akriverrat
Chief Petty Officer
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2002
- Messages
- 588
had 35 hp tiller steer johnson off boat to do some maintanence. put it back on for test run. just a few minutes. will install hold down bolts later if every thing ok. test run fine. coming back to dock full throttle. throw it into hard left turn to slide boat sideways up to dock. hot dogging,but private dock and no one else around to be bothered by it.i am twisting throttle to idle but engine speed is increasing.i look back, handle pulls out of my hand,and watch engine make 2 360s on its way to the bottom in 10 feet of water.amazingly,after waiting for tide to go out, flushing motor with fresh water and running it with rich oil mix to dry it out it was undamaged and went on to give me several more years of good service. the bolts they supply with the motor are there to be used evidently.
<br /><br />He had an old Navy diver buddy look for it in 20-30 feet of water for two days. They never found it so they suspected that someone on-shore saw the 'scuttling' and beat them to the salvage.<br /><br />The story was much funnier 20 years after the fact than it was when it actually happened, for sure!!