The first day on the lake!  Woo Hoo!  Quiet day for callgirl!  9PM the phone rings.....Hessian and two others are 500 yards from dock with a seized engine.  He is NOT happy!  After all the hours of work... and MUCH anticipation...    He called the coast guard and they are going to send someone.  I asked if he had pillows and blankets....he didn't think I was funny.

9:30PM  Received a call....they are back at the dock and attempting to load the boat for MORE REPAIRS!  I am beginning to believe "the happiest two days of a boat owners life" scenario.

I just had to make the post before him so that all you guys could respond before he gets home....most likely after midnight!  Then you will get "the rest of the story".

So......have at it guys!  (Brian, don't let me down now!)

Callgirl

Wow that sucks. My dad and I had the same thing happen to us once on a fishing lake. We paddled back though. Does he have paddles or is he getting a tow?

He actually got towed in by a HUGE yacht.  I am sure that he will tell you all about it.  All in all he is good humor.  They were gonna stop for dinner then come home.  Thank God the Thirsty Dog isn't in Port Clinton or I would have to go pick them up!  

Pam

Quoted: Join Boat US.  Get the towing insurance.  We carry $500 per incident.  Well worth the peace of mind.  In short, it happens.  Nothing on the downside however can make up for a great day on the water.

Just renewed some sort of towing insurance for him today.  Not sure if it is Boat US.  I need to check into that.  Thanks!

If he was on Erie (BTW it was a choppy day - not too bad, but not a day for a first time in a new ride ) West Harbor Towing Service has a good plan to carry - not sure of the yearly premium - but I believe it's a $50 or $100 plan to cover within 50 miles of East/West Harbor(s).

If I had known I'd have gladly fired up the boat and gone and dragged him out.  Was out on the beach at East Harbor most of the day.

Glad he's ok.

Hessian,

I am now getting a very clear image of your boat.
j/k bud, had to bust your chops a little.  Sorry to hear about the problems.

Quoted: www.film.ru/img/shots/cast_away_5.jpg

?


It's not that bad! LS




Well Fellas,
Hessian is alive and well and none the worse for wear!

The boat(haven't named her yet) kicks ass for a four banger! The engine is fine. I noticed the top of the outdrive was hot the other day after running it adjusting the shift/throttle cables. So I popped the cover off an it appeared that the oil in the gear box was low & possibly contaminated. The "top bearing" (what ever it's called) was a little stiff and a little light on grease.  So I topped it off with Slick 50 gear oil and put the top back on.

Then we took off for the lake!  We put in at Catawba Island State Park. I then headed east along the shore line watching the depth finder/fish finder. I was playing, running her at about half throttle getting use to the controls.  Then I headed north (I believe) toward Put-in-bay.  Once I hit the open water I opened her up to full throttle.  She wasn't no dog!( I had 2 40lb sand bags and alot of tools & stuff in the bow to keep her from "slapping."  There was also me(300+ lbs), my buddy(200+ lbs), and my son(225 lbs) Add to that a full fuel load (24 gallons) a cooler, and alot of gear.

We cruised around middle bass island and anchored on the the other side. (fell asleep, finishing this on sunday)
We checked the state dock, no space, so we cruised around the back side of the Island and Chris and Jay tryed their hand at imprompto "water sking" with hilarious results!  I look at he fish finder and the screen is almost black with fish! (and lots of BIG "blips!"  Of course, we didn't have any gear on board, we were just checking out the boat!  After playing a while, we decided to head in. We cut between Rattlesnake & Middle Bass and suddenly the water was getting shallower! 22.5, 22, 20, 17, 15, 10, 9, 8, (I'm getting worried & and backing out of it) 6,(Alarm goes off) 4, 3, 2.2! I'm coasting in a bunch of underwater grass. Full reverse! and ease out into deeper water! Once there raise outdrive and clean off prop and we're on our way again.  We were clipping along at a pretty good rate and after a while(about 1500yds from the dock) I hear a "thunk."  I back down, hear another "thunk" so I drop her out of gear.  Jay checks the outdrive and the top housing is a little warm, so I decide to "idle her in"(We are about 500yds from the dock when "Thunk!" and that's all she wrote.  We tryed to "paddle in" but that didn't work. Called CG, "not an emergency" so we dropped anchor and hailed a passing boat.  La Dolce Vita responded to Jays SOS call on the nav lights.
La Dolce Vita was a BIG yacht! You know the type with the Run-about on the stern on the hydralic
platform! Flying a Canadian flag(I take back everything I ever said about "Canucks!") The captain looked like a CEO or something and his wife? was lovely.  We toss her a line she made it fast and off we went!  Ten minutes later we're headed to Nagoya for sushi!

Thing I learned:

1.  Boats are FUN!

2.  When you think somethings not right, it usually isn't!

3.  I should have done a "hot check" after an hour or two running but I didn't.  We were having too much fun!  (I'm just glad it didn't crap out on the back side of Middle Bass Island.)

4.  Did I say, Boats are FUN!

5.  Boats are like AR's, It's a disease!

Thanks to La Dolce Vita, I had a much better time than I would have had if I would have  had to pay for a 500 yard tow!

Hessian-1(That's Cap'n Hessian now!)


edited to add: Thanks for the offer, Cadmonkey!  We're definately going to have to get together so I can pick your brain you can impart your knowledge of all things nautical to me I'll buy the beer! (or Scotch if you prefer.)
H1

Quoted: img127.exs.cx/img127/9550/boat.jpg

Nay, Mines faster than that one!(or at least it was)

Cap'n Hessian

I don't have to call you captain now do I?

Quoted: I don't have to call you captain now do I?

Just call me when it's time for bed.

Hessian-1

Quoted: Quoted: I don't have to call you captain now do I? Just call me when it's time for bed. Hessian-1

How close in to either middle or rattlesnake were you??  

You have to go pretty close to one of those islands to be in harms way

Glad you're ok, and the boat isn't done for.  Mazurik Access is another nice launch site.

So let me guess, you called the CG with your cell becasue you had NO RADIO!

Then you used your running lights to hail a boat for help because you had NO RADIO!

I have a handheld marine radio in my truck door, even though you are not supposed to use it for ship to shore.  It also makes a great weather radio.  Used it last year so Ky Bob and I knew we had a tornado coming right at our campsite.

I have towed a few boats in that same area you broke down in, a small electric motor, say 50lb thrust, would have got you in.  Or a kicker outboard.  On Erie you better go prepared.

Quoted: So let me guess, you called the CG with your cell becasue you had NO RADIO! Then you used your running lights to hail a boat for help because you had NO RADIO!

Actually if I remember correctly from his thread about outfitting this vessel, he does have one :)

So they had to blink the lights at a million dollar vessel because it had no radio turned on?  Doubtful, but lets hear from H-1!  I say the radio was not rigged yet.

Is that Gordon Lightfoot I hear?

Quoted: So let me guess, you called the CG with your cell becasue you had NO RADIO! Then you used your running lights to hail a boat for help because you had NO RADIO! I have a handheld marine radio in my truck door, even though you are not supposed to use it for ship to shore.  It also makes a great weather radio.  Used it last year so Ky Bob and I knew we had a tornado coming right at our campsite. I have towed a few boats in that same area you broke down in, a small electric motor, say 50lb thrust, would have got you in.  Or a kicker outboard.  On Erie you better go prepared.

I have a radio. I was talking to the CG on 16 then we moved to 22A. I was talking to the CG while Jay was flashing SOS on the nav lights.  I called my wife and asked her to look up some marine towing services while we were screwing around with the boat. I now have a backup to the backup!(Later that night we were looking at trolling motors but I think I like the idea of a small outboard better) I have a spring loaded mount that allows you to mount a kicker engine on the stern and lower it down if you need it.

Now I need suggestions as to what to name her! buyt I 'll start another thread after I post pictures!

Hessian-1 "Cap'n Dave"

Good job!  I get tired of the no radio squad.  When I sold my last boat, I kept the handheld and one dash mount.  So my garage is totally secured against an unexpected roller!

Will the name have to be family friendly?

Official  cause of boat failure:  Shredded gear on top end of outdrive (I think due to inadequate lubrication) It is being fixed as I type this. Jay, is tearing it apart and rebuilding it. When I asked him what I owed him he said, "We'll take it out in "time on the water!" "I had a ball the other day!"

Callgirl & I leave tonight for a little R&R in the NC Mountains with family and friends coming down later in the week.  I have a huge house rented from Wed to Wed(Jaccuzi, pool table, fully equipped game room, gourmet kitchen, you name it, it's there! It even has internet access so I won't suffer from ARFCOM withdrawal!

Later guys
Cap'n Hessian  

Quoted: Good job!  I get tired of the no radio squad.  When I sold my last boat, I kept the handheld and one dash mount.  So my garage is totally secured against an unexpected roller! Will the name have to be family friendly?

There's complaints against a canadian vessel named FAH-Q

You could always go for the dime-a-dozen "Aquaholic" or if you had a wood boat name it "swolen wood."

FYI Dave I was out there in that area patrolling when you broke down :(  

How about daddys day ARF (.com)? You have to get the gun ref. in somewhere.

SS Minnow  

Hessian: I got me a bellyful of boats! The "fun" wore off on me. Glad you enjoy 'em. But for me:

Boatowner's happiest two days of his life:

1. The day you buy your boat, and

2. The day you sell your boat!

Jay & I just finished switching/rebuilding the outdrive. Everything looks ok! Looks like we're hitting the water if everything checks out!

You taking it out sunday?

Quoted: You taking it out sunday?

We have a few more adjustments to fiddle with.  We might come down to the show tomorrow to try to sell some stuff (and swing by to see a sick friend on the trip back.) We got our fishing licenses tonight and the weather should be moving out in a day or two.( I have a convocation to go to monday august 22 from 8:00-10:00 and probably meetings after that! School starts the 25th then all I'll have is my weekends to play on the lake.) Darn it! Looks like summers almost over!

Well we had to totally rebuild the lower. Took most of the day, we had to fabricate some jigs and tools but we "got er done!" We'll finish putting her together tomorrow. It took us all day but it looks like we saved about $700!(which I don't have!)
From looking at the old outdrive, I was able to reconstruct what happened.  I lost a few teeth off the upper gear which were thrown through the water jacket. The hole allowed water into the gear housing displacing the gear oil and...............the top end selfdestructed!
Luckily, I had another outdrive in the other boat at home, but the lower case was cracked, so we had to tear down two lowers and rebuild the damaged one in the good case. The top end in the other boat was alright but the drive shaft was an inch too short, hence the reason we had to rebuild the lower with the other parts.(The good thing is I now KNOW my boats drive system intimately and I know it's right!)