A reminder for me again! Murphy's Law!

        My dinghy, just like many others is mounted on snap davits across the transom and stood on edge for travel.  This has been my preferred system for many boats and even more dinghies. To tilt and raise the dinghy up and out of the water I have two nylon lines attached to cleats on the far side.  I wrap one line around each wrist and then with a heave, I lean back and pull the dinghy up onto its side. Next with the dinghy balanced in a somewhat neutral position I carefully tie off both lines by wrapping around the stern rail and back to the dinghy cleat.  For lowering the dinghy I wrap the lines several times around the rail creating a friction brake, then effortlessly let out enough line to set her back in the water.

   So far so good, but here's the reminder part. Last week while lowering the dinghy, my cleated lines somehow became loose, I didn't see it in time and the dinghy fell without any braking wraps. I had one hand on a line but was unable to hold it, so it whistled through my grasp taking with it a bunch of my flesh leaving me with a painful rope burn.  To  add insult, after the dinghy fell I discovered my oars were about to slide out of their poorly knotted  lines as well. Some regulars may remember these are the same lines I managed to wrap around the prop at Jones Island last year.  I'll save the procrastination post for later.

     There are lessons and reminders here.

   

• Even though I think I tie great knots and cleat well, I failed.
• I should have a redundant tie off system.

     This experience got me thinking, what else is about to trip me up?

• loose bolt/nuts
• cotter pins not spread enough
• zincs, corroded fasteners
• belts, hoses, clamps, 
• electrical connections, battery condition/quality
• are my flares expired, where is my whistle?
• anchor shackle pin seizing wire
• fuel system, (this is a big potential problem area) fuel stabilizer 
• waste system (that reminds me, I think the vent is plugged)
• fresh water chlorination, (oh yeah, forgot that too)
• diesel exhaust smell in the clothes closet, still not addressed!
• hatch seal
• dock lines are still a mish mash of old ropes and  one fender is flat
• telescoping boat pole is jammed at five feet

I put this list together in a few minutes, so there is plenty I missed.

No preaching this time,  but I hope I got some of you thinking.