Lake kindness - thank you Susan McCarthy!

[MaidenCove07]

I'm delighted to share my fabulous lake emergency/kindness story with you all!

Friday, Maiden Cove and her mate ventured off from the Weirs on the Jet Ski for a wonderful lunch in Alton and a jaunt to Wolfeboro.

As you all know, a pretty nasty storm rolled across the lake in the afternoon and we got caught in it right off Rattlesnake Island :eek:. The rain was blowing to the east so we sought shelter behind one of those huge blow up play things with the trampoline and a slide... As I was pulling up praying to find enough shelter behind it, a woman came out and waved us in. I yelled out to ask if I could park at her dock and wait out the storm. She did us one better than that and insisted we come inside out of the weather.

She gave us towels and a mimosa to calm the nerves a bit and we waited with her and her friends for about a half hour or so. She introduced herself as Susan and as we were leaving we noticed we were at McCarthy's Landing....

Hence a HUGE thank you for your kindness, hospitality and warmth. We would have been in a heck of a spot without you!

[hazelnut]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE hearing about stories like this. What a wonderful thing to hear about. I think that is excellent. I would roll out the same welcome wagon in the same situation. I am happy to see that others would do the same. BRAVO. :D

[SAMIAM]

Me too,Hazelnut.After all of the capt Bonehead stories,it's nice to hear about an act of kindness.You know,I'll bet there are a lot more of them out there .....would be nice to have a thread for positive stories.One of the unspoken rules on the lake is that you don't pass by someone who is broken down or in distress. What about it,folks...any more good stuff ?

[TomC]

I have gone to the aid of many boaters over the years. So far this summer I towed an "out of gas" boater adrift in the middle of Moult. Bay over to Lanes End, and came to the rescue of a stranded (overheated) boater off Joe's Island. I never thought it was worthy of mention as folks have come to my aid when I needed it. In the past I have loaned the cell phone to the owner of a broken down boat (dead battery), and started the motor of a lady who wasn't experienced in starting a flooded engine, among other things.

One time, with a boat full of kids out for icecream at Pier 19, I couldn't restart (dead battery). After giving the cash to him, a fellow boater ran over to Trexlers and picked up a new battery for me. I installed it right at the dock and we were on our way...

Anyone who would let a boater in distress flounder about and ignore their predicament is a poor example of a member of civilized society (IMO). At the very least an offer to summon other assistance should be made.

[Newbiesaukee]

Of course you are correct. But it truly is a "big deal" to the people who are rescued or helped. A thank you via the Forum is an equally kind gesture. We sure could use more of them.

[Audiofn]

Of course you are correct. But it truly is a "big deal" to the people who are rescued or helped. A thank you via the Forum is an equally kind gesture. We sure could use more of them.Yes it is and there are few things that will make you feel more helpless then being stranded on your boat in a storm. Glad it worked out for you.

[Pineedles]

There have been several times we have given shelter to boats in trouble. Here's an open ivitation to those in trouble in Center Harbor Bay. I know the owners of Colonial Pines (the white boathouse on the westerner shore across from 1/2 mile island) and traveling to inside the next boathouse going southernly along the western shore. All these people would welcome a ship in distress and would welcome a docking in threatening weather. Some of us will invite you up for cocktails or hot chocolate, while others will just give you a wave when the weather clears, but the bottom line is I know my neighbors, and we know the distress that comes from inclement weather to boater on the water. What should not be of concern is how the "shoreline people" will react when a boat in distress needs a safe haven. We know your pain and will try to help.:coolsm:

[shale18]

Hey you two, it was great to meet you and there is never a question of inviting someone in during a storm! I know someone would do the same for me or my kids if I were in the same situation. Stop by anytime! Can't miss us with the big yellow water toys!!
Susan

[BroadHopper]

On July 9, I decided to leave Braun Bay and head home in West Alton. The weather reported sever T storms starting at 5 PM. It was 3 PM and the clouds were getting really dark.
As I was approaching Jonathan's Landing, the waves were getting big and I notice a woman with 2 small children having trouble on a jetski. I decided to help out. As I was boarding her two daughters, a rogue wave came up over my stern and hydro locked the motor. Fortunately I was drifting into Jonathan's Landing marina. The jetski operator tow me in and made sure I did not hit the jetties. The kind folks at the landing allow me and the jetskier to dock for the duration of the storm. They allow us the use of the cabana at the pool. They even helped us get in touch with Texler's marina for repair advise and SeaTow to tow the boat to Trexlers. Trexler's went out of their way to take my boat first thing the next morning. The hydo lock created no major damage. I was out boating Thursday.

After years of helping out fellow boaters, I had a wonderful payback. Folks on Winnipesaukee really cares.

[Old Hubbard Rd]

What's Hyrdo locked??

[BroadHopper]

In rare occasion, water can travel up the exhaust and enter the combustion chambers. At speed this can cause severe damage to the engine such as breaking the crankcase or throwing a piston. In my case I was idling to retreive passengers. There was not enough exhaust pressure to prevent the rogue wave from entering the exhaust. Hydro lock can also happen when water enter the intake manifold.

[Coolbreeze]

I also extend the invitation to seek shelter at most any dock on Barndoor facing the Broads. It may not be the ideal location because of how we get pounded by the waves but it sure is better than drowning.
On the 18th of July we were enjoying a day on the dock. We watched the storm forming during the duration of the day.
From past experiences I have seen those types of cloud formations; so I told my wife that there was a storm brewing.
As many members of my family, I graduated from my fathers school of island living and boating, weather preparedness was a main topic. I pass that education to my spouse and children, whether they like it or not when ever I feel it necessary...kinda the way dad did for us!
After much teasing from her all day the weather show began. She witnessed all hell begining to break loose. We watched the storm blow up behind Rattlesnake and come down the lake to us. The scariest thing was that there were boats still out on the lake tubing and cruising as the front came down. The pictures on the related posts to this story tell the tale. So if you ever see that type of cloud formation over your head and you are on the lake, the chances are that you are going to be in trouble and you need to go seek shelter asap! My question to you all and one that came up from this past experience, what should you do if you are on a large sail boat with a fixed keel or deep draft?

[Tallyho]

To answer Coolbreeze's question: What I would do, if caught in a storm on the lake, would depend a lot on the boat and my experience with it. Basically, I would reef the sails, and/or drop them completely, and go under auxilliary power. I would try to make it into the lee of an island or a point of land that had plenty of depth, maybe even anchor if conditions were favorable. If you have a deep draft boat on Winnipesaukee, you should know where you can go, and where you can't. Otherwise, I would secure all loose gear, ports etc., and keep the bow into the wind/waves, while maintaining headway speed. If the auxilliary failed, or wasn't effective, (prop was out of the water half the time), I would rig a sea anchor, even if it was just hanging the anchor off of the bow with as much line as I possible. The line would have to be watched for chafing, if the storm continued any length of time. Knowing exactly where you are would be of utmost importance.

[hazelnut]

Hey you two, it was great to meet you and there is never a question of inviting someone in during a storm! I know someone would do the same for me or my kids if I were in the same situation. Stop by anytime! Can't miss us with the big yellow water toys!!
Susan

GOOD FOR YOU! It is nice to see your kindness! Thanks on behalf of all of the boaters on the lake. It is good to see that people extend this kind of courtesy to fellow boaters in a time of need.

[WinnDixie]

[QUOTE=MaidenCove07;76665]I'm delighted to share my fabulous lake emergency/kindness story with you all!

Friday, Maiden Cove and her mate ventured off from the Weirs on the Jet Ski for a wonderful lunch in Alton and a jaunt to Wolfeboro.

I need to explain here that I never had a boat and have been reading all the boating threads for quite some time. It is great fun and I have learned/guessed at a lot, but I am sometimes (mostly, really) lurking around a foreign language. I ride the Mount! So here goes: is a Jet Ski like what we use to call a Ski-Doo? Is it bigger? If you jaunt over to Wolfeboro from the Weirs, do you cross the Broads on it, or get there by staying close to the shores? Once when I lived up there I went out into the Broads on a pretty good-sized sailboat, and felt very small! Hope I don't get drummed out of the Forum for this question...I am having too much fun! BTW, it certainly is a wonderful kindness story!

[ITD]

[quote=MaidenCove07;76665]I'm delighted to share my fabulous lake emergency/kindness story with you all!

Friday, Maiden Cove and her mate ventured off from the Weirs on the Jet Ski for a wonderful lunch in Alton and a jaunt to Wolfeboro.

I need to explain here that I never had a boat and have been reading all the boating threads for quite some time. It is great fun and I have learned/guessed at a lot, but I am sometimes (mostly, really) lurking around a foreign language. I ride the Mount! So here goes: is a Jet Ski like what we use to call a Ski-Doo? Is it bigger? If you jaunt over to Wolfeboro from the Weirs, do you cross the Broads on it, or get there by staying close to the shores? Once when I lived up there I went out into the Broads on a pretty good-sized sailboat, and felt very small! Hope I don't get drummed out of the Forum for this question...I am having too much fun! BTW, it certainly is a wonderful kindness story!

Winndixie, this isn't a dumb question. A "Ski-doo" refers to a snowmobile made by Bombardier. A Sea doo is a PWC made by the same company. You can see what they look like here: http://www.brp.com/en-US/Products/SeaDoo/Watercraft/Showroom/

To answer you question about the Broads, I have no problem crossing the lake from one side to the other through the middle of Broads with my Sea Doo. The only concern becomes the weather, it can get pretty choppy out there so I avoid the Broads with my Sea Doo if it is too windy (which makes the waves that can be as large as 3 or 4 feet). I have been caught in 2 to 3 foot chop many times as the weather can change quickly. I never felt unsafe, but it can be uncomfortable, bumpy and wet. I generally try to avoid it because it beats you up physically. I haven't been caught in squall on my Sea Doo (pwc) yet, and I hope to never have this happen to me. The nice thing about a PWC is they are highly maneuverable, fast and can run in shallow water, finding cover is easier than a boat.

[Kamper]

A good rule of thumb is... If the weather is so bad you really dont want to go down to the dock to tell the people to leave, then it's probably so bad you should let them stay!

One of the oldest rules of the sea is "Any port in a storm."

I've never had to tie up to a strange dock but it's heartening to know so many folks here are so hospitable to others in need.

[Mr. Moyer]

I think it is great to see all of the wonderful and friendly people who reside here in NH. I wouls agree with some of the posts who said that anyone who is in trouble during as storm is welcome to stop by. I think it is great that Susan was thanked with this tread, it shows good deeds don't go unnoticed. As for my place, we are on Rattlesnake on the Alton/Guilford (non-broad) side and all are welcome to stop by and have a drink, and maybe some quality conversation. My wife and I bought the place last year with another couple and we really don't know many people on the lake. We would love to have some visitors. With that being said, we are still renovating the place, so there is a chance you may have to be a second set of hands while I hammer some trim or cut some wood, but you would all be welcome at any time. We normally have a fire going all of the time and you can hear the sweet sound of nails (or thumbs) being hammered, so you can't miss it. Stop on by to 172 rattlesnake and have a beer, we'd love to meet you

[Waterbaby]

I'm delighted to share my fabulous lake emergency/kindness story with you all!

Friday, Maiden Cove and her mate ventured off from the Weirs on the Jet Ski for a wonderful lunch in Alton and a jaunt to Wolfeboro.

As you all know, a pretty nasty storm rolled across the lake in the afternoon and we got caught in it right off Rattlesnake Island :eek:. The rain was blowing to the east so we sought shelter behind one of those huge blow up play things with the trampoline and a slide... As I was pulling up praying to find enough shelter behind it, a woman came out and waved us in. I yelled out to ask if I could park at her dock and wait out the storm. She did us one better than that and insisted we come inside out of the weather.

She gave us towels and a mimosa to calm the nerves a bit and we waited with her and her friends for about a half hour or so. She introduced herself as Susan and as we were leaving we noticed we were at McCarthy's Landing....

Hence a HUGE thank you for your kindness, hospitality and warmth. We would have been in a heck of a spot without you!

MC, this is a wonderful post! How very heartening to hear there are still some kind and compassionate people on the Lake, after hearing some of the horror stories about people standing on their dock shaking their fist at people raising a wake in the no-wake zone to get to safety........... To Susan, here's to you! :cheers:

Here's my story, if I may: About 10 or 11 years back, my husband and I were on our 19' bowrider with our then-very young son on board when a storm blew up; we had the weather radio with us and heard the warnings but it came in much faster than predicted (and I was familiar with the Lake and how fast the weather can happen)...... For the life of me I cannot remember where we were, but someone saw us and waved to us from the end of their dock, waved us in and gave us shelter. They even had towels wrapped in black plastic trash bags to keep the towels dry, and a fire lit in their home.............. I give thanks to those people to this day, my husband couldn't believe the Lake could have that kind of weather (he grew up on Cape Cod and apparantly thought they were the only ones who had it, lol). At any rate, sorry for the long story, hearing about Susan's kindness reminded me of that. :cheers: to those kind souls, also!

[WinnDixie]

Thanks for your reply and explanation,as well as the web-site. They are bigger looking than I had pictured. Hope all of you have safe rides on--or in--whatever you have. I'll keep enjoying your trips vicariously!

[Island Life]

We "hosted" a man and his 4 kids who got stuck in a hail a storm about 3 or 4 weeks ago. I know it helped them but it also was interesting for us to sit and chat with them while they waited out the storm. They were good conversationalists and we enjoyed the hour or two they were with us. Hospitality runs in both directions.