Hit a floating LOG!!

[fishnhunt]

Ok fellows, yesterday i was taking the boat out for a little ride and had a encounter with a floating log! Ok, here is what happened, I was starting to get up to plane when i nailed this thing. When i hit it my engine sprung up like someone had held the tilt switch making it go up! Of course i had to trim it back down tho get here started agian, then all seemed well. Why did my engine spring up like it did?? Also, could i have caused any damage enternally by hitting this floating log?? I inspected the engine carefully and it apperared to be ok. It also ran fine the rest of the day. I just need to know if there is anything else i need to look at?? Thanks always!!

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Hit a floating LOG!!

If the engine is running and shifting OK, with no new vibrations, and the trim stuff is working OK, you probably didn't do any damage. The outboard rode over the log and the skeg kept the prop from contacting it...just as it's supposed to do.

I don't know anything about tilt and trim units, since I'm a small engine sorta guy, but if it's still working, then there's probably some sort of safety business built-in that lets the engine swing up if it strikes an obstacle.

It's spring. There's all sorts of junk floating around right now. Extra caution is in order.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Hit a floating LOG!!

the motor did what it was designed to do. give rather than tear the transom out.

 

[F_R]

Re: Hit a floating LOG!!

There is a relief valve in the tilt pump that releases under overload such as that. Worked just like it was supposed to.

 

[jack7771]

Re: Hit a floating LOG!!

Yep, it's designed to tilt up like that when forward gear. In reverse, there is a hook that engages the motor to keep the prop from pulling it out of the water.​

And that reminds me of an incident I witnessed while sitting still in Belmont Bay one fine summer day years ago. Teenagers were obviously driving daddy's 18' cabin cruiser with a 50 hp Rude. That was in the day of single-hull wooden boats. Anyway, they headed straight at the beachy shore wide open. As they got close, you could hear the gears being quickly thrust into reverse at WOT. The motor evidently kicked out slightly as the gears pulled thru neutral into reverse -- and the hook failed to engage! The prop sucked that motor clean out of the water and the boat slammed onto shore 20 feet from the water's edge. Knocked a two foot hole in daddy's boat. Everybody on the beach had to come by and take a look. I don't know what finally happened to the boat 'cause it was still there when we left.​