Another trick that can help is to use the cavitation plate on your outboard
as a step. For a bigger boat with power trim you can use the trim to help
lift an exhausted swimmer. If it has a trim switch on the side of the
cowling like my big mercury you can use it to lift yourself up. I try not
to get out of the boat in deep water, but it can happen. On my smaller
boats and canoe I always keep a bow line tied on. Once when I went for a
swim canoeing it saved and a canoe full of panicking kids when I managed to
dump myself out. I grabbed the bowline in my teeth and swam it to shore.


"jds" wrote in message
...
I just read Delta Charlies story and great tip about lost rod
retrieval. I also enjoyed all the comments. When I read Sarge's
account of diving in after the rod and having trouble getting back
into the boat I was reminded of how this once happened to me and I
thought I should share a tip that could save your life.

Getting into a boat after you have taken a "swim" can be difficult at
best and if you are alone and get tired it could cost you your life. I
made a small rope ladder by tieing several loops in dock line which I
put on a rear cleat. This is easily kept out of the way but if you
fall in the water all you have to do is work your way to the back of
the boat and pull the end of the line down to you. Place one foot in
the loop and use the cleat as a handhold and then you have the ability
to stand up and climb your rope ladder back into the boat. The cost
is almost nothing and if you spend a lot of time on the water your
odds of getting "in the water" increase dramatically. If you think you
can easily hoist yourself back into your boat without any help, take a
moment to consider how old you are now (your probably not in the same
shape you were when you were 18) and consider if you could really do
10 pullups.

I noticed one of the new bass boats has an emergency ladder built in
and as soon as I hit the lottery I will be equiping myself and all my
friends with one.

Thanks for all the great tips and advice this group has offered keep
up the good posting.


Joe Scharbrough
Jscharbrough at Earthlink.net