History Main / ConvenientEscapeBoat

* ''Series/{{Psych}}'': In "You Can't Handle This Episode" Juliet's secret-agent brother Ewen is introduced by having him jump obstacles and dodge bullet fire while being chased. He runs onto a public beach, jumps into the water, knocks a civilian off of a Jet Ski and zooms off to safety. ''All while having a conversation Juliet on the phone''.

* Subverted in ''Discworld/TheFifthElephant'', in which the very clever werewolves have one of their pack ''waiting on board'' the ConvenientEscapeBoat.

* This is done somewhat in the movie ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings,'' when the Nazgûl are chasing the hobbits-- and the hobbits ''pull off'' in the ferry, before Frodo even gets there. Naturally, Frodo has to jump for it-- and makes it... just in time. (In the book, it was nowhere this dramatic; the Nazgûl follows them to the river, but is unseen until long after they've pulled off).

* ''Film/LiveAndLetDie'': After escaping the alligator farm and burning down the drug lab, Bond steals a convenient escape boat to flee the bad guys. This leads to an awesome chase across the bayous as Bond is pursued by the villains and the police.

Often subverted by having the jumper land on the boat, only to discover that the boat is pulling ''in'', not out. In the case of rowboats or motorboats, it's common for the boat to either be busted up and sink immediately or missing or oars or fuel. Closely related to its action-movie brethren {{Roofhopping}}, HeroStoleMyBike, TrashLanding, and TrainEscape. Car examples may include a RampJump.

* In ''Flying Colours'', HoratioHornblower, Lieutenant Bush and Brown, having been captured the previous novel, are taken into France for a show trial and execution. While they are being transported, they stop near a river with a small fishing boat available. Being Badass Sailors, they are able to work out an escape once they have access to a boat and water.

* In ''Film/TheNavigator'', Creator/BusterKeaton and his girl are out in the water off the coast of an island, about to be captured and eaten by the cannibals that inhabit said island--when a submarine surfaces [[DeusExMachina completly at random]] beneath them, saving them from the cannibals.

* ''VideoGame/PaperMarioSticker'': There's a level in World 5 that has Mario going down a river there just happens to be raft floating around for him to use.

** They also did it in "Homer the Heretic": The Flanders family is chasing Homer in their car, so Homer heads to Springfield Harbor. He drives off a pier, landing on a garbage barge. The Flanders' hit the brakes, almost falling into the water. Homer waves back at them, then asks the captain where the barge is headed. "To Garbage Island," he replies. This is apparently a reference to the film ''WhiteLightning''.

* ''Series/PersonOfInterest''. When escaping from a Samaritan facility, Sameen Shaw has a YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe on discovering she's on an island, but then sees a fast boat moored offshore. [[spoiler:However the escape has been arranged by her captors in a TrickAndFollowPloy, so it's justified.]]

Often subverted by having the jumper land on the boat, only to discover that the boat is pulling ''in'', not out. In the case of rowboats or motorboats, it's common for the boat to either be busted up and sink immediately or missing or oars or fuel. Closely related to its action-movie brethren {{Roofhopping}}, TrashLanding, and TrainEscape. Car examples may include a RampJump.

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/indy_boat_escape.jpg]]]]

* Likewise in ''Shoot to Kill'' aka ''Deadly Pursuit'' (1988). The mysterious killer escapes the police via a boat he has waiting at a pier. However when the police chase it down with their own boat, they find the steering controls have been tied off with ropes, and the killer is actually slipping away beneath the pier on foot. The climax of the movie also has the 'leaping on a ferry as it's departing the pier' version, as a means of [[ThisIsSomethingHeHasToDoHimself splitting the protagonists from the other pursuing officers in the final confrontation with the killer]].

* Likewise in ''Shoot to Kill'' aka ''Deadly Pursuit'' (1988). The mysterious killer escapes the police via a boat he has waiting at a pier. However when the police chase it down with their own boat, they find the steering controls have been tied off with ropes, and the killer is actually slipping away beneath the pier on foot. The climax of the movie also has the 'leaping on a ferry as it's departing the pier' version, as a means of [[SomethingHeHasToDoHimself splitting the protagonists from the other pursuing officers in the final confrontation with the killer]].

* Likewise in ''Shoot to Kill'' aka ''Deadly Pursuit'' (1988). The mysterious killer escapes the police via a boat he has waiting at a pier. However when the police chase it down with their own boat, they find the steering controls have been tied off with ropes, and the killer is actually slipping away beneath the pier on foot.

* Likewise in ''Shoot to Kill'' aka ''Deadly Pursuit (1988). The mysterious killer escapes the police with his stolen diamonds via a boat waiting at a pier. However when the police chase it down with their own boat, they find the steering controls have been tied off with ropes, and the killer is actually slipping away beneath the pier on foot.

* ''Series/GameOfThrones''. In "Hardhome", as the wights ZergRush the palisade there's mass panic among the wildlings with them running for the boats ferrying them to the ships offshore. Despite this there's still one boat left at the pier as [[PlotArmor Snow, Tormund and Edd]] flee the final wight attack. Though it's possible the sailors unloaded their passengers and then rowed back for more.

This also counts if you drive off a bridge and a barge shows up below. Very rarely is the subject of how the escapee gets off the boat addressed-- ''they'' might end up swimming back to shore, too. Sometimes justified by having the pursuers cuss about how their quarry not only got away, but stole their boat as well. Another frequent example is a rowboat or motorboat being left unattended with the oars left or sufficient fuel near lakes and rivers. Can also extend to pre-maid rafts.

* In the first (of many) ''{{Dragonlance}}'' trilogies. Too bad the dwarf had a fear of water.

* Used in ''Film/TheTakingOfPelhamOneTwoThree''. The hijackers [[RunawayTrain send the subway train down a line leading to the harbour]] so the police will think they're escaping via boat, when they've actually got off the train already.

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* This happens in ''Film/WhiteLightning'', and inspired a similar act in ''TheSimpsons'' (see below)

* ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade''

* OlderThanTelevision: In the Literature/SherlockHolmes adventure ''The Sign Of Four'' (1890), the bad guys try to escape Holmes and the police on a steam boat, but the police have their own patrol boat ready and give chase, exchanging bullets [[ItMakesSenseInContext and poison darts]].

-->"Whoever heard o' pirate ship without a small boat moored 'neath the stern an' provisioned wi' all necessities, so that fugitives can light out unseen!"

* When the protagonists of the Creator/JulesVerne's ''Literature/InSearchOfTheCastaways'' found a [[DeusExMachina convenient pirogue]] on the shore, and an equally convenient ship a bit away, while [[ChasedByAngryNatives being pursued by the Maori]], this was all fine and dandy. What they ''didn't'' expect was the ship being their own ''[[CoolBoat Duncan]]''.

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* In ''TheDreamer'', Alan and Beatrice escape Gen. Howe's ship by boat.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' did it several times. On one occasion, Homer is trying to escape his guilt at not giving his dad a kidney, so he hops onto a departing ship full of "lost souls."

*** Lisa: "Or a fjord."

* ''Film/DawnOfTheDead2004'' does this... though [[DownerEnding It Doesn't End Well]]

* This is also done in the movie ''Film/SomeLikeitHot,'' where Jack Lemmon's "Fiance" just happens to be there waiting for him in a boat.

* Subverted and inverted in Film/TheGhostWriter. The main character is being tailed and manages to get on board the only ferry off the island. [[HopeSpot His pursuers are prevented from boarding at first]], until he looks back and the guard reluctantly lets them on. He still manages to give them the slip, and [[InvertedTrope leaps off back onto the island]].

This also counts if you drive off a bridge and a barge shows up below. Very rarely is the subject of how the escapee gets off the boat addressed-- ''they'' might end up swimming back to shore, too. Sometimes justified by having the pursuers cuss about how their quarry not only got away, but stole their boat as well. Another frequent example is a rowboat or motorboat being left unattended with the oars left or sufficient fuel near lakes and rivers.

This also counts if you drive off a bridge and a barge shows up below. Very rarely is the subject of how the escapee gets off the boat addressed-- ''they'' might end up swimming back to shore, too. Sometimes justified by having the pursuers cuss about how their quarry not only got away, but stole their boat as well.

Often subverted by having the jumper land on the boat, only to discover that the boat is pulling ''in'', not out. Closely related to its action-movie brethren {{Roofhopping}}, TrashLanding, and TrainEscape. Car examples may include a RampJump.