I have owned an old used boat almost as long as I can rember but after years of wanting I finally got my first shiny never had a fish in the live well brand new boat:) and at 21 that 17' lowe represented a major investment. It was late March 1985 and Millers Ferry was hot. We already had a trip planned and was pulling out Friday evening right after work. The dealer already 3 days late on delivery of the boat finally called on Friday morning to say I could pick up the boat. So that evening after swapping gear from the old tug to my dreamboat in the dealers parking lot we headed south to the state park. Saturday morning the trailered boats were lined up as far as we could see waiting to get to the ramp making for a high presured first launch. First time back I left the boat straped to the trailer but that lowe floated it like it was nothing:cool: (kinda made me proud w/ those 20 guys watching). During this whole seen I noticed this old boy floating just a few yards from the ramp w/ the cover off his motor trying to get it to start. My buddy pulled me back up the ramp and I went around and undone the straps. Second verse almost worst, He backs me down again this time I float free and my driver starts toward our camp site on the other side of the campground just as I reach to fire the brand new mercury,,,,,no key. The key was in my truck as it drove off so now I'm drifting in my new boat away from the dock w/o a key and a trolling motor that has never even been plugged up, even if I did know how to get it in the water. Meanwhile that ole boy had killed his battery and was now steady pulling on it w/ the rope. I looked for my paddle and remebered you don't need one in a new boat. HUH. I noticed that fella w/ the motor trouble had a great big semi V boat like my dad had when I was a young'un and just about that time he put all he had into a pull, the motor was turned and obviously in gear when it fired up he fell over in between the seat and the transom kinda like a taco and the throttle was wide open. :eek: He began to make loops closer and closer to my new boat w/ every lap he made, the whole time he's trying to get up out of the hole he's still stuck in and getting closer. I'm now real interested in figureing out how to get that trolling motor in the water or find something to paddle away from the coming tornado, still getting closer. Finally tm down and plugged in I trolled out of reach just about the time his motor went dead. Today this is funny to me but then it wasnt a bit funny.:D I guess a different ending would have been funnier but thats the way it ended.