Love Boats?

Most of the problems I have with my boats occur when I’m not aboard.

At the helm, running through big waves or rocky shoals, I’ve always managed to keep the boats afloat. Left to their own devices, however, tied to the dock or pulled out on shore, my craft often end up in peril.

During last week’s deluge my wife suggested we drive over to the lake to check on our pontoon boat. I wasn’t worried. Pontoon boats are hard to sink, and I had tied ours securely to the dock.

The pontoon was still tied to the dock when we got to the lake, but the dock had moved. It had pivoted 90 degrees, an...