Stranded at Sea

[matt4704]

Out today in the bay and was cruising when I noticed at full throttle my boat would not exceed 3100 rpms...

As I was trying to figure out what was going on I heard what sounded like a clunking noise and then the boat had no propulsion. The engine was running but there was still a clunking noise towards the stern..Could not get her to go in forward or reverse...

Oil pressure was good, Temp was good..No smell of anything burning..No visbile leaks in the engine compartment...Oil full..also drive oil full...Engine would now rev to 4500 but had the clunking noise.

Im im no way mechanical, but it I am wondering if it is something to do with the drive...I had to be towed in by my dad with his Trawler ...and hopefully a mechanic will be able to firgure it out Monday...


I thought it may be the u joint or the coupler...but from what I read before they go out the rpms go way up...

Anyone have any idea what happened, or has had it happened to you?? HELP!

 

[45Auto]

Re: Stranded at Sea

When was the last time the drive was pulled, u-joints greased, and drive lube changed?

 

[matt4704]

Re: Stranded at Sea

I honestly could not tell u..I had a survey done on the boat and the surveyor gave me the heads up on the boat...just said I needed to get the drive serviced and oil change after 20 hours...

I would add that I recently purchased this boat, which had been sitting under tarps on land for the last 2 yrs...Tune up was done, and I had spent the night on her the night before, so this was the second day back in the water...I checked the drive oil and it is dark..No milky look to it...

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: Stranded at Sea

Sounds like something broke in your outdrive. That sucks.

 

[Alpheus]

Re: Stranded at Sea

You may be lucky and just have a spun prop hub. Take your props to a prop shop and have them torque test them for you. I would start there...

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Stranded at Sea

I don't know, the clunking tells me it's probably more serious than a spun hub.

 

[matt4704]

Re: Stranded at Sea

Im really pretty bummed...Just bought this boat and one hr of use and im gonna be paying a hefty repair bill...IMHO I would think this should have been caught by the surveyor..Kind of makes me wonder why I used a surveyor at all now..

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Stranded at Sea

They recommended having the drive serviced, did you have this checked out & serviced?

 

[jtmarten]

Re: Stranded at Sea

Did the surveyor do a sea trial? If not, there is no way for them to tell the condition of the engine/drive.
It sucks, but if you didn't take his advice and get the drive serviced ....

 

[matt4704]

Re: Stranded at Sea

Ya, we did a sea trial and I he told me I had 20 good hrs then have the oil changed and the drive serviced...Hell, I was just takin her out in the bay for an hr and then had scheduled a oil and drive service for this week...

 

[sethjon]

Re: Stranded at Sea

Definitely an outdrive problem. You need to have it pulled to determine accurately what the problem is. From what you've explained I doubt if its in the engine.

 

[matt4704]

Re: Stranded at Sea

Well I guess that is kinda good news...