Boneheaded Stunt of the Year

Marathon, FL
N 24 42.391 W 081 05.683, (See the map)

What a knucklehead I am. I put the portable generator up in the bowsprit when we are moored like this. That makes it quieter when it is running. Today, I decided to check the oil level. However, I didn't think to stop the engine first.

I unscrewed the little yellow plastic dipstick holder with one hand while tipping the engine back with the other hand. When I got it lose, I was rewarded with a spray of oil in my face. YIKES! I was startled and dropped the yellow thing.

Now, oil was spraying out of that hole like water from a garden hose. I put my hand over it, but that didn't do any good. After about 3 seconds, my brain worked and I reached up and turned the engine off.

What a mess! Since the nose of the boat points upwind, the wind helped to carry the spray. I had oil all over myself, the windlass, the fore deck, the life raft, halfway up the mast, both transparent hatch covers, and all the way back to the dodger 20 feet away. Some of it even went down through the open hatch in to the V-berth.

I screamed at Libby for help. I didn't dare move or do anything because whatever I touched would be bathed in oil. She came up with an oil absorbent cloth for me. When she looked around, her comment was, "Ay ay ay - ay ay." That's the same thing the man said in "The Gods Must Be Crazy," when he looked up and saw his Land Rover up in a tree.

Not only that, but we had invited 6 people over to Tarwathie to play Balderdash. They were due to arrive in 30 minutes. We cleaned up the mess the best we could with the oil absorbent cloth plus soap and water. It seemed to clean up pretty good except the fiberglass life raft cover. I thing that cover had never been waxed, so the oil soaked in and the stains won't come out.

I went below, stripped naked, and washed myself down, then put on new clothes. The clothes that got bathed in oil are probably not salvageable.

Unfortunately for you, dear readers, I didn't think to ask Libby to bring the camera when I screamed for help. You would have loved it.