rock verses outdrive

[tystick]

What happens when the outdrive comes in contact with a rock? Other than the visable damage ie: skeg & prop damage. I know that it is designed for such situations but what else could happen?<br />Robert<br />mercruiser 1990 alpha 1 drive 4.3L

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: rock verses outdrive

I bet you get some doozie answers for this one, glad I don't have any personal experience to give you

 

[RegalBoater]

Re: rock verses outdrive

tystick,,, you hit a rock? well if you bent some sh$t then you need to straighten it. I hit some debris with my alpha and had to replace some seals. I guess it would depend on how hard you hit the rock as well. Check for cracks or visible dents. Aluminum likes to crack more than dent.

 

[Bondo]

Re: rock verses outdrive

Rocks ALWAYS Win................<br />And,<br />It ALWAYS Cost a Ton of Money..................<br /><br />Anytime a Finely Tuned piece of Machinery comes to a Sudden Stop...........<br />Things Break........<br />Sometimes,<br />Not Today,<br />But,<br />It Will......................

 

[H2o steve]

Re: rock verses outdrive

The out drive is designed to "give" in a case such as this. however...most of the time the adjustment is not correct. the slack will have to be taken up in your checking acct. go slow in shallow water, raise your outdrive some. pole your way. have a lookout in the front. have fun. we boat in the clorado river areas. I boat in the resivors. I don't care if it's 'not cool' (according to my teenagers). ha!

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: rock verses outdrive

The formula goes like this.Take the circumfrence of the rock and divide by 2 and multiply by the actual speed traveling at the time the add 2 zeros and write a check for that amount.Charlie

 

[Bondo]

Re: rock verses outdrive

Only 2 Zeros ?????????????

 

[tystick]

Re: rock verses outdrive

well it looks like the skeg guard worked. I did spring for a new prop and checked extremities. outdrive took a good whack but so far.....changed od oil anyway.<br />Thanks

 

[Mercury140-I6]

Re: rock verses outdrive

I hit something in the Sacramento Delta near Del's and Lazy M Marina. I don't know what it was as you can't see far enough down through the water to see the prop anyway. I was just cruising back to the ramp when a boat towing a skier came around the corner, so I pulled to the right as far as I could and slowed down while still staying on plane, as soon as the skier passed, I turned right and WHAM!! BANG!! and the motor/boat was shaking bad. I lifted the motor (Merc 1250 inline 6 (No power trim)) and one blade was fine, of the other 2, one the trailing edge was bent aft and the other, the leading edge was bent aft. What ever I hit didn't even touch the lower unit, I changed props (Thanks GOD I had a spare in the boat) and off I went.<br /><br /> http://www.myfishingpictures.com/showphoto.php?photo=13003&sort=7&thecat=500&password= <br /><br />Craig

 

[ktmrider]

Re: rock verses outdrive

I also hot a log on the Sacramento Delta. There was no visible damage to the composite propeller but now the motor and outboard is shaking.

What's the problem?

 

[Don S]

Re: rock verses outdrive

OLD 2004 Thread​

 

[tystick]

Re: rock verses outdrive

Don,
lets try and help the guy as he needs it and thats why we all are here right?
BTW, the old thread is actually a good one

 

[Don S]

Re: rock verses outdrive

He also started his own thread.

 

[njlarry]

Re: rock verses outdrive

Ty, how did you find the old thread. I never have any luck with search function here.

 

[woodrat]

Re: rock verses outdrive

when I hit a sinker log or rock or whatever it was, it broke my outdrive in two and the boat started sinking....

A year later I am finally working on replacing it.

 

[tystick]

Re: rock verses outdrive

He also started his own thread.

Dale Carnegie "How to make friends and influence people".........

 

[ktmrider]

Re: rock verses outdrive

I think Don really helped me from the other thread by suggesting that I inspect the outdrive system again.

Well, I took the prop out and found out that the internal peaces of the composite hub and blades were broken although on the outside there were no visible damage.

I'm hoping that this was the cause of the shaking.

Thanks, Don and everyone! First time here and I've already gotten excellent help. I was so depressed for a few hours. Now, I'm feeling much better.

Actually, my wife was the one that pointed the broken blades out. I didn't even see.

 

[ktmrider]

Re: rock verses outdrive

nothing

 

[CharlieB]

Re: rock verses outdrive

Missouri and Missippi confluence near St Louis, lots of submerged logs go by, besides the obvious prop damage I see a lot of bent prop-shafts in the Alpha's, is it the speed these guys are running upon impact?

Fair number of sheared verticle shaft, bent prop shaft and destroyed alum prop.

Ah, the job security.