Grounded my boat and need advise (long)

[toddbrown]

Well, I have had my new boat for two months and it was bound to happen. We were going along the river and there was an island and you could go either way. We took the right side at about 10-15mph. The depth gauge read 35 feet. All the sudden I heard a noise that I will never forget. The depth was not 35 feet but rather 3.5ft. My father misread the gauge. I was able to get out and lift the boat back into the small channel. The composite prop that I have (propulse) was pretty much wasted. I was in about 3 feet of water and was able to change the prop to an aluminum 3 bladed prop (my backup). We then slowly headed out of the channel to deeper water. I then gave it gas to get on plane. The boat would not get on plan and shook very badly. I then pulled back and when 8mph all the way back home. Once we got it on the trailer we could see that the haul was actually in good shape! I was betting on a bad situation. Just a few scratches on the bottom. So, now my real question: Why would it not plane and vibrate so badly? The trim indicator does not work now but the actual trim does work. Do you think I could have really message up the outdrive?

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Grounded my boat and need advise (long)

Hi Todd. If it's vibrating that badly with a new prop on it, you need to take it in to be serviced. I would not run the boat anymore til you get it looked at. Were there any grinding noises? When you spin the prop by hand can you see a wobble? Look where the prop hub meets the outdrive and spin it. Does the gap change as it spins? Let us know what you find.

 

[Straightup]

Re: Grounded my boat and need advise (long)

If it's any consolation, you are not alone. A few years back I was in the WI river with my 17 1/2 foot Larson I/O. There is channel markers, but I later found out I was heading for a swimming beach marker not a channel marker. All of a sudden I heard and felt the boat do the same thing you had happen. My oudrive kicked up and we were beached. Fortunately, my outdrive was OK as I only hit a sandbar, but everyone in the boat had to jump out and I had to pry the boat off the bar with oars!

 

[toddbrown]

Re: Grounded my boat and need advise (long)

Oh I know! That sound i bad. I ran up on river rocks that were round. If they were jagged rocks, I think I would have been in more trouble. but the back up prop is a slightly damaged prop but not too badly damaged. The outdrive doesn't make any grinding noise and spins freely with no play. The trim works but the trim indicator does not(?) I think I am still going to take it in but what are teh most common damaged areas when you ground a boat?

 

[QC]

Re: Grounded my boat and need advise (long)

You possibly bent the prop shaft. Hard to imagine with a comp prop though. They'll do a check for that at the shop. You can eyeball that too if you want to. Just spin it by hand and really stare at the little hole at the very end. Could even put something pointed in there and feel if there is any wobble, but it really needs to be checked properly. I can imagine a damged prop along with a bent shaft could vibrate pretty violently. I don't undertand it not wanting to go though unless that spare has too much pitch.<br /><br />Heard that sound too. First boat, friend was driving and I was actually showing him how to look for shallow water, how flippin' ironic is that? He didn't know what to do and it kicked the drive up, but he kept the power on and the drive would power back down, banged like that three times until I reached over and shut her down. Will never forget it . . .<br /><br />BTW, do you have insurance? This is a covered failure with any insuranceI have had.

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: Grounded my boat and need advise (long)

Since we're trying to make Todd feel better (or maybe his BONEHEAD dad - Just kidding Mr. Brown, Sr.)....<br /><br />1971, my Dad just bought a spanking new Merc 1000 (100 hp) and put it on the boat. Man was I excited. He wasn't the type for extravigance and this was a tremendous upgrade from the 65 HP. Trusted me and my HS buddy to take it out for a couple hours on a nearby (but unfamiliar), busy for break in with explicit break in instructions. We were being good, cruising around. Went between an island and the main land... CRUUNNNNCCCHHH - destroyed prop, big chip out of lower unit. I still cringe about it 34 years later. Next week there was a shallow water warning buoy in that channel. We were just unlucky enough to get out just after ice-out (wanted to get that engine broken in before Memorial Day weekend), but a day or two before they put in the buoys. Although my dad was rightly pi$$ed, I think that buoy issue is what saved me from being banned for life from the helm.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Grounded my boat and need advise (long)

Originally posted by Todd Brown:<br /> but the back up prop is a slightly damaged prop but not too badly damaged.

Good chance that this is your problem. Doesn't take to much distortion in a blade to create the wobble. Also I find it hard to believe that damaging a composite prop would bend the prop shaft. To be sure, do as Drowned Rat suggested. If you don't see any wobble at the base of the prop, get another prop and give it a try.<br /><br />I've torn complete blades off of aluminum props and never hurt the propshaft.

 

[toddbrown]

Re: Grounded my boat and need advise (long)

Ok! Would hitting the out drive damage the power trim indicator? Or hurt the hydrolics? The trim indicator i snot working now.

 

[milkyway]

Re: Grounded my boat and need advise (long)

While reading these comments, I have come to think also of the trimp hydraulics. <br /><br />Run the prop off water and look at it. It should spin without any major vibration. <br /><br />You said "Why would it not plane and vibrate so badly?" >>> By process of elimination, do you know at what rpm your boat planes? If you do, check the engine's rpm. If it reaches that rpm wihout problem, you can rule out engine problem.<br /><br />What else does it take for the boat to plane? Speed and thrust from the propeller. If your propeller is not spinning with the engine's rpm, then you have an outdrive problem. If I were you, I will have it taken down and inspected.<br /><br />If the prop is up to speed with the rpm and there's no major vibration, then check entirely the trim mechanisms. <br /><br />Can you swing the outdrive while the steering wheel remains constant?