Sinko De Mayo

We had great expectations to get out fishing Sunday.The fishing had been outstanding and the wind forcast was light enough for us to get out on my buddy's 18ft Lund.We have in the past, fished in bigger boats that we dock at a marina.But Jerry sold his 28ft Proline this past winter and only had the Lund to fish this season.He bought the Lund 3yrs ago,to mainly extend our season in the spring and fall,but I had only fished off it probably 3 times. We got to the portage river ramp and the first thing out of the truck is I tell Jerry to put the plug in the boat.We go behind the boat and gets the plug and places it in but says either too dirty or rubber worn to get a good seal.He then gets upset because he forgot to bring any towels or rags and can't clean the plug well.He then puts the plug in.I look at it and told him there are three holes coming out of back.I said,"did you put it in the correct hole because there are three holes there." He said he put it in correct hole and I assumed he knew what he was doing.I was wrong about that.See Jerry is now 78yrs old and has become more forgetfull as he gets older.I have become more vigilant in making sure everything gets done correctly and safely.Unfortunatlely I was not familiar with the Lund since have not been on it often and since 2017.We eventually launch the boat and headed down the river.Jerry starts bitching because he can't get his electronics to work.That is not unusual,he often has trouble with modern technology as many older people have too.I get out my trusty hand held gps and tell him I can navigate with my hand held.We pass the bridge and Fishermans Wharf commenting on the height of the water and how often they flood now.......we both look down and see water coming through the floorboards at our feet.I lift a lid and see the bottom filled with water.Jerry makes a U-turn and brings the boat up on plane and turns on the manual bilge pump.Water moves to the back of boat and I start throwing buckets of water out of the boat.Miraculously the water starts going down.The bilge is throwing water out faster than coming in.Not sure why the automatic bilge did not kick in first but might have been a godsend because might have made it onto the lake.I tell Jerry to take it back to ramp,but he says he is going to dock it at Coastal Marine which is on the way and where he stores in winter.I told him his boat will sink at the dock but he won't listen.We get to the marina and tie up on one of their docks and Jerry thinks he can put his hand down in the water and feel for the plug.I said bad idea with the engine still running.After several minutes he said think can make it back to ramp and get on trailer.We run it back to ramp and get it on the trailer with the engine running and bilge pumping.Pull the boat out and look at the back of the boat.Jerry had put the plug in the opening to the livewell.Water was pouring out the hole the plug should have been in.Lucky, that Jerry put in a new bilge when bought the Lund used and lucky we were not on the lake yet.I was not overly scared.I had my life jacket on and we were 40yds from land,but if we were out on the lake in that cold water.I told this story to my staff today and my first dental patient said today was the anniversary of her fathers' death.Said he died 5/6/01 on Lake Erie with two of his friends when they went out for the first time on the used boat he just bought.How ironic.Looks like we lucked out.Will never let that to happen again.

That is an excellent wake up call to remind us one should have everything checked before you launch.
Thanks Bob.

Yes, you need to be vigilant and think of safety first whenever you are on the water.We often read how the charter captains are always thinking of the safety of their crew when they take them out on the lake.From making sure their boat is sea worthy and have all the safety gear.Watching the forcast for expected wave height and the radar for approaching storms.I too have screwed up in the past.Taking the boat into unsafe water depths due to not knowing the reefs properly.Even drinking back in the day and still operating the boat.Sometimes your luck holds up for you.Be safe on the water all.

What are the chances that you have that experience on May 5? I'm not a believer in celebrating that day.....it was an insignificant battle that had nothing to do with Mexico's independence. It was initiated by Anheuser Busch back in the 80s, so it's just another excuse for people to drink (as if that's needed) and for them to sell beer.
Anyway, really glad you're safe. Not sure how many people understood the humor in your post title, but I did! Nicely done!

I actually was thinking of potential different titles to our trip out fishing.With it also happened to be on Cinco de Mayo I wanted to somehow use in my title.I had a great one if we had a bad day fishing,Stinko de Mayo.But I was confident we were going to do well and had no good title for a good day fishing.Maybe Cinco de Many but thought a little weak.We were getting a late start and with a flat lake and a lot of boats out was worried we would have to get out of the pack to catch fish.Never imagined I would be using "Sink" in my title.I even mentioned to Jerry on our drive to the ramp.I said "wonder if any idiot will forget to put there plug in their boat today."Never imagined it would be us.

I've done the same thing twice over the years (that I recall). Both were solo trips. The first time I launched my old 16 ft flat bottom off a gravel beach then parked the trunk. When I came back I realized my mistake. I put the plug in and bailed as much as I could then launched and tried to get up on plane for the water to run out. That was a huge mistake! I almost swamped it and that old boat didn't have flotation. I was lucky.

The second time I launched at Portage Marina on Lake Michigan, again a solo trip in my Tracker Magna 17. I backed the boat in and while I was making ready the launch attendant casually asked if i remembered my plug. I thought about it for a minute and couldn't remember. So I secured the strap and tried to pull the boat up the ramp. No way! It was about half full and I couldn't get enough traction on the wet ramp to move it. So I turned on the bilge and waited. And waited. And waited. It must have taken 20 minutes for the bilge pump to get all the water out. At least that boat had flotation, but I'm glad I didn't launch and discover my mistake halfway down the ditch.

Be safe. Take the extra time to make sure everything is right before launching, including testing the bilge pump.
Bordy