Late TUNA! report ... 06/11/03

fish assassin · 07-14-2003, 06:19 AM

Three of us took Pacific Mistress out of Depoe Bay Friday in search of Albacore.
We searched all morning and only had 12 at 1

m. At about noon we found a
commercial troller that had broken down. He had lost his charging system
and his batteries were too low to start the diesel
engine. His radios were
not working. He had drifted for 7 hours without hope of getting help until
I decided to troll on over his way to see if he was into fish. As we came up
on him without catching any more fish I pointed the boat West and was going by
him when one of the deck hands shouted out that there was orange/red smoke
coming from that boat! We went to investigate ...

"Hey Captain, are you in distress??" With my twin diesels I couldn't hear him
but could definately see him nodding his head vigorously and shouting at the top
of his lungs "yes, yes, YES". I shouted back over the noise of my diesels that
we were pulling our gear and would be back for him. He gave me the thumbs up sign
so I knew he heard me. Fifteen minutes later I was sitting a few feet off his stern
with my motors off. He told me he lost a relay in his charging system ... blah, blah, blah!

Long and short of it was, he didn't have enough battery power left to start
his diesel engine. I looked at him and said "so basicly you need a jump start,
right??'. He answered in the affirmative. Wowzers!! Jump start on the ocean??

Well, it just so happened that my wife gave me one of those emergency jump start
batteries for my boat last year. You know, the ones with the jumper cables?

I told him I was going to back my boat up, stern to stern to him so my boy could
pass the emergency jump starter over to him. He was good with that until he saw
my aluminum swim platform headed right for his wooden stern!! Those two guys
started scrambling to get in position to kick (!) my boat away from theirs.

I've done this sort of thing before ... I came at him at real low throttle and
as I got within a foot or so, I eased her into forward and brought her to a stop
about 6 inches from his stern. The Boy passed over the jump starter and we pulled
away and stood by. Twenty minutes later we hear the sound that was music to all ears
as the diesel in his boat fires up.

I took about an hour out of my fishing time to help this guy, and the other
boats I was out TUNA! fishing with had pulled ahead of me for the number of
fish caught. Ron on the "Free Spirit" told me that maybe I'd get some good Karma
out of my good deed. Sure enough, about an hour later I found a patch of fish and
started working them like a job. We ended up with 56 fish for 1089 lbs.!! A GOOD
day all around!

-assAssin-

Pete · 07-14-2003, 06:25 AM

Great story. Glad to hear you have your priorities straight and got your reward, too! I bet you felt tired and content as a cat in front of a fire when you pulled in to your berth!

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

CATCH AND EAT · 07-14-2003, 06:35 AM

Excellent story and congrats on the TUNA. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

Sea Jypzee · 07-14-2003, 06:39 AM

Very nice to hear FA. Sounds like the Ocean rewarded you well for your good deeds. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

CrazyFish · 07-14-2003, 06:46 AM

Way to go Assassin.

Marty · 07-14-2003, 06:57 AM

Way to go Mark..............you have sent the bench marker WAY up there!!!!!!!!!!

Marty

Mark Mc · 07-14-2003, 07:06 AM

What goes around ALWAYS comes around...thanks for taking care of your fellow man.

Popeye · 07-14-2003, 07:08 AM

FA....Good job! BTW it was great trolling around with you Fri :grin:

OceanBlue · 07-14-2003, 07:18 AM

Mark - Good job! Good thing it was Friday and not Saturday. :shocked: I'd say the fisher you helped was lucky that things happened the way they did... you happened to stop over to see what was up. You had the equipment he needed to get going again. You know how to handle your boat. The water was calm enough to do it with minimal risk. Yes, I'd say he was very lucky indeed! [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

Miss B Haven · 07-14-2003, 07:37 AM

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

ANDYCOHO · 07-14-2003, 07:42 AM

Way to look out for your fellow fisherman!! [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

fish assassin · 07-14-2003, 07:43 AM

OceanBlue,

You are absolutly correct ... I mean, what are the odds that all those things
would come together like that? My only other option to help him out would have
either been to diconnect one of my house batteries and pass *that* between two boats
(makes me shudder to think about it), OR call the coasties to come out and tow him
in. I guess all those years of Dory fishing had me thinking of ways to help rather
than calling the Coasties. At PC we NEVER called the coasties ... we did what we
could do and if all else failed, we towed 'em in to the surf line!!

-assAssin-

Simon Peter · 07-14-2003, 08:17 AM

That is the kind of attitude I love to see! If you work the Big Blue long enough, you will eventually need help. The giving attitude is what keeps you alive long term!

Now, if we can just get all the I-5 drivers to think the same way......

corrirod · 07-14-2003, 08:44 AM

Kudos FA, kudos!

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

07-14-2003, 09:25 AM

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Fishplay · 07-14-2003, 01:45 PM

Glad to hear your jump starter actually held a charge. Mine wont hold enough juice to power my electric reels when halibut fishing for a full day.

A good deed done in genuine Ifish (SaltyDog) spirit. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

Deepslayer · 07-14-2003, 01:57 PM

Definite thumbs up FA!!! [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

,Ed

reeldick · 07-14-2003, 02:31 PM

Great job helping out a boat in distress!
But, not being a salt water fisherman, what the heck do you do with 1089lbs of tuna?
I have bought fresh tuna at the docks for years but one or two at a time is plenty. I admit eating it fresh is the best you can get. We also save some to cook, cool and make into the world's best tuna sandwiches. It sure beats store cans.
I can't imagine where I would store that much, even canned.

CAPT KUJO · 07-14-2003, 02:33 PM

Mark,
We may not see everything eye to eye you and me...but your good deed on the ocean this last week gets my respect and admiration!

YOU DA MAN!!!!

CAPT KUJO

WildHawg · 07-14-2003, 04:08 PM

Damn helpless feeling being unable to make way 40 miles offshore, with not even enough battery to call for help. Good reason to bring a handheld with extra batteries people!

There is a code on the ocean, you wont find it in written form necessarily, but all good mariners know it. "Never leave a man behind" is not only the motto of the Rangers, but of Captains who possess more than a modicum of experience. I propose it become the motto of the Salty Dogs.

It was mere chance that brought you two together, but you Mark, who enabled him to hobble back into port [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] .

Preparation, backups to backups, and Captains who care about their fellow man are what bring people home safely--oh, I forgot to mention luck, and the blessings of Neptune

Great job Mark. What comes around goes around. I truly respect those who pay it forward.

[ 07-14-2003, 07:36 PM: Message edited by: WildHawg ]

crabbait · 07-14-2003, 05:09 PM

Well said, Wildhawg, and great job FA! [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

blubeast · 07-14-2003, 11:18 PM

Good job FA... job well done. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

Threemuch · 07-14-2003, 11:25 PM

I had one of those emergency start jobs. I think Ray "Borrowed" it, then absconded to ireland.