The next day I figured I should top off the tanks for the next ten days, so I started the motor and headed out. The motor was a little rough. A moment later it quit. I’m now on the lake with no way to get back. The wind picked up from the direction I needed to turn around to (south), and I’m being blown away (north).
I pay for TowBoatUS, so now was the time to use them, but they don’t answer channel 16. Not on my hand held radio ir my mounted AIS radio with the real tall antenna. BOATUS does answer their phone when we used a cellphone. I was told it would take about an hour and a half for them to arrive. Meanwhile, I attempted to tack my way back, with little headway because where I neede to go was directly into the wind. After about an hour, a power boater in a zippy Stingray offered assistance; I took it.
He took us all the way back to where we needed to be, and got me back to our mooring. Just moments before successfully hooking up, BOATUS calls and wants to know if we still need assistance. That call was a half hour after the anticipated rescue.
I offered our rescuer a $100 bill in appreciation; he refused it, but thanked me anyway.
Now NICEAFT just sits and looks pretty for ten more days. Nobody on Lake George repairs Honda outboards.
