U Rest U Rust
Seaman Apprentice
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2007
- Messages
- 43
I havent boated since I was a kid. My friend gave me his 89, 23' with mercruiser 5.0. So my daughter and I get this thing back in shape. It needed a new outdrive, batteries, flush the gas out, rebuild carb, some wiring etc. we worked on it for about three weeks. well I get a slip for it and have it dropped in the water. We are in a busy canal on the south shore of long island. The first time out a bring a friend that has a boat close by and knows the waters. We are just tooling around getting used to the way the boat operates. On our way in we hear the power steering pump wining. We dock and top off the pump. It leaks out from the cylinder. I am not about to dump more money in this thing till I know I want to keep it. So I take the PS belt off. Whats the big deal, right??? Who needs power steering, right?? Well the next time I take it out I have my oldest son and youngets daughter with me. Now remeber, I didnt know what the trim tabs do and the indicators were not working (figured out later how to reset them). I nail the boat and it takes off I am now hitting 35 mph and the bow is jammed in the water and I cant turn the wheel worth a damn. My sons screaming and my daughter is crying and I am heading for the shole and big red buoy and still cant turn the boat or take my hands off the wheel to shut it down. Finally my son jumps around me and pulls the throttle back just in time. Well needless to say we were all scared to death. I now know what it means to be "overtrimmed"
Next, I am docking this thing rear in first, so I am now turning hard in reverse and hit the gas a bit, boat stalls. reaction, you guessed it, start it and hit the throttle forward. boat launches up in air and BAM, Slams into the dock owners hugh boat. Got him right in the side. Kids are screaming again, dock owners whatching the whole thing...
Now that was an embarrassing day
The goods news is, I never give up!!! Now have over 100 miles and 30 hours on it and am getting real good at it. But I seem to still find the bottom!!!!
Next, I am docking this thing rear in first, so I am now turning hard in reverse and hit the gas a bit, boat stalls. reaction, you guessed it, start it and hit the throttle forward. boat launches up in air and BAM, Slams into the dock owners hugh boat. Got him right in the side. Kids are screaming again, dock owners whatching the whole thing...
Now that was an embarrassing day
The goods news is, I never give up!!! Now have over 100 miles and 30 hours on it and am getting real good at it. But I seem to still find the bottom!!!!
