catfish123
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- Mar 15, 2005
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I would post some pictures of how my leg looked but I'm not sure I trust some of you guys to not ask for more pictures.................:big grin:big grin
Gary although it is damn near impossible to list all scenarios I will give you some important ones to me. All this is predicated on the fact that before you went out you did the obvious pre flight checklist. Like check the prop, LU, skeg, steering etc... Most of the incidents occur because motor was too high. So hear are some signs of that...TBuck, Please list all the tell tail signs you know of for all to see.
I know in my case I didn't have time to fully tighten my grip on the steering wheel. Usually I get the feeling it's going to happen...... grip tight..... and then as the turn is started I think....... "Is this the time I get wet!"
This time it was sense, grip, swim to the surface. Thats really all I remember.
Not bragging, I'm just slow to learn, I've probably hooked this boat 10 or more times. Being here on the left coast where there are very few Allison's or other high performance outboard boats, It's a self taught thing, in my case it's hopefully learn through each mistake. As I say I'm a slow learner.
I'm very, very lucky to be here to post. Bob in answer to your phone message I got this AM at work: The bruises are starting to go away but the torn back muscles are giving me pains this morning. Have almost stopped taking Advil 24/7. This AM as I'm typing this I'm waiting for the Advil to kick in so I can start working.
first ,i would like to say i am glad you are ok!!! scary to be in a boating accident. when i was a kid bout 12 i was thrown from a boat. an overpowered 11ft whaler with a 60hp merc. happened so fast it took me out of my shoes. luckily i wasnt hurt . but hitting the water and not knowing which way is up scary!!! i believe in guardian angels!! i believe every time we live to tell others about something that should have killed us a guardian angel has divinely intervened.after talkin to ya bout this ,i no longer hang my boat out without having another boater out there with me. i also no longer push it to the extreme to get that extra 1-2 mph! i also do not like mercury et props on allison boats . i bought one just to try it. no good. bow lays over to hard at high speeds.coming off the throttle ,todd said it best "feels like the tail is wagging the dog" . they just seem to make the boat act unruly . i sold it. i also believe in keeping the motor even to 1/4 inch below the pad.Todd, your post is spot on!!! There is ABSOLUTELY no doubt in my mind that my main problem was motor height, and looking back on the months that preceded that "incident", all the signs were there. Interestingly enough, there were those who thought my motor wasn't high enough although I blame nobody but myself. Years ago, I had the same symptoms and I KNEW the motor was too high. If the need for a better top end number consumes you to the point that you are never satisfied and you just "know" there is more there to get, sooner or later you will become a victim and wind up :help
It is the wise person who doesn't learn how high with the jackplate is too high by continual experimentation. I agree more than 100% with you Todd and I feel totally confident that had you driven my boat the way it was that morning with the 28 ET instead of one of your Hydromotive Quad IV OT's, that you would have dropped the jackplate down and I never would have learned what was too high the way I did. Thanks for your post, it helps confirm what I feel was my real issue. At some point, 100 rpm's just simply isn't worth the risk.
Yep we were. Now convalescing. Happened 3 weeks ago today. Bruises starting to fade. Pulled back muscles not giving sharp pains.Get well Gary. Had you posted earlier that you had gotten wet? Seems like we were just trading PM's. I am guessing boat stayed upright and the Rude stayed dry??
I can tell you that I do not find your post as a lecture at all. It shows that no matter how much experience you may have with one of these boats, bad things can and do happen. Thank you for this thread, it will make me think when I get behind the wheel.Great post. I'm starting to think that this type of incident has in fact happened to FAR more people than most of us would have previously believed. I know of many reasons people tend not to openly share this type of thing. I, like you, will never get into the boat again and feel quite the same about it. I just hope people don't view all this as "lecturing" or that any of us have a hidden agenda in sharing our stories. There is NOTHING that will give one a full understanding of what these events are like and the aftermath of them better than having first hand knowledge. If my post keeps just one person from going where I have been, then it was more than worth the time I've spent beginning this thread. Thanks to all you have contributed to it.