It was a beautiful August afternoon in Maryland, and my fiancée, her granddaughter, and I decided to take my 28-foot cabin cruiser down the South River and out into the Chesapeake Bay to the picturesque Thomas Point lighthouse, 5 miles from the marina. Once there, we decided to visit Annapolis, about 7 miles farther across open water dotted with crab traps. We went down Ego Alley and meandered through nearby Back Creek before heading home. I had noticed the voltmeter reading low and slowly dropping, but I pushed on.

The seas had picked up to about 2 feet on our bow, making for a rough ride. Suddenly, the boat jerked and veered hard to starboard. I looked around and saw the anchor line leading behind our boat, pulling a crab-pot float (more on this later). The anchor had jumped off its hook and deployed. We stopped the boat, and I hauled in the anchor, which had its shank bent 45 degrees.

I went to restart the boat and nothing. Both banks of batteries were apparently dead. I thought about checking the engine compartment, but the boat was rocking a lot.

We donned life jackets, and I called TowBoatUS. I deployed the anchor again, but we kept drifting because it would not dig in. We were lying sideways to the 2-foot seas, and the cooler and refrigerator down below upchucked their contents. The granddaughter also upchucked her contents all over the cockpit.

Ninety minutes later, Capt. Greg with TowBoatUS showed up and towed us safely back to our marina.

We made it in before dark. Upon raising the boat on its lift, I noticed that there was a metal crab pot firmly wrapped around the prop. So, we would not have been able to make it home, even if I had found and fixed the loose battery connections that had prevented the motor from restarting.

Read Next: The Importance of Wearing a Life Jacket

What we did right: donning life jackets, keeping calm, deploying the anchor to slow our drift, and having three working cellphones and a handheld VHF. Had I gone into the engine compartment to troubleshoot, I could have been injured with the severe rocking.

What we did wrong: not fully checking everything before leaving the boat slip, not stopping in Back Creek to check the voltage drop, and not staying clear of the crab-pot area. I have since installed locknuts on the battery connections to keep them secure and tight.

Jim Anderson
Davidsonville, Maryland

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After months of extensive preparations, my friend Coy and I headed for the Bahamas from Brunswick, Georgia, on Makana, his 32-footer.

Prior to leaving for the Bahamas, we learned that the -autopilot on Makana was not functioning, so Coy had a marine-electronics technician come to repair it and conduct a test trip. It was now running great. Having cruised extensively, we knew the value of an autopilot for fuel and time savings and for reducing stress on the skipper.

We set off, heading under the Sidney Lanier Bridge before allowing the autopilot to take control. Within seconds, Makana veered sharp to starboard and started swerving erratically. I immediately disengaged the autopilot and took control of the steering.

Read Next: Compounding Mistakes Make for a Dangerous Situation

Coy was not happy and was talking about returning to the dock. The autopilot had functioned flawlessly just a few days prior. Why was it suddenly acting like this?

I had experienced a similar event before on a boat that had its fluxgate compass and controls in one unit. It worked great in stand-by, but if I hit the engage button, it would turn us hard starboard. I figured out that the external fixator on my wrist (used to repair a fracture I had sustained) was causing the problem, so I thought maybe we had a fluxgate-compass problem with Makana.

After a thorough search in the aft cabin, I located the fluxgate compass situated at the bottom of the aft hanging locker, next to a No. 10 tin can (110 ounces) of peanuts. We quickly relocated the peanuts, and the autopilot operated flawlessly for the remainder of the voyage. Sometimes the solution to a boat problem can be quite simple, and this, thankfully, was one of those cases.

Charles Wilsdorf
Brunswick, Georgia

[The key safety takeaway here is that Mr. Wilsdorf remained at the helm, despite using an autopilot. Had he left the helm, the boat may have struck something or a sudden turn may have thrown someone overboard. Always keep a helm watch when using autopilot. —Ed.]

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I am a boat owner and also a recovery diver for the local sheriff’s office. The agency I work for received a call to assist a boat tangled in the shallow-water vegetation a few feet from shore of a 255-acre lake. We retrieved the body of a small child. The boy appeared frozen in time, as if he were in midkick of a swim when he died. Meanwhile, a bass boat was still humming a short distance away: Its trolling motor remained active, like the boat was still searching for the big catch of the day. This was, indeed, a tragedy.

Divers were ­unsuccessful in locating the adult of the boat. A fishing rod lay neatly on the foredeck, and children’s toys were strewn about. The boat’s GPS displayed its path, with a marked “event” near a finger of land. From there, the boat ran straight across a channel before reaching the far shore, where more circles and arcs appeared before the boat hung up in the weeds.

Two days later, the body of the vessel’s owner-operator surfaced. During the investigation, several major issues became apparent. Life jackets were stowed underneath the fishing platform, not within easy reach and, ­obviously, not worn. When investigators told the mother about the ­incident, she stated that she thought they had been gone longer than usual. So, apparently, no float plan was utilized. The now-widow also said that the father could not swim and the boy was still learning.

Read Next: How to Properly Read New Life-Jacket Labels

What exactly happened will remain a mystery. For the safety of all small-boat captains and crew, the necessity of wearing a life jacket cannot be stressed enough. If the captain cannot save him- or herself, how can he or she save the crew, the boat, or ask for assistance? Know how to swim, wear a life jacket, and file a float plan.

William Coleman
Parrish, Florida

[For details about float plans and who to leave them with, visit boatingmag.com/­how-to/filing-float-plan/. —Ed.]

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Have you ever been suddenly awakened from sleep with your eyes wide open and a deep, dreadful feeling that something is wrong? When my eyes popped opened, there was rain beating against the sliding door of our Florida Keys condo. I looked outside to check the boats and saw the red-hot glow of my father-in-law’s cigarette in the predawn minutes. He was shirtless, in a pair of boxers, and cussing at his three-man Sea-Doo that was pinned between our rented center-console and the granite rocks of the shoreline. With every lap of the waves, you could hear the sickening crunch of fiberglass.

Both of us are Florida natives, have owned numerous boats, and have over 60 years of combined experience in the Atlantic and Intracoastal Waterway of Florida. For decades, we’ve made a family trip to the Keys to fish and catch spiny lobster—usually in the middle Keys between Islamorada and Marathon.

The previous evening, we had watched the sun set behind the two vessels tied to a mooring ball about 30 yards offshore. I recall the peaceful bay that evening: a neon-pink sky, cotton-candy clouds, and a gentle breeze in the palms. We had already used the mooring for the boat, and it was getting late, so we decided to tie off the Sea-Doo overnight—neither one of us considered the extra weight pulling on the mooring or bothered to check the weather forecast.

A tropical squall kicked up and pushed the rig into the rocks. I ran outside wearing swim trunks and jumped onto the center-console. The Sea-Doo was taking on water and listing. The rental didn’t have any dock lines, and the only thing that I had in my portable emergency kit was parachute cord. I tied the cord to the bow of the Sea-Doo, and my father-in-law got onto the Sea-Doo to steer while underway (no life jacket). I put the boat in gear without communicating or checking the attitude of the Sea-Doo, which was perpendicular to the boat. As soon as I engaged, the nose of the Sea-Doo whipped around and threw my father-in-law off the back and into the rocks (fortunately, he suffered only a couple of bruises).

Read Next: An Anchoring Emergency

I was on my own heading for a cut under one of the many bridges in the Keys. If you’re familiar with the area, then you know how strong the current rips through there. As I approached the bridge, the parachute cord snapped. The Sea-Doo was adrift and heading toward the bridge at about 10 knots and closing fast. I swung the boat around and grabbed the steering wheel of the Sea-Doo with my right hand at midship and managed the boat with my left. At this point, I was at the mercy of the current and drifting broadside toward the center pylon. I bumped the engine in and out of gear and managed to drift sideways under the bridge without contact—the Sea-Doo still in hand, my heart in my throat, and my nerves frayed. I was able to get the Sea-Doo to the boat ramp and hauled it out with the trailer.

Lessons learned? Take your pick. Inspect your mooring. Consider the weight on a mooring. Never neglect the weather. Take a few seconds to don a life jacket. Communicate with your crew. Properly equip a rented vessel. In haste, we made poor decisions and turned a serious situation into a dangerous situation—the Sea-Doo could have been salvaged much less urgently. And, finally, as always, say your prayers and give thanks.

Dan McNeil
Cleveland Heights, Ohio

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Back in 2006, my wife and I were in our third year of boating, and on a boating vacation in Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada. The weather became unsettled, so we opted to explore Parry Sound and enjoy the marina. 

Days passed. We continued to sit tight. But we didn’t want to spend our vacation in the marina. Fellow boaters assured us that nothing could touch us in Regatta Bay at Windsor Island. So, off we went. I remember one boat with an anchor out in every direction, and thought that was a bit much. We laid anchor, tied off the stern to shore, and settled in.

At about 2 a.m., we woke to the sound of thunder. I felt the gust front pass over. The bow swayed, and then—silence. I’m pretty sure that’s when the anchor pulled out. The next sound was a loud bang. I unzipped the side panel of the camper top and found myself staring at a boulder. I started the engine and tried repeatedly to reset the anchor, but I had no luck. To further complicate things, the stern line got caught in the prop. My mouth was dry, and I worked at keeping my fear under control. I jumped overboard and frantically freed the rope from the prop. I got back aboard and tried again to reset the anchor.

Read Next: Choosing Where to Anchor

I started signaling for help from neighboring boats using a flashlight. The guy with the anchors in every direction boarded his dinghy and made his way over in the rain! My wife and I stood there, she in Victoria’s Secret leopard-print underwear, hoping he could get us anchored again. He took our Danforth out in his dinghy, and finally, together, we got it to set.

I thanked him profusely.

We learned a few things from that frightful night. One, know the consistency of the bottom you are anchoring in, and use the correct anchor for it. Two, use a floating stern line to keep it out of your prop. Three, do your best to keep cool and not to panic so you can think of solutions. Good luck. This was our first real emergency, and I think we did OK.

Robert Manera
Brampton, Ontario, Canada

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Worldwide, thousands of people die from lightning strikes each year. Ten times that number endure serious injury from lightning.

Certainly, because the population is so large, even numbers like those mean the chances of any individual getting hit by lightning remain small. But boaters are at more risk than the average person. One in 1,000 boats are struck by lightning annually, according to insurance giant BoatUS. Many of those strikes occur at the dock. Still, out on the water, we, or our boat, might be the highest conductor around. Which means we might be the most likely path that lightning takes. So, what can a boater do?

The first defense against lightning involves getting a reliable weather forecast. In many areas, a “chance of thunderstorms” is always in the weather report. Such a forecast is no reason to stay ashore. Rather, it means you should keep an extra eye on the weather, especially during the afternoon, when T-storms usually build. The anvil-shaped clouds are often easy to see, and the anvil’s “overhang” points in the direction the storm is moving. If you’re not sure, err on the side of caution and head home.

If the forecast calls for a fast-moving front, loaded with line storms, you should stay home that day. Note the difference with the first forecast.

If you get caught out in a thunderstorm, do what you can to lower the boat’s profile. Stow fishing rods, fold down antennas, and retract tow towers and/or other structure, if possible. Keep your crew low in the boat. If your boat has a cabin, go below. Don’t touch any metal structure.

Read Next: Planning and Preparing for Weather When Boating

Seas and winds can build terribly during a storm, and as captain, you may have to risk taking the helm to avoid the boat foundering.

Seen from a safe vantage, thunderstorms provide a display of terrible beauty. Get caught in one out in the boat, and your odds of becoming a statistic increase. Stay safe.

[This space is normally reserved for Boating readers to share their on-water experiences. However, our team felt that a reminder about the dangers of lightning was a worthwhile way to start the summer, when thunderstorms are most common. —Ed.]

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Three days into our annual trip down the Upper Mississippi River, my wife and I were preparing our 30-foot cabin cruiser, Weekend Therapy, for the 30-mile stretch from Red Wing to Winona, Minnesota, requiring a crossing of Lake Pepin, the largest lake on the river.

Monitoring weather reports as we did our daily system checks, we saw that a storm was moving in. We could stay and ride it out in Red Wing, risk being delayed and lose our slip and dinner reservations in Winona, or shove off pronto, maintain schedule, and hope that we stayed ahead of it. 

This being our fifth summer on the river, we’d experienced heavy weather, and found it easier to navigate storms than rearrange reservations during high-tourist season, so we double-checked that our gear was secured, and we set off for Winona.

Slowly motoring out of the marina, river bluffs framed an azure sky, but thunder rumbled in the distance. I put the throttle down on the 360 hp MerCruiser to put some distance between us and the approaching tempest. 

Weaving between buoys marking the navigable channel, the river bluffs widened out into the lake proper. We throttled down to assess the situation. The wind picked up, pushing 6-foot rollers across the wide expanse of open water. A stark line of black clouds severed the sky. The storm hadn’t tracked like the app had projected. We donned life jackets and prepared for a rough ride.

Read Next: Capsize, Rescue and Lessons Learned

Spray crashing over the gunwales, keeling over precariously, the hull shuddered with every pounding wave. Then it rained—a spatter culminating in a deluge. The windshield wipers couldn’t keep up and I couldn’t see, but my wife could watch for buoys through the porthole and wave me in the proper direction, just like we’d practiced. 

When it blew over and a triple rainbow materialized, we were soaked and a little shaky at the knees, second-guessing our decision to push on that morning, but the Red Wing marina had sustained damage, and chances are Weekend Therapy would have been damaged too if we’d stayed. 

Stay or go, there are always risks, and it pays to be prepared.

Jeff Schwarz
Hudson, Wisconsin

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I live overlooking Lake Owasso, north of St. Paul, Minnesota. One early-spring morning, it was sunny, bright and 55 degrees. I looked out and saw an aluminum fishing boat upside down, with two people sitting on the hull.

I knew that I had to swing into action to perform a rescue. Ice-out was only two weeks prior, and the ­water was cold—probably around 40 to 50 degrees F. I ran out to my boat lift and cranked down my 17 Sea Ray. I did not wait for the blower to operate. I just headed over to the upside-down boat at full speed. Mistake No. 1: An ­explosion would have meant that I would need rescuing.

I arrived to find an older couple trembling with cold. Here I made ­mistake No. 2: I did not give them life jackets. Cold water saps the ability to swim. Instead, I just had them transfer to my boat via the swim platform. I asked the gentleman if he wanted me to tow the boat over to the launch area. Here I made mistake No. 3: I agreed to the tow. I should have taken them to shore to warm up in their car and retrieved the boat later.

Read Next: Getting Back in the Boat

I idled back to the dock towing the boat. Here I made mistake No. 4: I fussed around with the ­gentleman to prepare the boat for reloading on their trailer rather than getting the couple to their car to warm up. The lady was shivering. Finally, I got the boat on the trailer and returned home.

All were safe at the end, with only loss of their fishing gear. In retrospect, I made another mistake: I failed to call 911 to get the sheriff out to assist. Their office is about a mile and a half away.

Peter Rhode
Roseville, Minnesota

[Shivering is the first sign of hypothermia. Hypothermia can be deadly, and warming a hypothermic person is the priority once they are out of the water. Dress for the water, not the weather, and don wool clothing and a hat when boating on cold water. —Ed.]

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One sunny afternoon, I decided to take a solo pontoon boat trip from my home on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay to the Eastern Shore, about an hourlong 10-nautical–mile trip that I have successfully completed many times in the past. Since land was in sight for the trip, I planned to head out with land to port and return with land to starboard.

It ended up being more complicated than that.

About halfway through the trip, I realized that it was nearing dinner time. Since I hadn’t told my wife—or anybody else—where I was going, I decided to turn around and head back home.

Things took a turn as I turned the boat. Visibility had dropped, and what shadows of land I could see all looked the same. I had not installed a GPS aboard the boat or even a -compass. Furthermore, a huge power plant, with coal stacks tall and lit, which had always served as a navigation aid for me in the past, had recently been razed. In the course of turning the boat 180 degrees to head home, I realized I was lost.

Read Next: Lessons for Boating in Fog

Fortunately, I had my cellphone with me. And I had a good signal! I also had a charging cable. I plugged it in so that there was no fear of running out of battery. And I had installed the Know Wake and Argo apps on the phone. The phone would be my salvation leading me home.

Still, I made some mistakes that I will not make again. I will always let someone else know where I am going and when I am expected back. Also, I will make sure to take extra water and snacks aboard the boat. I recommend that boaters make sure their phone is charged, can be recharged aboard, and practice with a navigation app so that using it is -second nature if needed.

My boating experience turned into an education for me and, I hope, for others.

Joe Maranto
Middle River, Maryland

[A decent compass costs approximately $100. Also, visit boatingmag.com/how-to/filing-float-plan/. Finally, take Mr. Maranto’s excellent suggestions. —Ed.] 

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Look out for one-way valves located in your bilge-pump overboard discharge hose. The intended purpose is to prevent the water left in the bilge hose from flowing back into the boat after the pump shuts off. In theory, it’s a great idea. In reality, it could sink your boat.

Being a cautious boater, I constantly check to make sure everything works properly. The -normal procedure for checking bilge-pump operation is to run it from the manual switch at the helm and also check that the pump runs when the float switch is activated.

Read Next: Simple Troubleshooting Saves Time

One day, while cleaning the bilge, I decided to test the pump system by running the hose into the bilge. The pump kicked on, but no water pumped out. I ordered new valves and installed them. Sometimes it would work, sometimes not. This perplexed me because the bilge-pump system in a boat is pretty simple, and this shouldn’t happen.

As it turns out, the one-way valve can create an air gap in the line, making it impossible for some pumps to prime. The one-way valves will reportedly work with diaphragm pumps. I think it’s important that people are aware of this. I fully expected that my bilge pumps were ready, willing and able to do their job when needed. Apparently, I was wrong.

Ron Wolfson
Treasure Island, Florida

[Check valves violate ABYC standards but can prove helpful for low-freeboard boats. The bilge outlet of such boats can become submerged, especially while launching from a -trailer, flooding the bilge if there is no check valve. However, these valves must be routinely checked and maintained. Also, new Rule bilge pumps utilize an integral check valve that is said not to air-lock. —Ed.]

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