Last time out, after a heavy storm, I ran over a floating telephone pole or a tree about the same size at 25 mph. I had a 2 inch chip in my gel coat that I repaired. Worse though, is the boat now leans left. It's not too noticeable when docked but it loaded crooked on the trailer and it's a little scary when turning left. At first, when I heard the bang, I thought we might sink but we stayed afloat. I'm hoping that I can still use the boat safely.
I thought there must be water on the outside of the stringer so I opened up the floor but nothing. (Now, I'm replacing the floor. In a posting last year, someone told me it was time and I finally had enough reason.) I hope I didn't just waste a few hundred dollars and all the days it's taking to repair the floor.
I knocked around the hull and don't feel any weakness so far. It looks normal to me (see pictures) but I'm hoping your more experienced eyes can see what I can't. You can see it tilted on the trailer and that was with my 200+ pound son standing on the starboard end of the stern otherwise it was tilted even more and I was worried about how it would sit and ride on the trailer with more tilt.
The chip in the coating was on the starboard side so that must be what took the impact. (Yes, we look ahead very carefully now at what might be in the water.) I don't have trim tabs and since it's a problem loading on the trailer, I don't think it could have something to do with the outdrive but I could b wrong about that.
Have I done irreparable damage? I'm thinking I can still use the boat if I'm careful and go slow on left turns. I can also put some ballast on the right. Are there any other tests I can do?
Has anyone experienced anything like this before?
I thought there must be water on the outside of the stringer so I opened up the floor but nothing. (Now, I'm replacing the floor. In a posting last year, someone told me it was time and I finally had enough reason.) I hope I didn't just waste a few hundred dollars and all the days it's taking to repair the floor.
I knocked around the hull and don't feel any weakness so far. It looks normal to me (see pictures) but I'm hoping your more experienced eyes can see what I can't. You can see it tilted on the trailer and that was with my 200+ pound son standing on the starboard end of the stern otherwise it was tilted even more and I was worried about how it would sit and ride on the trailer with more tilt.
The chip in the coating was on the starboard side so that must be what took the impact. (Yes, we look ahead very carefully now at what might be in the water.) I don't have trim tabs and since it's a problem loading on the trailer, I don't think it could have something to do with the outdrive but I could b wrong about that.
Have I done irreparable damage? I'm thinking I can still use the boat if I'm careful and go slow on left turns. I can also put some ballast on the right. Are there any other tests I can do?
Has anyone experienced anything like this before?
