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Launch day gone wrong

bigal6030bigal6030 Member Posts: 157 ✭✭
in Rinker Express Cruisers Forum
Well, we did not have a picture perfect launch day last Saturday. It was rainy but my wife and I figured we would launch the boat anyway. So we hitched up and drove to the marina. We stop to top off the gas tank before we slipped the boat for the season. Well, that's when things started to go wrong. Rinker put the gas fill cap right next to the waste cap. Yes I removed the waste tank cap and pumped a few gallons before I realized I was pumping fuel into the waste tank.  Not good. Finished filling up the boat went on to the marina. 
Well the winds picked up and the rain picked up, but we decided to launch anyway. 
Got the boat smoothly into the water, boat fired right up. I put it into reverse and my wife tosses the lines into the boat. Except the lines blow away and end up in the water. I'm afraid they will get caught up in the props. I can not maneuver around the ropes and the wind, the wind blows the boat and it bounces of the concrete dock. 
Well needless to say I now have to repair gel coat, and remove gas from the waste tank.

Next time I will wait for a nice calm sunny day to launch and be a little more careful where I pump my fuel. Good thing is I kept calm and do not even yell at my wife, we went home change out of the wet clothes and celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary 
Today I heading back to my boat and will pump out the waste tank.

Big Al - 2006 - 270 Express Crusier

Home port: Hammond Ind.

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    aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,815 ✭✭✭✭✭
    So much can go wrong quickly! Luckily both are easy fixes and no one got hurt.
    2008 330EC
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    rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,254 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Wow, sounds like a Rick day of boating- better days ahead! 
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    Lake_BumLake_Bum Member Posts: 934 ✭✭✭✭
    Happy 28th! Your reaction at the dock is why you'll have a 29th, and many more to come...
    Hope your next outing is trouble free! 
    2000 Captiva 232 
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    Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Your first mistake was buying a boat your second mistake was launching in the rain
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    raybo3raybo3 Administrator Posts: 5,460 admin
    Handy your such a bundle of joy........lol
    2002 342 Fiesta Vee PC Point Of Pines YC Revere MA. popyc.org     raybo3@live.com
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    davidbrooksdavidbrooks Member Posts: 1,350 ✭✭✭✭
    Happy Anniversary.  I can safely say this would never happen to me. I can't get my wife to go out in the rain.
    It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere!
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    reneechris14reneechris14 Member Posts: 3,134 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Congratulations on 28 years !
    May thats all the miss haps for now.
    Brighter days to come.
    2005 Rinker FV342  Pawcatuck river,Ct
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    raybo3raybo3 Administrator Posts: 5,460 admin
    Not to be a kill joy and I mean no disrespect but I got divorced after 28 years....Just say'n......
    2002 342 Fiesta Vee PC Point Of Pines YC Revere MA. popyc.org     raybo3@live.com
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    Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Two best days of a man's life. Getting divorced and selling boat LOL
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    LaReaLaRea Member, Moderator Posts: 7,567 mod
    Wow, who let these nattering nabobs of negativism into the room.  The main thing is, @bigal6030 got his boat in the slip! 
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    Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Getting the fuel out of the waste tank is a bugger. Should not just 'pump out'. Explosion in the making. 

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
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    rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,254 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,060 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Black_Diamond said:
    Getting the fuel out of the waste tank is a bugger. Should not just 'pump out'. Explosion in the making. 
    What do you think would be the safest way to do it?  The only way I can see would be to have the tank removed... the other way...well......just pump it out at the dock? After a first day like that I probably would have turned around and put her right back on the trailer! 
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    rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,254 ✭✭✭✭✭
    How much is in there? How much other stuff? If you have 10 gallons that's one thing...if a gallon that's another I'd think...
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    aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,815 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Maybe fill the rest of the waste tank up with water to dilute the gas then pump it out.
    2008 330EC
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    J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,060 ✭✭✭✭✭
    whatever you do don't suck it out with a wet vac. I've actually seen that suggestion posted for this problem. 
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    randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Happy 28th wedding anniversary, hope you two have 28 more. A boat can always be fixed. 
    Boat Name : 

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    Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    randy56 said:
    Happy 28th wedding anniversary, hope you two have 28 more. A boat can always be fixed. 
    If you have the money
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    bigal6030bigal6030 Member Posts: 157 ✭✭
    The tank was empty and clean when the mishap occurred. I only pumped about 2 gallons of gas into the tank by mistake. So I added 10 gallons of water and a guart of Dawn dish soap into the tank. I removed the waste cap and let it sit for the week. I figured the Dawn would begin breaking down the fuel, the water would somewhat dilute the volume of liquid. Today I used a drill pump, and pumped out the tank. I pumped the liquid into 5 gallon containers. 
    Once it was empty I added water and more Dawn dishwashing soap. Good to go. Gas smell was nearly gone. 

    Big Al - 2006 - 270 Express Crusier

    Home port: Hammond Ind.

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    BayrunnerBayrunner Member Posts: 177 ✭✭✭
    I thought I had a bad opening day, although I'm glad no one got injured. My day started out out good until I went to take my wife to lunch by boat.  Well, I went out and filled the boat up with gas. so we decided to have lunch at Sunset Cove. I got the boat docked and jumped back on to turn off the motor and fell right in the water. What a day. Dried off the best I could and still ate my lunch. Start of the season and off to a go start.
    Bayrunner -- FV312 - Simple Pleasure
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    J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,060 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Bayrunner said:
    I thought I had a bad opening day, although I'm glad no one got injured. My day started out out good until I went to take my wife to lunch by boat.  Well, I went out and filled the boat up with gas. so we decided to have lunch at Sunset Cove. I got the boat docked and jumped back on to turn off the motor and fell right in the water. What a day. Dried off the best I could and still ate my lunch. Start of the season and off to a go start.
    Holy cow! Fell right off!?!
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    BayrunnerBayrunner Member Posts: 177 ✭✭✭
    edited May 2017
    I didn't mention the 80 some people watching and laughing.
    Bayrunner -- FV312 - Simple Pleasure
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    Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That took a lot of alcohol
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    BayrunnerBayrunner Member Posts: 177 ✭✭✭
    No,  the sad part was I was sober. Nothing to drink that day.
    Bayrunner -- FV312 - Simple Pleasure
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    Dream_InnDream_Inn Member, Moderator Posts: 7,563 mod
    Glad you got it all out.  It'll be something to laugh about while you are enjoying a nice summer day! :)

    Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express

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    Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @bigal6030. yes, AWESOME. We can pump-out the waste tanks and fix the gel coat but we can't replace an Admiral. I have seen guys make their Admiral's cry and yell at them etc. when things have gone wrong. Witnessing that kind of behaviour from Captains I had to ask myself why in the world would his Admiral want to go boating with that guy again? So, good for you @bigal6030! Great attitude, even better Captain. 28 years now that IS awesome!
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    WillhoundWillhound Member Posts: 4,188 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Congrats on 28 years, AND, the boat is in the water! Nothing that can't be fixed and in the big scheme of things that could go wrong...relatively minor. Sure to provide a few chuckles in future years over a mug of grog.
    "Knot Quite Shore" - 2000 FV270 (Sold)
    2018 Cherokee 39RL Land Yacht (Sorry...)
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    raybo3raybo3 Administrator Posts: 5,460 admin
    Michael T said:
    @bigal6030. yes, AWESOME. We can pump-out the waste tanks and fix the gel coat but we can't replace an Admiral. 
    Want to bet...... I have pumped waste tank and had gel coat repaired and replace the Admiral. Best thing I ever did.......lol
    2002 342 Fiesta Vee PC Point Of Pines YC Revere MA. popyc.org     raybo3@live.com
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    Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    RLMAO. 
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    Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    ...Yes Ray but you are the original WILDMAN...we mortals are just pale copies by comparison!   :-)
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