Unforgivable Sin - Prop Hit

[BobRae99]

Hi All,

So it finally happened to me. After 4 years of boating, with water levels very low on our lake and a momentary inattention while towing my 11 year old on skis with 11 people on board, I wandered into shallow water (3 - 4') about 500 - 600 yards off shore and the outdrive hit bottom with a loud bang. Cut the power and idled back to my son to find him standing in 3-1/2' of water. I'm so happy he'd didn't fall and come into contact with the bottom of the lake. The only damage is to the props and outdrive (it's only money).

Too embarrassed to post pictures but both props have chewed edges and dings on most blades. Skeg has some damage too. Boat was hauled out by the dealer today and hauled into the city. They say they can repair the props for $500 each and will have the skeg repaired at the end of the season.

Pretty good vibration at certain rpms (2,000 - 3,000) after which it smooths out. The fellow picking the boat up thought that the shaft wasn't bent (looking at it by the eye while rotating the props) but won't know for sure until they inspect it at the dealership. If it is bent, I suspect it will end my season as the dealer had no luck ordering an FH6 set of props - Volvo Penta says they don't have them and don't know when they can deliver a set (hence the repair).

So, be careful out there if your lake has dropped. Last year I could have been 200 yards closer to shore without a problem. With the scarcity of parts due to Covid, a hit this year can be a season ender.

BR

[FirstStar]

It has happened to even the most skilled sailors - I wouldn't beat yourself up. Crossing finger that its just the props and they will get repaired promptly.

[jhnmdahl]

I've done it too, not being cautious enough about buoys marking rocky areas (I thought it was just shallow). This place is local to me and the propellers looked like new and came back fast, but it's not exactly free: https://propmd.com/

John

[BobRae99]

I've done it too, not being cautious enough about buoys marking rocky areas (I thought it was just shallow). This place is local to me and the propellers looked like new and came back fast, but it's not exactly free: https://propmd.com/

John

Thanks for the tip. It looks like $325USD ($400CAD) for a DP set. My dealer charges $500/prop to have a local shop repair them, so quite a bit more expensive. I'm hopeful the shaft isn't bent and the props can be repaired before the upcoming long weekend. We are shooting for Friday.

I'm still going to order a new set though. The dealer cost is around $2,200CAD ($1,750USD). Given that dealers don't seem to have them sitting on shelves, I think its a good investment in what is a very short season up here.

[AsLan7]

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Ouch...sorry to hear that BR99. The exact same thing happened to us on our Volvo powered 262. Posted about it here.
Had to magna-flux the outdrive searching for stress fractures. I believe our insurance ended up paying for everything except for our deductible and time lost.

And it would only be the unforgivable sin if you kept on denying the danger of that particular spot and damaging your props by tubing there in the shallows with your kids.... over and over again.

.

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[BobRae99]

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Ouch...sorry to hear that BR99. The exact same thing happened to us on our Volvo powered 262. Posted about it here.
Had to magna-flux the outdrive searching for stress fractures. I believe our insurance ended up paying for everything except for our deductible and time lost.

And it would only be the unforgivable sin if you kept on denying the danger of that particular spot and damaging your props by tubing there in the shallows with your kids.... over and over again.

.

.

Thanks Aslan. I have a $2,000 deductible so I’ll probably just pay for the repairs unless the lower unit has internal damage. If the props are $1,000 to repair and the skeg is the same (I have no idea what a skeg welding repair costs), no point in making an insurance claim. If I bent the shaft, that is another story.

[dustinm]

Don't feel so bad, I think everyone with a boat around here has taken out a prop.

[Big Block Power]

Bummer Bob!
Skip the props and just buy the r6 surf!

[BobRae99]

Bummer Bob!
Skip the props and just buy the r6 surf!

Waiting for the user reviews on that boat. I was thinking if I’d have wandered into the shallow water I did with a forward drive I’d have needed quite a bit more than a prop set and skeg repair!

[dustinm]

Bummer Bob!
Skip the props and just buy the r6 surf!

Waiting for the user reviews on that boat. I was thinking if I’d have wandered into the shallow water I did with a forward drive I’d have needed quite a bit more than a prop set and skeg repair!

That is what kept us from buying an in stock surf model last year. The forward drive prop is lower and has nowhere to go when it does get shallow. I wish we were closer to our favorite lake because I think the kids would love it, I think I would too!!!

[Big Block Power]

Bummer Bob!
Skip the props and just buy the r6 surf!

Waiting for the user reviews on that boat. I was thinking if I’d have wandered into the shallow water I did with a forward drive I’d have needed quite a bit more than a prop set and skeg repair!

That is what kept us from buying an in stock surf model last year. The forward drive prop is lower and has nowhere to go when it does get shallow. I wish we were closer to our favorite lake because I think the kids would love it, I think I would too!!!

Right your going to be closer to our in 24hrs
Do it!
At least the emblems won't fall off!

[Big Block Power]

Bummer Bob!
Skip the props and just buy the r6 surf!

Waiting for the user reviews on that boat. I was thinking if I’d have wandered into the shallow water I did with a forward drive I’d have needed quite a bit more than a prop set and skeg repair!

Yes if you're lake is that bad a surf is not a good idea. That's why by us they are not as popular. Our huge main lake is only 19 ft deep.
The other lake that has a bunch of them by us is over 200 ft deep.

[dustinm]

Waiting for the user reviews on that boat. I was thinking if I’d have wandered into the shallow water I did with a forward drive I’d have needed quite a bit more than a prop set and skeg repair!

That is what kept us from buying an in stock surf model last year. The forward drive prop is lower and has nowhere to go when it does get shallow. I wish we were closer to our favorite lake because I think the kids would love it, I think I would too!!!

Right your going to be closer to our in 24hrs
Do it!
At least the emblems won't fall off!

It was a CS23 also -- so no guarantee there either... Wife is now worried that the glue wont be dry before we take off. I told her that is why we are going to duct tape the whole side of the boat I just hope there is enough boat left on the trailer when we get there to float.

[jhnmdahl]

I've done it too, not being cautious enough about buoys marking rocky areas (I thought it was just shallow). This place is local to me and the propellers looked like new and came back fast, but it's not exactly free: https://propmd.com/

John

Thanks for the tip. It looks like $325USD ($400CAD) for a DP set. My dealer charges $500/prop to have a local shop repair them, so quite a bit more expensive. I'm hopeful the shaft isn't bent and the props can be repaired before the upcoming long weekend. We are shooting for Friday.

I'm still going to order a new set though. The dealer cost is around $2,200CAD ($1,750USD). Given that dealers don't seem to have them sitting on shelves, I think its a good investment in what is a very short season up here.

Yeah, I will endorse Prop MD's work and service. They have an option where they take care of shipping both ways, and they have hundreds of pitch blocks they use to ensure repairs are perfect. They balance the repaired props and the tig welding on my stainless props was perfect - only difference is they were a bit shinier than new.

[BobRae99]

I've done it too, not being cautious enough about buoys marking rocky areas (I thought it was just shallow). This place is local to me and the propellers looked like new and came back fast, but it's not exactly free: https://propmd.com/

John

Thanks for the tip. It looks like $325USD ($400CAD) for a DP set. My dealer charges $500/prop to have a local shop repair them, so quite a bit more expensive. I'm hopeful the shaft isn't bent and the props can be repaired before the upcoming long weekend. We are shooting for Friday.

I'm still going to order a new set though. The dealer cost is around $2,200CAD ($1,750USD). Given that dealers don't seem to have them sitting on shelves, I think its a good investment in what is a very short season up here.

Yeah, I will endorse Prop MD's work and service. They have an option where they take care of shipping both ways, and they have hundreds of pitch blocks they use to ensure repairs are perfect. They balance the repaired props and the tig welding on my stainless props was perfect - only difference is they were a bit shinier than new.

Definitely something to keep in mind for a future repair. In the mean time, my tracking device shows my boat is inside the dealer's building so I assume they are working on it now. Hopefully it will be done by the end of the week. Then there is scheduling it to be hauled back out to the lake.

I bought a new suv in May that has a 7,700 lb towing capacity and a 770 lb max tongue weight but I have no idea what the tongue weight of the Malibu branded trailer they have my boat on is. Another problem is my suv doesn't have an electric brake controller. My trip is 60 miles on a quiet highway on the flat. Anyone tow without electric brakes. Has to be illegal, right?