When Do You Drive A Boat Backwards?

Well, When It WON'T GO FORWARD OF COURSE!

I really do regret not having a picture of this, and Craig was slightly afraid to take one, even though he wishes he had now.

So how this went, was about mid spring of 2016 we were scrambling to get EVERYTHING fixed and working around Rainbow Haven. Some things were going right and others........not so much. Guests were already making reservations and there were rooms to get cleaned, gas tanks to get set back where they belonged. 230 some odd inspections and certifications due, and BOATS! Boats that all needed fixed! Not some....ALL!

While everyone else busied themselves with the rooms, the pool, the grass, the cleaning........... I chose to deal with the boats.

They say that a boat is nothing more than a big hole in the water you throw money into......Yep!

Anyway, my job was to fish the dead ones out of the water and haul them to the repairman and back again when fixed. (sometimes this was a multiple trip kind of thing!) Our first one went pretty well with only two visits to the Boat Doc! HAH....Get it? Boat Doc!  Anyway, the second one was absolutely defiant! On the first, post repair run up the lake it decided to try to shake itself to pieces about a mile and a half from home.

After the smoke cleared and we tried starting it again, we discovered that it worked just fine.....In reverse only! So driving in reverse all the way back we became the dinner and show on the lake, minus the dinner part. The same people that watched us speed up the lake moments earlier were now entertained by us backing up along the same route.

Back at shore, Craig saw us coming and said later that it looked like some kind of cartoon playing in reverse. I told him it was some kind of cartoon playing in reverse.

After the first $800 and then the follow up $1,500, we finally tamed and conquered the boat with the backward attitude.

In all seriousness though, the boats are actually in remarkably good shape now. We have 2 Brand New Pontoon Boats, 2 repaired and running good utility bass boats, another bass boat at the shop and several new kayaks now for the enjoyment of our guests.

Sometimes it gets done with skill and finesse, sometimes with brute strength and awkwardness. But it gets done. When you're visiting "The Haven" make sure to take one of our boats for a ride. We guarantee they are all saddle broke and tame now!

Learn more at our Boat Page!

See You at the Dock! (not the Doc! HAH, I crack myself up!)