[Destroyer]

Well, glad you're home safe. You've learned a few valuable lessons. Now capitalize on them.

First, buy a membership in Boat US or Sea Tow. The hundred or so you'll spend for the years membership will seem like pennies compaired to the money you'll spend if you have to get towed without it.

Second, Buy/check your bilge pump. Most of us have two (and a few have three) one in the front and one in the back. Set on automatic they will keep the water from spray, etc from overwhelming your boat and possibly sinking it. Do NOT skimp here... I would think that a 1000GPH would be the minimum acceptable size. No 500 or 750's.

Third, apologise to your first mate. (Groveling works well here) Taking others out when she wanted to go fishing is just inviting the water gods to show their displeasure by not allowing fish to bite, engines to quit, no bait to be had, etc. Actually I'm amazed that they (the water gods) didn't contact their brothers (the ground gods) and cause you to have several flats on your trailer. (Perhaps they are saving that for another day?)

Forth, invest in a nice plastic tool box, (no rust that way) and fill it with screwdrivers, adjustible wrenches, a box wrench set, vise grips, a hex key set, and all the normal tools you would use to work on an engine. Include 5 minute epoxy glue, wire nuts, electrical tape, Nylon ties, a spool of 14 gage wire (color not important) some strong string, a small digital electrical tester, an assortment of solderless connectors, some shrink wrap tubing, and a small butane torch. You can add to it later on as you come to find things you could have used but didn't have with you. But that should get you started. (For instance, that 5 minute epoxy glue and the electrical tape might have been able to repair your distributor cap well enough to get you back to shore.) The trick is to have a good assortment of the basic things you would have around the house to repair things.

Fifth, I know there is a lot of superstition about changing the name of a boat. It's just that. Superstition. I cannot begin to count the number of boats that I've renamed without any problems. And, in fact, if you rename your boat with your wifes name, not only will you not incur any bad luck, you'll actually reap good luck and several nice rewards.... like eating home cooked food, being allowed to sleep in the house again after not taking your wife fishing, waking up in the morning, you know.. little things...