Doh.. hit the rocks!

[mathiasmorgan]

Disaster.. Took my boat out last night.. My girlfriend's parents wanted to take their boat out for the first time this year after doing work on it. Her dad recently had heart problems so my girlfriend asked me to take my boat out also just in case. We launched on Lake Erie. Everything was fine and we took both boats for a long ride. As we were returning to the launch I dropped back and let them go ahead. They have a depth gauge, I don't yet.. Her father has been driving boats for 50 years. We were 100 yards from shore, but still my gut started screaming too close! too shallow... as I was reaching for my throttle.. Boom boom.... Well I don't know the extent of the damage yet.. I had to be towed in, I tried putting it in gear and the engine just revved up.. I took a good portion of one blade off the prop and there is a ding in the skag.. <br /><br />On the trailer, with the engine not running, when I put the boat in gear (forward) I can hand rotate the prop freely in one direction and in the other I can still turn it.. but there is some resistance. I get a rubbery squeking noise inside the outdrive. When I put it in reverse, I can freely turn the prop in both directions. So I believe I did more than just shear free the prop. I believe something in the outdrive is broken.<br />Thoughts.. suggestions? I've never had an I/O before..<br /><br />My girlfriend's father made out far worse.. his outdrive is a total loss. He has a fist-sized hole in the lower housing and his prop is 3 nubs.. <br /><br />Nasty way to end a lovely evening... I feel like a total a$$....<br />George

 

[fishhunter911]

Re: Doh.. hit the rocks!

I am sorry to hear about your lose!, I myself had a similar event this past weekend only I made out ok. I hit a submerged log running around 15 mph, only dented the out drive , dent is the size of a dime and chewed the skeg a little, I would call your insurance immediately and let them know what happened and tell them you are going to take it to your mech to be checked out, if you have insurance and I really hope you do it should cover it minus your deductible, good luck and I hope your back on the water soon

 

[mathiasmorgan]

Re: Doh.. hit the rocks!

It's an old 1970 Penn Yan boat that I've been restoring. I tried to insure it but was told due to the age and value of the boat, they will only provide liability insurance, nothing else. I'm getting the liability, which is pretty cheap, but that wouldn't help here.

 

[fishhunter911]

Re: Doh.. hit the rocks!

D**m that sucks, might want to try to find a used outdrive or rebuilt one then, either way good luck

 

[mathiasmorgan]

Re: Doh.. hit the rocks!

I'm being told there is a chance that it's just the prop. I have a spare prop and will change it tonight and find out.. I'm guessing there is something broken inside the stern drive too, based on what it feels like turning the prop by hand. I'm been told that if I sheared off the inside of the prop that it could feel that way.. we'll see.. <br />In anycase.. it was a boneheaded thing to do.. I was in unfamiliar waters without a depth finder (just floated this boat the first time this past weekend, haven't bought a depth finder yet) and was relying on someone else that it was deep enough. That last part is no excuse.. I was in control of my boat and I should have realized: if you don't know if it's deep enough, then act as if it isn't.. slow down.. and find out.. I have been operating boats for over 30 years and have never damaged a prop.. I should have known better..George

 

[SeaMasterZ@aol.com]

Re: Doh.. hit the rocks!

george, dont beat yourself up too badly, chit happens, and as far as your boat goes, the penn yan is a great boat, built before the oil embargo forced the bean counters to reduce the glass in boats ... and that GM six is up there with the Mopar Slant Six as far as reliability is concerned ...<br /><br />so fuggetabout it, fix er back up and get that sounder mounted on there!<br /><br />my 2c<br /><br />

 

[mathiasmorgan]

Re: Doh.. hit the rocks!

Thanks Ray.. I plan on fixing her, but it will be a while now.. I changed the prop last night, but there is more damage than that. Something is siezed in the outdrive. When I go into forward the engine just revs.. the prop doesn't turn. When I try reverse, the engine stalls. My impeller is obviously not turning, the engine began to overheat from lack of water cycling.. I caught it just as it redlined.. hope I didn't cook anything... all & all not a good situation.. I have a sterndrive book on order (from here at iboats), and I'm headed on vacation the week after next and have to watch the $$$'s.. so it looks like a September project.. Gez.. all this work to use her 3 times... ARRRRGH!

 

[danthern]

Re: Doh.. hit the rocks!

Feelin your pain George.....good luck

 

[magster65]

Re: Doh.. hit the rocks!

I was on a sea trial one time, just as we were watching the gps to see the boats top speed (36 mph)... whamo! A log. We hit it so hard I think if we coulda' made two more passes we coulda' cut it half. It sheared the leg clean off and it was hanging by the trim rams. I know exactly how you feel. A boat can be fixed. Glad nobody was hurt.