Well folks, I am pretty new to this forum and had just posted pics of my "New To Me" 1984 Regal 277XL commodore. I just loved this boat. Just had it hauled out and the bottom painted and zincs replaced. Had a Marine Mech come out and spent another $1,000 having everything brought up to snuff and a full main schedule done. Did I say I loved this boat? Well Wednesday here in the CA Delta it dawned a cold wet and foggy morning, but by 11:00 or so the day showed real promise. I climb on board and off i go. Get out into the San Joaquin River, throttle up and bring this big boy up on plain and get it up to a steady cruise speed of 31 or 32 MPH when "WHAM" I hit something hard and damn hard. I cut the throttles and look down into the cabin and there is part of a telephone pole with about 4 steele spicks sticking not only out of it but out and slightly up. It has ripped a huge hole in the bottom of the boat at least 10 feet long and a foot or so wide. Boat is going down, and I mean going down in a hell of a hurry. I scramble out of there and the last thing I looked at before I got wet was the Lowrance 332c, Which was brand new and just installed Monday at $785.00. The depth finder says 97 feet. About then I got cold real cold as the water temp was 50 degrees or so. Boat sank in less than two minutes and was simple gone. Sad part I had an appointment with the Ins guy today. Big hit folks, big hit and nobody but myself to blame for any of it.<br /><br />So I guess I'm going to cry in my beer for a day or two and start the hunt for a new Boat. Hope I can find another Regal as good as that one, God only knows there are a hell of a lot of boats for sale right now, and its a buyers market, thank goodness I need all of the help I can get!<br /><br />Gunny
