Worst Boat Key Mishaps

[Barry Loos]

Talking with the boys last night, we reflected on two boat key incidents that were funny and I wondered if any of you had anything happen like these:



1. About 20 minutes prior to a tournament start, most of the boats were in the water and we we all BS'ing boat to boat. You know the scene. Anyway, one guy was putting all of his keys on a new key float. I made a wise crack that the float looked like something from a Barbie playhouse. The guy yelled, "At least it will keep my keys from sinking." Then he pitched them in the water and the keys with the new key float sunk to the bottom. Needless to say, he got a late start that morning. After the tournment I gave him my lucky mermaid key float.



2. Another time, one of the boys had locked all his boat compartments for security reasons while at the motel the night before a tournament. The next morning he unlocked all of them but forgot one. Later in the day it was hotter than blazes and he took his shirt off. After a while he wanted the suntan lotion and it was in the locked compartment. He took the key chain full of keys from the ignition and opened the hatch and got the suntan lotion. At the same time his partner hooked a fish and called for the net. The shirtless fellow threw the keys on his shirt laying on the deck and grabbed the net. That bass marched them all over the boat before they netted the darn thing. After the bass was in the well, our shirtless fisherman didn't notice the next pole that he grabbed had the lure tangled in the shirt. When he picked the pole up, the keys plopped into the lake and sunk quickly. They spent the rest of the day on the trolling motor.



I remember this story very well because I towed them in and I ended in second place to the guy that lost the keys. Moral of the story, only help fellow competitors after the weigh-in.



Da Bear

 

[Jim B]

I got a funny one that happened to a guy in my club.



He was getting ready to leave for a club tourney and he put his boat keys on the bumper of his truck. Needless to say he forgot they were there until he realised about 50 miles later that he forgot his boat keys. He stopped and checked the boat etc but no keys, Then he saw them still sitting on the bumper. Talk about lucky.



I myself have never lost a set of keys but i have left them at home only to realise it after i get to the lake after a 3+ hour drive. I now keep spares in the truck.

 

[TrepMan]

TOO funny guys. I only have 2 and they are NOT near as good as yours:



1. Eli was 3 and REALY wanted to go fishing, we had just bought our van, I still had my wagon, and I took the van to the lake. We get the boat all ready, loaded and i go to grab the keys out of the glove box and NO KEYS!! Had to unload and relatch the boat down, go back 20 mins to the house. MAN Eli was PISSED!!



2. Was in Houston and just getting my wife interested in bay fishing, load the boat, prep it and back her down the ramp. Wife is out on the dock/store looking at snack. I launch the boat, tie her off to the dock and go back to the truck. OPPS, locked the truck keys IN the truck and its RUNNING!!! SHIET!! Wife is NOT happy and MAN luckily it was NOT a busy ramp!! We get a coat hanger from the dock store and after about 15 mins get the lock popped open and we're set. Only good news that day is wife hooked her largest fish at the time a 6lb saltwater drum!!

 

[Rob LaMoy]

I had a similar mishap to Trep. A buddy and I were fishing in November (so the ramp was luckily empty) and upon backing the trailer back in the water to leave I got out of the truck only to bump the power lock button as the door closed. I didn't grab it quickly enough. So there was my truck, running on the ramp, keys locked inside with my boat still in the water. I had to walk about a mile up to a pay phone and call my mother in law to bring me a set of spares.



The same buddy on the same ramp 1 year prior was getting out of his truck and it slipped out of gear and rolled back into the water with his rotty still inside. The water was in the 40's so he didn't dare go in after it. The police were called and a trooper came, stripped down, and went out and rescued the dog that was in the back of the truck breathing in an air pocket captured in cab. The only thing that kept the truck from going all the way was that he had forgotten to unhook his transom ties, so the boat was floating the trailer and holding the truck in place from sinking further.



One last one:

I was finishing up guiding for a day and got on the bank and told the client to toss my truck keys to me.....bad idea. I was only 4 feet away from him, but he tossed them only 2 feet, right into the water! Luckily, after my escapade at the ramp before, I had spares hidden on the truck and was able to get us home. This was in June so I went back with snorkel gear to retrieve my keys and I found them. A nice little 2 lb smallie was camped on top of the "shinny things" guarding them! I would never had seen them if he hadn't caught my attention first and I went over to check him out.

 

[Michael Snow]

I got to the boat ramp once without keys. I THINK I had the family with me. I get out of the truck to rig the boat, get back in and just drive home. I had an extra set made the next day. I put the second set on my truck keychain. A few months later, I pull the same stunt and I'm looking EVERYWHERE in my truck for those blanking spares. It takes me a while to remember where I'd put them.



I normally have no less than 4 sets of keys to my boat. One on the little floatie (which stays in the ignition), one on my truck keychain, one in the console of my truck, and one in my desk drawer.

 

[Steve Rizza]

In the almost 5 years I have owned my boat,I don't think I have ever removed the key from the ignition.





I did throw my truck keys to my brother in law as he was standing on the dock.My brain kicked in as the keys were leaving my hand,but it was too late to stop..

Luckily he caught them (barely).



And... I ran into a friend taking his boat out of the water one day ,,,with his dog locked inside the truck,with the windows up,and the engine running,in the middle of the ramp.....

We used a screwdriver to break the lock on his sliding rear window..



That is why I keep a truck key in the first-aid kit that is in the boat.I sure don't want to be three hours from home with no keys.



Steve





Oh....years ago my brother and I were taking a raft trip down a river for smallmouth bass.

We took my truck and parked it at the end point of the trip,then both took his truck and the raft about 15 miles up river to the launch point.



Had a nice trip,caught lots of bass,yada,yada,yada.....



We get to the end of the trip,drag the raft up the path to where my truck is parked....

as I am looking in my pockets,I realized that I put my keys somewhere safe,a place where they wouldn't get lost,,,,,,,,in my brothers glove box as I exited his truck,,,,,,15 miles up river.......:wacko:

So after walking two miles to a store,and having my wife bring me keys,,,,and hearing BOTH of them tease me,,,we were on our way again.