Just lost my 25hp 14 foot pontoon boat

Just lost the boat as two sturdy ropes somehow got compromised..........eight miles above the dam and with the ice still on the river I am not going to call the fire department have them risk life and limb to save a 5k boat......no insurance, but its just another loss in the many......I was going to try to save it as it caught up on a fallen log, but I simply lack the strength anymore to do much of anything but chuckle at my turn in fate........sometimes you just get the snot beat out of you, and I consider myself lucky.......my wife and I could have tried wading or kayaking into the broken ice flow......and either one of us could have bit the bullet......so all in all......I am still breathing, and just add the boat to an ever growing ledger.

2seaoat wrote:Just lost the boat as two sturdy ropes somehow got compromised..........eight miles above the dam and with the ice still on the river I am not going to call the fire department have them risk life and limb to save a 5k boat......no insurance, but its just another loss in the many......I was going to try to save it as it caught up on a fallen log, but I simply lack the strength anymore to do much of anything but chuckle at my turn in fate........sometimes you just get the snot beat out of you, and I consider myself lucky.......my wife and I could have tried wading or kayaking into the broken ice flow......and either one of us could have bit the bullet......so all in all......I am still breathing, and just add the boat to an ever growing ledger.

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OH MY WORD! I am glad you and your wife are ok thats the main thing--Im sorry to hear about your loss --the boat well it doesnt sound to good !

Did the boat just float away from you --awww maaannnnn so sorry you lost alot of money------again thank god the both of you are OK!

So sorry Mr. Oats, I agree with others here that are just glad you knew your limitations and did not risk your life . . . . . just another bug on the windshield of life!

We had two of them drydocked on the shore and roped up in case of a sudden rise in the river.....well the other boat is secure on the ropes as the river suddenly rose overnight, it somehow compromised the ropes on the one boat, or kids were fooling around and untied the ropes. I do not have the strength anymore to do my weekly monitoring of everything, and a neighbor called saying the boat was loose. Now we got a call that some of our docking is now floating down the river......it appears that someone did a little untying.........there is over 3k in the docking alone.....we will try to save what we can, but I am running on a quarter of tank.....not much go left in me these days.......it does add a little excitement to an otherwise dreary and dull day. I look up at the sky waiting for lightening to strike.....I am lucky so far....it has not.

Glad you didn't risk it with ice chunks and the river running hard... maybe homeowners will cover the dock?

PkrBum wrote:Glad you didn't risk it with ice chunks and the river running hard... maybe homeowners will cover the dock?

pkr, boat docks are not covered in homeowners (I know from personal experience).

I appreciate the information, but an ice flow with a flood is no place for fire or rescue to risk going after a boat......it is simply too dangerous. If I had a hovercraft, I might risk it but any kind of failure puts you in a ton of hurt. I have had three neighbors call to alert us of the boat and docking floating down the river, but my wife is telling them to not risk trying to be a hero over a boat....the river is high enough, and it might actually clear the dam, but the rooster tails usually grab anything and will simply churn and burn them in the river boil. Hopefully, an honest person downstream will pull it over and give us a call, but in 2009 we lost a 9.5 yamaha 14 foot pontoon, and within a week they had stripped the motor before I could get to the boat.........like I said......this is not new to us, but these boats and docks had steel cables and ropes and concrete blocks securing them......certainly looking like mischief.

2seaoat wrote:I appreciate the information, but an ice flow with a flood is no place for fire or rescue to risk going after a boat......it is simply too dangerous. If I had a hovercraft, I might risk it but any kind of failure puts you in a ton of hurt. I have had three neighbors call to alert us of the boat and docking floating down the river, but my wife is telling them to not risk trying to be a hero over a boat....the river is high enough, and it might actually clear the dam, but the rooster tails usually grab anything and will simply churn and burn them in the river boil. Hopefully, an honest person downstream will pull it over and give us a call, but in 2009 we lost a 9.5 yamaha 14 foot pontoon, and within a week they had stripped the motor before I could get to the boat.........like I said......this is not new to us, but these boats and docks had steel cables and ropes and concrete blocks securing them......certainly looking like mischief.

That sucks. sorry to hear this misfortune. I had my boats, both my pontoon and then my cuddy both get untied and float down the bay. But there was no ice or dam.Just a pan in the ass for me to swm out and get it.

Im glad you didnt do something foolish and go after it. That situation is too dangerous and not worth it.

You still have one boat, how many do you need?

Go buy you a 4 wheeler and stay out of the icy rivers.

You still have one boat, how many do you need?


I do not need any of them, but I had four of them at one time......the happiest days in a boat owners life is when the get the boat.....and when they get rid of the boat. The sad thing is that I was going to sell it this spring.....oh well......just another loss, but I am still breathing.....so damn....who cares. I think I had a depth finder on it and a new battery.....oh well.

2seaoat wrote:You still have one boat, how many do you need?


I do not need any of them, but I had four of them at one time......the happiest days in a boat owners life is when the get the boat.....and when they get rid of the boat. The sad thing is that I was going to sell it this spring.....oh well......just another loss, but I am still breathing.....so damn....who cares. I think I had a depth finder on it and a new battery.....oh well.

You know what. You might get it back. stranger things have happened.

If not, think of it this way. maybe god interveined and the very next time you and your loved ones was going to get on that boat something terrible was going to happen. Now everyone is safe.

If not, think of it this way. maybe god interveined

You have a sixth sense. My wife and I were just discussing that very concept.......I was about to send an email which would have locked me into a certain course of action which may have made me happy, but it would have left my wife in a tough situation if I was not around.......we got a call from a neighbor and we spent the afternoon dealing with the boats and dock. When we got done, I changed my mind on what direction we were going to take......you see.....I think I am invincible.....and sometimes I am making decisions which will be difficult for my wife to deal with after I am gone......the guy upstairs just politely reminded me of the same today......no big deal.....message received......course corrected.

Maybe you'll get lucky. I love boats... I won't irk chrissy by saying how many I have... lol. But more than I need for sure. I bought a speedboat two years ago and it is an absolute blast... scary fast. I even got a flatback conoe last year for fishing the rivers up here. I did sell a large sailboat... but got a smaller one that I can trailer for inland lakes. I may have a problem... lol. Almost forgot... I have a pontoon party barge too... lol. And that's not all.

I used to take these pontoons from the west side of Garcon point and take it up the Blackwater and it fit under the railroad bridge and could get into really shallow water. The problem would happen when I did not keep real close watch on the weather......getting stuck in Escambia Bay with a 14 foot pontoon boat with a 25hp boat is really risky behavior. and the waves would breach the boat.....not very smart and almost as dumb as jumping in icy water to retrieve the boat.

I think they found your boat

Part Time Sail/Pontoon Boat Captain
J&L Tours - Pensacola, FL
Established local tour company seeks experienced part time captains for sailing, snorkeling, and pontoon tours. Must have sailing experience and USCG OUPV 6-Pack license. Current drug card also necessary, or must be acquired

A person kayaking this morning has called my wife that they have located our boat in a farm field about 4 miles down river, and that our dock has been located about a mile away under a bridge. Now, with me not really at 100% the wife has gone scouting to see if we can get the boat back into the river and possibly tow it back, or get a vehicle in the farmers field and somehow load it onto our trailer. Sadly, my bobcat has an indicator that my hydraulic pump is probably shot which is a 4k hit......so I cannot trailer the bobcat to the field and pick up an trailer the boat......I am hoping the farmer has a skid loader or a bucket on one of his tractors......oh well.....I may be fading.....but life is still an adventure, and I hope I can get the strength to muck through some west farm fields to assess the situation. My Lull is too damn big to trailer, and not really a wise move to drive it four miles only to get it stuck in a farm field........I could wait for the next flood.....or the big one.....but I will be gone before the same.

2seaoat wrote:A person kayaking this morning has called my wife that they have located our boat in a farm field about 4 miles down river, and that our dock has been located about a mile away under a bridge. Now, with me not really at 100% the wife has gone scouting to see if we can get the boat back into the river and possibly tow it back, or get a vehicle in the farmers field and somehow load it onto our trailer. Sadly, my bobcat has an indicator that my hydraulic pump is probably shot which is a 4k hit......so I cannot trailer the bobcat to the field and pick up an trailer the boat......I am hoping the farmer has a skid loader or a bucket on one of his tractors......oh well.....I may be fading.....but life is still an adventure, and I hope I can get the strength to muck through some west farm fields to assess the situation. My Lull is too damn big to trailer, and not really a wise move to drive it four miles only to get it stuck in a farm field........I could wait for the next flood.....or the big one.....but I will be gone before the same.

You really should stop whining. You own a freaking island for heavens sake. The pity for your situation can only go so far. why dont you just pay someone to go get the damn thing instead of making your wife deal with that shit.

I am all ears........I have the yellow pages........the page which says "We get boats out of cornfields" is somehow missing. No, my wife can sweet talk the farmer and get out to the boat......I am a little rough lately.....and they may go for their shotgun as I approach the farmhouse......this is shoot first and ask questions later country......Also, my wife is tough as nails.......if I was really whinning, I would be talking about something other than silly boats and docks.......but I will take your suggestion and call information on the telephone.....please give me the folks at "Boats are Us.......we git em wherever they are.

Nope....it will be my sick butt who will be hauling them out once she secures permission....self reliance.

2seaoat wrote:I am all ears........I have the yellow pages........the page which says "We get boats out of cornfields" is somehow missing. No, my wife can sweet talk the farmer and get out to the boat......I am a little rough lately.....and they may go for their shotgun as I approach the farmhouse......this is shoot first and ask questions later country......Also, my wife is tough as nails.......if I was really whinning, I would be talking about something other than silly boats and docks.......but I will take your suggestion and call information on the telephone.....please give me the folks at "Boats are Us.......we git em wherever they are.

Nope....it will be my sick butt who will be hauling them out once she secures permission....self reliance.

Im sorry, but you can hire a moving service to get it. youre just being cheap and want your wife to have to go through this pain in the ass. youre selfish. Even some tow services might go get it for you. think man, think for yourself instead of putting your wife into that trouble. shame on you. You wanted your boat back and was crying about it, well guess what, they found it. now you want to pawn off the dealings with it. shamful

Chrissy wrote:

2seaoat wrote:I am all ears........I have the yellow pages........the page which says "We get boats out of cornfields" is somehow missing. No, my wife can sweet talk the farmer and get out to the boat......I am a little rough lately.....and they may go for their shotgun as I approach the farmhouse......this is shoot first and ask questions later country......Also, my wife is tough as nails.......if I was really whinning, I would be talking about something other than silly boats and docks.......but I will take your suggestion and call information on the telephone.....please give me the folks at "Boats are Us.......we git em wherever they are.

Nope....it will be my sick butt who will be hauling them out once she secures permission....self reliance.

Im sorry, but you can hire a moving service to get it. youre just being cheap and want your wife to have to go through this pain in the ass. youre selfish. Even some tow services might go get it for you. think man, think for yourself instead of putting your wife into that trouble. shame on you. You wanted your boat back and was crying about it, well guess what, they found it. now you want to pawn off the dealings with it. shamful

Why do you have to be a nasty drunk?

youre just being cheap and want your wife to have to go through this pain in the ass. youre selfish.

Maybe, but sweet thing talked to one farmer, and they gave her the phone number of the folks who actually own the field, and we are going to take the ATV flip the dock and drag it back mid week after it dries up enough that we do not tear up the person's yard. You have no idea what midwestern farm fields are like in March.....a tow truck......you are a funny girl.......the farmers do not even take their tracked machines out in this river bottomland, but you are wrong about one other thing......Seaoat did not marry a frilly girl.....beautiful yes.....but tough as nails, and she has been climbing in the river with me for 10 years chaining trees, extracting equipment from the muck, and she helped me build a causeway as she crawled in concrete pipe and chained things for me.......just because you are a frilly girl........doesn't mean my Annie Oakley has to be a softie......but you are right about me being cheap and selfish.....you got my number. But for the life of me I have not found that other number

2seaoat wrote:youre just being cheap and want your wife to have to go through this pain in the ass. youre selfish.

Maybe, but sweet thing talked to one farmer, and they gave her the phone number of the folks who actually own the field, and we are going to take the ATV flip the dock and drag it back mid week after it dries up enough that we do not tear up the person's yard. You have no idea what midwestern farm fields are like in March.....a tow truck......you are a funny girl.......the farmers do not even take their tracked machines out in this river bottomland, but you are wrong about one other thing......Seaoat did not marry a frilly girl.....beautiful yes.....but tough as nails, and she has been climbing in the river with me for 10 years chaining trees, extracting equipment from the muck, and she helped me build a causeway as she crawled in concrete pipe and chained things for me.......just because you are a frilly girl........doesn't mean my Annie Oakley has to be a softie......but you are right about me being cheap and selfish.....you got my number. But for the life of me I have not found that other number

pimpin your wife out because your too cheap to hire someone to go get your boat. shame shame.

Why do you have to be a nasty drunk?



She is not being nasty.....what she said was partially true, but because she really does not know what happens to river bottom soil after being wet as it melts.....she is simply ignorant to the options available. She also was right about me being lazy.....I am exhausted and not really up to walking a half mile over wet fields, so I am hoping we can get a week of dry weather and I can get a piece of equipment down there, and I guess I can rent a skid loader from the Ace Hardware and put my hoist attachment on it to lift the boat, but I have buried my tracked bobcat in riverbottom muck too many times to attempt it now.......in the meantime the boat fairies will appear an magically remove the motor from the boat....battery....and other valuables.....it never fails.....we had another motor stolen in the big flood of 2008.......and I was covered with poison Ivy on that extraction.....we got the boat, but the fairies got the motor.......so please do not start calling each other names.....she and I argue hard, just like I do with you, and too date, I have never been mean spirited with either of you.....and I am a very big boy who actually likes it when people smack me.......it is refreshing....I do not get that in real life.....

pimpin your wife out because your too cheap to hire someone to go get your boat. shame shame.



I never grew up with a silver spoon, so I developed self reliance......If I came to your rural home on a Saturday afternoon......you would get your gun......if you have never been out to the boonies......strangers who are 6'3" who are no longer shaving and look like abe Lincoln, or Vern who just got released from prison.....you are going for the shot gun.....and Biden is correct about one thing......farmers prefer shotguns..........but the too cheap part.......only a pampered person would expect to pay someone to fix their mess........were you a trust baby.......or just daddy's girl?

2seaoat wrote:Why do you have to be a nasty drunk?



She is not being nasty.....what she said was partially true, but because she really does not know what happens to river bottom soil after being wet as it melts.....she is simply ignorant to the options available. She also was right about me being lazy.....I am exhausted and not really up to walking a half mile over wet fields, so I am hoping we can get a week of dry weather and I can get a piece of equipment down there, and I guess I can rent a skid loader from the Ace Hardware and put my hoist attachment on it to lift the boat, but I have buried my tracked bobcat in riverbottom muck too many times to attempt it now.......in the meantime the boat fairies will appear an magically remove the motor from the boat....battery....and other valuables.....it never fails.....we had another motor stolen in the big flood of 2008.......and I was covered with poison Ivy on that extraction.....we got the boat, but the fairies got the motor.......so please do not start calling each other names.....she and I argue hard, just like I do with you, and too date, I have never been mean spirited with either of you.....and I am a very big boy who actually likes it when people smack me.......it is refreshing....I do not get that in real life.....

I dont want to hear it from you. I spent a lot of energy sending you the boat fairies to find and save your boat. and the best you give me is sending your wife out onceit is found. grrr

You could have done better than this and you know it. I have compassion for you when it is warented, but when you choose to make decisions out of pure lazyness and greed, I will let you know about it.

and I dont give a shit what anyone else thinks. They all hate me anyway, so why try to hold back.