Bummed, Tore off my outdrive yesterday.....

[ApexerER]

Well, after 30+ years of boating I never thought I would be that guy....but it happened. I ripped off my lower unit on Sacandaga Lake yesterday. For any of you that know the lake I was leaving Sand Island heading to Lakeside for dinner. There is a marked channel that takes you around the hazards to get back there. I have done it numerous times. Well yesterday I had my friends 9 year old daughter on my lap. I point out a red buoy and tell her we need to find the green one and stay between them. I ask her if she sees a green buoy and she doesn't and neither do I. I say, ok so we will hug the red buoy and we'll be fine and find the next set. As I get close to the buoy I realize it isn't a buoy, but its one of those garden flamingos stuck through a boat bumper. Just as I was thinking, wow that's weird. Bang boom bam....Someone marked a rock with it....Had some awful nice people tow me to a marina not far away and take me around the lake to my truck and trailer. Great way to ruin what was a great day. I can't believe how destroyed the lower unit is. I was probably doing 30ish MPH. I am wondering if it will total the boat. I have to go talk to my insurance company today. Just being thankful that nobody was hurt and the kids stayed calm etc....

[Steuben Jerry]

1 minute ago, ApexerER said:

Well, after 30+ years of boating I never thought I would be that guy....but it happened. I ripped off my lower unit on Sacandaga Lake yesterday. For any of you that know the lake I was leaving Sand Island heading to Lakeside for dinner. There is a marked channel that takes you around the hazards to get back there. I have done it numerous times. Well yesterday I had my friends 9 year old daughter on my lap. I point out a red buoy and tell her we need to find the green one and stay between them. I ask her if she sees a green buoy and she doesn't and neither do I. I say, ok so we will hug the red buoy and we'll be fine and find the next set. As I get close to the buoy I realize it isn't a buoy, but its one of those garden flamingos stuck through a boat bumper. Just as I was thinking, wow that's weird. Bang boom bam....Someone marked a rock with it....Had some awful nice people tow me to a marina not far away and take me around the lake to my truck and trailer. Great way to ruin what was a great day. I can't believe how destroyed the lower unit is. I was probably doing 30ish MPH. I am wondering if it will total the boat. I have to go talk to my insurance company today. Just being thankful that nobody was hurt and the kids stayed calm etc....

That sucks Apexer, glad nobody got banged up!

[ny hunter]

Like you said at least nobody got hurt....

[Tughill Tamer]

That totally sucks! That's always one of my biggest fears when I'm out on my boat in waters I don't know well. I'm glad nobody got hurt. Good luck dealing with the insurance company.

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[grampy]

That area of Sacandaga is notorious for that rock pile. Water level is down now compared to last few years up there. But the whole lake is filled with hazards. Can be in 18 FOW one minute, and hit a stonewall fence, or a rock the next. Been fishing there for years, and I have had so many close calls! 

Happy that no one was hurt. 

[Robhuntandfish]

Sorry to hear this. Ugh. Yeah even when you know the lake things change.  This year where I fish there is now a huge tree sticking up in 25 ft that wasn't there last season and that's a boat killer. 

Hope u can get it fixed. 

[Lawdwaz]

Any pics???

[BizCT]

B reak

O ut

A nother

T housand

 

Edited July 27, 2020 by Biz-R-OWorld

[ApexerER]

1 hour ago, Lawdwaz said:

Any pics???

 

[Marion]

 

Prop looks surprisingly pristine

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[DirtTime]

Man that sucks. At the very least no one was hurt and the boat still floats. Hope the insurance company does you justice.

[eaglemountainman]

Oh, that's gonna run ya. Looks like you impacted square on the nose of the unit, yeah?

Glad nobody was hurt.

[cdbing]

Sorry about the outdrive. That sucks. Looks fixable but pricey, unfortunately.

 

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[Lawdwaz]

5 hours ago, ApexerER said:

 

Do you want butter & jelly on your toast?

 

 

LOL, I couldn't resist......sorry.  Seriously though, your prop does look better than I'd have thunk.  It must have been a heck of a whack when you hit, huge bummer.

[TreeGuy]

That sux. I am always staring at my graph watching the depths. Oneida was the only lake where I watched the graph more than the water. Having the contours is a great navigational tool and even if they are off a bit it's a great reference.

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[ApexerER]

19 hours ago, The Jerkman said:

Prop looks surprisingly pristine

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For somereason the prop looks good in that pic but it is pretty trashed. That is a stainless Mercury Enertia prop that I really wanted and paid out the A$$ for. Hopefully it will be replaced or rebuilt.

[Marion]

For somereason the prop looks good in that pic but it is pretty trashed. That is a stainless Mercury Enertia prop that I really wanted and paid out the A$$ for. Hopefully it will be replaced or rebuilt.

Must be totally crapped out from a different angle. I was expecting it to be totally mangled

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[ApexerER]

Well the boat is at the shop. They are going to get it right in. Spoke to my insurance company and I only have a $250 deductible. Can't believe I set it that low but I'm not going to complain about it now. The boat shop didn't think my boating summer would be over. So, so far, all good news...Fingers crossed that I only miss 1 weekend....

 

[ApexerER]

3 minutes ago, The Jerkman said:

Must be totally crapped out from a different angle. I was expecting it to be totally mangled

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Stainless doesn't mangle the way aluminum does. If it was aluminum I am sure it would be totally mangled....Its bent and has a bunch of dents in the blades...

[ApexerER]

13 hours ago, Lawdwaz said:

Do you want butter & jelly on your toast?

 

 

LOL, I couldn't resist......sorry.  Seriously though, your prop does look better than I'd have thunk.  It must have been a heck of a whack when you hit, huge bummer.

Actually, it didn't feel like much at all. I knew I hit something but never dreamed it would be that bad. Was thinking prop and maybe a broken lower drive or broken keel. Didn't know until I pulled the boat out that it was totally destroyed....