Since there are a lot of rookie boat owners that surf this forum for answers I thought I would add something to keep an eye out for.
I went to pull up to the gas dock this afternoon and I was coming in a bit too hot. So I popped her into reverse and gave her a little goose. Well she popped out of gear which had never happened before.
I filled her up and started her back up and she wouldn't go into forward or reverse.
Now this has happened before and it was usually the nut on the shift lever that was loose and all I had to do was tighten it down. Unfortunately that was not the case this time. I went down below and looked into the engine bay to see if I had a broken cable.
As the dock attendant shifted the boat, I watched as the engine shifted back and forth. Yet no gear changes....
This was bad so I pulled the floor panel under the stairs and GASP! My drive shaft was broke! Oh my god, a piece had broken clean off. So like an idiot I started looking around for the 5" of broken drive shaft that MUST be rolling around in the engine bay or bilge.
Another power boater was there as I was gassing up and he came on board.
"Not to worry Chris" he says. All that happened was the shaft has come loose from the engine housing because the bolt had loosened.
Worst case? I would have to get in the water and push the shaft back in and then line up the key in the engine transmission with the slot on the shaft. Retighten the bolt, run new bailing wire through the bolt to keep it from loosening and I would be on my way. 15 minutes top he says...
He was right and it was no sweat. Didn't even have to go in the water!
So, for all you rooks out there, check that shaft bolt at the base of the engine. Make sure its tight.
Happy sailing!
Chris
....broken shaft...the things we see when we don't understand what we're actually seeing!
I went to pull up to the gas dock this afternoon and I was coming in a bit too hot. So I popped her into reverse and gave her a little goose. Well she popped out of gear which had never happened before.
I filled her up and started her back up and she wouldn't go into forward or reverse.
Now this has happened before and it was usually the nut on the shift lever that was loose and all I had to do was tighten it down. Unfortunately that was not the case this time. I went down below and looked into the engine bay to see if I had a broken cable.
As the dock attendant shifted the boat, I watched as the engine shifted back and forth. Yet no gear changes....
This was bad so I pulled the floor panel under the stairs and GASP! My drive shaft was broke! Oh my god, a piece had broken clean off. So like an idiot I started looking around for the 5" of broken drive shaft that MUST be rolling around in the engine bay or bilge.
Another power boater was there as I was gassing up and he came on board.
"Not to worry Chris" he says. All that happened was the shaft has come loose from the engine housing because the bolt had loosened.
Worst case? I would have to get in the water and push the shaft back in and then line up the key in the engine transmission with the slot on the shaft. Retighten the bolt, run new bailing wire through the bolt to keep it from loosening and I would be on my way. 15 minutes top he says...
He was right and it was no sweat. Didn't even have to go in the water!
So, for all you rooks out there, check that shaft bolt at the base of the engine. Make sure its tight.
Happy sailing!
Chris
....broken shaft...the things we see when we don't understand what we're actually seeing!
