A First For Everything

[Jason2tpa]

You know when you're at the boat ramp and you see a boater being towed into dock because they ran out of fuel, or worse, the boater who flags you down because they've run out of fuel and they're asking for a tow in? I'm that guy who has always shook my head in disbelief as to why a boater would go out not knowing how much fuel they have and how far they can go with the fuel they have.

Well, I ran out of fuel today. First time in the 20+ years I've operated boats. When I stored the boat last weekend I had a 1/4 tank. Today I took the boat out only to cruise the intercostal, at most covering a distance of 3-4 miles and mostly at idle speed. As I'm heading back to the ramp about a mile away the engine starts to loose rpms, struggling, give more throttle, nothing. Shuts down. Fuel gauge indicating 1/4 tank, more than enough fuel to run WOT for a couple miles. I squeeze the primer bulb...ah ha. No pressure builds, no vacuum created.

Thank goodness my *****ing motor batteries were charged up. The 8th of a mile I had to cover to reach the ramp was motoring against a strong out going tide and 12mph head wind.

Turns out the ground wire to the fuel sender was not secured enough to ground battery terminal, must of happened last weekend. The needle was stuck at 1/4 tank.

So even though I'm now one of those boaters who have run out of fuel, I consider this a mulligan since it was gauge error related. Or at least this makes me feel better

[panasonic]

Poop happens..at least you were not miles off shore. Good it happened where it did.

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I went out in my friends boat MANY years ago. He always put just enough fuel in it. Sure as s..t, we can see the entrance to the ramp, maybe 1/4 mile out, runs it dry..

Knock on wood, there was another boat nearby that pulled us in...

And I don't think your's really counts as the gauge stuck on 1/4. It usually goes all the way up or down with a failure...

Now the stupidest thing my friend did (and I was with him), pull up to the gas station, boat on the trailer(like a 17' Seapro)... I remove the gas cap, he starts filling..

I look over at him, he's filling the adjacent ROD holder hole with fuel!!!

Maybe put 3-4 gallons in, but talk about a duh moment.... Head back home to flush with water....

[pstephens46]

Neighbor put 15 gallons into the bilge through a rod holder. In a hurry plus he had guests coming to ride that day. Wife prob up his ass as well.

Everybody gets so torqued up. Especially at the public ramps. Well, I kinda do too. Bubba in his john boat ties up at the transit dock and casts his line. Rodel and his ten kids with 20 crab lines out looking to snare my prop. Enough already....

[Jason2tpa]

Now the stupidest thing my friend did (and I was with him), pull up to the gas station, boat on the trailer(like a 17' Seapro)... I remove the gas cap, he starts filling..

I look over at him, he's filling the adjacent ROD holder hole with fuel!!!

Maybe put 3-4 gallons in, but talk about a duh moment.... Head back home to flush with water....

I would normally call BS on a story like that, but coming from you I'll take your word this truly happened. I've heard many and seen many of stupid mistakes by boaters, but this one might take the prize. Now, if alcohol was involved I could make sense of it.

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I would normally call BS on a story like that, but coming from you I'll take your word this truly happened. I've heard many and seen many of stupid mistakes by boaters, but this one might take the prize. Now, if alcohol was involved I could make sense of it.

Nope, stone sober...

I simply removed the gas cap and did something else.

He started pumping till I caught it and stopped him...

As pstephens46 posted above as well, it's apparently not that un-common, especially if your NOT paying attention...(he was a newbie as well-first and only boat he owned)

[oldmako69]

I keep my boat on a fairly busy creek with several marina's which sell gas. I see a BIG fuel sheen probably once, maybe twice a summer. And, those are only on the days that I'm there. So, how many times does it really happen?

9 times out of 10, its fuel being pumped out of someones bilge after they stuck the hose in a rod holder. Guy who owns the boat runs in to pay, his buddy starts the fueling process...or, the guy gets distracted, is rushed etc. It happens.

[fairdeal]

gas into the rod holder is common here in the Keys.

Often, with the boat on the trailer, the gunwale is above head height -
the guy reaches up, unscrews the cap by feel,
then reaches up with the nozzle and drops that in - by feel.

On my boat there's a rodholder real close to the gas cap.
I've seen others where there isn't but 4 inches between them..

[TownsendsFJR1300]

That's how my friends was ^^^^...

[Jfitz1949]

Nope, stone sober...

I simply removed the gas cap and did something else.

He started pumping till I caught it and stopped him...

As pstephens46 posted above as well, it's apparently not that un-common, especially if your NOT paying attention...(he was a newbie as well-first and only boat he owned)

Got one also as good. Took my son and his friends fishing. Start fueling the boat and the bilge pump kicks on at the gas station. Yep rod holder and filler neck inches apart. Ran home with fuel pumping out the bilge rand soap down the rod holder and began to flush. I blamed it on the kids side tracking me.

[TownsendsFJR1300]

got one also as good. Took my son and his friends fishing. Start fueling the boat and the bilge pump kicks on at the gas station. Yep rod holder and filler neck inches apart. Ran home with fuel pumping out the bilge rand soap down the rod holder and began to flush. i blamed it on the kids side tracking me.

lol!!!!................