What's the Worst Thing You've Ever Hit?

[spencer53]

The dock. My wife and I were were in our slip moments from backing out into the channel to go for a cruise. 28 ton sailboat with a 120 hp Yanmar idling and ready to go. As I got the last line off, I signaled her to give some reverse. Heard the trans go into gear and watched as our boat steamed forward into the dock! DAMN! REVERSE MAN! Your OTHER reverse!!! I think our dock "relocated" itself at least 6 inches.

[CharlieCobra]

Originally Posted by JiffyLube

The worst thing that we hit was coming into our slip. I didn't know that we had lost reverse (broken tranmission cable, and we crashed into the dock at about three knots...good thing the hull is tough!

I had the same thing happen. Came into the dock at about 1 knot, put it in reverse at the right time, gunned it and proceeded to climb the dock so far that my bowsprit hit the sprit of the boat across the dock. Luckily, no damage, other than a scratch in the paint. Needless to say that after breaking this second cable in a month, I redid the mounts and went with a pricey Teflon job. No issues since.

[JiffyLube]

Originally Posted by CharlieCobra

I had the same thing happen. Came into the dock at about 1 knot, put it in reverse at the right time, gunned it and proceeded to climb the dock so far that my bowsprit hit the sprit of the boat across the dock. Luckily, no damage, other than a scratch in the paint. Needless to say that after breaking this second cable in a month, I redid the mounts and went with a pricey Teflon job. No issues since.

I used the best Morris cable I could buy that replaced the one that broke, but I should have replaced the speed cable while I was at it...it's on my to-do list. It was more embarrassing than anything else!

[frankdeegan]

We hit a Big Russian spy ship back in the late 80's. It was tied up to the dock. we were moving our 3000 ton ship to a near by dock, empty with our hatches open a gust of wind sent us about 3 knots straight into old red. even with 2 anchors deployed we couldn't stop. that was an interesting day for the skipper and the Russian authorities and the insurance and everybody on red ship (about 200 or so) "they should have got out of the way"

[miss-m]

In our 22ft fibreglass westerly we hit a tree- complete with branches and birds nests!! It was bigger than the boat. In our 36ft ferro we've hit a basking shark (it also was bigger than us!), a very horrible rocky bottom- (the harbour master said we had enough depth at low tide. We didnt.), and also another boat....ssshhhh (We were conducting a particularly tricky and dangerous manoeuvre called "reversing out of your marina berth in a straight line"- Im sure anyone who's ever tried it still suffers from the nightmares!

[SabreKai]

A friend and I were crossing the lake after a days hunting in his aluminum boat,when we ran over a dead moose. Up, over and past, the prop tore it up pretty good and the stench was truly amazing.

Sabre

[GordMay]

Whilst playing blackjack, I once hit on my 18, with the dealer showing a 5.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Canibul

Sadly enough, that story is totally true. I left out the part where I had no liability insurance at the time, either. They suspended my license until I paid off the damages to the car I hit. I was in college, and it took me six months to pay for it.

After that, I insisted people fling their empty's out the window.

Drinking and driving is rediculously irresponsible and results in horror on a daily basis. I can only hope that your cavalier attitude is a masculine farce in a lame attempt to get jokes on the Internet.

HelpJacqui - A Story of Courage and Resolve Against Adversity - A Drunk Driver Innocent Victim's Saga

[pierrrre]

Hi

This is just a bit of info that could interest Knottybuyz.

On 19 July 1981 at 2240 UTC, the 3075 tons, container vessel BERGLIND collided with the 1599 tons, general cargo CHARM. Both vessels were proceeding at full speed in fog. The BERGLIND subsequently sank while under tow. The CHARM was holed but made it to port.

Best regards

[Amfivena]

Not terribly exciting but...

I was backing into a slip, not easy in a Westsail, on a very windy day. A bad storm was forcast so there was a dozen or so people milling about 'preparing' for the storm (apparently that requires beverages). Anyhow, I get the old beast into the slip just about where I want it on the first try. I step out of the cockpit to help with the lines. As I grab a line the boat cracks against the dock, knocking me back into the cockpit - I was so proud of myself I forgot to take it out of reverse!

Other than my pride nothing was damaged.

[Agur's Wish]

We have lots of hits to testify to as you can read on my blog in the article "Finding Higher Ground" but there was one time that the hits and misses came in tandem.

On 9/11 we had been tucked in to Gangplank Marina in DC for 2 days getting ready to leave the boat and fly out of the Reagan that morning. Obviously we didn't go anywhere that morning. The Potomac was closed off for three weeks and we spent a very somber and profound time visiting the memorials. But once that river was open the the cap'n had his own planned version of the Odyssee--he was going to Fantasy Fest in Key West. So off we went offshore, through following seas that didn't let us see how stupid we were until morning light. Of course, this was always after I went off watch and the cap'n had to take the helm and, of course, he then decided to head in to land. But our first hit on this trip came when we were passing through Governor's Cut in Miami. The cap'n had just woked me up for my watch (3:00 am) and i was in the head when.....WhamBam........

"What the Hell?" I exclaimed

" I swear to God it wasn't on radar." The cap'n reports it was a big plastic bouy out in the middle of nowhere. And, since then, he has gotten several credible witnesses to attest to this same buoy and any other questionable buoys out there. Hmm...is there some covert operation out there placing undetectable buoys trying to trick the boating community? Well, this is nothing new, how about trying to give us detectable buoys. Now that would be sportin'.I also wonder how much faith he would have had in me if the roles had been reversed and I would have hit this mythical buoy.

That was just our minor hit on the way down from DC to Key West. Did I mention we made it in 2 weeks in a Tashiba 40. Did I say I was happy? I don't think so. Our big hit was Fantasy Fest and you can read about it on my blog under "Out On the Town"

[harryrezz]

I guess I've hit my shae of things, but the one I remember clearest is something that hit ME!
We were anchored behind Petit St. Vincent in the Grenadines along with several other boats. A very large (90'+) British yacht was just forward of us. It was blowing at least 25 kt. and squalls were passing through. the yacht was sailing back and forth on its anchor like a caged tiger - back and forth over a full boat length. It made me nervous so I came on deck frequently to make sure it was staying put.
On one such trip as I peered through the wind-driven rain I saw a large, white object looming out of the gloom. Iceberg? Certainly not here ... and icebergs don't have masts! I yelled below to my wife and together we dashed forward - soaking wet in our underwear - to try to fend off the 40-something footer which was dragging sideways through the anchorage straight at us. It hit our bow portside to, just forward of its cockpit. We shouted trying to raise its crew, but no one was on board! We struggled and heaved and managed to push forward a bit, but instead of sliding on past its deep spade rudder fouled on our all chain rode and it became firmly lodged.
There we were - in the pouring rain, wind shreaking past us with a big Beneteau hooked to our port bow where it was starting to bump and grind. We wedged all our fenders between the two boats, and went aboard the other boat and found their fenders, too. Clearly we had no chance of disliodging the intruder.
Happily, the paid crew of the British yacht saw our perdicament and came over in their big dinghy to help.
About that time two French couples came putting through the rain searching for the boat they had left safely anchored while they went ashore for dinner. They nonchalontly climbed aboard and the two ladies disappeared below to get out of the rain. The men sauntered over to WATCH as we tried to keep the two boats apart. Eventually they realized that they might be of help!
After about an hour we managed to get the thing free (after cutting its anchor loose) and the Frenchmen motored off to find another place to anchor.
Next morning I was releved to find that very little damage had been done, and I took my dink over to talk with the captain of the other boat. He apologized and explained that he couldn't understand whey he had dragged because he had put out at least an extra 50 feet of rode after his anchor hit bottom (we were in about 20 feet)!!! He gave me the name and number of his insurance agent back on St. Martin (whiuch turned out to be ficticious).
My ol' 60# CQR did quite a job that night holding two boats in those squalls.

[speciald@ocens.]

I hit the Bay bridge North of Annapolis. I thought the clearance of the span was 90 feet not 75 feet. I have an 85 foot mast. Bent one extrusion on the head sail firler and had to replace the forestay but no other damage.

[mangomuffins]

SW florida...marco island...
the ground... hard!!!

We were trying to thread the poorly marked (for night) pass. Missed
and hit hard. Did a 180 and reversed course.

Why?

We got caught just offshore in a huge blow and thought it worth a shot to try and make it in. Never had been there before. As it turned out, we still had to lie offshore till morning in terrible conditions. Good lesson ... and luckily no damage.

[decktapper]

I hit a rope, problem is it was between a jet skiier and an intertuber he was pulling. We were on a Hobi 16 on a beam reach in at least 20 knotts of wind.