I Should NOT Have Done This! 

Thank you for posting this one, Steve. A lot of guys might not, figuring it would be too embarrassing, but folks need to see how easy it is to get in trouble out on the water and how to recover. Sorry you lost your glasses, bro. I agree with others here about the motor size. That’s a lot of power for a jon boat.

Hi! My dad is an eye doctor and says he really likes your channel and what I learn from you. He said if you would get him your spectacle Rx he would make you some really nice glasses for free. If you read this and want to let us do this let me know. God bless

I was the one you talked to at the boat ramp, so glad you were safe. At least you know your kill switch works!

The fact that you mentioned how important the kill switch is before this ever even happened shows your attention to detail in teaching in your. Awesome work man. Stayed smart, stayed safe 👍

I saw this happen just down from my condo. I was lowering my boat to go check on you. At the time I didn’t know it was you, until I saw the show today. Now it all makes sense. Thank goodness for kill switches.

Glad you’re safe! Just watched this with my son as a good safety lesson! Thanks for posting it!

Thanks for taking one for the team and sharing the lesson with everyone Steve! Also appreciated the humor at the end of the video by giving us the slo-mo version!

Glad you’re safe. I once had the same boat with a 9.9hp. 25 is A LOT for your new boat! You are leading a blessed life , every minute of it well earned. Thanks for your videos.

You’re a good man Steve. I like the fact that you’re honest and up front with friends and I consider you a friend even if we haven’t met face to face. A man of courage.

Thanks for posting the video, a lot of boaters, young and old, experienced and not, do not realize how quick things can go south fast. Your recovery was excellent, but a lot of folks don’t consider how hard it is to re-enter a boat from the water with a life vest on, especially if the boat has a lot of freeboard. From a US Navy sailor to an US Army vet; good job on the seamanship Bama Saltwater!

So grateful to the good Lord for looking out for you out on the water and for you being such a level headed safety cautious type young man. I may not comment often but I watch every video! I have a lot of respect for you .

My wife and I watch your channel all the time. She loves to fish and is a big fan. We were watching last night when you unveiled the joh boat. When you showed the box with the new motor and said it was a 25 hp, I looked at my wife and said, that's too much motor for that boat. Continuing to watch we saw what you amazingly captured on camera on your test run. Kudos to you for being man enough to show what happened and explain the reason safety gear is so important. Glad you are safe and unhurt.

As a few others have said, thanks for posting this one. The ones where you catch stuff are great. But, this is one that could literally save someone's life.

Others may have mentioned this but it looks to me as though you should adjust the steering tension so the motor won’t move side to side quite so easily. I typically set the tension on a hand tiller outboard where you could take your hand off the tiller (not saying that’s a smart thing to do) and the motor would not change direction. Anyhow, glad you’re ok and glad you’re willing to remind us all about safety.

Trouble pops up when you least expect it. Thank goodness that you had all the necessary safety equipment and you used it properly. I know of so many guys that don’t use the kill switch all the time and this is the perfect example of why you should. It takes guts to post a screwup like this for everyone to see and comment on. You’re a real man for doing so and there’s no telling how many people will be influenced by your posting this. Your guardian angel was definitely with you on this trip. I think God has big plans for you Steven, stay safe out there brother.

For us long time veiwers of the channel,, We all know what a good & experienced Captain you are,, So im glad that you showed it so that others can learn from it.

Best water safety video ever made! I’ve taught SCUBA, water safety, and am an avid fisherman. I’ve never seen anything close. What everyone else is saying about your video is correct. Right down to delivering the safety message. You’re a natural instructor!

Like others I watched this with my son to show just what can happen and GREAT example of taking safety measures. I'm so glad you're ok, and thank you for having the balls to post this. This show's your character, and GREAT it is. Safe travels

Mad props to you for posting this. Most would not. It can happen to anyone no matter how seasoned they are on the water. Glad you are okay. God is good!

I hope this video gets a LOT of shares. It will likely save at least one person's life. THANK YOU for posting it, Steven.

you did great regaining control of your situation quickly! Im thankful you are ok

Damn brother I'm glad you are OK! A lot of people don't understand how easy that is to do. Jon boats are dangerous. For anyone wondering what Probably happened to Tyler Doyle this is most likely what happened but he was not wearing the kill switch properly and Probably no life jacket. So glad you are good man. Ik you Probably drank half the icw but you are a man for posting this and taking that on the chin and getting right back to it. It's definitely good content but also educational !

Glad you’re ok…some things that may help: That’s too much motor for that boat. You can adjust the trim on it which may help the nose. You can adjust the resistance on both the steering and throttle so it’s not so free and that may help some stability. Some pods on the back can help the nose as well. A prop with less pitch can lower your nose as well as you will take some of the torque on take off Also not that you can really change it now but you could probably get buy with a shorter lower end unit. It’s probably easier to just find a bigger boat. Kudos to you for posting this as most wouldn’t. Good luck!

Thank God you are Steve and this is just another reason why I watch your channel you are very honest and truthful about what goes on and what should be done!!!

Good to see you're alright!! If that is a 1436 the largest suggested hp is 15, you can add float pods and that should help with the motor weight. You are right by moving the gas tank forward!

Even though I had already viewed your FB post about this, watching it still made this old mama's heart skip a beat. Bad things can happen so fast. I'm glad you are safety conscious and were using the proper safety equipment. Please stay safe. God Bless.

top notch calm and collected... damn impressed by your composure...

Way to hang in there Steve. Thanks for takin us on your maiden journey. Glad your ok. Done that stuff before. Once you do it you don’t forget!

I’m glad you were okay after the beginning of this video 😂

Glad you’re ok, that was a crazy fast oh crap moment. Guarantee your buddies will not let you forget this LOL😂

Man I’m so glad you’re ok. God is good and has a plan for you sir. Thank you for being a good steward and for having the courage to be being vulnerable here. This helps fellow boaters learn how quickly things can happen on the water.

Lesson learned and, more importantly, lesson taught! Someone already mentioned stick steering, which would actually allow you to drive from the front, but I'd personally would like to see you master the tiller handle. You'll be a better boat driver in the end. 15hp would have been a better option for someone new to tiller steering, but when you get it figured out and that storm comes barreling down on you, you'll be thankful for that 25hp!!! I personally would recommend a good seat with arm rest bolted to your bench. Looking at the footage, you didn't over compensate until you started sliding. Get your boat to a plane and let speed come with confidence. Tight lines!

Glad you're ok! Scary situation for sure. Complacency kills. But I will say stuff like this happens. Glad you had your gear on!

So glad you’re ok Bama, great example of why you never go boating without the proper safety equipment. That kill switch saved your tail, it looked like a pretty good swim to the shore.

I am sure this is not what you envisioned for your maiden voyage in your new boat and a new engine. However, this video is a good example of how important a life vest and kill switch can be. You just can't be too careful. As you stated, becoming complacent in whatever you may be doing can be life-threating. Glad to see you came though this event unscathed, albeit wet and cold! I look forward to watching your videos and learning from your experience. Also, I want to thank you for your service in the U S Army. I noticed your First Air Cav patch in one of your videos. I am ex-USAF and the First Cav protected the perimeter at Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam while I was there working on the flight line. Be careful out there!

Good for you, man. That took a man to post, and yea, those tiller handle motors turn on a dime. Gotta counter your weight in the boat. Glad your OK God was watching over you. I did the same thing when I was 13 lived on the black warrior. Perfect example of a great boater. Kill switch, life vest, you did all the right things .

Wow Steven, glad your ok. A lesson to everyone

LOVE your channel and adventures. Thank GOD you're good. Appreciate the humility and transparency with the incident. Definitely could happen to anyone.

Steven, thank you brother for posting this!! I had a sailing instructor tell me as a kid: if you can master a small boat (10-14’), you can Captain an oil tanker but not the other way around. You have mastered your beautiful 24’ center console masterfully but those little boats require different skill sets. Thank you for showing this in its entirety. You are a damn good man!!

Glad you’re safe, and recovered yourself and your boat as quickly as you did. Most people definitely wouldn’t have shared that, but will probably save someone else from doing the same.

This is why I do not like the tiller handles. If you accidentally lose the handle or your extension comes off the motor slaps and tosses you out. I ended up switching mine over to a side consul. Love the boat so much more now. I also put battery's, deck, and trolling motor in the front for weight

Glad you're safe and it was a good learning experience for you and us; great video to show my 2 grandsons for a safety video they were impressed how quickly you got back into the boat. Thanks again!

Thanks man! Lost a couple of important people, at least to me, to weird freak boating accidents. Knowledge is power. As always thanks for your service

This is the kinda content that needs to be posted. Real life mistakes happen and it's important for a content creator to show them. Milliken posted when he fell in cold water and because of that video I stopped kayaking in frigid Temps. That video might have saved my bacon. This video might save someone else. Good on ya for posting it.

Glad your well my brother, God is keeping you😮

Glad you're ok. Thank you for sharing this, lesson for everyone new to boating.

Glad you are ok! It's easy to get in trouble out there and most people don't understand how easy it is. This video is a great lessons learned/teaching tool and you did everything right by having your life jacket on and the kill switch connected. Once again, Glad you are safe!

Look into tightening the tension on the vertical shaft so it won’t be so snappy turning I think that tiller handle on the new mercury will offset to allow you to sit closer to the middle. The smaller models may not. Tiller guy for 30 yrs

Well I'm glad I saw this one I normally watch the open water. Thank yo u for wearing the vest and the kill switch.. Great video as always

I join everyone in thanking you for posting this video! It may save a life or two.

That took courage! Props for having what it took to post this because as others have said, people have no idea how quick things can go south on the water.

I am so glad you are okay. Yep, anything can happen any time!

OMG Stephen I'm glad you are alright. Thank God you had your life jacket on this could have ended differently. Take care of yourself make sure you don't get sick bud

Wow, glad you're safe brother. Lesson learned the hard way. The worst of it is having to get new glasses. About 20 years ago, I was on the Ohio river in a Bayliner ski boat. I don't remember the length, maybe 18' or so. Anyway, got up too close to a tug boat and went over one of his wakes at about 30 knots. The entire boat felt like we went up about 5 feet in the air, and then hit the river really hard, and came to a complete stop. I am surprised the windshield didn't break. I'll never forget the jolt, nor the lesson I learned. Got to respect those bigger boats' wakes.

Very stoked to see your alright Stephen! The kill switch is the most important aspect of any boating, alongside life vests, flares and extinguishers. Might think about adding some weight to your bow since you're gonna be back heavy. A welded plate up front for a trolling motor and maybe even pressure treated 3/4" plywood from the front to center bench. It'd help you plane better and you'll have deck to cast better and work off of. Take good care!

I strongly recommend putting stick steering on it. I have a 14’ and you can sit more forward. Was best thing I ever did.

Seems like a little over kill as far as horse power for that little boat. A buddy of mine has one like that with a 9.9 Yamaha and that sucker rolls like 20mph which is way fast enough for a tiny boat like that. Cant even imagine having a 25 on something like that. Glad you’re okay bro. Live and learn! I’d see about a smaller engine 9.9-15hp tops!

Please be careful out there on the water. I lost two very good friends on Lake Erie in calm weather Twenty years back. Stay safe and hope you learned something that day. Water, although can be fun, can also be so very dangerous. People have been known to drown on a tea-spoon of water, it has happened before. You are a very good man, stay strong and keep the faith. Enjoy life and all its blessings. And above all, stay safe. Remember, you are your own best investment. God bless

That seems like a lot of engine for such a small boat! I had to watch that part several times to figure out how you were thrown. Looks like you caught the outer edge when turning. Kind of like high siding a bike and being thrown. Glad you are ok and thanks for sharing the adventure.

Losing the glasses was an expensive lesson, but one not forgotten easily. So glad God was watching over you and brought you through. They are called "accidents" for a reason and I bet your Mom gives you a good talking to!! Stay safe and God bless!

Glad you’re ok !

Awesome rig. We use these daily up in Alaska (Bristol Bay/Lake Iliamna area) for shuttling, accessing fishing spots on rivers, and ours have jet foots. They are unbelievable boats. Think about running up a river in low water, that is no more than 15' wide and 5" deep. They pull double duty as well with oar locks and we row them down rivers. Scary moment there getting tossed out.

Great reminder on how fast things can go wrong, Praise the Lord for your safety!

Thank you for sharing this clip, very important to get safety awareness out there.

Thanks for posting this, I love your humble attitude, I want to be like you when I grow up! My first thought was your sidearm, glad it stayed in and hopefully doesn’t have any corrosion issues!!

And the Coast Guard!!!

Honestly man that was frightening. Like others I am glad you are ok. I too lost a pair of my best glasses flipping my Hobie, also on the first ride out 🤦🏾‍♂️. Learned my lesson real quick and safety gear is a must!

Hey man, been watching your video everyday you upload and now i realise risky it's really been on you especially for you going on those solo fishing trips. Be safe my bro❤ best of lucks

I'm a Bama boy living out of state and just loved every moment of this video. Hahaha. God bless us Bama boys for the crap we do! Next time... boat plug. Check. Kill Switch. Check! and lastly, glasses flotation strap (you know, in case you fall out of the boat!). Check!!

Wow Steven, thankful to see you're ok! Much respect for sharing this, a lesson we all can learn from for sure.

That outboard seems a bit much for the boat, glad you're alright man. Tough day! don't give up on that vessel yet.... when you load it out with a blind, heater, gear, decoys, rifles it will ride better. Keep the speeds down in that little thing. Loved that you shared it even though mistakes were made.

The kill switch definitely saved you! Without the kill switch, the engine will keeping running. The tiller will turn to one side and the boat will run in circles. It will keep doing donuts until the fuel runs out or it hits something. It's super scary because it has the potential to come back around and actually hit you and run you over. You are a fortunate man! Great channel, great content. Keep it up and stay in the boat!

Ok, just watched the spill. Effin awesome! Thanks so much for sharing the teaching moment man! As a newer boater, I love stuff like this, and so glad your safe!

Glad you're okay. Um... isn't that engine a bit large for that John boat. Also, your channel is amazing. Keep the great videos coming.

I'm sorry you lost your glasses, but I'm glad you're okay! My husband and I love your videos. Keep em coming! :)

Everyone in the world who goes out in boats should see this video. It is good that you didn't get hurt as well.

Good morning. Found you about 90 days ago and watch you religiously now. I have never commented on social media anywhere, but you have made my morning and it was a full belly laugh. Thank you for posting that and i am being genuine. It’s a great thing for people to see. I preach to my kids all the time about how things can happen. I always call these character building moments. So glad you had the confidence to post this and glad you are ok. Keep them coming!!!!!!

Thank you for sharing. Thank God you are able to walk away and share this.

Holy crap that was wild. Glad you are ok and practiced safe boating. Thanks for posting this most people would be too prideful. You taught a great lesson on being safe.

Crazy. Glad you are OK. It only takes a second for it all to go bad.

This brings back a Night mare from about 4 years ago. 15 hp tohatsu just past 10 service and able to push some full throttle on my 14 ft v hull. The Tiller snapped off and went steering lock and me and the wife were air born, the floatation blew out and we were swimming for about 15 before a boat came along and fished us out. We haven't been back on the water since. I came close to killing my Love!

It’s Saturday AM, for whatever reason I wanted to watch you today- I’m in Oklahoma, grew up fishing the coast and when I get to the Gulf Coast I feel like I’m home, like I can breathe again…like a giant exhale. We’ll end up down permanent or semi permanent soon. I’m not afraid of anything, including dying but your video unexpectedly scared me…I still have a knot in my stomach. Same thing happened to me about ten years ago…the difference is that we didn’t have life jackets nor did we wear kill switches. We had fished Chandelier for 20+years, never had a problem and skiffs were never as unstable as yours appeared to be. This particular skiff pulled port anyway and the throttle spring didn’t work, therefore I didn’t have to hold it very tight while running but had to hold a little off center to keep pointed straight. Started a port turn while wide open, the throttle was jerked out of my hand into a sharp turn…kind of like riding a jet ski, letting off the throttle, turn and hit the throttle…you’ll fly off every time. The difference is that a jet ski doesn’t have an exposed prop and we always wear our kill switches on jet skis. We were both thrown out near Freemason, we hit the water and the boat was almost immediately on me…tried to scoop and get under the prop and almost made it but I felt a dull thud in my left arm and immediately began bleeding badly- both arteries cut just above my wrist. My brother in law had time to get out of the way, asked if I was OK to which I replied…”No, and if you don’t catch that boat I’m not going to make it.” I clamped down just below my elbow and tried to stay afloat while wearing neoprene wade boots full of water and no life jacket. I was a competitive swimmer in high school and college and that morning I decided to wear the watch that was given to me to commemorate paying off our first business, I’d always wanted a nice watch, never ever wore it fishing but for whatever reason, that morning I put it on. More on that later. I lost track of time and ran out of energy, began sinking. I remember looking up at the surface, drowning. I thought about my kids, about my bride…interestingly I thought…I think that my life insurance policy had lapsed, I was going to renew when I got home. I knew that this was it, these were my last moments and was completely at peace, I would be fine…but I didn’t want my kids to grow up without their dad and I didn’t want any of them to have to go through what they would soon have to deal with. I then decided to fight…that I wasn’t going to just let this happen- I’d do my best to slow down, control my breathing, to keep calm and stay afloat, even knowing that there is NO WAY I’ll survive but the thing is…I was at complete peace either way, I knew I would soon drown or lose my grip and bleed out or both but I knew I’d be fine, I was OK…if He’s done with me, my job is finished and I was never afraid. I could go on with the story, the short version is that I relaxed, focused on staying afloat with as little effort as possible. My brother in law later told me that it took him 30-45 minutes to catch the boat, it was doing tight turns and every third turn it would kind of pause, dig in and provided him with a window that he finally gathered the courage to get in front of it, grab the anchor line that was tied off to the bow cleat and roll himself in. When I arrived at the hospital, they immediately began stripping my jewelry and I asked where my watch was. This created confusion, there was no watch. The prop caught me right where my watch slips to when I hold my arm vertically, it was gone. I suspect that it provided protection that saved my arm from being severed. Three weeks and seven surgeries later I was home in Oklahoma. Recovery took nine months or so, maybe a year. Several observations from my experience. One is clear- these things can and do happen to anyone, wear a kill switch, every time. We’d run this 3-day trip for over twenty years, six skiffs/trip…a lot of hours were spent running and never in the big boat’s history had anything like that happened. We had no real reason for concern, nobody wore life jackets or kill switches- in the areas we fished, if you fell out of the boat the solution was simple…stand up. (Nobody ever did). Two, not so clear- run in pairs, it’s more fun fishing with friends anyway. We usually did but waved off our partner, planned to meet up at another spot so nobody knew and nobody was coming to Freemason, we were completely on our own. Three- clearly that wasn’t my day but there is purpose and meaning for everything that happens to us and my job clearly isn’t finished. I have no idea why I am still here, I’m thankful for the second chance and vowed to do my best to serve in all that I do. A lot of things broke in my favor that day and I overcame impossible odds. If any other guy on that trip was in my situation they would have been killed, without a doubt my swimming background was a factor. My brother in law was in the best shape of his life. The boat stayed close, running in tight circles. My watch…I’d never before wore it fishing and it was gone when I arrived at the hospital maybe two hours after the accident. Oh…the captain had brought his 21’ CC boat for this trip, the first and only time he had done that, he intended to surprise me with a nearshore snapper trip…he’d hidden it in the marsh and as we called on the radio for help he had *just* pulled up to the big boat so we had FAST transport back to Ocean Springs and the hospital. My arm was torn up…lost an artery in fact, the surgeon could only re-connect one of them so I’m fortunate to have my hand. No infections either and it was a gaping hole, required plastic surgery back in Oklahoma. The life lessons are that we’re all here for a purpose, it’s our job to find what ours is and to do our best to serve. Also…our last day is our last day, and after experiencing what I knew was my last day and making peace with my transgressions, my biggest regrets were that my kids wouldn’t have their dad and my bride would have to deal with a LOT. I didn’t want them to be sad…well, kind of sad but I definitely didn’t want them to have to deal with the waves of grief that would soon arrive. Also…I knew that my family and friends would comfort themselves by saying, “he died doing what he loved,” and I remember thinking…that’s what they’ll say AT MY FUNERAL and that’s nonsense, they’re WRONG. I actually thought…they’re going to say that stuff and first of all, I hadn’t even caught a fish yet and second of all, I’m supposed to pass away as an old man, face planted in the sand on the beach with a rod in my hand! 😀 You’ve done a tremendous service to many…as much experience as you have on and around boats…accidents happen and you could have easily just filmed your own death. Thank God you were wearing a life jacket and that kill switch, many, many, many don’t. In fact I suspect the vast majority don’t and that’s really the best safety measure one can take and it’s easy to do…just slip it on. We are responsible not only for ourselves but for those onboard and we are also responsible to our family and friends…those who depend on us to come back safely and I’m thankful that you came back safely and particularly thankful that you filmed and uploaded this- this stuff happens and it’s not always someone we’ve never heard of…it can be me, it can be you and it can be someone reading this but it’s totally preventable with one or two simple precautions. Although this is the first time I’ve seen anything that reminded me so vividly of my experience, and even though I just now re-experienced the emotions, my stomach is STILL in knots…and despite the fact that this really did scare me I truly appreciate you for posting this. This very well may serve to save someone else’s life, so thank you. Oh…and thank you overall for what you do, I enjoy watching!

Get a small steering column with a wheel mid-ships. Will sort the ballast problem and easier to control the boat safely. Not great for a small boat but definitely safer. Great videos, Thank you.

Glad you are OK! Thank God. Great of you to turn this into a lesson for fellow boaters!

Thanks for sharing this. Good lesson for lot of people learning how to operate aluminum boats. Very good advice to wear PFD and kill switch. So many think it is not necessary and it wont happen to them. God Bless you!

"I think you're going to need a bigger boat..." 🤣😂😅 Love it! Awesome video.

Stuff can be replaced your life can’t. Praise God you didn’t get hurt and the boat stayed upright. God is good all the time.

Heck yes man. There is no better example for everyone than this! Great advice, great reminders and great over all attitude toward life and our savior Thankyou

Oh my goodness! Thankful God was watching over you. What a scary moment for us to watch! So glad you are safe!

Yeah I'm glad you left that on the video teaches us a lot of things of what not to do but you did a good job at recovery accidents happened to the best of us

Thank God you didn’t get hurt. Thank you for sharing. Things happen and having the proper safety equipment save lives. Sorry you lost your glasses!

Glad you made it ok. It was definitely an eye opening situation. Make sure you wear your vest and always have the kill switch attached to you.

Dear Bama saltwater, thank you for posting this video. I am glad you are okay. I have been on the water pulling tubers and skiers for several years nack in 80s and 90s. Had to sell the big boat back in 2016 and now have a 14ft fishing boat. I have recently discovered that a 25 horse with my boat will pull a tube and found an older 25 horse over Christmas break. After watching your video, i am installing a newer kill switch with cord. Again thank you for sharing your experience. I hope you have a wonderful summer.

Perfect tutorial skills. Slowly explained and great illustrating motion for the learner's eye to catch. Well done, Sr.

Thanks for the reality check. Shows how fast things can go south and why you should always wear the life jacket while the boats in motion!

Thank you for being brave enough to post this video so others can learn from your mistake!

Thanks for sharing so people can learn from our mistakes. Glad you are safe.

Thanks for posting this one, one of my favs. I always respect when you put it realistic content.

Glad you are okay. Love watching your videos.

Sorry this happened to you, happy you shared. When I was 13 I was driving a 12’ jon with a 9.9 and was thrown out. I was wearing the kill switch but go figure it was faulty and I had to fight to survive the boat doing a death circle for what felt like an eternity. It took me a few weeks to get back in a small boat with a tiller but I eventually “got back on the horse”. I’ve got a larger bayboat now but still own a 14’ jon with a 25hp tiller. Take it slow, never make quick changes, balance the weight of people and gear both on the center line and bow to stern. With the motor, tank and fisherman all sitting on the last 3 feet of hull, she’ll be sensitive to steering input. Love watching the videos, tight lines.