Things I've Done Once

[El Prosecutor]

In the short time that I have been priviliged to own a jet boat I have done some really dumb things ONCE.
Hopefully each of these were sufficient learning experiences so that they are never repeated, such as:
1) Circling back too close to a skiier and sucking up 30' of good ski rope (isn't it amazing that a little rope can actually stop a V-8?) :220v:
2) Launching the boat without putting the plug in the transom. (I believe this is what washed out the last vestiges of grease from my thrust bearing and percipitated the catastrophic failure thereof) :skull:
3) Jumping in to the lake to ski with sunglasses [momentarily] on. :cool: :rolleyes:
4) Pushing off from the dock while the boat key is still in the truck (this actually wasn't me, but was done by the gentleman that sold me the boat, during our test drive; having experienced his mistake ONCE I hope not to repeat his mistake) :p
5) Replacing the engine housing without minding the throttle cable (which, of course found it's way right up next to the alternator pulley) :mad:
Is it just me or what? If anybody else has some "one time" mistakes I can learn from without having to experience them I'd sure like to hear 'em.

[396_WAYS_TO_SPIT]

I once launched the boat without the plug :eek: :eek: :2purples: :2purples: :2purples:

[drgboat]

2) Launching the boat without putting the plug in the transom.
3) Jumping in to the lake to ski with sunglasses [momentarily] on.
5) Replacing the engine housing without minding the throttle cable (which, of course found it's way right up next to the alternator pulley) :mad:
Guilty..Guilty...Guilty
Launched with out putting the water plugs back in after winterizing!
But hey, it does rince the sand out of the block IN A HURRY!

[AZKC]

Lined up the crankgear for the timing chain on the wrong mark. Once :) no wait it was three times :220v: in a row :cry: 3 pairs of heads dead and I finally got it, thanks again to Old Squirt :)

[Jordy]

Lined up the crankgear for the timing chain on the wrong mark. Once :) no wait it was three times :220v: in a row :cry: 3 pairs of heads dead and I finally got it, thanks again to Old Squirt :)
Sorry, but the title of the thread is things you've done ONCE!!! Pay attention here. :D :D :D

[probablecause]

Pulling the inspection cover on my jet to remove the ski rope while in too deep of water.

[moneysucker]

1) Circling back too close to a skiier and sucking up 30' of good ski rope (isn't it amazing that a little rope can actually stop a V-8?)
2) Launching the boat without putting the plug in the transom. (I believe this is what washed out the last vestiges of grease from my thrust bearing and percipitated the catastrophic failure thereof)
3) Jumping in to the lake to ski with sunglasses [momentarily] on.
4) Pushing off from the dock while the boat key is still in the truck (this actually wasn't me, but was done by the gentleman that sold me the boat, during our test drive; having experienced his mistake ONCE I hope not to repeat his mistake)
5) Replacing the engine housing without minding the throttle cable (which, of course found it's way right up next to the alternator pulley)
6) Been out at 2 in the morning hit the big rock in Ferguson lake.
7) Doing doughnuts looped someone out fully clothed (at night)
8) Timed the boat without running water to the engine (melted the exaust hoses that would give out far from the dock)
9) Coil mount came loose and fell into the bilge and had fire coming from the eaders from the unburned fuel.
10) Had Bearings dissentegrate on a single axle trailer had to spend 2 extra days in at the river with boat and trailer in the shop.
11) Thought I had enough fuel for a quick run at the lake (only to be towed waggon train style with another hot boater by the rangers)
12) Bought a boat named Money $ucker and thought, "Eh, it is just a name"
13) Thought hitting 100 would be good enough

[Liberator TJ1984]

Fired up the boat next to the shore with the diverter up and in mud at about half throttle , hosed several down with seaweed / mud mixture , sprayed a few vehicles...boats....boobs...etc..etc... :rolleyes:
was forgiven ......but warned if I did it again a A ' Whoopin' would follow :argue:
Did'nt realize if you got out of the gas , you could not turn......
put the boat on the bank...... :rolleyes: on smooth sand thankfuly :p
and it ONLY takes ONCE .....while standing in water ....Don't mess with the MSD Coil to see if it's Firing :220v:

[396_WAYS_TO_SPIT]

Pulling the inspection cover on my jet to remove the ski rope while in too deep of water.
Daaaamn! I could only imangine:D I have done it beached and alot of water came in....

[396_WAYS_TO_SPIT]

did a leaktest after building the pump and forgot the handhole cover :220v: I didnt realize that I had water up to the heads :eek: :eek: :eek: while it was on the trailer....
Oh and I left the straps connected to the trailer and the boat was floating with the trailer..LMFAO

[bakerjet]

revved my engine at a 23' liberator with a 300 blackmax :crossx: yipe,yipe,yipe back to the trailer :cry:

[SmokinLowriderSS]

1) Circling back too close to a skiier and sucking up 30' of good ski rope (isn't it amazing that a little rope can actually stop a V-8?)
95 feet failed to stop an idling 454, it snapped the rope at the intake tho from both the transom & where the float wouldn't pass thru the rock grate. Actually Dad did this, I had to help cut rope in camp tho.
2) Launching the boat without putting the plug in the transom. (I believe this is what washed out the last vestiges of grease from my thrust bearing and percipitated the catastrophic failure thereof)
GUILTY! but lost no parts ...
3) Jumping in to the lake to ski with sunglasses [momentarily] on.
GUILTY!
4) Spun Lowrider while scrubbing off speed entering an anchorage party spot trying to make a nose-chine-hook turn and used too much throttle. At least I played it off as looking good on purpose. haha
5) Went to a boat-access only fireworks show ..... and left BOTH anchors in camp. Took the cooler tho.

[IMPATIENT 1]

remembered that i didn't put the zcus fasteners back in my scoop tray while watching it in my rear view sinking!
forgot (drunk) that the lake was low by my favorite cove until i hit a sandbar doin @60 and watched everything in my taylor keep goin up onto the bow and into the lake.
i've jumped in with cell phone,gps,wallet,etc.
while pullin straight up to my buddies bass boat,killed the motor to float to it,wife panics and thinks we're goin to crash, fire up the motor and floor it only to remember a second later i had shifted back to forward and went up onto and nearly sunk his boat.every body jumped onto my taylor's bow because they thought the bassboat was goin down!
man this list will take me all nite!i'll think of some later on.

[victorfb]

bought 4 used tires at a garage sale and mounted them on the boat trailer. 2 let go on rice road. its was then i learned that when radial tires sit for too long it weakens the steel bands. the 2 tires didnt leak air, but they turned into eggs (shape wise) and couldnt go faster than 25 all the way to desert center. new tires from now on.

[Bradf]

Didnt Latch the trailer onto the ball good enough/right, or realize it until i got weird looks, then the trailer slammed to the ground when the truck stopped (atleast my saftey chain works!)

[sanger rat]

I know all about that MSD spark. Numbs your arm for quite awhile. :cry:

[Taylorman]

When testing an MSD coil, hold onto the rubber part of the screwdriver stuck in the coil wire, not the metal part.
Don't touch Basset headers with your nipple without a shirt on.

[BigBlockBaja]

Got stopped for speeding. State Police asked how fast I was going. I said "Dunno, speedometer is broke." He then askes me a few minutes later, "how fast ya ever had this thing up to?" I told him one day we had it at 66mph on the gps at full thottle" He then asks me "What throttle ya at back there?" I didnt think fast enough and said "Full throttle" Speed limit was 30mph...
DUH!!!!!!!!
:crossx: :crossx:

[ONAROLL]

bought 4 used tires at a garage sale and mounted them on the boat trailer. 2 let go on rice road. its was then i learned that when radial tires sit for too long it weakens the steel bands. the 2 tires didnt leak air, but they turned into eggs (shape wise) and couldnt go faster than 25 all the way to desert center. new tires from now on.
Thought that grade 8 bolts and washers would be as good as lug studs to mount some bitchen aluminum wheels on my trailer......one time.........Vic

[drgboat]

I melted a hole in a new $120. lifejacket on the new headers before I even got either one of them wet. :rolleyes:

[Jeanyus]

Making the final run of the day at dusk noticed a lot of light behind me, life jacket stuck to the header flaming away.
Removing the safety chains then unhooking the boat, the boat rolled over the blocks and rolled into a tree, I was thankful as the boat was headed for a tent with people in it.
Trying to run a boat over 70 MPH with the stock intake grate.

[drgboat]

OH SHHHH ! and its a dry heat

[ARS Marine]

Running a Daytona at about 110 MPH and the Motor looses FIRE
Damn near put's me into a parked Bardge.
Running that Fast without a Ratchet] OR a Poppoff
Only took once!
Purchased a set of Profiler Heads :rolleyes:
Only took once!

[Ken F]

Pee'd on an electric barb-wire fence once.
Ken F

[robk]

Decided that *one* Tahiti project wasn't enough... :D

[olbiezer]

just put boat on the trailer.....walked around to side to pick up a towel in the engine area........heard something sizzeling.........ah hhhhhh its my forehead on a hot header pipe......just once though lol

[Devilman]

Paddled out past the weeds before cranking up before realizing, for some reason, I had taken the key out the night before, (Now have a spare key hidden in boat) and having to paddle back to get the key.
After re-installing the pump after transom replacement, backed it down the ramp checking for leaks, not realizing the engine water supply line would let an incredible amount of water into the boat in a very short time.
Walked into the lake out to the boat with cell phone in pocket...
Took the boat out without an alternator... :rolleyes:
Got towed across an extremely choppy lake, with a minimal amount of beer for the ride, back to ramp because boat wouldn't come out of reverse, only to find upon reaching said ramp, that the only thing preventing the reverse bucket from moving, was 2 small pebbles...
Left the boat in gator inhabited water overnight, before installing an automatic float switch for the bilge pump...

[Ralph Brunt]

ran a front sump oil pan on boat hence cooked motor

[Torino71]

On an annual camping trip at the lake with a large group of friends. I arrived late the first night and put my boat in the water. I had my truck parked right at the shore, and decided to temporarily tie my boat off to one of those hooks under the front bumper. Anyway, we all got to drinking and I forgot all about my boat. The next morning I got up hung over and hopped in my truck to back it up the hill. I looked back as I started to back up, when I heard a loud pop. It was the line breaking after I pulled my boat several feet onto the shore...

[Squirtcha?]

Awesome thread. Most of these are from when I first got the boat and knew nothing about nothing.
Had no clue how the valves for header water/ cooling water worked. Closed the dump valve down completely and spit out one of the temporary rubber freeze plugs in the block. Learned real fast that with the motor running, the water keeps a flowing. Long ass'd ways from the ramp too.
Along the same lines, split the water feed line from pump to motor on the Parker strip during full flow and lots of traffic. Had to make for shore and steal (sacrifice) my bilge pump hose for sake of the pump/engine feed. Bad news when you have to gas it hard just to keep up with the current, and the harder ya gas it..............well you get the idea.
Lost my boat and trailer keys one weekend at Havasu. Had to hotwire the thing all weekend.
Lost a wheel hub off the trailer due to a bearing failing. The whole wheel/hub etc came off and passed me by on the way to the ramp. Maintain those bearings boys! Tandem trailers don't pull well when limping on three wheels!
We all went to Lake Pleasant for a long holiday weekend. We decided to park our trailers off the beach in order to give more space. Towards the end of the weekend I was going to hook up to my trailer but noticed that due to all other trailers and trucks parked around it, mine was going to have to be pulled out some before I could hookup and make the turn. I figure no problem and grabbed the trailer by the hitch/latch and started pulling it out by hand. I'm walking backwards and hit a large rock with my heel. I fall over backwards and the trailer keeps coming towards me due to being on a slight downhill grade. I let go of the trailer to break my fall and hit the ground. The trailer continued rolling forward and the hitch comes down and digs into the ground so close to my balls that I felt it brush past them. I figure I was a fraction of an inch away from being castrated. Moral here is..............get some help rather than trying to he man the thing by yourself.
Once forgot to flip the bail down on the hitch (much less pin the thing).
Thank god for a good amount of tongue weight. Fortunately I made a gas stop a few blocks from my house and noticed it. I thought the boy secured it, and he thought I did. My bad for not checking on something so important.
Of course the ski rope, bilge plug, cell phone, wallet, etc. thing.
Painfully...............I'm sure I've left out a few.
For my buddy PowerTrip. Overfilled his gas tanks, then fired the motor prior to the fumes clearing out. She backfired and started the whole damned thing on fire. Flames were a good 10' high before we discovered that his beautiful anodized mount, chromed fire extiguisher had been installed in such a way that he couldn't get it out without removing the stereo box (pinched in). Never did get the fire extinguisher to release, and the fire burned all his wires, cables, carpet etc. Eventually my kid ran to my boat to get my extinguisher and finally put the thing out. It had gotten to the point where I thought sure we were gonna lose the whole thing. I was very close to saying "push her out in the middle of the cove and let her burn".
Fun thread. It's alright to laugh at yourself once in a while. :rollside:
Some of these (not the boat fire or near miss crash ones) are downright hilarious.

[Some Kind Of Monster]

I asked a buddy to put the tongue down on the trailer after setting it on the ball. He did, but not all the way. That sucker came off the ball going 70 down the freeway. Thank God for safety chains. I have a nice round dent in my tailgate to reming me to check the tongue and pin from now on..
I usually jump in the lake with my cell phone 1-2 times a year.
I've also forgot my keys and had to hotwire.
Fun!

[Wally_Gator]

While putting my truck keys on the boat key float, I dropped them into the marina at Katherins landing.
Just stood there as I watched them spiral into the darkness...
I asked the dock office and they had a magnet that worked...

[1978 Rogers]

1. Letting the boat slide off the trailer on at the launch ramp. The bar that secures the bow rubbed and scraped the hull as the bow slid past down into the water.
I now float it on & off the trailer.
2. Not double checking to make sure water is out of the block during winter. Popped the soft pluggs out twice. No real damage, but I bet the 3rd time will really hurt.
3. Leaving the anchor still connected while driving away from the beach. Those Anchor Buddys strecth out pretty good. Anchors skip across the water like a flat rock.
4. Touch the logs while getting in the boat. Even logs get hot.
5. Topped off the fuel tanks. As it got warmer, guess what happened.
Theres always a first time, Right. :cry:

[cyclone]

oh there are soooo many.
-started the boat up to drive away from a floatilla and..well...the diverter was still pointed all the way up from the last time i drove the boat......i didnt even give it any gas. just pushed the start button and it was enough force to hose down an entire boat.
-launched the boat into the current at the Avi with the jet-a-way out of gear. nearly floated into the bridge pylons.
-i was pretty excited about the first river trip of the year and after dropping the boat in the water and driving the truck and trailer back to camp, i ran back down the launch ramp in flip flops. man was it slippery. never did that again.

[BrendellaJet]

While putting my truck keys on the boat key float, I dropped them into the marina at Katherins landing.
Just stood there as I watched them spiral into the darkness...
I asked the dock office and they had a magnet that worked...
Oh damn! I did that too, except the little chain broke while I was holding the part that floats! I watched all the keys come off the chain until they disappeared into the darkness! They didn't tell me they had a magnet! Cost me $170 bucks to get a new key made for the boat and new keys for the truck...

[1978 Rogers]

Oh damn! I did that too, except the little chain broke while I was holding the part that floats! I watched all the keys come off the chain until they disappeared into the darkness! They didn't tell me they had a magnet! Cost me $170 bucks to get a new key made for the boat and new keys for the truck...
OK, I did that with my dads boat back when I was in highschool. My friend & I were at the gas dock and had no paddle. We both stood there as the chain broke and the keys sank. I used a screw drive and some wire to jump start it. Had a locksmith make a new key. My dad appreciated getting a new key. The old one was warn and needed a little giggling.

[Jeanyus]

Launched the boat then locked the truck with the keyes in the ignition, didn't realize it till late in the afternoon when I went to put the boat on the trailer, oh well got to go boating longer while the AAA guy opened the truck.

[Squirtcha?]

Sorry, but the title of the thread is things you've done ONCE!!! Pay attention here. :D :D :D
What's up Jordy? You got nothing to add here?

[wright27]

Week long trip. Used the cotter pin from the pin that holds the hitch in the receiver for something for the trip, forgot to put it back in. Boat fell off at about 60 mph. Scared the hell out me. Could not hit the brakes just had to let the draging boat slow me down. Thank God for saftey chains.
Hit a sandbar at about 40mph. Ripped the fins off the intake.

[ttmott]

Setting timing; coil wire came loose
Tack welded furry’s to rub rail
Flew backwards due to spastic reaction
Hit back of head on dock
Scrotum elasticity yanked body back to boat
Hit forehead on hot header
Dropped 9/16” wrench into u-joint
Wrench flew up hit burnt head
Flew back hit back of head on dock
Long day….
Fur still on rub rail (reminder)

[Bradf]

Setting timing; coil wire came loose
Tack welded furry’s to rub rail
Flew backwards due to spastic reaction
Hit back of head on dock
Scrotum elasticity yanked body back to boat
Hit forehead on hot header
Dropped 9/16” wrench into u-joint
Wrench flew up hit burnt head
Flew back hit back of head on dock
Long day….
Fur still on rub rail (reminder)
LoL, Superbowl commercials come early this year! :220v:

[maxwedge]

I was in a friends boat obseverving while his daughter was slalom skiing. It's the first time I had been boating with either of them. The girl's just gotten up for the first time of the day and she is carving along beautifully. We were already moving pretty good for what I'm thinking is safe to pull a skiier, especially a kid, but she's giving me the thumbs up! I'm thinking damn! This kid can friggin ski! I relay the message to dad driving and.. More power it is. At this point I was sort of kneeling between the front two seats and hanging on to the passenger seat, while I'm watching her. I was so impressed, that I decided to sort of half stand up and put my arm in the air to cheer her on a little. As I do this, a strap from the ski vest I'm wearing catches the diverter toggle on the dash behind me. Ooops! :220v: Nothing like watching the suprised look on a childs face as they take some roost to the head and get blasted down into the water. I'm thinking maybe I've killed her! But, as we circled back around for her, she's very much alive and sceaming something I can only make out as ...phuccinn..aaass...son of ..gooddam..hate...shittyy....hate you...ass..motherf... Also she's trying to throw her ski at us from fifty feet away. I didn't know 14 year old girls could swear like that! She seemed so polite before. Turns out she thought her dad did it on purpose to be funny. :crossx: After she found out that I did it on accident she calmed down a lot. She was otherwise fine except for a drinking a little lake water. We all laughed about it later. His diverter switch was moved to the steering wheel soon after.:D

[Jordy]

You got nothing to add here?
Nope. Never did any of those things. ;)

[Keithb87]

I once launched the boat without the plug :eek: :eek: :2purples: :2purples: :2purples:
:idea: I thought that was with out the Hand Hole Cover. :idea:

[460 jus getn it]

:idea: I thought that was with out the Hand Hole Cover. :idea:
nope that was me who didnt tighten mine down.
and
forgot the plug
ran out of gas.
killed a cell phone.
have had two run ins witha 6al box as well..
yep thats about it so far...................

[1978 Rogers]

Re-building my Holley. Switched the Prim & Sec. Oops. What jets went which side, Ah Crap.

[roostwear]

It wasn't me, but I had a front row seat floating about 60-70 feet away. Super genius backs his mini day down the ramp at Harry's, get's it wet and decides to drive it off the trailer. Now normally you'd put it in reverse if you drive it off. Mistake #1.
You'd also consider giving it just a little throttle and backing off slowly instead of hammering it. Mistake #2.
If you made the first 2 mistakes, you probably wouldn't make a hard left as you've run over the front of the trailer and you're headed for the bed of your truck. Mistake #3
If you've made these 3 mistakes, you're now on the ramp next to your truck. My son went up and spoke to Super genius and found out the day before, he forgot to put the bilge plug in.
I gave him plenty of room to pass by me......

[shootingstar72683]

Had a friend not want to back his rims into the water,so I hammered on it to run it up. He didn't put the brake on. The trany broke from the thrust and before he could get back in we launched the Camaro. Don't drive on without a brakeman.

[dirtman]

Redid the bunks on the trailer with this slippery plastic sh*t from the welding shop. Tried loading like usual, ran the boat up the hull saver roller and thru the back window of my wifes TJ.

[BigBlockBaja]

Redid the bunks on the trailer with this slippery plastic sh*t from the welding shop. Tried loading like usual, ran the boat up the hull saver roller and thru the back window of my wifes TJ.
HAHAHA..Would love to see pics of that!!!!

[El Prosecutor]

Here's a new one:
About a month ago I saved $20 by repairing an ignition switch instead of buying a new one. Worked good.
This past week I took the family on a 3-day camping trip 2 1/2 hours away from home, centered around boating activities. At the end of the first day the "repaired" ignition switch failed again.
NO PROBLEM, I don't panic; I can hotwire the boat, right there in the middle of the lake, and we are boating! I have been there - done that before, it impresses the wife and kids, etc., and so it is really no problem. Heck, it is kind of a bonus to make them think I am cool and can fix it so easy. So I hotwire the boat, haul the kids around a few more times, then get myself in the water to go wakeboarding.
When I get back in to the boat my wife says that while I was out on the wakeboard that off and on there was a "weird noise" coming from the engine compartment (fortunately she hadn't shut it off while I was getting back in the boat).
Having had to have the boat towed in a few times in the past, I decide to cruise it in easy to the dock without shutting it down and hopefully prevent getting stranded again. On the way back to the dock I start hearing the weird noise myself. It is a noise that sounds EXACTLY like the sound of all of the teeth being ground off of a 3 month old special order marine starter. Turns out the ignition wire from my hotwire job is dangling under the dash at just the right length to randomly and periodically engage the starter for a few seconds at a time while the engine is running.
So I tuck the wire up and we make it back to the dock, pull the boat out on the trailer, park, and THIS IS NO LIE; when we get out and walk back to the engine compartment we hear an audible "pop!" followed by a sizzling noise. I open the engine cover and there is my less than year old MSD ignition coil with the cap blown out and all the fluid running out onto the intake manifold. :cry: :cry: :cry:
Did I mention that this was the first day of a three day camping trip?
As it turns out God smiled on us from there on out - the next morning we drove in to a small town about 1/2 hour drive from the lake and went to a brand new Kragen that my daughter had pointed out on the way in. This again is NO LIE - it was the Grand Opening of the store, the FIRST DAY they were open for business. They had the starter, the coil, an on/off switch and a starter button in stock, and we were back on the water that afternoon!
Turned out to be the best vacation we've ever had.
But FWIW: If a connector breaks off your ignition switch, don't try to fix it - just buy a new one. :rolleyes:

[loudpipessavelives]

forgot that theres a 3 inch space under the seat that a cell phone can slide under and go right under the motor where theres a nice oil water combo, did that twice, luckily they werent my phones :)

[QuickJet]

Once I left the trailer in the water all day. Thought it was convienient since we launching at our camp site and I was able to make passes then put the boat back on the trailer. Siezed a bearring on the way home. Noticed it when I backed into the driveway with a smoked hub :rolleyes:

[Sticky Fingers]

Let a friend pull my boat out of the water, one time, only to have the bar that hooks to the bow eye dig about 1" chunk out of the front of my boat. He owns a jet ski and did not think he pulled out of the water too fast. WE ARE DISTANT FRIENDS NOW.

[TRUMP TIGHT]

Posted in this thread.:D

[Red Horse]

Heard something different coming from the pump. Went on to destination, set up then went and pulled the hand hole cover off. Did not realize that hole flowed that much water! Last time I ever did that when the boat was in the water!

[inwo]

In my wilder days, I would impress my copilot by coming into the beach on plane, then hiting the key and surfing in for a perfect beaching.
Trying to impress me, he tried the same thing, with one small change. He waited for the boat to hit the beach.
We ended up 20' up the beach between a couple sun-bathers, smooth as could be. We both hopped out, popped a beer, yah, we do this all the time! :p

[kingcole80]

Thought it would be ok with the wife if i bought a third boat :argue:

[Duane HTP]

Had a customer bring in an old boat to have the pump changed over form a Panther to a Berkeley. He was having the interior all redone, so it was not in the boat when I got it. Did all of the bottom work and found rotten stringes and floor. He had us fix it all. Did the pump change over and put the motor back in. Wanted to lake test the boat like we do all of our work, but there was no interior. Not having his interior, I did not want to drill unwanted holes in his new sealed floor, so I put about 1/2 sheet of 1/2" plywood in the boat and screwed a bucket seat and the floor mount gas pedal to it. All went well. The boat really ran good. In fact, it ran so well I couldn't believe it. So I tried a WOT hole shot. Boat took off like a rocket. The plywood slid back and unloaded me on the motor. As it slid back the accelerator caught under the dash and held it at WOT. Now, I'm pulling myself up off the motor and heading WOT towards the rocks on the dam about 100 ft away. Do I go for the key, (got to be quick), or do I jump out?? I went for the key, got it turned off on the first grab. Luckily the boat stopped just in time to barely bump the rocks, (no damage). Lesson well learned.

[Sin City OLDS !]

Went out with a freind for the first trip on a New Motor. We had been out just making some adjustments ,and making some passes . On the last pass i feel water at my feet, we look back and the intake hose pops off the manifold ! At the same time my friend hits the key he whips the wheel ,we hit a small wake from decent size boat , and the boat just comes out of the water a bit a SKIDS for about a ten feet and POOF get TOSSED ! Yeah Lesson learned dont use non water hose that cant handle the TEMP! Clamp was tight but the Hose shrunk and poped off!

[mouzer]

Was at a dock in parker i beleive it was sundance in the 80's and i was in my southwind tunnel dragster and it had the old style jetavater, i drank alittle to much and some hot babes were walking down the dock and i had the boat handle forward /jetavater up started the boat with it floored for a nice rev up and sat the boat right up on the dock. took 4 guys to push it back in the water! boy did i feel stupid.but now its funny!...MoUzEr :rolleyes:

[El Prosecutor]

Went out to Ming last Sunday by myself to test and tune my new carb. The ranger was there watching, and there were a couple other jets close by. I hop out and put the plug in, tie off a line to the dock, then hop in and float it off the trailer with no problems. I pull striaght out, park with no worries, throw on a vest and start walking kind of coolly toward the dock.
I look up and see that the ranger is standing at the ramp just about eye level with the bow eye of my boat, which is firmly beached on the concrete ramp. :sqeyes: :o
He casually inquires if "this is the way I usually do it?"
"Why no, Officer. . ." I reply. :rolleyes:
The rest of the day is another story. . .
P.S. if you were one of the gentlemen that helped me rock imy tug off the ramp, thanks again for the help, and for not laughing out loud until I was out of earshot. :D

[Sleeper CP]

What went wrong:confused:
Sleeper CP
Big Inch Ford Lover
p.s. some of these stories are too much. Some here should post when they are going to the water so the rest of us can stay off that day:D ;)
Oh, the thing I've done once: Reset set the timming with MSD Coil and dizzy with wet carpet bare feet and leaned into the ski pole with my forehead with my hand on top of the distibutor. SAAAAPPPP!:mad: :o
See ski pole in Sig photo.
Sleeper

[El Prosecutor]

What went wrong:confused:
I think the back of the bunks grabbed the bow on the way out.
Sleeper CP
Big Inch Ford Lover
p.s. some of these stories are too much. Some here should post when they are going to the water so the rest of us can stay off that day:D ;)
Oh, the thing I've done once: Reset set the timming with MSD Coil and dizzy with wet carpet bare feet and leaned into the ski pole with my forehead with my hand on top of the distibutor. SAAAAPPPP!:mad: :o
See ski pole in Sig photo.
Sleeper
That is funny - I haven't shocked myself on the boat YET.

[MADDOG355]

Ok here are a few.
Getting ready to spend the weekend on the river, we go the night before and fill up the boats, the next morning we wash the boats My buddy washes his first then he moves his so I can wash mine. Well he parks his with the back of the boat uphill some. After washing mine we start to smell gas, Walk over to his to find gas came out the tank vents, ran along both sides of the hull and has began running of the bow staining the paint.
Nothing 4 more hrs of washing and buffing could not fix.
When installing a motor in mine the tanks were empty so I just ran a hose from the fuel pump to a jug to set the timing and such. Get everything buttend up and go that afternoon and fill up the tanks, go the the grocery store and grab all our food, drinks, and ice. Come out of the grocery heading to the boat and notice a puddle under the boat?? :confused: get a little closer and start smelling the gas :eek: :eek: . Turns out I never did put the fuel line back on the pump.
I think I left about $40.00 worth of gas in the parking lot.
Unhooking from the boat one night in a storm I forgot to unhook the safty chains and bent both hooks.

[edog_103]

How about this. Walked down the beach, pulled the anchor, and set it on the beach, while a buddy held the boat for the last run of the weekend. We both jumped in the boat. Hammer down. Quess what? I never disconnected the anchor from the bow.

[condor tx 19]

a couple of years ago i went out for the first ride of the year. i reached up under the logs and found the holes and put the drain plugs back in the block. went to the lake and launched it and took off, about 1\3 of the way across the lake ny buddy hollered from the back seat that his feet were getting wet. so i turned around and headed back to the dock at full throttle, by the time i got back to the no wake zone it would only turn about 2,000 rpms but were sinking so hammer down for all its worth, the fisherman were pissed. got it up on the trailer and let it drain for about a half hour. we backed in on the trailer and fired it up again to see where the water was coming from, turns out i found the wrong hole on the motor and srewed the drain plug into it. but the really funny part is that i did it on both sides! place diverter pump electric fuel pump hei ignition all ruined.

[XJBones]

I took off up the river without checking water levels.
A place I cruised through in July was only ankle deep in Sept. Came around a sharp bend in about a foot and a half of water only to find the shallow area and no time to shut down without planting hard in the middle of it. Hit the gas full and cut it as the bottom of the boat and river bottom met. Had enough speed to get across the area but it took an hour to get the boat back across the 30' long zone of pebble to 6" river rock.
Chewed the hell out of the Place rudder and gouged the bottom through the gel in a few spots. At least I know what I'm doing to the boat this winter....
Bones

[shaun]

* Thought a buddy put the latch down on the hitch, while driving down the street realized somthing felt wrong and the trailer felt like it was floating on the ball... Realized that he didnt do it and proceeded to try to slowly pull off the side of the road into a gas station.. as i stop in the gas startion the boat comes off and toung rolls under my truck. Luckily the chain caught it before the bow smacked into my truck. From now on i dont care who says they did what, before i leave i check and make sure it's all done right!
* Idle on boat was a bit low, while comming around a bend tryed to get over a ****ing ocean liners wake but my foot came off the throttle and the motor died... Found my self heading toword the rocky shore where a 18 old girl was sitting reading a magazine. Tried to fire the boat back up but my battery was dead because i had no alt. It's amazing how far a boat will stay on plane and glide accross the water. End result was me jumping out of the seat, accross the front of the hull and onto the sand pushing the boat as it went up onto the shore. My buddys sitting in the boat still with a shock on there face (nice reaction guys..).. Even the girl was smart enough to get out of here chair and run! I felt like a total idiot for a few hours after that... oh then i got a sound ticket while heading back because when i finally got the boat off the shore it was bearly getting dark...
I now think i know what that rudder on the nossle is for and i'm goign to get one and do some testing. Im pretty sure it's so i can having alittle bit of steering when/if the motor cuts out.

[Ken F]

>I now think i know what that rudder on the nossle is for and i'm goign to get one and do some testing. Im pretty sure it's so i can having alittle bit of steering when/if the motor cuts out.<
You will have more luck putting your paddle where it's easy to get to.
Rudders don't work. When you are out of thrust, you don't turn.
Ken

[minnesota_duane]

Last summer I went to visit friends at their cabin, their daughter asked if I would give her and friend a ride in my boat. I said sure and took them out for a few laps around the lake, until I had all I could take of a pair of screaming 14 year olds.
This is a very shallow lake and the water level is lower than normal this year, you can walk out about 250-300 feet and not get your shorts wet.
Anyway we're coming in and I trim up the nozzle to keep the rudder out of the sand kick it in the ass and shut it off, thinking that I'll just slide up touch the sand and stop, WRONG. I ended up coming in a little too fast and by the time it came off of plane it was really shallow. Yep planted like a spud, so I have my buddy (Hey Bob) come out and we try pulling it, no luck. Then a couple more people come out and push while we pull, still no luck. Bobs neighbor is on the shore heckling us. We tell him to grab some some shorts come help.
He takes off on the golf cart and reappears 2 minutes latter on his tractor, and drives right out into the lake! Drives right up to the boat so I wrap the rope around the hitch and he pulls it out till it floats on its own again (100+ feet) As hes driving away on the tractor he says "I gotta do every @#%$ing thing myself".
I'm just glad he didn't plant the tractor and that the game warden didn't show up.

[suckin&pumpin]

first jet with ot exhaust so the second I got home I put water to it then went and got the family to hear it roar, but by that time the cylinders were full of water, lots of oil changes after that!
Let a friend take it for a run, noticed as he was coming in that it was sitting a little low, he jumped it hard enuff to pull the saddle tanks thru the bottom, its amazing how much water can come in from a couple of 1/2 inch holes!!

[RIVERTIME247]

rolled boat down ramp and left it on trailor to work the air out of pump an decided to drink some beer and admire boat......notice she wasnt bobing like she was becuase i didnt put the plug in filled her pretty good.
pulled her up on trailor later to adjust valves and made the mistake of steping on fender that had oil on it....mid air 360 landing on concrete boat ramp with such a bang that they ran from the island to see what the hell happen...i jumped up like it was all cool no worries im fine dont worry about it.....fuk that hurt!.
and for the hat trick later that day headed to aha to fill the tanks on what apeared to be a 1/4 tank and made it to lower twin palms....no water at 107 degrees and wind blowing against current......do you know how long it took to get back and just how much a person can crave water.
thats my hat trick on one fine sat at the rio!

[caribbean20]

so many stories, so little time
my latest fubar, engage mechanic #1 to do motor mods winter before last. Upon reassembly, mechanic #1 decides to assemble motor without the thermostat system I had been running for 10 years, while retaining the housing (because that's the way we do it here in SoCal). Ace mechanic #1 neglects to tell this subtle fact to the paying customer.
Upon using boat and noticing no temperature on the gauge, I instruct mechanic #2 (keep the boat in vegas) to check temperature gauge and install 160* thermostat, which he dutifully follows (mechanic #2 a little short on jet boat plumbing experience).
Bad outcome running a thermostat with no bypass lines. Long story short, cracked exhast valve guides on #s 6,5,7, and 2. Now about 1.5 years later (don't get to use the boat much) new set of Dart aluminum heads going on for water test this Wednesday at Mead, fingers crossed, can't wait.

[nice and easy]

Night before leaving for one week to lake powell, changed oil and filter on truck. (had been drinking). Noticed some noise in tranny on way to lake.
I had drained tranny instead of oil pan, put in six more qts of oil in motor.
It made it to lake powell from phoenix with 12 qts of oil in motor and no
oil in manual tranny. unbelievable

[n8dawg]

1. Came zipping in a tight cove with the diverter all the way up. Tried to pull it but all I could do was slam the reverse gate down and step on it to keep from beaching my boat!
2. While towing my boat to the local lake...4 miles away. I looked in the rear view mirror just in time to see my scoop airborn off the carbs...guess I forgot to secure the bolts!
3. 1st time out with our boat, had the anchor tied off the back (dont ask why) we started drifting into the shore so my dumb ass thought I would just start the boat up and drag the anchor into deeper water. Turned around in time to see the anchor (which was a coffee can filled with cement) come flying over the transom then my motor shut off. I guess the extra rope caught the driveline and wound it up for me.lol!!
But i still love Jet Boats!!!!:D

[Bense468]

Night before leaving for one week to lake powell, changed oil and filter on truck. (had been drinking). Noticed some noise in tranny on way to lake.
I had drained tranny instead of oil pan, put in six more qts of oil in motor.
It made it to lake powell from phoenix with 12 qts of oil in motor and no
oil in manual tranny. unbelievable
WTF.. I don't know if this is a slick 50 commercial or a darwin award. Is there enough beer to not be able to reconize a trans?

[Sleeper CP]

WTF.. I don't know if this is a slick 50 commercial or a darwin award. Is there enough beer to not be able to reconize a trans?
This story is probably like most on here: That's a lot of beer or a lot of Stupid or a combination of the two. :idea:
Sleeper CP
Big Inch Ford Lover

[squirt'nmyload]

WTF.. I don't know if this is a slick 50 commercial or a darwin award. Is there enough beer to not be able to reconize a trans?
lmao

[Schiada Time]

Just after installing the diverter on my old Hallett jet I turned at Needles with it all the way up and almost ended up on the embankment. Dropped the nozzle and slammed it in reverse just in time and never did that again.
Was racing a friend at Big River and watched the temp gauge climb. Like a dumb ass I stayed in it and vapor locked the motor. Me and oddly enough now the current owner floated for a few miles, cracked all the fuel and water lines loose and got the vapor lock out. She started up and ran like a top the rest of the afternoon. I was having so much fun making passes in front of BR ramp that I did not even realize my trailer was in the water waiting for me.
Put the Hallet in the water first day after full restoration-new motor, new pump, blueprinted bottom etc. She fired up like a champ and the temp went straight to pegged. I looked back and the dipstick handle was resting right over the temp sender grounding it out.
Ran the Hallett down at Topock one weekend after the new motor went in. I was used to the fuel usage of the old single carb motor. Well with over 530 HP and dual carbs they tend to get thirsty especially when you lay into it. Me and my girlfriend at the time-now wife drove from Topock to the Sandbar and back. We had full tanks upon leaving. on the way back another boat we were with decides we will keep going down to Needles where one of the passengers in the other boat has a house. Like a dumbass I didn't stop in Topock for a re-fuel. In my haste to open up the secondaries and show what a hero I was both on the way to and from the sandbar I basically drained my tanks. We ran out right about Park Moabi. I idled to a beach and waited for my friends to realize I was not trailing behind. I was towed to Topock by a wakeboard boat, put fuel in her and motored to the trailer with my tail between my legs.
Arm and shoulder burns from headers
Never sucked a rope
New Boat:
The only thing that has happened with my Schiada V-drive was at the Schiada regatta last year in Havasu. I was on my way back to Windsor and suddenly she began to run rough and stumble. My board shorts caught the fuel tank selector valve under my seat and switched to the other tank opposite of what fuel pump was running. My motor threw its hands in the air and said what's up. I switched the tank, let it prime, and she fired and ran fine.
I've slipped off the cav plate a few times but I still dont want a swim step.
Rudder needs adjustment and earlier this year I was having trouble turning in the marina left and gently nudge a houseboat-thats what rubrails are for.
I am super anal about pre-launch procedure so I have not neglected to put the plug in yet.

[Jetaholic]

Had a customer bring in an old boat to have the pump changed over form a Panther to a Berkeley. He was having the interior all redone, so it was not in the boat when I got it. Did all of the bottom work and found rotten stringes and floor. He had us fix it all. Did the pump change over and put the motor back in. Wanted to lake test the boat like we do all of our work, but there was no interior. Not having his interior, I did not want to drill unwanted holes in his new sealed floor, so I put about 1/2 sheet of 1/2" plywood in the boat and screwed a bucket seat and the floor mount gas pedal to it. All went well. The boat really ran good. In fact, it ran so well I couldn't believe it. So I tried a WOT hole shot. Boat took off like a rocket. The plywood slid back and unloaded me on the motor. As it slid back the accelerator caught under the dash and held it at WOT. Now, I'm pulling myself up off the motor and heading WOT towards the rocks on the dam about 100 ft away. Do I go for the key, (got to be quick), or do I jump out?? I went for the key, got it turned off on the first grab. Luckily the boat stopped just in time to barely bump the rocks, (no damage). Lesson well learned.
What's funny is...
DPS was able to do the exact same thing you did and make it work. :D
Sorry...had to...RonJane paid me a good sum of cash to say that...:D :D :D

[Jetaholic]

Thought it would be ok with the wife if i bought a third boat :argue:
Yes all the other shit was funny as fock but...
I bet no one can top this shit! :D :D :D

[El Prosecutor]

This one wasn't me, but it fits the theme:
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u211/chadwik74/texasaandmdriver.jpg

[Sleeper CP]

This one wasn't me, but it fits the theme:
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u211/chadwik74/texasaandmdriver.jpg
Ooops! Damn.:(
Sleeper CP
Big Inch Ford Lover

[jet guy]

Let a buddy hook the trailer and didnt check till I hit a high spot in the hwy and the boat came unhooked and no safty chain luckly it worked out ok
didnt see the low water markers hit a rock bar at about 40
first time out didnt ckeck the hand hole was tight and was pumping water in as fast as the pump would pump and bulge pump would not work
sucked in about 50 ft of ski rope not much fun to cut out at about an inch at a time
working on the engine close to the beach not knowing the reverse gate was down walked around the back and fell in a hole deep enough to go in over my head

[BlueNun]

I let me girlfriend at the time drive the boat. Her 1st time 3 of her friends in the boat.... I kindly explain the working of a jet pump and that she has to keep on the gas to turn and keep water pushing out the pump to manuver. She jumps in the seat hammers it to 5800:eek: gets in a narrow rockway kinda deal gets nervous completely lets off the gas and the boat makes a turn and hits the only 25 ft. of beach around. I lean back to check the now soiled girls and look down and there is a 2ft. hole in the boat......
Best part they all agreed it was my fault

[tbcseod]

Best part they all agreed it was my fault
Well, it kindda was: Your words exactly :
I let me girlfriend at the time drive the boat
Self admittance :D J/k

[tbcseod]

Forgot the bilge plug 1ce
Forgot to open the water valve to the engine 1ce (Nearly cooked the block)

[THE BOSTON SIDEWINDER]

First time out in the new to me boat, with my wife who didn't really want to go out, the dash starts to smoke, engine stalls, we paddle in a couple hundred feet with the seat bottoms!
Thought I'd put my old mags wheels and tires onto my new trailer to make it look cooler. Who could of known the lugs were'nt deep enough. Made a right turn into the gas station a mile from the house and lost the left wheel/tire in the middle of the road. Got out the hydraulic floor jack from the trunk, used it as wheel and moved the rig 15 ft to get it out of the street!

[steelcomp]

My first trip to CFW on New Years Day...wipped a v-drive hydro's ass three times in a row in front of about 200 peeps.
Quote from a whitness:
"...that jet boat beat that hydro like a rented mule! Oh the humiliation!"
That was some fun shit indeed! :D

[steelcomp]

Night before leaving for one week to lake powell, changed oil and filter on truck. (had been drinking). Noticed some noise in tranny on way to lake.
I had drained tranny instead of oil pan, put in six more qts of oil in motor.
It made it to lake powell from phoenix with 12 qts of oil in motor and no
oil in manual tranny. unbelievable
What's unbleievable is you could be that drunk and still use tools! LOL! :D

[76 Bonneville]

Changed my steering from the rotory cable type to the rack and pinon. Didn't think much of it, just put it in. While backing off the trailer it didn't feel like it was responding, ask my son to watch the pump. I turned to the left, pump turned right, I had installed the rack upside down. We skiied and wake boarded for couple of hours that day, It was the toughest day of driving I have ever experienced. Right is left and left is right.

[afterdark]

running the boat full throtle under a brige with divertor all the way up and totaly soaking a car i looked back as soon as i realized
P.S. i forgot to mention the car on the bridge had them pretty little disco lights on the roof.

[1968Droptop]

1976 Sanger Bubble Deck, first jet boat. Think to myself these things will do dounuts, how cool is that. 40mph, crank the wheel left, LOL that was fun, see wave much larger than boat heading at me, realize I had dug a hole in the water and it was filling back in on me, watch a wall of water roll over the back of boat, hit bilge pump (-500gph :D), realize that a larger bilge pump would be nice right about now, water settles down, wait 20 minutes while bilge removes water from boat, whew that was close !!!
Lesson; no dounuts, and bigger bilges !!!

[Sleeper CP]

I kind of did the same thing.
I had 4 friends in the CP at Pala Verde and was doing power slide's in it. A boat went the other way and a small wake was coming across the river, didn't pay much attention to it,oops!:eek:
As the boat crossed the wake the rear end broke free of surface friction and as the boat spun when it came back down the boat displaced a bunch of water moving backwards. As I watched the water rise around me as the boat settled in the whole I pulled the bilge pump switch and feathered the throttle over and over (512" 710 HP Roller cam engine) it was like slow motion. Just as the water was about to brake over the transom the AA impeller hooked up and when it did I massed the throttle as hard as could, the boat shot out of the hole in the water like a bullet.
Two of the guys in the boat thought it was the greatest feat of driving they had ever witnessed and wanted to "do it again". (They were the two the didn't own boat's) The other three (one being me) knew I was about 2" away from getting swamped in the middle of the river.
As the title of the thread say : I've only done it once:jawdrop:
Sleeper CP

[Sleeper CP]

my knowledge it was only done once. Sorry it isn't a boat but is does involve water, about 125' of it: Enjoy
Have the sound up:D
http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa150/Sleepercp/?action=view&current=CanalJump-1.flv
Sleeper CP
Big Inch Ford lover

[Ken F]

When I bought my first jet, a friend and I were in a no-wake cove, near a swimming area with a full beach. We nosed the bow toward the beach and cut it to the right and hammered it with the divirter all the way up. It was beautiful....washed down the whole beach for 150' as the ass swung around and we headed out of the cove.
Bad part was, the water patrol was sitting just outside the cove and watched the whole thing. Got carted off to jail for that one.
Ken

[El Prosecutor]

That is pretty funny. If I had to go to jail that would be what I would want to go for!
My daughter loves to tell the story of how we roosted some cows at Millerton one time, but it's not quite as good as yours. :)