Check your outboard jack plates!

[arks]

I spent some time on my boat today (in a marina slip) and saw the local FD launch their rescue boat for a call. They were joined by 2 other FD boats and within 10 minutes one returned with 2 persons onboard. The first victim was rushed into a waiting ambulance and hauled away code 3. For the second guy they took their time- not usually a good sign. I watched them load him into the meat wagon and didn't see him move at all.

Anyway, I didn't have any other info until an hour later when one of the FD boats brought in a Ranger bass boat with a HUGE outboard sitting on the passenger seat, connected only by the controls. The aluminium jack plate somehow got separated because half was on the motor and the other half still on the transom!

Apparently the 2 guys were running fast (in calm conditions) and the motor disconnected itself . My guess is that they were both ejected into the water but I don't know for sure. The air temp today was in the mid-30's and water temp 46.

Here's a shot of the boat. My camera was at maximum zoom but maybe one of you computer guys can zooom it in to better see the jack plate or motor.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

That's a shame. It certainly doesn't look like some half-*****ed setup.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

I had a friend who lost his evinrude 225 off his boat into lake Champlain..... he lost it at speed and there was no recovery.... took most of the transom with it.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

When the motor comes off when moving forward, doesn't it go under the boat?
Unless the rescue squad pulled 400+ lbs of motor back up in the the boat by the control cables and set it there to tow, I don't see how the motor ended up in the boat...except for full reverse.
Very tragic, though....

 

[BWR1953]

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

 

[arks]

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

Thanks for the blow-up BWR!
Yeah, I'd think a disconnected, running motor would try to go around the boat- left, right, under or (god forbid) over.... My guess is the control cables kept it from deep-sixing.

As far as weight, there were 4 or 5 guys on the FD boat that left my marina, and they had at least one other rescue boat on scene- not including the FD boat that brought back the victims. Maybe they could've pulled it up into the seat, I dunno.

I didn't see any other damage to the boat, and the hull was floating just fine when brought to the trailer. I'll have to see if there's anything in the local paper next week.

Here's a shot of them leaving my marina, and apparatus waiting at the scene:

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

In the blow-up, the steering cable is broken, but the electrical still looks attached.

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

That big motor would be a lot lighter under water, so lifting it would really be an issue untill after it cleared to water.

TerryMSU

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

my thought would be why all the way up to the seats. lugging a motor that big is NOT a fun task, you absolutely don't move it further than you need to! The back deck is nice and flat.

be interesting to know exactly what happened behind that accident.

 

[4JawChuck]

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

More likely this is what happened.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UEETjztLqI

 

[paw2000]

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

From the position of the motor (rear pedestal seat still in position) and the 2 bolts visible in motor bracket, it looks like a catastrophic failure of the mount. Possible at speed, hitting a submerged stump or log and kicked the motor up and out, possibly hitting the people in the boat. Bass boats tend to run the motor very high for speed, and the speed of the boats is 60mph+. The video posted shows how unstable the boats get when water conditions are less then ideal. On some of the speed shots of the video, you can see how the boat was getting squirrelly. Usually care needs to be taking when overtaking a boat, usually its best to slow down and take the wave close to straight on. Glad the driver of the video was ok. Also the video crash showed a swamped boat, the other shows a boat thats by first look, looks fine, so I think they hit something.

Let us know what you hear.

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

Yikes! that's too bad.


(video shows guy trying to air hull too far for speed and then being stupid crossing a wake, could have just trimmed down and still croosed at speed if he just set the boat down in the water. No clue what he was doing.)

 

[rbh]

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

Ouch!

 

[marine4003]

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

Bottom half of jack plate still attached to the transom..top half still attached to the motor..given the boats high end, its an hydrolic lift JP.Either the motor exceeded the top highest position and came tumbling into the boat,or a wave caused the release, but anyway it happened i'll bet too much speed along with an inexperienced driver caused alot of it. Half the jokers out running in hyped up bass boats dont have a clue how to operate at those speeds, let along running a bass boat w/200 horses strapped on the back....culling of the idiots.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

I have a boat similar to a typical bass boat. At 50+MPH you need to hold her real steady, and make sure you are not surprized by a boat wake or wave. As you turn the wheel at that speed, the boat yaws(slides sideways), and then straightens out.

Under 50MPH, the boat handles great. I make sure anyone who exceeds 50MPH knows what they are doing, actually, I never let anyone drive it that fast, for safety reasons. I let my niece drive it last summer, and had to ask her if she knew she was out of control. She didn't, BTW

The guy in the video crashed because he was out of control while crossing the second wake, didn't hit the wake perpendicular, and when the boat landed the first time, the motor was turned all the way to starboard. This caused the rear end to swing around and caused him to flip.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

the guy inthe video was doing some speed trials so he wasn't the typical boater doing stupid stuff--he was a pro. But I see plenty amatuers trying it.

On the photos, I suspect the motor broke loose and was hanging; the rescue folks heaved it on board for towing in. But a running motor coming loose can go in any direction despite its primary force being against the transom and down--just like an out of control car doesn't follow the road.

 

[arks]

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

I found this blurb online.
Sounds like they hit something that made the jackplate come apart.

http://www.abc2news.com/news/local/...-Boating-Accident/AMKgvI-wO0uW5b4JMcYAOA.cspx

BTW- it was a local fishing competition, so there were quite a few other boats in the immediate area.

 

[trendsetter240]

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

A good time to remind people to wear their life jackets, even in calm waters. Accidents can happen anytime.

 

[paw2000]

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

I called it right, the jackplate pulled apart. Most plates are 1/2 inch aluminum, but I would say the weakest point is the area where it slides up and down. The only thing retaining it is the retaining washers. When a motor is under power everything is "pushed together" hit something and now you have separation forces.

Glad to see both people had survived

 

[trendsetter240]

Re: Check your outboard jack plates!

I called it right, the jackplate pulled apart. Most plates are 1/2 inch aluminum, but I would say the weakest point is the area where it slides up and down. The only thing retaining it is the retaining washers. When a motor is under power everything is "pushed together" hit something and now you have separation forces.

Glad to see both people had survived

I would call into question the safety of these jack plates. And also the motor that was mounted on there.

My 95 Evinrude 70hp has a hydraulic shock absorption system for just this type of situation. The motor should kick up when it strikes a underwater object, saving the transom and avoiding situations like we have here.

I wonder if this motor had such a system, if it was properly in place and if the jack plate was built to withstand such an impact.