What Would You Do?

[einsteins]

Went to the local conservation club last evening to do a little fishing.

Put the boat in and parked the car, went to the doc and pushed off.

Followed my regular routine to the letter.

Dropped the trolling motor in and NOTHING...DEAD!

So I go back to the battery compartment and check everything and it all looks good.

Make sure the power cable is seeted well in the plug, still nothing. Fiddle around a bit more with no luck.

So I look up and I am in the middle of the lake already, drifting away from the only dock.

The lake rule is Trolling motor only... so i wonder if I should start the outboard and idle in or get out the paddle.

I went with the outboard...

No one said anything but I felt very guilty running the outboard.

Should I have paddled?

BTW the red cable had dislodged from the back of the plug in the front of the boat.

[Bassn Blvd]

Paddled. It's a NO MOTOR lake for a reason. I would have thought "what IF something goes wrong? will I be tempted to use the motor?" before launching a motor boat in a paddle/trolling motor lake.

I would also have checked to make sure the trolling motor worked before launching. Waiting to see if the motor works AFTER you push off is like waiting to put the plug in after you launch.

[outdoorsman110]

Paddled. It's a NO MOTOR lake for a reason. I would have thought "what IF something goes wrong? will I be tempted to use the motor?" before launching a motor boat in a paddle/trolling motor lake.

I would also have checked to make sure the trolling motor worked before launching. Waiting to see if the motor works AFTER you push off is like waiting to put the plug in after you launch.

x2

[Lund Explorer]

Went to the local conservation club last evening to do a little fishing.

Put the boat in and parked the car, went to the doc and pushed off.

Followed my regular routine to the letter.

Dropped the trolling motor in and NOTHING...DEAD!

So I go back to the battery compartment and check everything and it all looks good.

Make sure the power cable is seeted well in the plug, still nothing. Fiddle around a bit more with no luck.

So I look up and I am in the middle of the lake already, drifting away from the only dock.

The lake rule is Trolling motor only... so i wonder if I should start the outboard and idle in or get out the paddle.

I went with the outboard...

No one said anything but I felt very guilty running the outboard.

Should I have paddled?

BTW the red cable had dislodged from the back of the plug in the front of the boat.

If there were other people there to witness it, why didn't you just signal for a tow?

In CYA mode, you may want to explain what happened to your club's president before the complaints start rolling in. I'd say it's time to be a little proactive, and it may go over better if you "fess-up" first.

[Hyrule Bass]

Paddled. It's a NO MOTOR lake for a reason. I would have thought "what IF something goes wrong? will I be tempted to use the motor?" before launching a motor boat in a paddle/trolling motor lake.

I would also have checked to make sure the trolling motor worked before launching. Waiting to see if the motor works AFTER you push off is like waiting to put the plug in after you launch.

haha i agree. one time at the lake with my uncle we were leaving to go out on the boat. instead of him starting the boat and idling out of his boat dock, he likes to push off then start the boat. at the time he had no trolling motor and no paddles on the boat. so he pushes off, goes to start the boat, and the battery is dead. being a pontoon boat, i had to open the gate/door, get on my knees, and paddle us back to the dock with throw cushion float

[Deadeye-1]

Went to the local conservation club last evening to do a little fishing.

Put the boat in and parked the car, went to the doc and pushed off.

Followed my regular routine to the letter.

Dropped the trolling motor in and NOTHING...DEAD!

So I go back to the battery compartment and check everything and it all looks good.

Make sure the power cable is seeted well in the plug, still nothing. Fiddle around a bit more with no luck.

So I look up and I am in the middle of the lake already, drifting away from the only dock.

The lake rule is Trolling motor only... so i wonder if I should start the outboard and idle in or get out the paddle.

I went with the outboard...

No one said anything but I felt very guilty running the outboard.

Should I have paddled?

BTW the red cable had dislodged from the back of the plug in the front of the boat.

Well only you can make the decision and you did what you did. If it ever happens again you already know how you'll feel if you choose the motor.

If it is a Club that you belong to, and not an open water type of conservation club, you may want to be pro-active and let the Club President know. People are people and in every club or orgaization I have been a part of there is always someone complaining about something. This time it could be about you.

[ROCbass]

I would use the motor if I was in immediate danger due to serious inclement weather or some other circumstance, but your post makes it sound like you just didn't feel like paddling. In that case I wouldn't want to paddle either, but it's what I would have done.

[J Francho]

It's pretty simple to have a pre launch routine. I usually turn the ignition key to make sure the starting batt is good, and then turn on the TM, set it to 30, and give it a test as the last twio things before dumping her in. If you develop a pre launch ritual that includes these little checks, you'll never be caught in that situation to begin with.

[Gangley]

Hindsight is 20/20 and its easy for people to condemn you after the fact saying you should have done this or you should have done that before ever getting in the water. Simple fact is, that wasn't your question so I wont bother adressing it.

To anser your original question: "Should I have paddled?"

Yes. If you had paddles available and the water you are fishing is a no-motor area, then the answer is obvious unless circumstances prevent you from paddling to shore safely.

[Nice_Bass]

I would have used the motor- no big deal if I would see someone doing it and they were haing boat troubles. I have been almost on plane on a local 900 acre lake that is tm only- for me anyway. It is a 9.9 lake however a severe storm was moving in fast. Anyhow, easy situation for you to just use your motor, and an easy explanition to anyone asking why.

On a different note I am always amazed at these 9.9 lakes/ 40hp smaller lakes I have around me. Most of the people create huge wakes barging through the water with there old smoking tillers, meanwhile i cannot use my much cleaner engine at idle speed only.

dont feel bad for not using a paddle, most that say they would, would not.

[Fishes in trees]

If I'd have been in that situation, I would have fired up my motor and apologized if anyone called me on it. If you still feel bad for firing up your big motor on a trolling motor only lake, you should do some form of penance. For a conservation sin of this type, I would recommend washing your mouth out with beer. If anyone calls you on it, you should recommend the same form of penance, and provide the beer.