So I got ejected from my boat the other day...

**reacler** · 05-21-2021, 06:30 PM

I'm mostly fine just some bruises and a minor concussion. I know I'm going to be scolded for this but call it a PSA.

Im sure you can all relate to how it started.. I was in my 17ft Action cruising along maybe 50mph in the channel after a couple speed runs in the flats when a worked jetski pulls up on me. Did I tell him to wait for me to go get my life jacket from the back and put it on? or did I smash the gas pedal and start trimming up? What would you do?

Anyway this ski is FAST, like probably the fastest I've ever raced. We were coming around a corner and I see some remnant boat wake bounding back from the marsh and another set coming at a different angle. I start to let off and trim to get off the pad but this ski starts walking on me soon as I do. Couldn't allow that so I smashed it again, right before I crossed the wake. I thought I could catch them at their junction but I was off and one caught me one way and the second wave the other direction. Boat flipped sideways one way and back the other, and when the second wave hit it pretty much catapulted me out of the seat, bumped my head on the cowling on the way out.

Luckily I had friends at the beach bordering the channel that saw the whole thing and came to get me. I'm a strong swimmer but that doesn't matter if you're knocked out. I was very lucky and could have easily lost consciousness and really been in trouble.
Just a safety reminder for us all, sometimes its easy to get too comfortable.

**CUDA** · 05-21-2021, 07:20 PM

Just need a 20 footer, glad your OK.

**Rak Rua** · 05-21-2021, 07:28 PM

Sounds like you did everything wrong, which is exactly what I’d have done in the same scenario.

Just glad to read you’ll be fine after some recovery and no doubt, you won’t make the same decisions again. By posting here, it might make others think twice before hitting the gas hard.

Sorry you got out run by a jet-ski.

RR

**Da Bull** · 05-22-2021, 04:22 AM

Your last sentence says it all. Yes sometimes we get just to comfortable behind the wheel. You feel like your sitting in your living room in your easy chair. Problem is that there`s no danger (unless the ole lady throw`s something at you but thats another story) or rough water to deal with. Bill Seabold said in an interview once that you get to feeling so comfortable that you could get up on the nose and walk around. I know that feeling and now you do to.

**Fl Boy in ILL** · 05-22-2021, 05:06 AM

I know its not cool, but wear your life jacket and use your kill switch ALL the time, then when that shi pulls up next to you are protected or at least will float and they can find you

Rick

**transomstand** · 05-22-2021, 07:29 AM

Originally Posted by Fl Boy in ILL

I know its not cool, but wear your life jacket and use your kill switch ALL the time, then when that shi pulls up next to you are protected or at least will float and they can find you

Rick

Yep...not gonna go fast, just cruisin, until.....

**Bodhi** · 05-22-2021, 09:40 AM

Glad your still here to post. I pucker up whenever I see rollers or rogue wakes even when I have the family boat out.
How'd the boat fare?

**XstreamVking** · 05-22-2021, 10:28 AM

Got to be careful out there. Luck was on your side and glad you can still tell about it.

**mrichartz** · 05-22-2021, 11:19 AM

Yea sucks getting those hard reminders to wear jacket and lanyard..well don't know how old you are..but Id say it comes with age too sometimes but it doesn't..at least your ok..next time stop and say I win..wasn't that where we were racing too..lol
How's your head? the boat...and the cowling.

**Instigator** · 05-22-2021, 11:39 AM

Due to the happy ending...., what a great story and lesson/reminder to us all.

That was always my internal argument.
Your just cruising and then someone tries to pass you....., now what?

The only rational answer I came up with was, if I’m on plane, in one of my water rockets, I wear a (real one) vest.

Thanks for sharing your story.
Totally different coming from a guy who went through it.

Gary

Originally Posted by reacler

I'm mostly fine just some bruises and a minor concussion. I know I'm going to be scolded for this but call it a PSA.

Im sure you can all relate to how it started.. I was in my 17ft Action cruising along maybe 50mph in the channel after a couple speed runs in the flats when a worked jetski pulls up on me. Did I tell him to wait for me to go get my life jacket from the back and put it on? or did I smash the gas pedal and start trimming up? What would you do?

Anyway this ski is FAST, like probably the fastest I've ever raced. We were coming around a corner and I see some remnant boat wake bounding back from the marsh and another set coming at a different angle. I start to let off and trim to get off the pad but this ski starts walking on me soon as I do. Couldn't allow that so I smashed it again, right before I crossed the wake. I thought I could catch them at their junction but I was off and one caught me one way and the second wave the other direction. Boat flipped sideways one way and back the other, and when the second wave hit it pretty much catapulted me out of the seat, bumped my head on the cowling on the way out.

Luckily I had friends at the beach bordering the channel that saw the whole thing and came to get me. I'm a strong swimmer but that doesn't matter if you're knocked out. I was very lucky and could have easily lost consciousness and really been in trouble.
Just a safety reminder for us all, sometimes its easy to get too comfortable.

**ADDvanced** · 05-22-2021, 02:30 PM

Learning experience. I raced a worked hydrostream a few years back and both of us saw some big rollers when it was way too late; he hit so hard his seat cushions flew out of his boat; I slammed into it really hard, surprised it didn't damage anything. GF was pissed. lol.

**Stoker boy** · 05-22-2021, 09:34 PM

Always wear a lifeline and kill switch. Accidents occur when you don’t expect them. If you expect them you will always have your lifeline and Killswitch connected.

Glad you’re ok.

**JBS** · 05-23-2021, 06:55 AM

Originally Posted by Stoker boy

Always wear a lifeline and kill switch. Accidents occur when you don’t expect them. If you expect them you will always have your lifeline and Killswitch connected.

Glad you’re ok.

Yep seen this happen a bunch happened to me a couple of times too. Now I always have the life jacket and the kill switch on. Glad you're okay. Unfortunately I've seen some sad endings.

**rgsauger** · 05-23-2021, 07:52 AM

After watching a video of a bass fisherman with no life jacket dog paddling while his boat started running death circles around him, I said never again. If I am getting on plane, I have my jacket on and kill switch hooked up. Period. And I won't even get in gear without kill switch hooked up. Period. No exceptions.

Btw, another boat rescued that fisherman. If they had not, he would have died from drowning, or worse. A good life jacket and kill switch changes everythig.

**reacler** · 05-24-2021, 02:10 PM

You guys are great, was expecting to get blasted. I first built the boat when I was in high school, now I'm 29 and an engineer - needless to say its gone through quite a few iterations. Even so, I find there's more and more to learn every season, sometimes in ways you'd never expect.

Originally Posted by mrichartz

Yea sucks getting those hard reminders to wear jacket and lanyard..well don't know how old you are..but Id say it comes with age too sometimes but it doesn't..at least your ok..next time stop and say I win..wasn't that where we were racing too..lol
How's your head? the boat...and the cowling.

My heads fine now, hit me hard enough to knock some sense into me but not hard enough for any lasting effects. The cowling is cracked but not too bad. Boat was seemingly fine, although I have a misfiring cylinder randomly now that I cant pinpoint. Swapped the coils, rebuilt the carbs, new plugs, fuel delivery is air tight. Only presents itself sometimes.