[jimmd]

when i had just recently purchase an old grampian 23 i took my sister and brother in law out to show them the wonders of sailing. there really was virtually no wind but i figured even a short motor sail would be fun. about 100 yards from the slip the 20 year old outboard developed transmission problems and we could no longer motor. we essentially started drifting aimlessly and tried nearly everything to catch a little breath of air to return with only to keep drifting into deader air. i finally realized that the motor would operate in reverse and ended up motoring in reverse approximately a quarter of a mile. we passed all the local boaters and walkers along the shore line including kids standing on a crabbing dock. everyone watched but nobody helped - nobody really laughed outloud either. i couldn't even get the kids to toss me a chicken neck. but we did make it back and it showed me that even though it was the first time that i could back into the slip.