What is the thing you worry about most while driving your boat

[Chisco]

Blown motor and then getting run over by people with no boating experience.

[59tomitriton]

Anything not visible

[NitroZ7]

Blown motor and then getting run over by people with no boating experience.

I was in a tournament on Okeechobee with a lot of boats. We took off and got into a boat trail north of Uncle Joes cut. Very narrow trail and a lot of boats coming in behind us going very fast. The battery connection came loose and we lost power in the trail. We had to throw the trolling motor out and get off the trail. As soon as we got in the grass a line of boats came flying by us. We were sitting ducks on that trail and the visibility from down the trail was about 0 given the tall grass.

[davidsa]

gators under the surface hitting my lower unit,


when Okeechobee had any grass, guys running 40mph in a 12ft wide channel with turns

[davidsa]

I was in a tournament on Okeechobee with a lot of boats. We took off and got into a boat trail north of Uncle Joes cut. Very narrow trail and a lot of boats coming in behind us going very fast. The battery connection came loose and we lost power in the trail. We had to throw the trolling motor out and get off the trail. As soon as we got in the grass a line of boats came flying by us. We were sitting ducks on that trail and the visibility from down the trail was about 0 given the tall grass.

this is a nightmare

[Garfish]

Hitting a submerged object at speed

[Wackyjig]

You might get passed by a Ranger if your Swimming !

Or in an Ikon

[Lil Mo]

Definitely hitting a submerged object and having the outboard come into the boat. The steering failure thing also goes through my mind. Also, big wakes from tugs or crew boats and folks that the hp is higher than the IQ of the boat capt.

[drainplug]

That I’m going to the wrong spot…

[Transom]

Idiots and crap floating in the water.

[geodebasser]

Hitting something submerged that puts the outboard in my lap.

Been there and done that. It is something you should worry about.

[froggerbass]

wake boat waves

[goodman_fishing]

Submerged trees, we have lots of them in Texas. Or some random loss of steering, broken cable, hydraulics, etc.

[pumamac]

Hitting a swimmer.

Almost hit some guy swimming in the middle of the lake once. Choppy day and I didn't see him until the last second.

same thing almost happened to me.flat , clam day on Champlain I’m doing about 70 .in the distance I see what I think is a bird sitting in the water.Al of a sudden I realize it’s a woman just swimming along slowly I missed her by 50 feet scared the shit out of me .by buddy was right behind me by about 50 yards he didn’t see her Either .thank god he swerved when he seen me swerve to miss her.that woman never reacted

[draym]

when fishing texoma i always keep an eye out for the "rollers" theyre sneaky

[188Musky]

[vatreefarmer]

Grandpas pulling 8 year olds on a tube in the primary channel, it scares the bejeebus out of me. I've seen adults fly off of a tube and little kids have even less grip strength, that stuff needs to stay in a cove without alot of higher speed boat traffic.

[happykamper]

Another boat / swimmer
underwater hazzard
rogue wave

[cwilt]

Having an 18ft python quietly climb into the boat behind me and grab my leg while fishing alone.

[Tall Dog]

Had mine happen for real. 3 bends from the weigh in site 1/2 way thru the first bend running 70ish when the boat hooked violently throwing out my partner and slamming me into the forward step up to the bow knocking me unconscious. When I came to I started calling out for my partner and finally saw him in the middle of the river . I started the motor to get to him but the steering wheel just spun in circles . I finally put over the troller and went to him. Two things saved both of us that day, wearing our life vest and we both had on our helmets to shield off the rain. Should have broken my neck slamming into that step but the good lord was with both of us that day. My partner turned the motor by hand as we idled back to the launch site. The next day with a very stiff neck I took my rig to my mechanic and he found a blown hydraulic steering hose . Not going to mention the boat manufacturer but he found someone had put in a 1 and 1/2 inch screw thru metal cap that the hose went thru on the boats top cap and the hose rubbed on it every time the steering wheel was turned causing it to wear.That near fatal wreck taught me one important thing, that I am responsible for my passengers wether I’m tournament fishing or pleasure riding my wife and kids around.I think about this every time I’m in the boat .