Broke down boat ...

fishkisser · 05-19-2008, 02:46 PM

Went out of Trinidad , Ca. with my buddy Jim in his 19' Klamath skiff yesterday ...
We dropped 5 pots outside the moorings and headed out to flat iron rock to bottom fish while we waited for them to soak ...
As We approached our destination I saw a fellow waving at us from the back of a 20+ foot fiberglass boat w/ cuddy cabin about 150' south of the rock ...
I looked at Jim and said " I don't think He's waving hello " so we head over and ask if they are O K ...
The skipper stated that they had no power and If we knew where the head was ...I looked at Jim for a moment and then We both laughed because We realized they were talking about Trinidad Head and not the restroom ...
They probably thought We were nuts , The Skippers buddy then stated that they were getting close to the rocks ...
I said they always look closer when your broke down , but They didn't think that was very funny ...
The current was running south and it would have been impossible for them to hit the rock ... But We told them to throw us a line and after hooking on to them We pulled them slowly towards the moorings ... I asked if they had an anchor and they said no ...
So here are Jim and I with a couple of guys and their wives in tow that don't know how to read a compass , don't have an anchor , Its foggy as all getout , and the moorings are 1.3 miles away ...
But as luck would have it He had already called the Coast Guard and before we went 1/2 mile Here came the calvary ...
The chopper hovered around while the taxi boat from the launch ramp hooked on to their boat and we finally got back on our way ...
It was a good feeling to have helped someone but I have yet to figure out with their lack of seamanship what they were doing out there in the first place ... Oh well I hope they learned something out of it anyway ...
Barney

Deanrt · 05-19-2008, 03:04 PM

Good for you guys. But what about the crab n bottom fish, assuming you were still able to go?

retaliate · 05-19-2008, 07:38 PM

Good job on the assist Barney.

Irish Pennant · 05-19-2008, 08:24 PM

It always makes me feel good when I can help out a fellow mariner no matter what their experience level is. I hope you felt good about what you did and didn't feel like you were put upon by some dork.

Recently I pulled up to a boat that was on their way to the banana, they were changing out a fan belt and were on their way in no time. Another time recently I was anchored up just below the 205 bridge in OC when a boat with 2 ladies and 2 children was obviously broke down, they were trying to paddle against the current. There were boats that were cruising up and down river next to them and no one even stopped to ask if they were ok, they looked and stared but just kept on going. I hailed the disabled boat, went off anchor, put a line on them and took them to their moorage. It cost me about 15 minutes of my life to do it. The point isn't about me it's about looking out for your fellow mariner and if there's any ridicule it has to be directed at those that will not stop and help, not at the unfortunate soul that's broke down. If you are on the water long enough it may just happen to you some day, when it does hope that someone like fishkisser will be there.

fishboys · 05-19-2008, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retaliate

Good job on the assist Barney.

I hope you are repaid ten fold.

fishkisser · 05-19-2008, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deanrt

Good for you guys. But what about the crab n bottom fish, assuming you were still able to go?

Averaged about 6-8 dungies per pot on a 6 hour soak but only took the 3 males home ... Lots of ladies witch is a good thing,We don't keep the girlies ...

Fished our you know whats off and I hooked a ling by accident "musta hit him in the head with my swimbait " ...

So a little adventure , 3 crabs , and a 26" Ling was the big haul ...

The Folks in trouble were not the only ones at flat iron rock , but the other boats just kept fishing and ignored them ...

I really can't understand that kind of mindset We are all stuck on this blue planet together and if we don't help each other ... Well who is ...
Barney

smalldog · 05-19-2008, 10:19 PM

There are no strangers on the ocean.
I have heard talk on this forum about people that are not popular being left if they break down...
I was sad to hear that kind of talk at all.
I dont care if I really dislike the guy...I would never leave anyone to drift. Period.
I commercial fished (purse seigner) out of King Cove, Alaska. There is nothing out there...you live by the code.
I may be fighting with him behind the bar on Sat ...and towing him in on Wednesday....fighting behind the tavern again the following Saturday....
That mindset is instilled in me and will follow me where ever I go.
It may seem like very little for you to have done. But it was by far a huge relief to the people you helped.

The meak will inherit the Earth.
The brave will get the oceans.

GraphiteZen · 05-19-2008, 10:43 PM

I pretty much agree with helping people if you don't like them or think are being a little dense. My uncle once told me that he was 30-some miles out into the gulf off of Florida and three men in a bass boat pulled up and asked him which way land was. He claimed he was tempted to point them towards Mexico to teach them a lesson but of course he gave them in the right direction.

smalldog · 05-20-2008, 07:16 AM

I have seen that happen in thick fog at Bouy ten. Fortunatly I over heard it. A guy in a small 16 foot boat asked a guy with GPS and rader which way was Hammond. The guy sent him towards the ocean and when he took off they started laughing. ****** me off so much...I ran the guy down and got him turned the right way. He was running out of fuel.
Some people have no brains at all.

When I first got on this forum I got the wrong impression about a few people here. But, after sticking around and reading the posts from other people about how helpful these people are on the ocean I have a whole different view of this forum and the people on it.

I doubt very much that the person that did that was an Ifisher.

Grizzly II · 05-20-2008, 07:32 AM

I am glad this came up. I have had something sticking in my craw for almost a year.

Last August we saw a guy in a 15 foot open aluminum boat off the OSU dock in Newport. He was working on his engine and obviously couldn't get it started. Tide was taking him along pretty fast. Lots of boats in the area. No one paying attention. We took him along side because I had to get him into South Bay Marina. We had a dozen boats go by us full throttle throwing up wakes. Not a single one slowed down. We had fenders out so we didn't get beat up too bad and managed not to swamp his boat but it could have caused real problems. It was impossible for them not to know what was going on.

Thanks. Finally got it off my chest.

GraphiteZen · 05-20-2008, 07:17 PM

You know this bleeds into traffic situations as well.
I have helped so many people who have had their engines die, or lost loads in the middle of an intersection and so many people just drive right by.

I came across a guy that had slid a whole pickup bed full of 2x4s into an intersection after a red light. The people with red lights are just sitting there watching and the ones with a green light are are almost running into each other trying to get around as it bottlenecked two lanes into one. Your talking 30 or 40 people just sitting there or driving around. So I pull up and immediately get out and start helping, then finally two other men get out and pitch in... But only two.
I have single handedly pushed so many cars out of intersections I have lost count.