First trip out - not MUCH went wrong...

[sierrak9s]

Bought my very first boat last week, and I've been positively vibrating with anticipation. Weather was crap yesterday - thunderstorms - so today was the first opportunity to take her out.

Yee-ha!

Got her started up easy on the trailer, but then couldn't figure out why she wouldn't float off when the bumpers were underwater. Tried everything.

Except taking off the stern straps. Oops.

Okay, no harm done, wheeeeeee down the Tennessee River we go. Great fun. So happy.

::thunk thunk thunk STALL:: that quick, I realize I'm on a sandbar. I swear it was totally invisible and unmarked, but the sterndrive is in the mud. Ouch. Get her back into the main channel, now the steering wheel vibrates on acceleration. Oooooo. Worried.

So take her back to the ramp. Very very windy today, and remember, we've never done this before. Eighteen attempts to trailer the boat. But got it done! Look at the prop, and o my, that's a LOT of damage. Ow.

Shopping for a new prop now, but all in all, not a bad first day!

 

[superbenk]

Re: First trip out - not MUCH went wrong...

Wow, my "eventful" trips are so much less eventful than your "uneventful" ones

Good luck with the prop & hopefully you'll be back on the water again soon.

 

[smarks]

Re: First trip out - not MUCH went wrong...

Sounds like you still had some fun inspite of everything! Isn't being on the water the best!
Regards
Steve

 

[ziggy]

Re: First trip out - not MUCH went wrong...

sounds like an exciting first outing. glad ya made it back safe and sound.
ya might take a look at where the water intakes into the drive and be sure there's no mud plugging it. probably not, but ya might have a look.

fwiw. generally speaking. on rivers, the deep water is on the outside of a curve. the inside of a curve is shallow water... much more to it than that, but it's a starting point.

 

[sierrak9s]

Re: First trip out - not MUCH went wrong...

fwiw. generally speaking. on rivers, the deep water is on the outside of a curve. the inside of a curve is shallow water... much more to it than that, but it's a starting point.

Thanks! But I was on a straightaway. The channel is split there by a big (3-acre, maybe) island. On the way downstream, I went on the island's right; on teh way back, I took the other path. They looked identical, but they were apparently very very different.

Ah well. Many lessons learned today, which isn't a bad thing. Now I just need to find out how to change the prop.

 

[BTMCB]

Re: First trip out - not MUCH went wrong...

Bought my very first boat last week, and I've been positively vibrating with anticipation. Weather was crap yesterday - thunderstorms - so today was the first opportunity to take her out.

Yee-ha!

Got her started up easy on the trailer, but then couldn't figure out why she wouldn't float off when the bumpers were underwater. Tried everything.

Except taking off the stern straps. Oops.

Okay, no harm done, wheeeeeee down the Tennessee River we go. Great fun. So happy.

::thunk thunk thunk STALL:: that quick, I realize I'm on a sandbar. I swear it was totally invisible and unmarked, but the sterndrive is in the mud. Ouch. Get her back into the main channel, now the steering wheel vibrates on acceleration. Oooooo. Worried.

So take her back to the ramp. Very very windy today, and remember, we've never done this before. Eighteen attempts to trailer the boat. But got it done! Look at the prop, and o my, that's a LOT of damage. Ow.

Shopping for a new prop now, but all in all, not a bad first day!

You are one laid back, relaxed, glass half full individual (compliment)! Congrats on the attitude and good luck in the future!

 

[NYBo]

Re: First trip out - not MUCH went wrong...

Take your damaged prop to a prop shop for repair and keep it aboard as a spare (along with the tools to replace it).

 

[sierrak9s]

Re: First trip out - not MUCH went wrong...

Take your damaged prop to a prop shop for repair and keep it aboard as a spare (along with the tools to replace it).

There's so much damage, I'm afraid to use it lest I damage the driveshaft.

 

[diesel5599]

Re: First trip out - not MUCH went wrong...

Sounds a lot like my first trip in my first boat a long time ago. At least yours didn't end up with breaking down while stuck on the sandbar and getting to experience your first tow as a part of your first trip like I did.

I am surprised though that your prop suffered any damage it must have hit a rock or something in the sandbar. I have grounded many boats over the years, mainly trying to squeeze a boat with a 36" draft into 24" of water in pursuit of bait fish.

Once I even had the tide go out on me after crossing a sandbar to get to bait fish, ended up backing the entire boat through the sandbar and using the prop as a sand clearing device, not fun at all. But still didn't damage the prop or the outdrive.

 

[sierrak9s]

Re: First trip out - not MUCH went wrong...

Wow. I suppose I must have hit a rock, then, or something -- the prop looks like a well-used puppy chew toy. I hit the thing at speed, though, 30mph or s

The vibration in the steering wheel scares me some -- do you think I might have damaged the outdrive?

 

[ovrrdrive]

Re: First trip out - not MUCH went wrong...

There's so much damage, I'm afraid to use it lest I damage the driveshaft.

You'd be surprised what they can fix. I think they only need about 1" of a blade left on the hub to put a new one on. They'll fix the blades and make sure the pitch is true then shoot it with paint. It will be a lot cheaper than replacing the prop.

You'll also be surprised how fast you learn the ropes on this thing. It isn't rocket science. I mean come on, have you seen some of the people out on the water?

 

[smartwork]

Re: First trip out - not MUCH went wrong...

The vibration in the steering wheel scares me some -- do you think I might have damaged the outdrive?

Without having seen the prop and only going on your description, I would venture a guess that the vibration was from your prop becoming unbalanced after the damage. Did the vibration level change (in either direction - less or more) in relation to your speed?

 

[sierrak9s]

Re: First trip out - not MUCH went wrong...

Without having seen the prop and only going on your description, I would venture a guess that the vibration was from your prop becoming unbalanced after the damage. Did the vibration level change (in either direction - less or more) in relation to your speed?

Yes, definitely.

 

[backwater dawg]

Re: First trip out - not MUCH went wrong...

OK---this may be a dumb question---I boat on the upper Mississippi river and it's a marked channel---I assumed the Tenn river is also marked ?????

 

[ziggy]

Re: First trip out - not MUCH went wrong...

i do the missouri river and it's marked below souix city. bouys + day marks. i like the day marks. just head towards them and assume yer in the channel. don't know about the Tennessee...

 

[NYBo]

Re: First trip out - not MUCH went wrong...

i do the missouri river and it's marked below souix city. bouys + day marks. i like the day marks. just head towards them and assume yer in the channel. don't know about the Tennessee...

Daymarks are sometimes mounted beyond safe water to protect them. You need a current chart to know for sure.