Re: Dumb rookie mistakes
Haha this is a great thread.
I took the Donzi out last weekend for the first time (new purchase/engine over winter) - having owned a 20' Yamaha jet boat last season (my first boating season) and while I'm fairly OCD about most boating things, I made a classic mistake last weekend!
Some friends from the shop that installed the motor took her out with me the first few hours/launched, but after that I wanted to feel things out for myself. When Sunday came around they were all exhausted so I went to load her up myself - used a much smaller private ramp this time, backed up fine.. on the second approach she was lined up perfectly and I killed the engine (much different than the jet so I was very proud!) she rode up the bow bunk a few inches and stopped perfectly. I secured the bow winch line and hopped in the car... pulled her out of the water, did a walk-around inspection, got to the stern and just about ***** myself. The bottom of the skeg was pretty much ON the concrete, maybe 1.5" clearance. NO DAMAGE at all - I had totally forgotten to trim it up.
Needless to say I didn't have to worry about such things last season with the jets, and I was kinda on autopilot with the sun setting after a 90 degree day on the water and it being a Sunday, but I still felt like a total idiot!
I called the guy that helped me out when we put in Sat (he told me where the private ramp was so he knew I was out there) and I was like "dude, guess what" and he was like "***** man.. I was in the shower when it hit me, but I know you forgot to trailer trim that thing before you took it out" haha so I felt a little better - guess I'm not the only one.
Still, it's not like I can run down to the store and order new bits for an OMC King Cobra. I need to be more careful with this outdrive.
Haha this is a great thread.
I took the Donzi out last weekend for the first time (new purchase/engine over winter) - having owned a 20' Yamaha jet boat last season (my first boating season) and while I'm fairly OCD about most boating things, I made a classic mistake last weekend!
Some friends from the shop that installed the motor took her out with me the first few hours/launched, but after that I wanted to feel things out for myself. When Sunday came around they were all exhausted so I went to load her up myself - used a much smaller private ramp this time, backed up fine.. on the second approach she was lined up perfectly and I killed the engine (much different than the jet so I was very proud!) she rode up the bow bunk a few inches and stopped perfectly. I secured the bow winch line and hopped in the car... pulled her out of the water, did a walk-around inspection, got to the stern and just about ***** myself. The bottom of the skeg was pretty much ON the concrete, maybe 1.5" clearance. NO DAMAGE at all - I had totally forgotten to trim it up.
Needless to say I didn't have to worry about such things last season with the jets, and I was kinda on autopilot with the sun setting after a 90 degree day on the water and it being a Sunday, but I still felt like a total idiot!
I called the guy that helped me out when we put in Sat (he told me where the private ramp was so he knew I was out there) and I was like "dude, guess what" and he was like "***** man.. I was in the shower when it hit me, but I know you forgot to trailer trim that thing before you took it out" haha so I felt a little better - guess I'm not the only one.
Still, it's not like I can run down to the store and order new bits for an OMC King Cobra. I need to be more careful with this outdrive.
