struck underwater object...

[spike_michael]

Was out in my Galaxy (16' bow rider w/ 120HP Merc) on the river in an area I know pretty well, or so I thought, water was high, yet I rather abruptly hit a submerged rock (or two, felt like two) at about 15 MPH. It scraped up my skeg pretty good and bent it a little. After I finished swearing and making sure I wasnt' taking on water I headed back to the dock, about 2 miles downstream, but the boat was pulling HARD to starboard. I expected severe damage to the lower unit. The bow was up quite a bit higher than it usually is when the boat is not on plane. I adjusted the load (sent wifey and two kids foreward) and had to return at headway speed because anything faster than about 1000 RPM made for difficult steering and the bow would come up fast, as if the out drive was trimmed way up, or as if there was 500 pounds in the back. Prop was damaged but not catastrophically like I lost a blade or anything. I was going over scenerios in my mind for the whole return trip and was prepared to see a layer of glass peeled back on the starboard side causing severe drag. By the time we got back to the dock it was dark and i really have not had a great look at it only by flashlight and the street lights at the ramp. Hull is undamaged, just the lower unit scraped the rock. I wanted to post pics but the camera went for a swim and I was a bit too preoccupied to go fishing for it.

Why did the bow come up so much?
Why is it pulling so hard to the right?

suggestions welcome...
besides hiding my face in public. I am fitting myself for a bag as soon as i post this...

 

[lilmandavis]

Re: struck underware object...

Re: struck underware object...

if the skeg is bent, theres your pulling problem. hopefully it didnt bend a trim ram shaft. hows the trim work now? does it go up and down all the way? did you try to trim it after the wife and kids were up front?

 

[spike_michael]

Re: struck underware object...

Re: struck underware object...

We were just going over events, the wife and I.
after the impact I took her a way downstream and noticed the bow rise alarmingly. i tried to trim her down but it was full down as far as the hydraulics go... or more accurately as far as it seemed to go I was not looking at it but there was no difference with me hitting the "in" button.
I headed for someone's private dock, pulled the unit up all the way and checked it out in what way I could from the boat itself (turned out that the private dock was a deck overhanging the water not a dock at all... people didn't have a boat nor want one... odd...) anyway I lowered the unit again and that is when I just headed back down stream at headway speed. Wife says i never brought it back up to speed after that. I agree with her but it did pull like a bugger.

How do you fix that?

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: struck underwater object...

The skeg can be repaired, most any prop shop will offer skeg repair as well. Or there are several cover up type products (such as skeguard) available for the DIY fix.

 

[calwldlif]

Re: struck underwater object...

Sounds like you knock the drive
cockeyed.
Nose high, drive not returned to full down
hard stear at low speed, drive twisted
Skeg would have to have large twist to
effect low speed that much, unless your
strong with discription.
Put on trailer, measure inspect.
hope its minor

 

[cheburashka]

Re: struck underwater object...

I've been following this thread, and I'm wondering about the bow being high. I have a similar situation on my Glasply. I hit rocks at low speed and dinged up the prop blades, but not too badly. Since then, the bow has seemed to be much higher. How can prop damage cause a trim problem? How do you fix that? I'll be trying a new prop this week, but the damage to the old one was minor.

 

[spike_michael]

Re: struck underwater object...

calwldlif
I am not being strong with description, I let go of the wheel and it rolls over to the right, like your car would if you had a frozen caliper on a front brake.

Boat is n the trailer now and the skeg is bent, obviously bent. interestingly the same direction as my trim tab, and I know how much that can make a difference so I am thinking I found that problem. Skeggard is likely going on shortly.

Riddle me this though batman, When I hit something does the stern drive trim release and come part of the way up? sort of as a safety releaase to minimize damage? I mean for instance, if it is perpendicular to the water and hits an object will it snap up into a 45 degree position that could explain the rising bow. The prop didn't lose a blade or anything but it did get the edges sharpened (grin) I am SO AMAZINGLY PLEASED WE WERE NOT HURT!