light, easy to mount, sips the fuel and is a good alternative to our
15hp which does the long distance trips. One reason that it's so
light is that it has no shifter, it's always in forward gear. As soon
as you start up, it goes forward! This means you want to have it
pointed in the right direction before you pull the cord. So if you
start it up when you're still tied to the dock or boat, you drive
right back into the boat or dock.
Two days ago, on a mooring at the Bitter End I jumped in the dinghy,
cast off the painter, gave the cord a pull... and nothing. I looked
down and the "key", the kill switch key, wasn't there. And since it
was a short, quick trip I also had no oars, or anything else. As I
quickly drifted away from boat I yelled for Fay, who came up from
below and quickly figured out the problem.
I realized that I was drifting fast and would soon be outside the
mooring field and headed for "South Marine", the shore where all the
stuff that comes loose at the Bitter End soon drifts to a new home.
While Fay was getting her suit, fins, mask, and the key, time was
passing. I decided to swim for it. I jumped out of the dinghy and
managed to tow it to a mooring and tied off the painter.
Fay then swam from the boat to the dinghy, with the kill switch key,
and saved me. We motored back to the boat, Fay got off, and I
proceeded to the dinghy dock.
Next time I'll make sure I have the kill switch key before I cast off!
