SOUNDS DUMB BUT IT COULD HAPEN

[CAPTAIN CHARLIE]

A guy I met while fishing in Bimini during a bill fish tournament last year
made me comment on how careless he was. It was my son in law's boat so I shrugged off his excessive drinking and carelessness. He was on board because he was supposed to be a great rigger of trolling lines and lures.

Well this guy bought a boat. The day he bought it he and the prior owner took it to a fuel dock to get gas for the maiden voyage. It was old boat and had a gasoline engine.

Our friend opened the gas inlet on the starboard side, paid for 50 gallons of gas and then he put the gas pump handle in a rod holder and pumped the gas into the bilge, all fifty gallons.

He started the engine and the boat and the dock blew up. He lost an eye and half of his jaw and was blown into the water. The other guy was burned badly over most of his body.

I know it sounds stupid, but it's also something to think about whenever you fill up with gas. This guy has ben around boats all his life.

Happy fishing,

Charlie

[rocket]

Didn't that happen at St. Marks also?

[CAPTAIN CHARLIE]

I'm sure it has happened at other places, and by getting fuel in the bilge by other means. Leaky hoses/gas tanks etc. Lots of boats with blowers don;t use them or they don't work.

A rule of thumb is to wait for several minutes after refueling with the hatches open and the blowers running.

I didn't hear of the St. Marks incident but I don't doubt it.

Charlie

[chugbug]

About 15 years ago on a lake by my house in Michigan, this guy backed his boat in the water with his wife and two kids in it. She hit th ekey when he pulled the trailer out and her and the kids blew up. Gasoline is not joke. One cup of evaporated gasoline= 1/4 stick of dynamite.

[CAPTAIN CHARLIE]

Man, I hate hearing stories like that.

Mabe telling them will remind people to be more careful.


Charlie