I went one time, with a buddy, on Lake Travis back around 2000. It was the dude with the pink boat out of Point Venture that we used. I don't know if my buddy had to pay extra, but he let all 1500 feet out, and had to run wide open to keep me in the air. My buddy thought it was a funny joke, but it absolutely sucked. I could see the streets of downtown Austin from fuckin' Jonestown. I didn't spend time enjoying the sights, I was just looking for the clearest areas along 1431. All I could think about was the deck not being able to take the stress of having that much line out. So much thinking. The water is 160 feet deep, ok, so I will lose 160 feet of altitude almost immediately, do I have enough line left to land at Bar-K in Lago Vista. I'm a pilot, and was in full loss of power emergency landing mode.
They started reeling me back in, so I was relieved, until the loose rolls would slip closer to the center of the reel. They would pull you in about 30 feet, then, the rope would slip, and you would shoot back up about 4-5 feet, and think the rope had snapped, or was unraveling. It was a nightmare. I told the boat owner, I was in legitimate in fear of death, and he should never do it to anyone again. Definitely in the top 5 near death, or thought you were gonna dies experiences of my life, I will never go again.
CHIEF