Thread: Boat Safety---WINDS

The knuckleheads at the ramp are generally more dangerous then any windy day on Sardis IMHO

Originally Posted by BigKyd

My biggest takeaway was plan ahead, know weather forecast and what part of the lake you plan on being on whether you are fishing or pleasure boating or whatever and find and use the ramp closest to that area to reduce the risk of being caught in bad weather or stranded miles from the ramp.

Easier said than done this time so far, low water gives it very little options.

Guys a few years ago some duck hunters came by me in a 20 ft cab boat with 8 hunters. I said to a buddy of mine that boat has to be over loaded. It was rough and wind blowing about 20 About an hour later I got 05word 3 had drowned on the boat. They were under power and let off real fast when they saw some ducks. Water went over back and the three in the cab didn't get out. That boat sunk in less than 20 seconds


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We are lucky to have smart phones with instant radar and weather alerts. Back in the 80's we had no warning except dark clouds. I got caught in a July thunderstorm that produced a tornado. I was 10 miles up The Tennessee River right at dark headed back to JP COLEMAN. I was in my fiberglass bass boat back then. Storm came out of nowhere and hit us on the main river right at the mouth of bear creek. Waves were so high they were coming over the front and out the back. Had The bilge pump going but water was filling the floor. A buddy of mine noticed an ice bag had covered the drain in the floor. It got so dark we couldn't see the bank except when the lightning would strike. By the time we found a protective Cove we were about a mile and a half back the way we had come from and didn't even know it. Wish I had a GPS back then with a lake map! Needless to say I keep up with the Weather pretty regular now days. Scary times!


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I was on Sardis I think it was 2013 when straight line winds came thru. Reported 100 MPH in Memphis. Had it not been for a cell phone and my mom calling to warn me, I might not be here today. I've never seen wind go from calm to near hurricane force winds in a matter of minutes. All I could do is hit the bank full speed at hurricane and jump out. No way I would have made it without a phone call. Those crappie were going crazy ahead of that wind. And there wasn't any lightening or indications to speak of before it hit. It just hit. Usually, I'm looking west and can see it coming and time to get safely back.

Be prepared to pull onto the bank in a cove and wait it out. It will calm down sooner or later.

While working at Enid we were helping get boats off the water at Pleasant ridge and some were putting in at Longbranch . You can not tell them not to go out ,only advise . Did my heart good to go pick them up an hour later . Nothing but a bow light showing . JADA !

Originally Posted by 27458

I was on Sardis I think it was 2013 when straight line winds came thru. Reported 100 MPH in Memphis. Had it not been for a cell phone and my mom calling to warn me, I might not be here today. I've never seen wind go from calm to near hurricane force winds in a matter of minutes. All I could do is hit the bank full speed at hurricane and jump out. No way I would have made it without a phone call. Those crappie were going crazy ahead of that wind. And there wasn't any lightening or indications to speak of before it hit. It just hit. Usually, I'm looking west and can see it coming and time to get safely back.

Is that the same one that tore the marina down? If so, I was there. I won't ever forget the sound it was making as it got closer. It was calm and I was fishing out of a narrow 14 ft Jon boat. I was nosed way back in some buck brush and I heard that whistling sound from a distance. By the time it got up on me I was worried I wouldn't be able to get that little boat turned around because I had to back into those waves to get my boat out of the thicket. What a relief when I finally got turned around. I didn't have enough time to make it off the lake though. I pulled into a protected pocket and sat on the bank and watched the firework show. I got off the lake at 10 that night. U gotta respect it.