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What have you dropped overboard?

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Peregrine
Admiral

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830 Posts

Response Posted - 05/07/2009 : 23:37:02

Edited by - on

Even Chance
Captain

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USA
393 Posts

Response Posted - 05/08/2009 : 05:24:57

- like David, a Labrador puppy (who was very surprised and had to instantly learn how to swim . . . and did)
- a brand new keel winch (retrieved with the boat hook)
- prescription Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses
- a couple Leatherman Waves
- a Black and Decker sander
- several hats
- a good friend, who learned the hard way that you STEP from the boat to the dock, not JUMP

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4302 Posts

Response Posted - 05/08/2009 : 11:18:04

My wife Teresa the first time I ever showed her the boat. Not being a boat person when she got ready to get off the boat she turned around facing the cockpit and reached back with one foot to step on the dock. I saw what she was doing and quickly moved to grab the rear stern line to snug the boat against the dock. Between my moving and a gust of wind pushing the boat away from the dock she stepped back and her foot missed the dock. She went right between the dock and the side of the boat.

Lost her brand new pair of sandals in the mud and came up looking like a drowned rat. It took me a while to get her out of the water because I was ROTFL so hard.

Lucky for me she has a great since of humor (sometimes) and was laughing as hard as I was. Needless to say I got the go ahead to buy the boat and she doesn't mind going sailing with me occasionally.

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 05/08/2009 : 11:23:54

Between Owners, Wives, Kids, Crew

3 Cell phones
2 turnbuckle wrenches
1 Cigarette charger plug for handheld VHF

Other boats:
1 Sailbag complete with sail (Including the crew member who went in after it MOB and SOB drills were successful)
1 One skipper after winning Leukemia Cup
1 guy holding the boom out on a very lumpy downwind leg
1 cigar
5 hats
Contents of champagne and wild Irish Rose for renaming ceremony

Edited by - Champipple on 05/10/2009 20:45:27

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 05/09/2009 : 10:21:13

I've lost at least a dozen hats while sailing in really gusty wind conditions. Recovered maybe 3 or 4 of them with the boat hook before they sank. The most serious thing I've dropped in the drink was a custom-made shroud connector (part of my Huntington mast-raising rig). This is an 18" long piece of 1x1 stainless steel tube, machined with slots top and bottom to attach to the chainplate and turnbuckle toggle for the upper shrouds. I had already shortened the shroud 18" to fit this tube, so there was no question that I had to recover it. Drove the 100 miles round trip home to get scuba gear, and fortunately found the tube after only a few minutes into the dive (marina water depth was only 10' so it was an easy dive). I was lucky that a few inches of the tube was still sticking up out of the mud, otherwise I might never have found it.

Edited by - on

Windhover
1st Mate

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USA
35 Posts

Response Posted - 05/09/2009 : 10:46:50

Our Marina has mast service, being new to sailing last season the marina crew would "let" me help them step/ unstep masts so I could learn diffrent boats and how they are rigged. Soooo, lost an adjustable wrench, screwdriver and pliers...all that belonged to the marina. This season they joked that I had to bring my own tools if I wanted to help. Lost a clevis pin off my own boat while stepping my mast a few weeks ago.
Plus the ordinary while sailing:
Sunglasses (Bole.... I want mine back also!!!)
Luke Skywalker... our two year old was wondering if his action figure Luke could swim. Evidently not.
Deck of cards.
Ball Cap.
Fishing Pole.
Thank Heavens, no crew yet.

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2011 : 11:35:09

On Sunday, I was washing my snorkel mask with fresh water to clean off the salt. The mask was being rinsed in my slip above the water next to my boat. You can guess the rest. Yep, dropped the mask in the drink. It sank quickly. My first thought- "What a dummy! The last time this topic was posted here(about 2 years ago), I bragged how I NEVER dropped anything in the water."
2nd thought, the water is polluted and there is now way I will drive in. Thinking its about 8-10' deep, I pulled out my extension poll that has a hook on it but it never touched bottom. I figured I could kiss the mask goodbye. I later found out the depth is about 12'.
Then all of a sudden driving home it came to me. I would simply call my bottom boat cleaning company and have the diver retrieve it. Monday I called and asked when my boat was scheduled for bottom cleaning and was told at the end of the week. Wow, I lucked out. I asked if they could get a message to the diver to please retrieve my mask. "No problem", I was told.
Couple hours later, I got a call from the cleaning company saying my mask had be found and was laying my in cockpit-4 days early! Apparently they made a special trip cuz I noticed my bottom was still not cleaned as I went down to the boat later in the day. And even though the mask had been cleaned by the diver, I wanted to repeat the process of washing it down but wanted to find a way to make sure I didn't drop it again. Well the only way I could accomplish that was to wash it over the dock and not over any water! I have my own moral of the story, whats yours?
Steve A

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2011 : 12:45:20

Several hats, a light air whisker pole, a metal winch handle, and a handheld GPS, all while racing, and an electronic key fob that came apart while on a belt clip, in the slip. The GPS was the most expensive of the lot with the key fob coming in second. Oh yes, a few pair of sunglasses also.

Edited by - on

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1314 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2011 : 13:59:47

1) Two golf umbrella's used as a sunshade or rain-cover over the cabin hatch. Sudden wind gusts caught underneath and tumbled them overboard. In both cases forgot to suspend a bottle of water from the handle to keep them from blowing away.

2) During a brisk wind a new unsecured BBQ cover blew overboard

3) Plonked overboard by trying to fish something out of the water... our free boards are higher then I thought, much higher!!

Items were recovered by dragging a fishhook over the 10-14 ft deep bottom...

and... now have a trip line on the swim ladder!!!

Edited by - zeil on 09/06/2011 18:07:02

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2011 : 15:45:34

Lost my A.O. Smith sunglasses while rescuing the wallet and iPhone that fell out of Chris's purse while stepping aboard. Recovered her stuff, but not my sunglasses. Unfortunate detail: WM quit handling A.O. Smith and I bought that pair on a discount table for $29; the replacements were $120. I've had Costa and high end Rayban, but I only wear Smith "Forum" now. They are, to me, the best available and half the price of the designer brands.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2011 : 18:17:04

Just dropped this in the lake last week. I think it was designed to come off the Magma BBQ and take the plunge. They sell replacements...

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2011 : 18:46:10

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">They sell replacements…<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Its a conspiracy.

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2011 : 19:24:20

I guess its inevitable that at some point, heck many points, we will drop something overboard. I have come to the conclusion no matter how careful we are, its going to happen. There is no way to stop or prevent it.
As expensive as some of these items were, lets be grateful no one from our Association has not returned after falling in, like so many sad stories we share with one another about some one not so lucky. Heck, as I look at my pic below, I realize The Admiral came close once to taking a spill overboard. My dog Buddy was was not as fortunate another time but was retrieved from the brink after falling in.
Sorry for sounding a bit philosophical as this was never my intention in making this post- but I hope we can sit back a laugh at our ineptness. In the scheme of life, its a drop in the bucket-our moment of clumsiness. I give thanks many of you on the east coast that were spared what could have been a bigger tragedy.
I also need to give thanks for what I have or had, as in the case of dropping it overboard.

Edited by - on

MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2011 : 21:50:04

I once got a frantic call from my wife while I was at work. She dropped her keys off the boat at the dock. These had the keys for her Jr. College classrooms, replacement 40 bucks each. When I got there the wind was blowing, it was cold and the water colder. I wasn't about to dive in. Took the boys to OSH for a magnet and string. while checking out the sails girl said she had to put it in her demagnetizer. I asked her, "?Why would I have you demagnetize my magnet?" She didn't understand I was joking and said no she had to do it. I couldn't stop and said no get your manager. Manager told her don't demagnetize it.
I forgot something and had to go though the line again, and had the same girl wait on me. She was curious about the magnet and I told her what I was doing. She stopped, looked me in the eye and asked, "Will the magnet work under water?" I told her yes it would.

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5352 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2011 : 22:23:35

A few hats have gone over and nuts and bolts, but the most irreplaceable item I've lost is a pair of brass pliers that my late father in law gave me. He was a millwright and shop foreman and made his living with his hands. He donated the pliers to the boat as a special symbol, since they're not magnetic and would not affect the compass.
I know where the pliers are right now -- just under my slip in about 10 ft of water, but for the life of me, I have been unable to retrieve them.
Some einstein suggested I use a really strong magnet to pick them up. Doh! I think I'll try my garden rake instead. I'll probably come up with a load of oysters!

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3439 Posts

Response Posted - 09/01/2011 : 03:43:06

1 hat
car keys on Father's day - Honda programmed a new set for me
1 of the fancy Davis tell tales you attach to the stays
a scrub brush but it floated, so it was retrieved
2-3 plastic wire ties

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9075 Posts

Response Posted - 09/01/2011 : 05:32:18

I dropped an owner once... Sailing a Hobie 16, flying a hull about 5-6' up in 20-something winds on a mountain lake in Colorado... Spray everywhere... I was on the tiller, the owner was handling the sheets, and he fell off.

Edited by - on

Ape-X
Admiral

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USA
662 Posts

Response Posted - 09/01/2011 : 08:14:21

I have enjoyed reading this thread, so will add my 2cents (no I didn't drop money yet.)
For my FIRST year: I have had to rebuild a dock including resetting the main posts, update the electrical system, extensive engine work as well as learn the idiosyncrasies of the rigging for Moe'Uhane.

Dock Build: one fence post used as a lever arm. 1-2 washers and nuts.
Rigging: one halyard to the top of the mast, my helper had the shackle bounce into his hands then promptly in the drink, count ONE. the replacement shackle while stowing by wrapping around the outer shrouds that SAME day, count TWO. A dock neighbor found me a un-loseable replacement with locking, non-removeable pins on both ends of the shackle.
Exiting the boat: one pair of Oakley glasses the lawn rake could not recover. I tried snorkeling for it first, but the silt is too deep, and I lost sight of my hand before I could even feel the silt....Not too bad for a couple of months, and thanks for the grill warnings. I am mounting a new grill this weekend. :O)

Edited by - on

Ape-X
Admiral

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USA
662 Posts

Response Posted - 09/01/2011 : 08:18:26

...oh: and while sailing, rinsing a bowl in the water, the admiral started a MOB practice on said cereal bowl. Successful! The knot on a 5gal bucket came off (???thought I had a bowline on it, but didn't check???) causing another MOB practice. With an unsuccesful first pass, ......RIP bucket, lost at sea.
:O( We will tighten up our MOB routine.

Edited by - on

Joe Diver
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1218 Posts

Response Posted - 09/01/2011 : 08:39:51

Theres a very inexpensive, cheap ass piece of $h!t Chinese made Harbor Freight junk socket wrench which now resides on the bottom, just off the stern, under my slip. It wasn't "lost" overboard so much as "relocated" in anger.

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4302 Posts

Response Posted - 09/01/2011 : 20:35:46

When my wife and I were looking at our boat before purchasing as she was getting off she missed the dock with her foot and went straight in between the dock and the boat.

This past spring I dropped a brand new pair of Crescent brand needle nose pliers overboard in the slip. Figured they were gone. When I got home that night it dawned on me that I had a magnet in the garage. Went down to the boat the next evening and retrieved them in about 3 minutes.

They went in bright and shiny and came out 24 hours later almost jet black. I guess the finish reacted with the brackish water. I oiled them up when I got home and they work just fine.

Edited by - on

Tomas Kruska
Admiral

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Czech Republic
522 Posts

Response Posted - 09/02/2011 : 01:07:38

I think that Neptun's favourite is the hat :-)

There is a cheap solution for this, simply attach a loop of line to the back of hat and put it on your neck

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2011 : 07:21:50

Most of these have been off my boat, but all have been while I've been on a boat. Some have been retrieved - you can try and guess which. Pictures are representations and not necessarily the exact make or model. In no particular order - at least one pair of sunglasses, 2 winch handles, torn spinnaker, Jib Car (brand new, retrieved at dock after a lot of diving blind) any number of hats, one old boat name (not pictured, lost intentionally via ceremony), and a Doctor named Bob.

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2011 : 07:24:50

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Tomas Kruska
 I think that Neptun's favourite is the hat :-)

There is a cheap solution for this, simply attach a loop of line to the back of hat and put it on your neck

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

We use lid leashes or cap kats. The string doesn't always work if the wind is out of the wrong direction. There are some years we've donated a hat to Neptune because we felt we were behind on the payments.

Edited by - on

PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2011 : 14:07:38

I've lost a nice pair of ray bans and a winch handle, everything else we recovered.

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