Rogue Runabout! Adrift On Lake Of The Ozarks, Boat Is Reunited With Its Owner

It's been cold, coves are freezing over, and the Lake of the Ozarks' water level is beginning to drop again. And amid the dreary winter, one unlucky boater's vessel decided to leave the slip and go on an unauthorized journey, adrift on the Lake. 

Employees of Mermaid Cove Marina & RV Resort posted a picture to Facebook on Tuesday, Jan. 23 asking a question no one wants to see, "Anyone know who's boat this is floating at the 5.5 MM on the Gravois Arm?"

Later, the Mermaid Cove crew announced the owner had been reunited with their boat. But the incident highlights an all-too-common occurrence on Lake of the Ozarks: unattended boats going rogue.

It often happens because of a drop in temperatures, which changes the air pressure in boat lift tanks. The lift will suddenly go down, and if the boat isn't tied-up to the dock, it'll just start floating away.

LakeExpo Publisher Brent Simpson can commiserate: he's has been in the same boat (pun intended)...

When The LakeExpo Boat Went Rogue

There he was at the Overland Park boat show — circa January 2019 — handing out magazines and koozies and chatting with boaters, when he got the text. 

It was a photo of the LakeExpo boat — a Donzi center-console — adrift, on the far side of Linn Creek Cove.

DOH!

Much like recent weather, it had been cold and the lift had gone down, and the boat wandered off because somebody had forgotten to tie it to the dock.

Thankfully, the neighbor who spotted the boat had an outboard (e.g. - not winterized), so he went out into the cove and towed the LakeExpo boat back, tying it securely to the dock posts.

Neighbors are a godsend, but what if this one hadn't been able to fetch the boat?

It’s that kind of thing that happens when you least expect it, and always when you’re least equipped to handle it. That’s why we at LakeExpo.com started XTow, the Lake's exclusive perks club for boaters. Because when you’re having a bad boating day — thanks to a boat that wandered off, or just one that broke down and cut your Lake-day short — you should at least not have to shell-out hundreds (or thousands!) of dollars for a tow. 

(The average boat tow is $700.)

Want to join? Use promo code WINTER or just click this link, and you'll get your first year for just $99, for the XTow Captain's Club (normal price $159).

...

One more boater story

Another Lake of the Ozarks boater — a member of XTow — woke up one morning to see his boat was no longer on the lift. The boat was across the cove, banging against... well, whatever it wanted. His best guess was he had bumped his remote lift controller and lowered the boat into the water.

That simple mistake (plus failing to tie the boat to the dock) could have cost this boat-owner a lot of money.

However, this guy had just recently joined XTow, so he quickly grabbed his member keyfloat, called the number on it, and pretty soon, a tow boat was pulling his boat back into the slip. His boat had a few scuffs and dings, but it could have been way worse.

XTow Captain’s Club members can boat worry-free, knowing if they do break down, the tow is paid for. Plus, XTow members save 10¢ a gallon on fuel at XTow Partner Marinas. If you boat as much as you should, that discount will more than pay for the cost of membership!

Join now, and you’ll get XTow for a year, for just $99.

Don't worry, boat happy!

More Rogue Boat Stories

+3

Boat Gone Wild! Firefighters Rescue Passengers Hanging Off Out-Of-Control Boat On The Lake

LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo. — In an incident that could have ended in disaster, at around noon o…