[Texasproud11]

Well, the first day on my first boat is in the books and was going mostly good until it went bad. I just bought a Gheenoe LT 10 with a Tohatsu 20 to go on the back and yesterday was the first day to start breaking in the new motor. I clamped the motor down real tight and hit the lake. Most of the day was fun and done by the books. However, towards the end of the day on the way back, it took a turn for the worse. While driving at half throttle the skeg hit a submerged object (felt like a rock) and jolted the boat, I turned around to find the motor on just one clamp, off the transom and laying sideways while revving high. The twist of the motor caused the tiller handle to turn in my hand. I pulled the E-cord and hung on desperately to just the tiller handle as half the motor was now under and a 30-degree angle laterally. The person on my boat ran back and grabbed the lift handle, but with the both of us at the back of a little boat, the water got really close to coming over. I jumped to the middle of the boat to keep it from submerging and he pulled the motor onto the rear deck, where it layed sideways for just a couple of minutes. I checked the stainless prop and considering that it was new when it got put in, it now looks pretty bad. I was able to position the motor between my legs on the back deck and coerce it back onto the transom. It started and drove back in what seemed like okay condition and no vibration but it also seemed like the stream coming off the prop was going off a little more to one side. There is also about a dime piece of fiberglass missing from the back edge of the transom, which for some reason is far thinner on the port side than the starboard. When I got home, I checked the prop and skeg more and it looks as if only the bottom of the skeg got hit as its the only place with paint missing, the propellor seems straight to just the eye and spins normal, and there's no separation of the lower unit. However, this is my first boat and I honestly have no idea what to do. It seems like everything is say that there is likely lower unit damage and shearing. I have a trip to the coast on Friday planned with it and I get the feeling every Tohatsu dealer and service center will have a month long wait. Honestly, I don't really know what to do or what to expect. Here are my problems, the skeg took a hit, the propellor is wavy, the motor was halfway into the water at just the edge of the top cowl (maybe part of it in the water given the angle though it seemed dry-ish after popping the cowl off), the motor laid for a couple of minutes max on its side on the back of the boat (likely the wrong side), and a piece of the fiberglass chipped off. The good things are that I'm sure it could've been much worse and we are alive but for the past day it has been nothing but stress headaches and stuffing the anxiety.

 

[Texasproud11]

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[Guest]

Is the skeg bent or just missin a little paint? Propshaft wobbly at all? Check the engine oil, buy two stainless bolts “probably 3/8/ could be 5/16” two large fender washers, two flat washers, two nyloc nuts... drill two holes in that transom and bolt that motor on! Use some 3m 4200 to seal the holes with. I doubt you did any damage other than cosmetic and pride!

 

[Backwater]

Ok, if the dealer where you purchased it is close enough to trailer the rig over to them, then go ahead and have them check out the outboard. It appears you had it in freshwater, so that is a whole lot better than this happening in the salt. At the point where the cowling was partially underwater for a bit, they are fairly water tight except for the drain holes at the bottom of the engine cavity, which could take a bit to fill up the engine cavity before you pulled her up. So most likely, it may have never made it into the air intake, which would be the main worries. The rest of it should be fairly water resistant. And if the motor seem to run fine, more than likely, water never made it into the air intake. The rest of it should be fine.

If it was mine, with the cowling off, I'd use an air hose to blow any water out of the engine area, if you have one, or your leaf blower or just let it air dry out. Then I'd douche the entire motor inside of the cowling with some anti-corrosion spray, like QMaxx SALT, Boeing T-9, or Corrosion X. Spray everything inside the engine cavity. I'd take the prop off and run it to a local prop shop and have it check. Then, if you didn't know enough about outboards, then run it to the dealer and, like I mentioned, have it checked. Also see if they have a glass guy available to repair that chip out of the transom. You don't want to start getting that area wet too many times.

I believe your boat is more important than your fishing trip at this point. I'd get it all checked out and fixed before you take it out and before it leaves you stranded.

Also, I recommend the dealer shows you the proper way to tighten down the mounts on the engine so it doesn't happen again. I'd also get a lock and put it on those turn handles to keep from them backing off the next time. And I'd double check it every time you use the boat.

As a newbie, you should just pretend you are an airplane pilot and make either a written check list or a mental chklist and write down everything you need to check out and bring on-board, every time before you leave the house and also before you launch the boat, until eventually, it becomes second nature.

Be safe and not sorry!

Ted Haas

 

[Backwater]

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Ok the prop looks pretty beat up. A good prop shop can rapair that, but you will have to get scheduled in and it will take some time. If you had the aluminum prop that originally came with the outboard before you upgraded the prop, then you can use that one as a temporary prop until you get your good one back from the shop. If you don't have one, the dealer may be helpful with you and let you borrow a used one or give you a deal on a cheaper aluminum one or a good stainless one. Then you will have a spare once the prop is back from the prop shop.

Props are fairly easy to remove. You may go onto youtube and look at a few videos on how to properly remove and replace props.

Ted

 

[Backwater]

Is the skeg bent or just missin a little paint? Propshaft wobbly at all? Check the engine oil, buy two stainless bolts “probably 3/8/ could be 5/16” two large fender washers, two flat washers, two nyloc nuts... drill two holes in that transom and bolt that motor on! Use some 3m 4200 to seal the holes with. I doubt you did any damage other than cosmetic and pride!

Good idea, unless he wanted to remove the OB and store it in a garage every time after each use, and just leave the boat outside of the garage.

 

[Guest]

Good idea, unless he wanted to remove the OB and store it in a garage every time after each use, and just leave the boat outside of the garage.

I would then over bore the holes, fill with thickened resin, re drill, and still use bolts to secure only using wing nuts instead of locknuts. Have had to pickle too many motors “the lucky ones at least” from not being bolted on.

 

[994]

Also know that you are doubling the rated amount of horsepower for that small boat. And your motor should always be bolted on no matter what.

 

[Fritz]

When I was a kid with my first boat and a 9.8 hp Mercury, I had the motor come off the transom right in the middle of Jupiter Inlet, thing turned upside down with the prop sticking out of the water still spinning just before it sank. I can still see that prop spinning forty years later, though now I can laugh about it.

I’ve been a big fan of those bolts Boatbrains is talking about ever since.

 

[devrep]

its an aluminum prop. buy a new one. you should have a spare prop in the boat anyway.

 

[Backcountry 16]

First off glad you and or your motor didn't go in the drink. Bolt that motor on like boatbrains said and you just learned a value lesson. Don't think this has only happened to you.

 

[makin moves]

I wish my prop looked that good. That's just getting broke in. Take the file to it.

 

[mtoddsolomon]

I'm with @makin moves, I wish my prop looked that good. I also agree with @Boatbrains go ahead and bolt it on and you should be good. Use an air hose or leaf blower to get all the water out from under the cowling, hook it up to some ear muffs and let it run for a bit. If it sounds ok then i wouldn't give it another thought. When you start running in shallow water you're going to run that prop and skeg through all sorts of sand, mud, oysters, and other stuff so I'd say get used to that but you also need to make sure it's bolted on so your not fishing for your pretty new motor instead of redfish.

 

[ifsteve]

Also know that you are doubling the rated amount of horsepower for that small boat. And your motor should always be bolted on no matter what.

That boat weighs 150#. That motor alone weighs 95#. OP since this is your first boat I would go back to the dealer and ask then why the heck they put that motor on the boat in the first place. And check with your insurance. You are at serious risk here.

 

[Jpscott1]

its an aluminum prop. buy a new one. you should have a spare prop in the boat anyway.

Agreed- that prop is aluminum--- not stainless.

 

[Jpscott1]

OP- did you buy the boat/motor as a package from the dealer? Or did you buy the boat and motor separately and then put it all together. As noted above- you are double the rated HP on that model boat. I would like to think a dealer would know better.

 

[topnative2]

You just got years of experience in one trip.............take a real safe boating course cause because the sea is a completely different animal.....knowledge and respect will keep u alive

 

[BassFlats]

Don't lock the motor down (shallow water drive) allow it to kick up if you hit something. That is if you don't have electric t&t. As well as bolting it as others suggested .

 

[Boneheaded]

When running shallow or in sketchy water try running with the motor unlocked that way if you hit something the motor will just pop up, i hit stuff all the time in the fresh water glades. Also consider bolting motor thru transom.

 

[texasag07]

Pull the spark plugs and look for anything un natural on the spark plug or any moisture. You can even try and pull start it or crank it( if you have a starting batttery) with the spark plugs out. Then check the engine oil for anything milky or watery looking. If those all look fine then you are probably good to go. Use a file or grinder to clean up the prop assuming its turning without extra vibration now.

I totally agree about that being way to much motor for that small boat. I also agree with through bolting it.