What the?

[CNs]

After getting the boat back from Aim Marine on Saturday, I decided that Sunday was launch day.
Got all the gear I needed to be put back in the boat and I was off the marina. I left at the crack of 10:30 am as I am an early riser.

Got up the boat, backed the truck in, hooked up everything and was almost ready to go.
Using my famous checklist that I urge very newbie to have, I started walking around the boat removing what was necessary.

1) hooked up boat to vehicle
2) checked connections
4) remove cover
5) release tie down straps
6) remove steering blocks ( little half plastic tubes that snap onto the steering rod to stop motor from swinging when traveling on trailer).
7) remove motor jacks
9) put in gear in to boat (rods, tackle, odds n ends)
10) remove lock'r'bar
11) as it was the first time open all hatches and see what I left in the boat, and check li9vewell for surprises.
a) check bilge area, check fuel level, oil level and look for anything out of place. ALL GOOD!
b) Open port side storage - dog leashes, rope - no surprises - ALL GOOD
c) Check lie well - some antifreeze left in (pink eco friendly stuff) - need to wash it out.
d) Starboard side storage. Safety gear, marker buoys etc. - no surprises - ALL GOOD
e) Front step cooler compartment - empty - ALL GOOD
f) Port side rod locker - empty - ALL GOOD
g) Middle storage - empty - ALL GOOD
h) Starboard side locker - should have eco 2 slider net, paddle and push pole - SURPRISE! MOUSE NEST! net destroyed! sock holding the push-pole closed shredded - lift nest - 4 little mouses.

The mice were disposed of into the field far from the boat. The nest was vacuumed out. Check all wiring cannot see any that were chewed. cannot find any other trace of mice other than the nest. It was the size of a large cantaloupe made of mainly hay/dried long grass, my net and sock.

Okay drama ended - mice dealt with now to drive to ramp and launch.

12) Attach dock ropes (actually retractable dog leashes
13) get in truck, start driving

WTF is that noise? am I dragging something?

15) stop truck - get out - look at trailer. Hmm review checklist 1) okay 2) okay 3) crank down tongue jack and put in traveling postion. OOPS forgot step 3

3) put tongue jack into traveling position

Have some fun - See if you can spot what else I forgot to do. I'll wait (hums theme music from jeopardy).

16) continue to ramp back trailer up to water
17) get out undo winch strap and safety chain
19) Attach ropes to dock
20) get back in truck and launch boat
21) pull out and park truck

At this point I have successfully launch the boat and should just hop in and start motor then go. But it is the first day so I take some extra time to insure everything is locked down properly.

22) attach kill switch, turn on GPS, start livewell pumps, check other switches etc. All seems to be good. CASTOFF!

Just before I shove I run through my checklist again. There is some thing nagging at me what did I forget?

Truck is parked and locked, motor jacks and steering blocks are off....... DAMMIT forgot to put the bilge plug in.
I quickly retie the boat to the dock. run to the truck - back it back in - untie the boat drive on to trailer, pull boat back out (after re-attaching the winch strap of course) , okay not much water got in (in fact none at all). Put in plug, get back in truck - back boat back.

Why doesn't the boat want to float off? Remember the part where I re-attached the winch strap before pulling the boat out? I normally do not need to do this but I backed in to far and the boat was not sitting on the trailer properly so rather than adjust the trailer to the correct depth I strapped in and then pulled the boat out.

Pull boat out - remove winch strap. Attach dock ropes - drop boat back in.

The motor ran very quietly after the work done by Dave Scott from Aim Marine. Started up right away and did not stall or stumble at idle, at all. I caught a few gills and got off the water with very little excitement.


Damn mice....

[ShawnD]

It's the start of the year.
Got to get back into the routine.

Good luck with the rest of the summer

Shawn.D

[toobinator]

Got my first boat 22 years ago. On boat #4 now but still do the walkaround before backing to the ramp. Yes Norm, mess with your routine because of something out of the ordinary (damn mice) and you're in trouble.

Ed

[StarTzar]

LOLOLOL .... I like it. I usually check everything twice before leaving and go over my mental list all the way to the launch.
Still we forget some things. This year I added - Do not forget drinking water and or Gatorade.

p.s.: Note to Maverick "Make sure electric motor is up before motoring onto trailer".

[lape0019]

p.s.: Note to Maverick "Make sure electric motor is up before motoring onto trailer".

We've all been in that situation Norm. Glad the motor is working for you.

[RJ]

At least the motor is purring for ya!

I wish I was running the video cam for that sequence..

RJ

[TheMaverick]

Do not forget drinking water and or Gatorade.....AND SWANDICHES

Admit it Norm, you wept after parting ways with the mice and it screwed up the routine!

[CNs]

Do not forget drinking water and or Gatorade.....AND SANDWICHES

Admit it Norm, you wept after parting ways with the mice and it screwed up the routine!

If I admit to it do I lose my man card?

[Christian Gervais]

Funny post. It happens to everyone. When I had my aluminium 16 footer, I did forget ofter the plug and I was always able to put it in even if I was in the middle of the water from the boat. Now that I have a bass boat, there is no way I could put the plug from the boat so I kinda have a ''panic issue'' with this. On my list it's 1. Put the plug, 2. Put the plug and 3. Put the plug.

Last year after have my lower unit change after an accident, a cool 4K, I dropped the motor in my driveway to let the water out of the foot. Suddenly my wife arrived and I decided to reposition the boat in the driveway...did I forget something you wonder...!?!?!?!