Hit a floater today!!!

[gtdavis]

Okay had a first today.... I hit a floating ??log?? Im not sure how big it was but it shook the boat when I hit it. I didnt notice any hull damage however I have some wood clogging up a couple of my intake holes and the speedo port that I have to remove. Is there anything else I need to look for?? Was running 34-35mph

 

[seabob4]

Re: Hit a floater today!!!

The boat will kinda skim over it, it's the LU that suffers. Clean it up, inspect for hull damage, and closely inspect the prop. If all the blades look "okay", take her back out and see if there are any performance issues. If all seems OK, then you dodged a bullet...

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Hit a floater today!!!

Boats (and motors) are tough. On this forum you encounter a long list of "never do this" items that many people have done once or twice, with no real consequences: drag the skeg on the ramp, run aground, run through mud/sand, turn over the motor out of water, rev in neutral, wrap a rope around the prop, drop the motor quickly against the transom, expose the boat to salt water.

Obviously you want to avoid those things (like hitting logs) and with something that can cause a serious mechanical or safety issue, look for damage or residuals and by all means ask about it if you aren't sure. But relax.

Getting rotten wood out of speedo holes is a frequent topic, so it stands to reason that hitting logs is a frequent occurence. I found a small fish-hook to be a good cleaner. Also a 1/16th drill bit twisted by hand. And you can disconnect the tube upstream and blow it out.

 

[gtdavis]

Re: Hit a floater today!!!

Thanks for the advice!!! I will check all that..... Prolly scared me more than it hurt the boat lol:redface:

 

[ziggy]

Re: Hit a floater today!!!

Prolly scared me more than it hurt the boat lol:redface:

that's good, count your blessings. last fella i saw that hit a dead head log on the missouri river had his drive hanging to his boat by the shift cable... them dead heads logs can be darn dangerous..

 

[wbc1957]

Re: Hit a floater today!!!

I live near the mouth of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, and can say that it just isn't worth it to run one's boat when the rivers are rising or at crested levels. As much as I would like to have a few extra days of memories out on the water, I would rather not have bad memories of either family or friends losses from a boat the sunk, or expensive repairs that can finish the season. Sure, lakes have their own issues of floaters, but if one does the work of charting the area of use at low speeds, one can still have a good uneventful day.

 

[jfadool]

Re: Hit a floater today!!!

yep, If there are no serious visual problems you may have dodged the bullet. Just make sure you check your prop.

We had a person driving a safety launch following a rowing boat. He hit a log and knocked the cowl off the engine and into the water. It also bent the prop, we were able to get that straitened out with out having to replace the prop.

 

[gtdavis]

Re: Hit a floater today!!!

I think everything is good prop is a ss high five and didnt see anything obvious I figure for the most part it either breakes or doesnt and I didnt notice any vibration it did knock my trim tab loose (was gonna adjust it anyway) Im usually super paranoid about floaters and always have my depthfinder on The same day I got laughed at for taking evasive manouvers to dodge a mountain dew bottle that I saw pop up LOL this time all the kids were riding in the bow seats and the water was a little choppy never saw it comming. I agree I need to count my blessings and hug the wife kids

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Hit a floater today!!!

around here we have the same problems after a northeaster or hurricane as you describe crested rivers, but we mostly have old pilings, large sections of docks, swamped bayliners, wooden pier/deck furniture, planks and trash cans. I cut a 2x10 in half with my 150 while pulling a tube--scary. It was so waterlogged we had a hard time finding the pieces to take home; sat right at the surface. My cousin suggested next time I use a skil saw for cutting lumber.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Hit a floater today!!!

Are you sure it was a log? You didn't notice any skin or meat on your prop, did you?

 

[gtdavis]

Re: Hit a floater today!!!

LOL I wondered if anyone would say that calling it a "floater" and nooo also all kids were accounted for! (thats the story Im sticking with anyway)

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Hit a floater today!!!

I went across a 4x8 sheet of plywood before, luckily it was with a jetboat otherwise I'd have done a very bad table saw impression with an outdrive. No damage, barely noticed it but my passenger saw it get kicked up after I drove over it. The jet suction partially lifted it, and then it hit the water blast and shredded parts of it.

 

[Lrider]

Re: Hit a floater today!!!

Boats (and motors) are tough. On this forum you encounter a long list of "never do this" items that many people have done once or twice, with no real consequences: drag the skeg on the ramp, run aground, run through mud/sand, turn over the motor out of water, rev in neutral, wrap a rope around the prop, drop the motor quickly against the transom, expose the boat to salt water.

I can't expose me boat to saltwater? OMG

 

[riptide09]

Re: Hit a floater today!!!

I hit a floating/submerged log on my second time out this spring. No damage except a few scuff marks to the hull. Wasted my prop on the OB. I had to stop and change out the prop on the water. Cost me $89 to get the prop rebuilt.

 

[nimmor]

Re: Hit a floater today!!!

I would probably change the lower unit fluid and look for any water. The reason for this is the impact may have loosened something and allowed the gasket to leak water into the lower unit. Better safe than sorry, and lower unit fluid is not expensive.