It still can happen…

Wifey and I went and pulled crankbaits Friday, it was a really slow bite, and the only place we could pick up any fish was ONE 300 yard long spot. Wind was whipping 15-20+, coming a couple miles across the river before hitting this area. At the downwind end of the run was a rock bluff. We were pulling 4 planer boards, 2 with 4 ounce snap weights, and 2 off the back, flatline. 8 lines total. I’m getting tired of reeling in and putting out every few minutes, so like a dummy I decide to U-turn and make one last pass into the wind before calling it quits.
Trolling batteries suddenly just DIE.
I reach over and flip the switch for the other bank of batteries. This angers the Ulterra ipilot link remote, it loses connection and won’t communicate. So dead in the water, and before you can blink boat is going back downwind sideways.
Had planer boards under the boat, tangled with lines on the other side.
Grab the sidecutters and get everything cut loose and in the boat.
But still have a tm in the water that won’t stow. Tried resetting it, only partially works. I think I need to reach the pair button on top of the tm head, but now it’s straight up in the air 5 foot over the bow. Boat is bucking like a rodeo bull from the waves. No way am I gonna reach that without falling in. Finally remember to try stowing it from my Helix. It worked! Good thing, cause that rock wall was getting closer.
Told my wife she was 100% initiated now, that was as bad a mess as I’ve ever had. But we got all the boards and baits in, no line in any props, and we brought home a mess of fish.
A good day, I’ll take it. It just hit me as I was writing this, if that ever happens again, I should have just cranked the outboard and pushed with it while clearing lines. Would have been no problem, but it just happened so quick, it didn’t occur to me at the time [emoji6]

Glad you got it taken care of and know how to handle if it happens again.

Amazing what trouble will suddenly appear while fishing. Makes for great stories. Glad to hear no one was hurt and you retrieved all your gear.

Wow!

I was dying reading your post. Of course we have all been there just you are of the character to admit it. Glad no serious mishaps, no murphy's law stuff, and a lesson learned by all of us who read your post.

theysaid:notworthy

the things that can wrong even in a simple set up on the water are just amazing , in a blink it's a disaster ....
nothing quite like being adrift in the wind for sure ....makes a person get desperate really quickly in most cases .
glad it turned out well

It can go south quickly. Glad you got thru it well.