My engine tinkering finally paid off.
I took last week off and went to Block Island, RI. We took the small dinghy with us to shuttle back and forth to shore since we decided to stay on the anchor instead of getting a slip at a marina. We rafted up with two other boats. We were at the far end of the Great Salt Pond, also known as New Harbor, near the beach. It gets really shallow fast.
We were hanging out and saw a family of four waving for help in a small wooden dinghy with a little outboard. I took a ride over in the dinghy and they said they hit a rock and only had neutral.
I knew they snapped the shear pin so I towed them over to the boats. It was a Mom and Dad with a baby and a four year old. They had no oars, not sure what their plan B was. I pulled the prop and told the guy to look under his motor cover for a spare pin and luckily there was one. I had to hammer out the old one and then the new one dropped right in, probably took five minutes. They were ecstatic and offered me money but I sent them on their way. Came back after dinner, this was sitting on my deck table.
I think we both restored each other's faith in humanity.
