[Mark]

Did anyone ever break down on the lake? (I DIDNT THINK SO) But if you did do you think a electric trolling motor would get you back in.(inland lake)Not you guys with the big boys. Does anyone have a back up motor? If so what kind and what kind of hook up do you have?

[180diablo]

I have had a spark plug wire bounce off the plug (stayed on the cap) as I was taking a biggish wake in my boat last summer. I ended up running on 3 cylinders back to our dock. Looking back I wish I pulled the engine cover to take a peek at it.

Now part of my startup checkover, is pressing down on each plug wire to make sure they are still seated.

Other then that, no breakdowns. Otherwise it would be my gf and I rowing until some nice boater tows us.. lol. Kicker motors might be a good thing, but unless you have a fishing boat.. they would just look frickin' ugly off the back of it.

[ShabahZ280]

I had just got my boat back to Ohio from buying it in Maryland. Took it up to a local lake, got out right into the middle and the engine died. It overheated due to impeller failure. Lucky enough for me a fisherman was out there and towed me back in using a 14' aluminum boat and a 15hp Johnson motor. After that I seriously considered some sort of backup motor, but figured it wasn't worth it. 95% of the time where I boat there's at least 15 other boats around. All I'd have to do is signal one of them for help, whether it be by air horn, or raising a distress flag. Having all the coast guard equipment, along with a VHF radio, or at least a cell phone, you shouldn't ever have a problem getting help. Just remember though, keep your eyes out for others who might need help and be ready to help, (it's good boater etiquitte). And it's also a good idea to have some cash to pay someone if they tow you.

Also, BoatUS has a towing coverage on their membership package, if you boat on a lake large enough to have a towboat service.

[Z 202]

I flooded mine one time when was in large swells fairly close to a rocky shore...

I carry a set of basic tools, and of course all the necessary emergency gear. I usually carry my cellphone as well as I get service in some of the areas I visit.

Though the traffic is pretty light where I boat, there are usually other boats around. Two seasons ago, I was stopped a fair way offshore, and the kids wanted to see how the covertible top fits. So I had the engine hatch open for an extended period as I took it out and put it up. A couple of miles away, another boat altered course, and began making a beeline for me. I didn't immediately dawn on me why they were headed straight for me, then I realized the engine cover was still up... I put it down and got under way, and they returned to their original course...

In Canada, assisting someone in any sort of distress is more than just good etiquette: Failure to render assistance is a violation of the Criminal Code of Canada.

[MariahTrooper]

As it should be (criminal)!!!

My wife and friends were having such a good time tubing one day that we pushed it on the "E" side of the gas gauge....ran out of gas and came to a stop 200 yards from the dock. Hey, it was 90 degrees outside with no wind, so we jumped in and swam it back while my wife paddled.

[z275st]

I got stranded when the lower unit gears striped on my first boat, a 1970 18 ft. Mark Twain. After 45 min. fisherman pulled my wife and I back to our slip. That was long before everyone had cell phones. I bought a trolling motor to move from the slip to the ramp so I could get it fixed. I used jumper cables to reach the battery. I stowed it on board for 16 yrs and three boats and never needed it again. With the Z275 I no longer stow the motor because I figure it would be about as much help as the oar I must carry by law. If you have a trolling motor and room to stow, I would do it because you can never be too prepared for boating emergencies.

[180diablo]

Originally Posted by ShabahZ250

Having all the coast guard equipment, along with a VHF radio, or at least a cell phone, you shouldn't ever have a problem getting help. Just remember though, keep your eyes out for others who might need help and be ready to help, (it's good boater etiquitte). And it's also a good idea to have some cash to pay someone if they tow you.

We (gf and I) normally carry our cell phones with us, but occasionally they drift in and out of service areas on the water. We normally are not far from shore or cottagers and other boaters anyways, so help should be around. Boating early or late in the season is probably the biggest worry due to a lack of boaters.

Along with looking for others that need help, knowing how to properly tow a boater back to shore would be a worthwhile task to learn (or practice)

Subconsciously I remember to bring my wallet with cash for that very reason.

[mikeyt]

My father in law has a cottage up on an island in G-Bay near Pointe au Baril. He & the mom-in-law were up alone one weekend 2 summers ago & f-i-l decides to take his old 18' Sylvan / 50hp Johnson out fishing at about 7pm. He heads out the main channel and goes about 4-5 miles along the shoreline heading to open water where there aren't many cottages and shuts her down to do a little fishing. Around 9pm & just before dark he decides to head in, starts up the motor & BANG....blew a piston. He has a kicker motor but had taken it off the boat about 2 wks before that to do a little repair work. As luck would have it, the wind is blowing away from the somewhat populated shore to an area where there are only a few cottages and as luck would have it, no one was around and there were no other boaters in the area. He didn't have his cell phone with him nor did he take a portable radio so he had no way of contacting anyone other than use his flare gun. Course he only had 3 flares so he had to wait until someone came by......at about 3am. The m-i-l panicked at about 10pm, called us at home in Cambridge and then called the OPP who arranged for the search helicopter to come in from Trenton as well as a coast guard vessel to come in from the Parry Sound area. They found him sitting on the shore with a small fire going after he had fired off a couple of flares when the chopper went by........

[KSP181]

I too have contemplated the trolling motor as a backup. I also considered an on board charging system that is on a lot of bass boats. I boat on Lake Cumberland and travel into the National Forest. There are no houses, roads, boat ramps or anything for miles. It is very peaceful. Since it is so far away from the marinas, you might see 1 or 2 boats all day long. Did I say it was peaceful? There is also no cell phone service. I think a trolling motor and a 2 or 3 bank charging system would get me at least in cell phone range.

[WetWilly]

Hi KSP181,

If you’re seriously considering going with an electric trolling motor, may I suggest the Minn Kota® Engine Mount Freshwater Trolling Motors systems if only for the fact it doesn't take up any deck real estate. The description states" "The EM motor mounts permanently on the cavitation plate of your outboard or I/O lower unit, keeping the deck and transom of the boat clear. No stowing or deploying required. Once on plane, the EM rides completely out of the water, and will not interfere with the normal performance of your boat or engine.".

It's advertised here at Bass Pro Shops:

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...=SearchResults

I just wonder how far you can realistically get with this setup considering our boats are typically heaver that the competitors?

WetWilly