OMC 3.0 Cobra hit the bottom

[wcasey5]

So I wasn't paying too much attention and I hit the bottom in shallow water. Dug up mud and the boat felt like it popped out of gear. After I realized what happened I got out of trouble in deeper water, and everything looked like it was working and shifting fine. It really took the paint off the bottom of the drive and prop. So my question is did it slip out of gear, or did the prop just slip on the hub. I didn't hear any clicking or anything. It shifted and planed off fine afterwards. Should I worry about the prop, perhaps replace? Anything else I should check? Thanks.

 

[tfitch03]

Re: OMC 3.0 Cobra hit the bottom

With the boat on the trailer, put it in gear and see if you can spin your prop with your hands. Examine the propeller carefully to make sure you didn't bend a blade. If your prop got messed up at all, I would replace/fix it so you don't end up messing up your outdrive. Sounds like it may have just popped out of gear.

How much power did you have applied when you hit the bottom?

 

[wcasey5]

Re: OMC 3.0 Cobra hit the bottom

not much, I wasn't even on plane I was probably around 10 knots or less.

 

[wcasey5]

Re: OMC 3.0 Cobra hit the bottom

New problem I just noticed, the skeg is bent. Can I straignten it out or am I left with a summer of straight line correction?

 

[Gordon88]

Re: OMC 3.0 Cobra hit the bottom

There are different ways you can go about fixing a bent skeg but really it just depends on how badly it is bent i would suspect if its not too bad dont worry about it and if you do try and straighten it out its prolly going to break off at the bend. If it does break there are kits that you can just bolt/screw a new tip or new skeg on. And if your prop is fine and has no longer slipped since the run a ground, dont change it unless there is any damage the prop is designed to slip when needed and sometimes you can skate away without damaging the hub.

 

[wcasey5]

Re: OMC 3.0 Cobra hit the bottom



here is a pic of my bent skeg. The drive is in straight forward position.

 

[Gordon88]

Re: OMC 3.0 Cobra hit the bottom

Well it looks like alot of straight line correction,

You should be able to straighten that out to the point of hardly any notice of ever bending the skeg, dont go and crank on it or beat it with a 12lb sledge just get a pipe wrench or sumthin you can grab it as close to the bend as possible underneath the bend obviously and crank on it slowly bending it back. But worst case scenario like i mentioned about look into a skeg repair/replacement kit

 

[wcasey5]

Re: OMC 3.0 Cobra hit the bottom

Thanks for the reply, stupid boating tricks on my part pulling a Joseph Hazelwood and running her aground. I'll give the gentle persuasion a shot. Thanks again.