of about 20 people waiting to put their boats in the water. Lots of roaring of the engine and cursing trying to get it off the trailer. After three tries and a growing audience, my wife knocks on the window and says "don't you want to remove that yellow strap thingy attached to the bow?"

Pulling away from the fuel dock at Pender Harbour with a long line of boats waiting to fuel up. Anxious to show everyone how this cute little tug can pull off a back-and-fill in that narrow fairway and to make them jealous. A complete circus as I seem unable to control the boat with lots of thruster use (I try to use them as little as possible), nearly getting sideways against the dock, etc. And what is that occasional "beep" I am ignoring? Oh. I somehow had turned on the autopilot, which I was wrestling the whole time. Head down, leave marina quietly. Wife hides below.

3:00 a.m. at Pier 39 Marina in San Francisco (I've reported this before), a 300 lb male sea lion decides to join us on the boat, hauling out on the swim step. Wife sends me out to get rid of him. I find he also has two friends fighting on the dock next to the boat. In my boxers, swinging a boat fender at these beasts, I eventually shoo them off. When the last one leaves, depositing a pile of processed herring for me to clean up, the applause rings out from the half dozen tourists watching the whole episode from the walk above the dock.

Ignominy.

The other stupid things are not so funny....

Jeff

 

[Brian B]

This past April I had taken my new to me tug out for the first time. Testing all systems everything worked perfectly except for the thrusters, no power to the bow or stern. They both had worked during the sea trials in FL two months previously. I had removed the batteries for servicing so I was thinking I messed up the wiring. I had taken pictures and labeled every wire so I double and tripled checked every connection, all seemed to be correct. I drove home to get some testing tools and looked through the pile of manuals that came with the boat. I found one for the thrusters and read that to turn them on push both "on" buttons simultaneously. I had been pushing both separately. Drove back to the boat pushed both buttons and they worked.
When all else fails read the instructions.

 

[Boont Boater]

This is actually pre-Ranger Tug on our C-Dory.

Our fox terrier "Princess Leia" has developed a strong prejudice about traveling on the C-Dory. She hates the slapping noise when we're planing. She tries to wedge herself behind any unsuspecting passenger I have with me and on a couple of occasions jumped on my lap turning on and off various switches in the process - a little disconcerting.

Finally she took her disapproval to the next level and started to abandon ship as we left the dock. As we have been pulling away from our dock - a last look back and there's our dog sitting calmly watching us head out. This happened a couple of times and it's feels pretty silly. My wife and I got used to this and started monitoring her more closely. However the next time my brother was with me instead of my wife we were out in the fairway at Berkeley when I got a phone call from my dog! Actually it was from a kind stranger who read my cell phone number on her collar. In a very short period of time she had got out the gate and up into the grassy area and started making new friends.

This was about the time we decided that we needed to move up to a Ranger. Princess Leia has alway liked Rangers. She is a big fan of the "cave".

Jeff

 

[Sweet_Pea]

Terrific thread. Laughter's the best medicine ... and a great teacher in life.

On our first outing after Captain Mac's training (and we'll say right off he bears no culpability here), we're approaching Deer Harbor on Orcas Island. Thrilled with our Ranger, happy to be on the water, nervous about docking. As we should be since the winds are gusting to 20 knots. The harbor master assigns us a slip on C dock ... it's the first fairway she says. We blow right by it and now have to spin the boat a few times to slow down and line her up for the alleyway. Guess we got a little dizzy because we enter the next alleyway on the wrong side of C dock. Wind is still blowing us around, the radio is chattering and I ask Amy why the darn harbormaster is distracting. The dock assistant was very gracious, though: "Sweet Pea, just put in at Charlie 21," she says instead of Charlie 9. Well, we blow past the slip and now have to turn around before we finally weave into our new slip, somehow managing to avoid scraping any boats. We heave a sigh of relief, look outside and see everyone else along C dock is sighing, too.

 

[South lake]

My memorable moments aren't confined to the Ranger Tug:

* My Ranger Tug moment was trying to start the boat and nothing happened. After a few moments I realized it was in gear. Not horrible but I haven't had the boat that long yet.

* I've launched a 22 foot Starcraft islander cuddy cabin without the plug but realized it before it was fully off the trailer but not before everyone else at the ramp started laughing. Of course they all rechecked the plugs in their own boats.

* I stopped for fuel in the same Starcraft and after filling up could not get the boat to start. After trying everything I could think of I walked up to get a mechanic from the marina. He stepped on the boat, plugged in the dead man switch I had somehow knocked loose, and started the boat.

* I did a complete 360 degree spin in my 25 ft C-Dory when trying to dock in the wind, amazing and frightening everyone around me. I, of course, acted like it was an intentional display of docking prowess.

* While getting fuel for my Doral I hopped off the dock onto the wet swim platform, slid right across and into the water, cell phone, wallet, sunglasses, and all. The cell phone didn't survive.

* But my favorite was when trailering a boat. I had a tandem trailer and was moving along nicely on a 4 lane highway in Kentucky when Deb told me she thought there was something wrong with one of the tires on the trailer. She's prone to hearing strange noises, etc. whenever a trailer is involved. I in a somewhat dismissive tone said the trailer was pulling fine. She looked into the mirror on her side and said "well I guess all that smoke and rubber doesn't matter". I looked into the mirror to see the right front trailer tire disintegrating. Needless to say I listen to her now.

 

[Dale777]

Since there are stories of boats other than Ranger Tugs, I will relate one where my dad, uncle, brother and I were out at about midnight running trot lines in our outboard ski boat. After catching about a dozen nice size catfish that night we started back to our marina, but by then clouds covered the moon and stars so it was difficult to find our way to the marina. We ended up going very close to shore and very slowly so we could spot familiar landmarks with our spotlight to lead us back (no chart plotter or sounder back then). Is so doing we hit rocks with the prop and broke a shear pin. We actually had some tools and a spare shear pin on board, but in the dark we ended up dropping the new shear pin in the water as we tried to replace it.

At that point we realized we would have to row back to the marina but no one could find the oars; they were left at the cabin. Then we realized we had one slalom ski in the hold of the boat that we could use as a makeshift oar. So, we took turns paddling with the makeshift oar first on one side of the boat then on the other for the next hour to finally make it back to our marina. Of course, the women at the cabin were worried that we were so late returning, but we pretended that there was no problem at all!

 

[doke01]

My adventure... That's what I call it anyway. I owned an 18 foot Mariah bow rider as my first boat. I decided to take it for a spin one day around sunset. I planned to boat up the kills behind Staten Island and into New York bay to check out the Statue of Liberty and the Twin Towers and then head back home. I had about half a tank of fuel so I wasn't too worried. Of course it was starting to get late so I decided to go full throttle to get there quickly and back. When I got to the harbor I still had about a third of a tank of fuel. Things were looking good and the evening was beautiful. I took some great pictures.

Then I decided to head home. The ride back was amazing. The moon and and city lights were glittering off of the water and it was a beautiful summer day. About a mile and a half from my destination my engine started to stall. Finally it quit completely. I started it again and went another 10-15 feet and it stalled again. Finally I looked at the fuel gauge. It was empty!!! WTH?? While I was drifting it became obvious what was going on. There was a 3-4 knot tidal current flowing opposite my direction of travel and, since I was cruising at top speed the fuel was just sucked away. Now what do I do? I had no radio, no oars, and definitely no fuel. I was alone in a boat drifting at 3-4 knots and no one knew where I was. Luckily the current was not going out to sea or things could have gotten much worse. I looked around for something to get me to shore and finally decided I would use the top of my cooler to paddle to shore. After an hour of cooler top paddling I finally reached the shore. I tied up the boat and was climbing over the rocks to get to the street when the cops pulled up. They gave me a good questioning before letting me go on my way to get some fuel. Luckily this was before 9-11 or who knows what would have happened.

By this time (after midnight) everything was closed. I didn't have any gas cans and my boat was literally tied up to some rocks. It was not some place a boat could be left until the morning. I knocked on the door of a restaurant where I saw some people moving around and they let me use their phone (People really didn't carry cell phones around with them back then and I can't blame them for being a little paranoid about opening the door. I was pretty sweaty and dirty after all that rowing and rock climbing). I called a taxi and he took me back to the marina. I took my car and, after three gas stations, found a place that actually sold gas cans. I drove back to the boat, struggled over the rocks to the boat and ultimately refueled her. I took off back to the marina. Then I had to call another taxi from a pay phone to take me back to my car. Ultimately I made it home safely at around 3:30 AM. I had to wake up at 6AM to go to work. Not a fun day that next day. I learned a lot of lessons that night for sure. I was very lucky to have that cooler on board. I don't think I would have made it to shore before the tide turned and swept me out to sea. I laugh about it now because the situation was just so ridiculous. From cooler rowing to cop questions to multiple taxi rides and all the trouble I had finding a gas station that actually sold gas cans! I could not have made it up if I tried.

 

[knotflying]

doke1 is a prime example why it is important to have a cooler for beer. Without that cooler paddle who knows where he would be now! :lol: