Real Life: 1, YouTube: 0

Dinghy Debacle

On TV, they just push the boat out and leap in. The waves are never too big, the outboard motor doesn’t drag, and they don’t mind getting their feet wet.

Looks simple, right?

So how hard could it be to push our inflatable dinghy off the shore? Out on Santa Cruz Island near Scorpion Anchorage, the water was calm, my pants were rolled up, and Roger was sitting ready with the paddle. We’d brought the dinghy ashore to explore a bit and now it was time to head back to Wandering Spirit for lunch.

One Foot In, One Foot Out

Feeling a little concerned I might not be able to easily jump in the boat, I figured I’d better put one foot in the dinghy before shoving off with the other—a kind of insurance against getting left behind.

The Great Dinghy Split

But here’s how that brilliant idea played out. I pushed off with one foot on the sand, and the boat shot forward on the water. Roger fell backward off his bench—right onto my front leg—while my other leg dragged through the sand.

Quickly looking around for witnesses, I struggled to recover from unexpectedly doing the splits. But with one leg buried in wet sand and the other stuck under Roger, I couldn’t even stand up.

“Why did you push so hard?!” Roger shouted. By then I was laughing so hard I could hardly talk, much less explain what I’d done.

That sandy, humiliating failure taught me something I’ll never forget: sometimes there’s a world of difference between head knowledge and real life experience.

Book Smarts Don’t Always Cut It

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from both sailing and RVing, it’s that YouTube and books can’t measure up to practical experience. Watching someone else do it is comparable to trying to understand a 3D puzzle from a flat drawing. You can poll the experts, mentally picture the entire process, purchase all the recommended equipment, and read Sailing for Dummies cover to cover—none of it provides the same depth of understanding as going through the motions yourself.

Dinghy Wisdom (Yes, That’s a Pun)

Here's what I learned from that dinghy experience:

• Don’t ever assume I’m smarter than someone who’s actually done it.

• Sometimes I don’t know what I don’t know.

• Book learning has its place—but real life can humble me fast.

Experience Beats Arrogance

I used to think I could learn anything from books. That dinghy failure, along with similar episodes, helped me discover the value of active participation. When all I know is the result of learning from books—or YouTube—I have a strange tendency to be a trifle judgmental.

“I could do it better. Why didn’t she try (fill in the blank)?”

“That’s not so hard. I could do that in my sleep!”

“I don’t know why she complains all the time. I could get it done in half the time.”

The Joy of Story Swapping

But when you’ve actually done the thing, it’s really fun to compare notes with people who have also done that thing. That’s why sailors, motorcyclists, and RVers flock together—to swap real life stories of brilliant successes and abysmal failures. Because there is something to be learned from listening to experienced people—but nothing beats experiencing it for yourself.

So go ahead—step in, push off, and maybe even fall in. You’ll get wet, sure—but you’ll also get wiser.

What’s something you thought you understood—until you tried it yourself? Share your “oh… so that’s how it works” moment!