ScottFromWyoming wrote:
 
I think you're a fish out of the water

 ScottFromWyoming wrote:
 

Sounds to me like you're a  duck out of water...

now we come to fish...

 Prodigal_SOB wrote:
 
There's "all at sea", or just "at sea", which seems more like it means "disoriented" or "confused" than it does "uninformed", but if one wants to work with the nautical theme...

 ScottFromWyoming wrote: 
 I don't think I've ever heard anyone use it before.  If you want an idiom for "way off base" what's wrong with "out in left field" or "totally out of the ballpark"?

 kcar wrote:
 

All the "water" idioms come up empty so I guess I just imagined it. It's really difficult to search for because there's "blown out of the water" too. So anyway I like my new idiom but I'm going to need you all to start using it so people will understand me when I use it. :mrgreen:

 ScottFromWyoming wrote:
 


You might want to check out this page: it has other idioms about oars, like a person having both oars in the water (being calm, practical).

https://idioms.thefreedictiona...


I've seen the idiom below in older British works. From what I remember, it can also mean that a person is generally flaky or out to lunch.

have just one oar in the water

Rur. to not be thinking clearly. Tom has some crazy plan for opening his own restaurant. If you ask me, he has just one oar in the water. She has just one oar in the water if she thinks Bill is going to pay any attention to her.See also: have, just, oar, one, water

Is there an idiom along the lines of "you're/I'm totally out of the water"? 

I was about to use it to describe my own argument of a point, meaning I might be "way off base," not understanding what I'm talking about. The context of the idiom (I think) is referring to a boat revving its engine but the propeller's not in the water. Making a lot of noise but not going anywhere? Has anyone heard this before?

Yeah I get the irony that I may be totally out of the water here. Also in my understanding of irony.