I was on a small fishing cutter out of Coffin Bay south australia, towing a small tinny (aluminium dinghy) (aluminium is the correct spelling) for some mates on the way to check crayfish pots. Out to sea the guys took off in the tinny to check their pots, and our boat set long lines and we did some rod fishing further away while waiting.

When the others came back to the cutter, we had a small 'pirate' war, they threw old stinking bait at us and we threw some back at them while we were steaming along in the cutter. As the bait ran out they circled us closer and closer landing some good hits, but they forgot how fast the cutter was traveling.

They came in very close for more hits - a bit too close, and coming across our bow we hit them and ran over the tinny sinking it and they jumped out worried but laughing - everyone was cracking up. But you should have seen their faces change when someone mentioned sharks and they started to panic to get on the cutter asap, since rotten bait doesn't just attract fish and crays. We dragged the tinny back to port while they bailed it out, and all arrived safely and in good humour.

They dented their boat, drowned their outboard motor, and lost crayfish and pots and nearly all their gear.
That was a day none of us will ever forget.
Messing about in boats !

Well that beats my outrunning the U.S. Coast Guard while running pot from Columbia story.

It was really good pot.... hate to throw the good stuff overboard.. hate it.

I threw the deckhands off instead

You must have had one hell of a boat to outrun those guys, they use confiscated coke runners don't they, with twin massive outboards on 30' racing hulls. I wish I had one, even without the motors; you could live on one if you added a bit of cabin space. I'd make do even with my old 2HP Johnson OB.

No just a standard 2 engine.. it had some balls but not faster then the coast guard. didn't have to be

all you have to do is lite on of the bales of pot on fire at the back of your boat. the smoke travels back to the coast guard boat that is chasing you. Soon they are pealing off get some hot dogs

Muchie's... that is the secrete weapon

Don't tell anyone o.k.

Reminds me of the Cheech and Chong movie, driving the van made of dope which smouldered away causing havoc to anyone, and the police dog.

OK I've got another one for you, since it seems there are few boaties on here.

Up before dawn, back at Coffin Bay SA, rigged my 11 foot sailing dinghy (a Heron), took off soon after dawn and sailed all day around Kellidie Bay, Dutton Bay, Farm Beach, and a stop at Coffin Bay national park for a rest. The weather was all over the place, still, solid blowy, gusty, showers, sunny, still, gusty again and so on. Had some excellent smooth breezy sailing over glassy waters, able to easily see cockles (small clams) through 15 - 20 feet of water, in some places.

I was alone, single handed sailing, and the boat had all I needed for a long hard day's sailing (except for a motor), and all went well all day despite nearly turning turtle a couple of times in back winding gusts, but I was ready for that.

Got nearly back to coffins' boat ramp, but the tide was running out through the channel faster than I could sail, so I was going flat out and going backwards, but it was OK and even fun. A couple of power boats returning offered me a tow, but I was going to do it myself or bust.

Finally I got past the narrows, and the tide was abating so I was making way quite well, nearing the ramp area, getting ready to finish up, then a huge back wind gust tipped me over about 100m from the ramp. I righted it OK but had to watch several bags of fishing and sailing gear float away back out the channel, and I was too stuffed to chase and retrieve them so goodbye gear, damn it.

Submarine sailed it full of water into the boat ramp, and had to bail it out to get it on the trailer, or the winch would have just pulled the bow off.
A great day's sailing ruined because I didn't tie all my gear in.

Just like car accidents, the dangerous times are when you are close to home,
and not paying so much attention to all the little things that may go wrong.

After that episode, now I usually have to avoid getting tangled up in all the ropes tying everything in, and that causes issues of their own when the brown stuff hits the fan. But better safe than sorry !