Share your exploits on the water.

[Ura-Ki]

Still looking for this boat, she is still around here somewhere close, but so far has eluded me! This was my all time favorite boat/driver to watch back when I was a kid!

This is the other one! I think she is still around, she used to sit along the I-205 near the I-5 interchange!
At one time, she was the fastest boat in the N.W!

 

[P7M13]

Out in the middle of Lake St. Clair (Detroit), a storm we had been watching in the distance changes direction and is upon us in minutes. We barely got the mainsail and jib down, and start motoring back. Just a few minutes later, we lose power. Motor's running, no forward thrust. Lightening all around us with zero delay to the thunder, and the wind gusting from all directions.
Midwest thunderstorms. There's raining, raining hard, cats and dogs, and then this one, which we called "pitchforks and babies."
Problem is, we are in or extremely close to the shipping channel, zero visibility, and those freighters cannot see us with their radar.
So we raise to quarter jib and keep our heading to WNW where we know boat clubs will be.
We were pretty tense, but after a bit of time we see dock lights, then buildings. We sail up and tie up at the main dock of a place called "The Little Club", a yacht club for Grosse Pointe uber wealthy. Some guy comes up and says, "This is a private club, you cannot dock here."
Even with our foul gear on, we all look like drenched rats. Phil, the boat owner, states "we have no motor power and it's too dangerous to sail in this storm." So the guy responds, "don't get out of your boat."
After the lightening has passed, Phil says fuggit, gets out a snorkel mask and his dive light and goes underneath to see what's wrong. The prop's sill in place, but it had sheared the prop pin. He goes up to the clubhouse to see if they might have something and is intercepted and diverted to the back of the kitchen. Eventually he comes out with a nail that fits perfectly, he bends it into place. We test the thrust - it works.
By then, it's just a good wind and still raining, so we shove off and sail the five miles to his home slip.
I last saw him in 2008, and despite it being almost 20 years later, we still joked about "..you cannot dock here."

 

[Caveman Jim]

Spent a few pleasant evenings under the stars in a folding 2 man kayak in a Norwegian fiord dodging water traffic and putting a real sneak in on some Marines who were looking for us!

Spent some time doing underwater air crew rescue training out of San Diego, in the dark, no lights, and all we had was our inflatable rubber motor dingy we dropped with! That was SUCK!

Artic cold water rescue training with the Coasties in the gulf of Alaska, wearing Gumby suits and swim fins, that was COLD, no matter the suit!

Yup, life in the water baby!

Indeed!!! My son went into the Coast Guard at 17 full of piss and vinegar wanting to be a rescue swimmer. Long story short he is a CPO marine electrician in Kodiak Alaska with 1 1/2 years till his 20 is up... He's done a lot of sea duty and will be 37 yo with a military retirement...

 

[P7M13]

Still looking for this boat, she is still around here somewhere close, but so far has eluded me! This was my all time favorite boat/driver to watch back when I was a kid!
View attachment 885508
This is the other one! I think she is still around, she used to sit along the I-205 near the I-5 interchange!
At one time, she was the fastest boat in the N.W!
View attachment 885509

Used to love watching the Hydro races on the Detroit River. Bill Muncey was my favorite driver on Atlas Van Lines. Probably the most memorable was watching Eagle Electric flip, killing the driver.

I used to play with little boats way back when I was a kid
Always wanted this boat, couldn't ever get him to sell it to me!
A 1976 4 cylinder lite class Staudecker Ford Pinto power with a proven record!
View attachment 885461

A buddy built his own and powered it with a Kaw motorcycle engine.

 

[Howard1955]

Well... Back when I was young, I worked for awhile as a civilian in the navy shipyards in California. Most of that work was on nuclear subs, but I occasionally got to work on surface craft. Interesting job.

The SSN-571 Nautilus was the world's first nuclear sub, and she was decommissioned at Mare Island in Vallejo, California. We did extensive work to the boat, getting it ready for its new life as a museum. By the time this job was being done, I had been injured - so I got the cushy job of "night watchman" as she lay alongside the seawall.

I was present one weekend (during the day) while Nautilus was tied up at a seawall, and the Greenpeace folks decided they really wanted to come aboard. I guess their notion was to hang a "no nukes" banner on the sail, or something of that nature.

So, they brought their 'Mother Ship' up the channel, and sent out some guys in a Zodiac. They were met by a couple of ocean-going tugs, both blasting away at them with high-pressure water nozzles. The Zodiac was zooming around, trying to make its way to the Nautilus... Unbeknownst to the Greenpeace crew, there were some Marines standing by on the Nautilus, waiting for their arrival.

Greenpeace eventually gave up, without even getting close to coming aboard. I imagine the Marines were a bit disappointed.


Here's what she looked like in drydock:






Here's what she looks like in her museum role:

 

[sobo]

Well... Back when I was young, I worked for awhile as a civilian in the navy shipyards in California. Most of that work was on nuclear subs, but I occasionally got to work on surface craft. Interesting job.

The SSN-571 Nautilus was the world's first nuclear sub, and she was decommissioned at Mare Island in Vallejo, California. We did extensive work to the boat, getting it ready for its new life as a museum. By the time this job was being done, I had been injured - so I got the cushy job of "night watchman" as she lay alongside the seawall.

I was present one weekend (during the day) while Nautilus was tied up at a seawall, and the Greenpeace folks decided they really wanted to come aboard. I guess their notion was to hang a "no nukes" banner on the sail, or something of that nature.

So, they brought their 'Mother Ship' up the channel, and sent out some guys in a Zodiac. They were met by a couple of ocean-going tugs, both blasting away at them with high-pressure water nozzles. The Zodiac was zooming around, trying to make its way to the Nautilus... Unbeknownst to the Greenpeace crew, there were some Marines standing by on the Nautilus, waiting for their arrival.

Greenpeace eventually gave up, without even getting close to coming aboard. I imagine the Marines were a bit disappointed.


Here's what she looked like in drydock:

View attachment 885531




Here's what she looks like in her museum role:


View attachment 885530

Why is it that Greenpeacers are always such asshats...???

 

[sobo]

Out in the middle of Lake St. Clair (Detroit), a storm we had been watching in the distance changes direction and is upon us in minutes. We barely got the mainsail and jib down, and start motoring back. Just a few minutes later, we lose power. Motor's running, no forward thrust. Lightening all around us with zero delay to the thunder, and the wind gusting from all directions.
Midwest thunderstorms. There's raining, raining hard, cats and dogs, and then this one, which we called "pitchforks and babies."
Problem is, we are in or extremely close to the shipping channel, zero visibility, and those freighters cannot see us with their radar.
So we raise to quarter jib and keep our heading to WNW where we know boat clubs will be.
We were pretty tense, but after a bit of time we see dock lights, then buildings. We sail up and tie up at the main dock of a place called "The Little Club", a yacht club for Grosse Pointe uber wealthy. Some guy comes up and says, "This is a private club, you cannot dock here."
Even with our foul gear on, we all look like drenched rats. Phil, the boat owner, states "we have no motor power and it's too dangerous to sail in this storm." So the guy responds, "don't get out of your boat."
After the lightening has passed, Phil says fuggit, gets out a snorkel mask and his dive light and goes underneath to see what's wrong. The prop's sill in place, but it had sheared the prop pin. He goes up to the clubhouse to see if they might have something and is intercepted and diverted to the back of the kitchen. Eventually he comes out with a nail that fits perfectly, he bends it into place. We test the thrust - it works.
By then, it's just a good wind and still raining, so we shove off and sail the five miles to his home slip.
I last saw him in 2008, and despite it being almost 20 years later, we still joked about "..you cannot dock here."

OK, this reminds me of a similar story, but it's not really nautically related. Well, I s'pose it could be if you stretched it quite a bit. Involved ice climbing in Waterton National Park in Canada, just across the border opposite our own Glacier National Park. Same kinda asshat scurrying to meet us as we busted into the resort's über-fancy dining room on a wintery, snowy, romantic Valentine's Day evening after a long day climbing the frozen waterfalls and freezing our butts off in near-0F temps. There's snotcicles hanging off our 'staches and beards, we're tired and hungry as phuq-all, and we're ravenously looking for sump'n to eat. I'll leave it at that...

 

[sobo]

...We sail up and tie up at the main dock of a place called "The Little Club", a yacht club for Grosse Pointe uber wealthy. Some guy comes up and says, "This is a private club, you cannot dock here."
Even with our foul gear on, we all look like drenched rats. Phil, the boat owner, states "we have no motor power and it's too dangerous to sail in this storm." So the guy responds, "don't get out of your boat."
I last saw him in 2008, and despite it being almost 20 years later, we still joked about "..you cannot dock here."

Was it this guy?

 

[Flopsweat]

Why is it that Greenpeacers are always such asshats...???

That's who joins now. There was a great article a few years ago by the founder. He no longer has anything to do with them because the organization has been taken over by militants. They are now more focused on causing mayhem than helping.

 

[sobo]

That's who joins now. There was a great article a few years ago by the founder. He no longer has anything to do with them because the organization has been taken over by militants. They are now more focused on causing mayhem than helping.

I saw and read that article, I also saw him do an interview on Fox. It may have been on Tucker...
The guy was disgusted with what GP had become, and who can blame him?

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Do tell, was this the inspiration for the movie Jaws?

I couldn't help it, a great water story!

 

[Caveman Jim]

Why is it that Greenpeacers are always such asshats...???

And not held accountable for their actions, kind of sounds like Anti fa & BLM (the Progressives brown shirts)...

 

[chukar]

Well... Back when I was young, I worked for awhile as a civilian in the navy shipyards in California. Most of that work was on nuclear subs, but I occasionally got to work on surface craft. Interesting job.

The SSN-571 Nautilus was the world's first nuclear sub, and she was decommissioned at Mare Island in Vallejo, California. We did extensive work to the boat, getting it ready for its new life as a museum. By the time this job was being done, I had been injured - so I got the cushy job of "night watchman" as she lay alongside the seawall.

I was present one weekend (during the day) while Nautilus was tied up at a seawall, and the Greenpeace folks decided they really wanted to come aboard. I guess their notion was to hang a "no nukes" banner on the sail, or something of that nature.

So, they brought their 'Mother Ship' up the channel, and sent out some guys in a Zodiac. They were met by a couple of ocean-going tugs, both blasting away at them with high-pressure water nozzles. The Zodiac was zooming around, trying to make its way to the Nautilus... Unbeknownst to the Greenpeace crew, there were some Marines standing by on the Nautilus, waiting for their arrival.

Greenpeace eventually gave up, without even getting close to coming aboard. I imagine the Marines were a bit disappointed.


Here's what she looked like in drydock:

View attachment 885531




Here's what she looks like in her museum role:


View attachment 885530

I wasn't there when the Nautilus was deactivated but served with the group of Marines in charge of security for West Coast RF/DF operations in the Pacific circa 1989-93.. Mare Island (one mission), Pearl Harbor (0 missions) and PSNS/Bremerton( 2 missions).

Yes, I can say without a doubt that the crayon munchers were probably feeling like being clock teased.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

Well... Back when I was young, I worked for awhile as a civilian in the navy shipyards in California. Most of that work was on nuclear subs, but I occasionally got to work on surface craft. Interesting job.

The SSN-571 Nautilus was the world's first nuclear sub, and she was decommissioned at Mare Island in Vallejo, California. We did extensive work to the boat, getting it ready for its new life as a museum. By the time this job was being done, I had been injured - so I got the cushy job of "night watchman" as she lay alongside the seawall.

I was present one weekend (during the day) while Nautilus was tied up at a seawall, and the Greenpeace folks decided they really wanted to come aboard. I guess their notion was to hang a "no nukes" banner on the sail, or something of that nature.

So, they brought their 'Mother Ship' up the channel, and sent out some guys in a Zodiac. They were met by a couple of ocean-going tugs, both blasting away at them with high-pressure water nozzles. The Zodiac was zooming around, trying to make its way to the Nautilus... Unbeknownst to the Greenpeace crew, there were some Marines standing by on the Nautilus, waiting for their arrival.

Greenpeace eventually gave up, without even getting close to coming aboard. I imagine the Marines were a bit disappointed.


Here's what she looked like in drydock:

View attachment 885531




Here's what she looks like in her museum role:


View attachment 885530

I always figured they chose the Nautilus because it had been decommissioned. A commissioned sub would have an armed quarterdeck watch, which would have ventilated any unauthorized boarders with .45 caliber holes.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

This one is the most significant experience I've ever had, or hope to have on the water.

This happens about 1975 on Table Rock Lake outside Branson, MO. Table Rock Lake is 70 miles long and 200' deep with 1200 miles of shoreline. I'm GM of a 400 slip marina and boat dealership with boats up to 65'. I'm opening the marina office and store at 5 am in late May. It's just starting to get light. I notice that the Zebulon Pike, a 65' Coast Guard cutter turned tour boat is leaving its berth to go refuel for the day. The water is like glass. Humidity is 100%, and it's 90 degrees and overcast. I am just putting the cash drawer in the cash register when there's a flash of lightning and I look out the window and see a strange white fog about 3 feet deep on top of the water about a mile down the lake from me. Very strange. Something's not right.

As I watch, the fog is approaching very quickly. I decided at that point to evacuate until I know what's going on. I gather up the cash and head up the dock about 200' to the ramp at a jog. About the time my foot hits asphalt the wind arrives and knocks me off my feet. That fog had been caused by the 120 mph wind taking the tops off the waves it created. Aluminum boats stacked in the parking lot are now flying past my head. I get up and head for a spot just big enough for me to sit in between the cement gas storage bunker and a Volkswagen-sized rock at the edge of the parking lot.

I watch as the wind picks up the 200' x 60' covered steel dock I had just evacuated and, starting at one corner, lifts it up, snapping several 5/8" steel anchor cables, and rolls it up into a giant cork screw, boats and all. It's also snapped off the gas lines to the gas dock. Bass boats and ski boats are flying through the air. A half dozen of our docks are piling up in the back of the cove on top of each other.

Looking out into the body of the lake I can see the Zebulon Pike, with its twin 330 Cummins diesels, headed into the wind and holding position. The captain later told me that he was at 3/4 throttle just to hold his position.

As the mayhem began to subside I climbed over the wall into the gas storage bunker and closed the valves on the storage tanks totaling 9000 gallons, which was now spilling out into the lake.

It took all summer and fall to rebuild after that. I'll take earthquakes and volcanoes any day.

 

[Howard1955]

I always figured they chose the Nautilus because it had been decommissioned. A commissioned sub would have an armed quarterdeck watch, which would have ventilated any unauthorized boarders with .45 caliber holes.

It being decommissioned probably did make them feel a bit safer. It would be interesting to talk with one of the people who were in the Zodiac, and ask them what they were hoping to accomplish.

Maybe they were naive enough to think they could "occupy" the boat, similar to how some protesters will climb and "occupy" a tree.

Whatever was on their mind, they were extremely lucky that they never got aboard. I don't think they would've been shot, unless they were carrying weapons - and it's more likely that they had things like banners and spray paint.

I do think they would have received an epic thumping from the Marines. But it might've been even worse for them if they had encountered some of the shipyard workers. Some of us weren't very... nice.

 

[Caveman Jim]

That probably did make them feel a bit safer. It would be interesting to talk with one of the people who were in the Zodiac, and ask them what they were hoping to accomplish.

Maybe they were naive enough to think they could "occupy" the boat, similar to how some protesters will climb and "occupy" a tree.

Whatever was on their mind, they were extremely lucky that they never got aboard. I don't think they would've been shot, unless they were carrying weapons - and it's more likely that they had things like banners and spray paint.

I do think they would have received an epic thumping from the Marines. But it might've been even worse for them if they had encountered some of the shipyard workers. Some of us weren't very... nice.

My apologies, wrong quote...

 

[Howard1955]

This one is the most significant experience I've ever had, or hope to have on the water.

About 1975 on Table Rock Lake outside Branson, MO. I'm GM of a 400 slip marina and boat dealership with boats up to 65'. I'm opening the marina office and store at 5 am in late May. It's just starting to get light. I notice that the Zebulon Pike, a 65' Coast Guard cutter turned tour boat is leaving its berth to go refuel for the day. The water is like glass. Humidity is 100%, and it's 90 degrees. I am just putting the cash drawer in the cash register when there's a flash of lightning and I look out the window and see a strange white fog about 3 feet deep on top of the water about a mile down the lake from me. Very strange. Something's not right.

As I watch, the fog is approaching very quickly. I decided at that point to evacuate until I know what's going on. I gather up the cash and head up the dock about 200' to the ramp at a jog. About the time my foot hits asphalt the wind arrives and knocks me off my feet. That fog had been caused by the 120 mph wind taking the tops off the waves it created. Aluminum boats stacked in the parking lot are now flying past my head. I get up and head for a spot just big enough for me to sit in between the cement gas storage bunker and a Volkswagen-sized rock at the edge of the parking lot.

I watch as the wind picks up the 200' x 60' covered steel dock I had just evacuated and, starting at one corner, lifts it up, snapping several 5/8" steel anchor cables, and rolls it up into a giant cork screw, boats and all. It's also snapped off the gas lines to the gas dock. Bass boats and ski boats are flying through the air. A half dozen of our docks are piling up in the back of the cove on top of each other.

Looking out into the body of the lake I can see the Zebulon Pike, with its twin 330 Cummins diesels, headed into the wind and holding position. The captain later told me that he was at 3/4 throttle just to hold his position.

As the mayhem began to subside I climbed over the wall into the gas storage bunker and closed the valves on the storage tanks totaling 9000 gallons, which was now spilling out into the lake.

It took all summer and fall to rebuild after that. I'll take earthquakes and volcanoes any day.

That was quick thinking. Glad you made it.

 

[The Heretic]

Still looking for this boat, she is still around here somewhere close, but so far has eluded me! This was my all time favorite boat/driver to watch back when I was a kid!
View attachment 885508
This is the other one! I think she is still around, she used to sit along the I-205 near the I-5 interchange!
At one time, she was the fastest boat in the N.W!
View attachment 885509

I remember the summer I spent stationed at the Tri-Cities and being on duty for the hydro races. It was our job to close the river to boating traffic and keep the people in the water near the shore from getting out from shore too close to the boats.

I recall the one very "healthy" young lass who was floating in an inner tube who had on some kind of "net" bikini who asked us for a tow. We had to decline, although I really would have liked to give her a "ride".

 

[Caveman Jim]

This one is the most significant experience I've ever had, or hope to have on the water.

About 1975 on Table Rock Lake outside Branson, MO. I'm GM of a 400 slip marina and boat dealership with boats up to 65'. I'm opening the marina office and store at 5 am in late May. It's just starting to get light. I notice that the Zebulon Pike, a 65' Coast Guard cutter turned tour boat is leaving its berth to go refuel for the day. The water is like glass. Humidity is 100%, and it's 90 degrees. I am just putting the cash drawer in the cash register when there's a flash of lightning and I look out the window and see a strange white fog about 3 feet deep on top of the water about a mile down the lake from me. Very strange. Something's not right.

As I watch, the fog is approaching very quickly. I decided at that point to evacuate until I know what's going on. I gather up the cash and head up the dock about 200' to the ramp at a jog. About the time my foot hits asphalt the wind arrives and knocks me off my feet. That fog had been caused by the 120 mph wind taking the tops off the waves it created. Aluminum boats stacked in the parking lot are now flying past my head. I get up and head for a spot just big enough for me to sit in between the cement gas storage bunker and a Volkswagen-sized rock at the edge of the parking lot.

I watch as the wind picks up the 200' x 60' covered steel dock I had just evacuated and, starting at one corner, lifts it up, snapping several 5/8" steel anchor cables, and rolls it up into a giant cork screw, boats and all. It's also snapped off the gas lines to the gas dock. Bass boats and ski boats are flying through the air. A half dozen of our docks are piling up in the back of the cove on top of each other.

Looking out into the body of the lake I can see the Zebulon Pike, with its twin 330 Cummins diesels, headed into the wind and holding position. The captain later told me that he was at 3/4 throttle just to hold his position.

As the mayhem began to subside I climbed over the wall into the gas storage bunker and closed the valves on the storage tanks totaling 9000 gallons, which was now spilling out into the lake.

It took all summer and fall to rebuild after that. I'll take earthquakes and volcanoes any day.

So that blast was from a lightning strike?
Dayummm, you did the right thing by using azzholes and elbows...