The tow of shame!

[chiefalen]

Ok I just clear the sail boats at Keyport NJ.

I'm running at about 3500 rpm 20 mph everything is perfect, oil pressure, temp, charging, all is perfect.

I'm in about 25 feet of water per my fishfinder/depthfinder.

It's a great day to be alive. I have my 13 year old son the fishing machine with me. Weather is perfect, tide is coming in, slight chop.

I get to the middle of the bay oh maybe 15 minutes, and boom, it happens.

A loud boom the boat feels like i hit a wall and it revs high like i'm in neutral.

Temp. goes to 200 and i shut her off.

I know i didn't hit anything.

I call my friend, he says i'll be there 2-3 hours.

Ok I throw out the anchor. And were fishing.

Put up the Bimini top, and wait.

I calm down, and start thinking, what happened, maybe not in those words.

After all this is a family site.

My friend gets to me and I pull the anchor and he starts to tow me in.

Longest ride in at maybe 1 mph past maybe a 100 boats.

Never been so red faced in my life. Dejected don't even comes close to how i feel at the time.

I get the boat on the trailer and home ok. I's in the driveway now.

OK thats my tale of woe it happened yesterday. Oh by the way i got a keeper and one short the fishing machine nothing.

Now to the question! I need the minds of omc owners and mechanics.

Never easy for me to ask for help!

Ok motor off throttle in gear, Drive fully down. I turn the prop and the ball gears move both of them.

I'm thinking what the ---. No way got to be the water pump shaft stripped out got to be.

I'm turning and turning the prop the ball gears both of them turning.

Has anyone ever heard or seen the ball gear strip on the shaft coming out of the intermediate housing. I don't think the shaft is turning just the gear.

I have not gone out to the boat this morning yet except to walk the hot dog, dog we have. I walked past it but have not touched it yet this morning.

Your opinions please. Thank you in advance.

 

[BMOLCHANY]

Re: The tow of shame!

First allow me to say it happens to just about everyone at one time or another. Secondly it could have been worse. You could have been towed in by a little 14ft jon boat with a 25hp and a little old lady at the helm.

 

[rharry]

Re: The tow of shame!

The same thing happened to me. It turned out to be the shaft twisted off just above the gears in the lower unit. Good Luck ! That's why we keep tow ropes.

rharry

 

[Fishermark]

Re: The tow of shame!

I have no idea on your mechanical problem... but Seatow is my friend. Have been towed in more than once. (Of course the advantage of Seatow is you don't have to rely on a friend to come and get you - nor to "rag" on you later. )

 

[chiefalen]

Re: The tow of shame!

Well it's the coupler 300-400 new. Got it apart now i need a used one i guess?

Anyone?

 

[NW Redneck]

Re: The tow of shame!

Just thumbing through my manual looking at the intermediate driveshaft setup. At first I thought maybe the bearings siezed and snapped the shaft, but you say the ball gear turns so unless they freed up again after cooling down (possible???) maybe not. How's the int. lube level and condition? The other possibility I see is the splines on the engine end of the shaft and/or flywheel coupler stripped. This could suck as the book says the engine needs to be pulled to replace the coupler. Either way it looks like you're going to have to pull the driveshaft to see.

Just wondering what could of caused the 'boom' when it died. Is it possible you caught a small chunk of wood while underway? Maybe small enough to torque the shaft then get kicked out without prop damage? Just an idea. Best of luck!

 

[NW Redneck]

Re: The tow of shame!

Oops, (not THAT Oops!) you must have posted as I was typing. No idea where to look for a used coupler. Good luck searching anyway!

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: The tow of shame!

I'm curious as to what caused the failure, sounds like you were taking it easy.
Is this what I have to look forward to with my OMC, the coupler just suddenly giving up with no forwarning signs? Is that how it usually happens?

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: The tow of shame!

Was the tow boat a Bayliner by chance??................cause..............been there..........................on the hook to a Bayliner............................that is.........................all I can say is bless them for helping.............

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: The tow of shame!

You may want to look on Ebay,maybe find one from someone parting out a OMC. I would be kind of unsure about buying a used one myself.

Here is one for 25 bucks used...not sure if its the correct one.says V8 stringer coupler..
http://motors.shop.ebay.com/_Boat-P...Q_nkwZOMCQ20engineQ20couplerQQ_fxdZ1QQ_ptasZ1

 

[chiefalen]

Re: The tow of shame!

Yes it's the coupler I just cant get it off the flywheel. Got the bolts out. Been banging on it wont come off. Looks like the flywheel moved a little.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: The tow of shame!

Ok a update and a tip for all stringer owners.

Was the coupler, very, very unusual for it to go. But got a used one and worked great.

Started it in the driveway no problem. Shifted good, Tattle-tale stream strong on the ball gears.

Go out to the bay cause i'm itching to see if i got any mechanical skills left.

Have on the boat me my 16 year old son who is the deer slayer but he don't like the bay to mush. His boy scout friend and farther, 4 people in all.

A perfectly gorgeous day 6:30 in the morning, Bay flat.

Boat is running perfect.

Get to spot one drop the lines, no fish, start her up, get to spot 2 about 1 mile away, drop the lines, no fish.

Start her up go 100 yards, and she strips out the water pump shaft. Shut her off 2 seconds.

Did I as a reasonable person bother to check the water pump shafts, when i was waiting for the coupler in the mail? No. I have to find out on the water.

Throw out the anchor.

Same guy in his bayliner comes for me in 8 hours cause he's working.

Heres the warning guys. If you have a stringer.

CHECK YOUR WATER PUMP SHAFTS EVERY YEAR.

Mine were good 3 years ago. I know i checked them.

Out drive apart waiting for the shaft i ordered. One goes they both go.

One i had.

 

[bigbob_FTW]

Re: The tow of shame!

you don't boat much if you've never been towed. how was the fishing?

 

[FreeBeeTony]

Re: The tow of shame!

Did you catch any fish?

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: The tow of shame!

..................................................Have on the boat me my 16 year old son who is the deer slayer but he don't like the bay to mush. His boy scout friend and farther, 4 people in all.

A perfectly gorgeous day 6:30 in the morning, Bay flat.

............................................................................Same guy in his bayliner comes for me in 8 hours cause he's working........................................................

Dude that had to be one loooooooong 8 hour stretch.................

 

[chiefalen]

Re: The tow of shame!

Caught 2 shorts. Was the longest 8 hours i can remember.

Take it back first kid my wife popped out was 8-10 hours maybe those were longer.

Just can't beleive it last 2 times out i got shafted. I can laugh about it now.

Thank g-d i didn't have my heater with me i would have blown my brains out.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: The tow of shame!

Back to my post:

Seatow is my friend.

I cannot imagine going out in salt water without Seatow or Boat US or some kind of towing / free emergency service. That way you don't have to rely on a friend with a Bayliner to take time to come and get you. The cost is reasonable and certainly pays for itself with one tow.

 

[cheburashka]

Re: The tow of shame!

Been there with the tow. Our Glassply had a white exterior and jack-o-lantern orange vinyl. Everyone in town knew the boat as the "cream-sicle." It failed to start at a friend's dock, and he had to tow us home on a route that included going under the busiest street in the whole town at 3 MPH. We had so many "Hey, what happened to your boat?" messages on the machine that we decided to take action. How do you keep that kind of thing from happening if your boat is 34 years old?

We replaced the vinyl. Now it's grey and white, and about the most generic-looking thing on the lake.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: The tow of shame!

My 76' arrowglass 70hp evinrude never let me down. But only ever kissed sweet water.

Oh well stuff happens.

 

[Robj]

Re: The tow of shame!

What is even worse than the tow of shame is not having a tow and being stuck out on the water. Even if you are being towed by a piece of junk, be grateful. Have never broke down on the water.....yet. Maybe different story tommorrow.

Have a great day,

Rob.