Do you ever stop making stupid mistakes?

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Seahope

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Just bought 2 life jacket automatic refill kits. Fitted the first properly all fine. On the second briefly distracted by SWMBO screwed in the cylinder before removing the auto-inflate device which was clearly still showing red :(

At least I will only need to buy another manual replacement cylinder and won't do that again.
 
NO !
Launched the rib yesterday, but the usually total reliable outboard refused to start.
Cover off,removed and cleaned the plugs, checked the fuse, got meter out carried out assorts of test suspecting the ECU.
As I'm just across the River from Kevin Mole Outboards, I called them to enquire if an Engineer could have a look if I paddled it over.
The very helpful lady, asked me a series of questions, the one that got me was have I checked the kill cord switch ?
Instant starter !
Think simple stupid...... DOH
 
Last season, in front of a crowded beach, I threw the childs auto-inflate lifejacket into the bottom of the tender ... which had about 4 inches of water in it.

I tried not to react too strongly - "Yup, fully intended to do that..."
 
SPOTTYDOG3 said:
NO !
Launched the rib yesterday, but the usually total reliable outboard refused to start.
Cover off,removed and cleaned the plugs, checked the fuse, got meter out carried out assorts of test suspecting the ECU.
As I'm just across the River from Kevin Mole Outboards, I called them to enquire if an Engineer could have a look if I paddled it over.
The very helpful lady, asked me a series of questions, the one that got me was have I checked the kill cord switch ?
Instant starter !
Think simple stupid...... DOH
Click to expand...

Ive got that T-shirt as well :eek:
 
Deb will hate me for airing this... used to launch the Fletcher from Lymington a couple of years back.. Deb, was tasked with driving the trailer off after launching but I'd not been precise enough in my guidance.. "drive off once in the water" to me meant fully bobbing about, engine running and reversing back towards the pontoon, to Deb, it meant the second the boat was unhitched from the trailer... trailer and boat were driven off up the ramp until the boat slid off the back and connected with the slipway with a thunk... entertainment for the masses gathered for sure.. why is there always a crowd when it goes wrong:rolleyes::D
 
LOL I've powered off from a mooring TWICE with the anchor down. I've picked up a whole tree with my anchor (that was challenging to remove!) I've mis-calculated BST and been stuck by Westminster Bridge for four hours waiting for tides to lower. I've misjudged the wake of a container ship, and watched my bow disappear underwater :) Those are the ones I haven't blocked out!

I just assume that everything I dont know is waiting to be my next mistake :)
 
I'm probably in the wrong forum for this one, but yesterday I put my forward and aft shrouds on back to front and didn't notice until I had the mast up and tried to connect up the rigging. Had to lower it back down to swap over.

Pete
 
I am glad it isn't just me.

When I take mechanical things to bits I normally end up breaking something, but do then understand how it works. Perhaps not surprisingly SWMBO has now banned me from doing anything on the boat apart from cleaning it :(
 
prv said:
I'm probably in the wrong forum for this one, but yesterday I put my forward and aft shrouds on back to front and didn't notice until I had the mast up and tried to connect up the rigging. Had to lower it back down to swap over.

Pete
Click to expand...

Ouch, sounds really bad. No idea what it all means though.
 
Had a MAJOR engine failure last year, luckily we were on the pontoon.

Every time we started to motor off the pontoon within about three feet we would lose all power to the props. Checked everything from throttle cables to fuel pump. But every time it was the exact same thing.

Then SWMBO asked if the line off the back of the boat to the pontoon was still supposed to be attached?

Problem solved! She has not let me live it down and the neighbours were pissing themselves :(
 
Dinghy

We used to put a bucket over the stern of the dinghy so it did not blow forward over the tide when on the mooring.

One particular time we went ashore, my arms nearly came out of their sockets in the strong tide at Lawrenny, Milford Haven. The tide was always a big problem there.

Then my brother pulled in the bucket once it started to bounce on the shore. Brothers!!! :mad:

Mike
 
Do you ever stop making stupid mistakes?

Speaking with all the accumulated wisdom of my 'threescore years and ten', I can categorically state the answer is 'No, you don't!'.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
prv said:
I'm probably in the wrong forum for this one, but yesterday I put my forward and aft shrouds on back to front and didn't notice until I had the mast up and tried to connect up the rigging. Had to lower it back down to swap over.

Pete
Click to expand...
There are No boundaries to stupidity I should know. The only advantage of age is you tend to forget them quicker.
:D
 
I remember trailering my Fletcher across to Portmadog from my usual Menai Straits launch site. Made sure the boat was well secured on the trailer and arrived with no mishap. Usual method at Menai was to back down and stop quickish when the back wheels of jeep hit the water.......boat floats off with bow line held by someone on slip. Stay nice and dry and pull boat back to slip and load up.

So now in Portmadog. Jeep and Boat backed down the slipway, used to a much steeper slipway and had to go in quite along way to get boat to float. Back wheels of Jeep well in the water and starting to lap the back doors.......boat still not floating off the trailer! Need to get boat deeper to float it off so Pull it out and attach rope to trailer and push trailer deeper in to get boat to float.

Boat eventually floating about 20 feet from the waters edge when I realise one of my super secure straps still attached at the back! Trailer solidly strapped to boat!

Swim out, dive down and release strap with a big twang and boat bobs happily on bow line.

Trailer sunk!

And yes................big bank holiday crowd. Made their day!
 
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