An account of this year's inaugural day of boating, from my Dad

[crashmtb]

My Dad sent my uncle an account of the first time getting the boat out this year-it was forwarded to me today
Zoom=dog.

"Uncover boat and pull out from garage. Try new dog ramp - looks ideal, but boat ladder is too narrow, so it will not work. Hook up battery, at least enough charge to run blower and see that gas is empty. Go to gas station and fill up, back to cottage to pick up Judy and Zoom. Zoom very excited! Go to boat launch - tons of trailers lined up for long distance along road, but not too bad at the docks. Do excellent boat launch, but don't go too far away. Good thing, as battery too weak to start boat. Get boat back ontrailer and go to Home Hardware to buy battery charger. Back to cottage. Directions everywhere - Do Not Charge Marine Battery While In Boat! Take out battery and leave on charger for a few hours. . Back to dock, launch boat and optimistically park car and trailer. Motor turns over, boat will not start. Get trailer back, reload boat, and return home. Put boat back in garage, day of boating done! Next boating in a few weeks (don't even want to try on weekend). Looking forward to it!"

It was discovered that the dog ramp is adjustable in width, after the fact
And the battery, it turns out, is from 2003.

I'm looking forward to the next day of boating, since I'll be there

[cstraw]

Ha, everyone who has owned a boat for any significant amount of time can share similar stories!

This past year my battery too was dead upon initial startup. Second time out with fresh battery required a second trip home to get the keys. Our family has learned that when you try to pack a full day of fun on the water for a young family you inevitably forget to pack something important along. I'm sure that the last outing of the season we'll finally nail it, or not.

Chris

[g60vwr]

Who uncovers their boat and takes it right to the launch?

[hansrandal]

Wise words from an experienced boat owner:

The two most exciting (and best) days of a boat owners life: The day he buys the boat and the day he sells the boat.

[crashmtb]

Our family has learned that when you try to pack a full day of fun on the water for a young family you inevitably forget to pack something important along. I'm sure that the last outing of the season we'll finally nail it, or not.

Chris

Been there, done that. Though, fortunately, not on the parental end, but as a yute in the olden days.

I participated in last week's Day Of Boating: The Sequel.

Discovered that the learned skill of plucking an errant hat from the water with a boat hook at 35mph is not lost after 10 years of going unused