Cotter Pins !!!!!!!!!!

[alderman]

Ok another post reminded me of this, several years ago about 1977 or 1978 I was in charge of doing the boundry survey on Bevier lake in Northern Ark. At that time there weren't many roads so we used a 16' semi vee and a 40 hp johnson to get where we needed to go. In mid december we decided to come home for the holidays. I took the boat and motor to a local repair shop and told them to go through it. Whatever it needed. Came back in January already to get back to work. Picked up the boat motored 15 miles or so to work area and beached her. Worked all day 3 of us piled all the equipment and us back in the boat fired her up put it in reverse and watched th prop. back off in about 25 feet of real clear water. No problem seeing it just did not have anything to reach it with. After a hour of so of trying to fish it out I decided since I was in charge I would go get it. I stripped down to my skivies and in I went. Got it first dive but man that water was cold. <br />Later found out the guy at the repair shop had forgot to put in a new cotter pin. I had a few choice words for him once my voice came back down.<br />Seems real funny now but I don't remember laughing back then.<br />Ray

 

[Xcusme]

Re: Cotter Pins !!!!!!!!!!

Well, there you have it. I've been thinking about this kind of thing for a very long time now. I have the impression that there's a lot of folks that don't take the time or have the sense of pride of doing a job right. In this case you were inconvenienced. But what if it was the spring on your brake shoes that were mis-installed ?? I'm not going to get upon a soap box or start some long rant about the state of affairs along this subject. I just think something has been lost in the way some people look at their jobs and how their work ethic can and does impact others. At one time, a man was judged by the quality of his work. He built a reputation for far pricing and quality work. Just ask most folks about the quality of the products you buy today. Most are cheaper to toss than to repair. We have become a throw away society. I guess that's what happens when the market is driven, not by the quality of the goods, just the price. As for outboard motors, I myself, will take a 30 year old motor and put it right mechanically and trust that it won't let me down when it really counts. My opinion of the newer stuff is, it's not the same quality as the older stuff. Perhaps it's just my advanced (grin) years, or perhaps , I'm from a generation where quality meant something. I remember a time when I heard a mechanic say "That's just cheap Japanese cr@p" , buy American. Sadly, I think the tables have been turned. Ask anyone who's been to a GM service department lately. <br /><br />OK, I'm done now.....Hey, I'm glad you got home OK...and safe!

 

[GatorMike]

Re: Cotter Pins !!!!!!!!!!

I am just curious. I have never been in that situation but have often wondered, when you lose your prop you probably don't find the nut and thrust washer. I imagine in a pinch I could find something to help hold it on and it seems as long as you keep it in forward the prop would stay on anyway. Did you use anything to attach the retrieved prop?

 

[DJ]

Re: Cotter Pins !!!!!!!!!!

It will stay on as long as the engine is in forward and you back off the throttle REAL slow.

 

[alderman]

Re: Cotter Pins !!!!!!!!!!

Yep lost it all, diden't find nut or washer. I used one of my wire survey flags to hold it on till we could get back across the lake. <br />DJ I think when I beached it that morning I came down from a fairly high speed to nothing, I am guessing I lost the nut then. After working all day I just put her in reverse to back out and the prop spun off. <br />Any way it sure was a cold for diving, and I had no desire to join the local polar bear club. <br />Ray