I almost drowned

[kfxguy]

I finished up a Rivercat I've had partially built for some time, today. De iced to maiden it on low voltage. Of course I had my trusty recovery boat with me as usual. She ran pretty good on 4s, but something happened and I hit one of my wakes and flipped it. Sent recovery out after it. I'm pushing it back in and the prop comes off. Damn. What do I do? It's getting dark. My 13 year old decided she's gonna swim for it, I make him come back in. It's just too far out. No wind so it's just sitting still and I'm watching it as the sun goes down. Finally I said screw it. I'll swim for it. I know better. I condemn people for doing it. What a hypocrite I'm thinking. But lose a new boat when I know I could do it. I mean it's only 100-150ft from me. So close but so far away. I'm decently fit. I work out 4-5 days a week, you'd never think I had open heart surgery a year and a half ago. But I don't do cardio. I hate it, but I do have pretty good wind and stamina......so I thought.


I start walking out to it second guessing myself. Hoping I don't drown in fromt of my 13 year old, my 8 year old and his little friend....while they helplessly watch. I swim towards it. Alls well till I get to it...I'm already starting to get winded. I flip the Rivercat over. I try to use it as floatation. Ha! What a stupid thought. I start swimming back. Boy I'm getting tired. I try to push the boat towards land as I'm swimming. Then I say screw the boat. I remember to float on my back. At this point I'm spent. When you can't catch your breath, floating on your back does not work well at all. My life is running through my mind at this point. I'm thinking I'm about to drown over a damn toy. Wtf am I thinking. I keep telling myself don't stop. Don't stop. I'm swimming on my back. Barely. And just about the point where I just can't go anymore, I feel the land hit my butt. Or should I say my butt hit land. I sand down in the mud. About 10ft from the bank, panting. Shaking. Gasping for air. Over a toy. Yea. Let me just tell you fellas, this $hit ain't worth it. Don't do it. I'll never do that again. I'll be better prepared or I'll just leave it. I was lucky. I didn't give up. But I almost did....... I consider myself a lesson learned for everyone else.

[CraigP]

Man, that's just too close for comfort. You know that feeling, that onset of panick, thinking "am I going to die today?" I've been there, not with a rc boat, but body surfing. Im so glad that you were one of the lucky ones, and came back to tell the story... im not sure that push come to shove, a few of us would do the same thing. Do much work in these boats, just leave it? I would be thinking the same things...

[ray schrauwen]

My jaw dropped. Thank God you're still here.

Take care of that heart and do a little cardio. I know it sucks. I have to do it too and I hate it but, one day it might save my life...

This gives me a little push to do more for my heart issues.

[Fluid]

I can't believe that folks will risk their lives for a toy boat. No need for additional comments except thank God the OP is okay. For everyone who runs toy boats, this is a MUST read:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/rc-boats-general-discussion-77/10121028-why-not-swim-after-your-boat.html

.

[MADRCER]

Man I'm glad you made it back to shore! Maybe your story will save someone's life by making them realize reality. God Bless..

[Doby]

Glad you didn't drown..In a way I hope the kids watching you were traumatized enough to learn a lesson as well.

It never looks that far from shore...but then there is always the return trip.

[kfxguy]

Man, that's just too close for comfort. You know that feeling, that onset of panick, thinking "am I going to die today?" I've been there, not with a rc boat, but body surfing. Im so glad that you were one of the lucky ones, and came back to tell the story... im not sure that push come to shove, a few of us would do the same thing. Do much work in these boats, just leave it? I would be thinking the same things...

I'll admit, I'm an idiot for doing it. I've looked down upon people who have done it. That makes me a major hypocrite, although I won't do it again. It's not worth it. I'm standing here in my shop trying to work on someone else boat....and I just can't focus. It was too close. Way too close for me not making it. I don't think I could have swam another ten feet. To think, had I drowned over a stupid toy, I would have left three young boys and a great wife behind to fend for themselves. How stupid can I be? I've got tears in my eyes just thinking about it. I've got too much to live for than to risk it for this. I'm not gonna lie, it didn't look that far. And maybe swimming that far in a pool might be easier, I can do laps in a pool but you know what, it I get tired, I can grab the edge.....there's nothing to grab in a lake this big. I can stop thinking about how I've never really panicked before until now. I had to force myself to keep my cool and keep going. I kept thinking to myself there's no giving up. My 13 year old was taking his clothes off to come after me. There's no way he could have done anything so had he came after me if I just couldn't make it, we both would have drowned. I'm so glad he didn't. I'm an idiot is all I can say at this point.

[kfxguy]

Glad you didn't drown..In a way I hope the kids watching you were traumatized enough to learn a lesson as well.

It never looks that far from shore...but then there is always the return trip.

I keep replaying what my 8 year old said to me when I made it back. He said "dad, don't do that again. A thousand dollar boat is not worth losing you over". Sad that an 8 year old knows better than a 40 year old.

[kfxguy]

My jaw dropped. Thank God you're still here.

Take care of that heart and do a little cardio. I know it sucks. I have to do it too and I hate it but, one day it might save my life...

This gives me a little push to do more for my heart issues.

Your right, I do need more cardio but I still wouldn't do this again. The risk isn't worth it. I've got to have a backup plan should my recovery fail. I usually don't have any issues with it. It's always been stone reliable......all it takes is one time. Do you guys think it's safe enough to use a life jacket swimming out there? At least you could take a break and float there. I used to have a raft stashed out there but someone stole it. I thought about chaining up a kayak but I bet some idiot would cut the chain and steal it. I'm gonna have to come up with a backup plan that's safer.

[fweasel]

Lesson learned, the hard way. Glad you're okay Travis.

[R2315]

Good to hear your okay, I've got two of my own and have done a couple things I shouldn't have but don't beat yourself up, just as long as you don't try it again. I keep a small inflatable raft in its box and in the car for a last resort. Chances are you probably won't need it and it wouldn't take up much space actually it fits under the seat. Worst case you blow it up and then deflate it when done.

Ryan

[CraigP]

I'll never forget my experience, and I shouldn't! I don't think you're going to be forgetting either. You were given a second chance today, and we are all thankful for that. I don't even want to think about the other possible post as a result of this, it just would have crushed many people! I haven't met you face to face, but thru our communications, feel like I know you in some ways. I would have been crushed. I'm glad I'll still be seeing your posts Travis, enjoy your week!

[Prodrvr]

Travis, I understand why you went for it. Last Sunday, I went to run my boat and there was a guy and his wife fishing from the dock. To be a nice guy, I started to run my boat way out on the other side of the lake. Of course, testing out a rudder mod, I flipped the boat and the pos of course, lands on it's lid. Send my tugboat out to get it. In maneuvering it way out there, the tow rope that goes out to the floating hooks gets tangled around both props. Now I have two boats dead in the water about 300 feet away. I ran over to the people fishing who saw what happened. The guy gave me one of his fishing rods already rigged with a heavy weight and a treble hook. Well, I don't do casting competitions, so there was no way this was gonna work. Now I return the fishing rod, thank the guy and walk back to my two transmitters laying on the grass. I thought about swimming for them. They were right next to each other. Yeah, it's a far swim, yeah, there's some small alligators in there, but I have a lot of money floating out there. A minute later, I grabbed the two transmitters, got it the car, and proceeded to drive for the next 2 1/2 hours stopping at four different stores looking for an inflatable one man or two man boat. After not finding anything store after store, pissed is not even close to how I was. Finally at the last resort store, Dick's Sporting Goods, I find a two man boat with air pump and paddles for $40. Doing 93-105 on the interstate to get back home, worrying the whole time that some dirtbag went out there somehow and grabbed my boats, get to the lake to find the tugboat beached itself and within 50 feet and about 16 feet off the beach was the other boat. I walked over and picked up the tug, went back over to the guy who was still fishing, grabbed the fishing rod and snagged the other boat, reeled it in. So for me, no more running boats without TWO methods of dead boat recovery.

[CraigP]

I've been thinking about a blow up boat... I think the days doings just made my mind up for me. I could so much see myself in the exact position!

[R2315]

And you don't even need to carry paddles, just blow it up jump in and paddle with your hands from the front. Might look stupid but you come back alive.