richg99
Well-known member
This happened to me, this morning.
Soon Sue won't let me go out on any water by myself!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
After a couple of hours of no-catch fishing this morning, I decided to investigate a new back-water lake. I was in my 16 ft Carolina Skiff.
As I traversed through the three tight turns into the lake, I noted that the tide was starting to rush out. That should be a good thing for fishing and I planned to stay and throw a few casts after my reconnaissance.
The current turned and pushed my little skiff up a channel, which I happily fished while drifting along. Soon I was near the channel's end. The current was much stronger as the channel necked down. The small "river" then emptied into Clear Lake.
To get out and away from the tidal push, I turned on the 40 h.p. motor and its lower unit quickly hit a stump. The motor stopped instantly and I worried that I may have bent the stainless steel prop, or even damaged the lower unit.
I flipped on the trolling motor to move away from the tide and quickly raised the gasoline engine. No apparent damage!
Turning the key, the engine roared to life. However, when I engaged the gearing, the prop started to spin the boat directly into the concrete barriers bordering the channel.
No amount of force, applied to the steering wheel, changed its direction. I shut the power off and fended off the cement wall. I soon realized that the steering tube had been damaged by the stump collision. The motor was locked down in one position and couldn't be turned to steer at all!
It was 8/10th of mile to the launch, and luckily, I was upwind. I was able to use the trolling motor to get me out to the open lake, but I lacked confidence that the trolling motor's battery would hold up for an open water trip of nearly a mile. I had used it for two or three hours already that morning.
Starting the big motor and engaging its gears; then immediately turning it back off.... allowed the boat to power forward, but.....all the while turning the bow to starboard. This arrangement wouldn't get me home soon!
Luckily, the winds were out of the South East, and my destination was, more or less, to the North-West. Sooner or later, I would drift close to the launch area. I could actually see my van, parked at the launch, three/quarters of a mile in the distance. Since my adventure was happening on mid-day during the week, very few boats would be coming by.
None-the-less, I fashioned a signal flag by tying an orange poncho onto my fishing net.
One boat did run by, well to the South. I raised the flag and waved, and waved, and waved. All to no avail. That craft was a good mile away, running a channel to the Southwest. It seemed that I was going to have to get myself home.
I thought back to my sailboats. In every one of those, the tiller held the rudder against the power of the sail, which was constantly pushing the hull in an opposite direction.
Well, my Yamaha was pushing the boat in an opposite direction, opposite to where I wanted to go!
Every good boat has a paddle for emergencies. Sure enough, mine was stuck way back up and under the forward deck. Out it came.
Just holding the paddle in the water and trying to use its flat blade to steer, while the engine surged against it, wasn't going to work.
No, I had to find a way to brace the paddle against a side force, sufficient to overcome the power of the engine. Luckily, I had rod-holder bases installed on either side of the hull.
I fetched the thick plastic rod holder and snapped it into its base. Using that object as my fulcrum, my paddle became a rudder, with its handle working as rudimentary tiller.
As I applied more power to the Yamaha, the pressure increased against the "tiller" and while I held the "rudder" angled into the water, I was able to move the skiff further along my designated path.
I also left the trolling motor running. With it pointing to the port side, it acted to slightly counter the starboard forces of the motor
Nothing worked as perfectly as described. The paddle would slip; the waves would push; and the engine would often over-power my jury-rigged steering.
However, after thirty minutes or so, I was at the mouth of the launch basin. The trolling motor still had enough juice to drag the skiff to the dock.
I had to back the trailer nearly all of the way into the bay to float the boat on, but a little wet-wade to strap the skiff down was welcomed, given where I had been just under an hour ago.
Just another fun day on the water.....I may have to take up golf.....Oh!....I already do that...... badly.
Ha Ha Rich
p.s. I also had a whistle, and a phone, and I could have called for help....but...what fun is that?
Soon Sue won't let me go out on any water by myself!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
After a couple of hours of no-catch fishing this morning, I decided to investigate a new back-water lake. I was in my 16 ft Carolina Skiff.
As I traversed through the three tight turns into the lake, I noted that the tide was starting to rush out. That should be a good thing for fishing and I planned to stay and throw a few casts after my reconnaissance.
The current turned and pushed my little skiff up a channel, which I happily fished while drifting along. Soon I was near the channel's end. The current was much stronger as the channel necked down. The small "river" then emptied into Clear Lake.
To get out and away from the tidal push, I turned on the 40 h.p. motor and its lower unit quickly hit a stump. The motor stopped instantly and I worried that I may have bent the stainless steel prop, or even damaged the lower unit.
I flipped on the trolling motor to move away from the tide and quickly raised the gasoline engine. No apparent damage!
Turning the key, the engine roared to life. However, when I engaged the gearing, the prop started to spin the boat directly into the concrete barriers bordering the channel.
No amount of force, applied to the steering wheel, changed its direction. I shut the power off and fended off the cement wall. I soon realized that the steering tube had been damaged by the stump collision. The motor was locked down in one position and couldn't be turned to steer at all!
It was 8/10th of mile to the launch, and luckily, I was upwind. I was able to use the trolling motor to get me out to the open lake, but I lacked confidence that the trolling motor's battery would hold up for an open water trip of nearly a mile. I had used it for two or three hours already that morning.
Starting the big motor and engaging its gears; then immediately turning it back off.... allowed the boat to power forward, but.....all the while turning the bow to starboard. This arrangement wouldn't get me home soon!
Luckily, the winds were out of the South East, and my destination was, more or less, to the North-West. Sooner or later, I would drift close to the launch area. I could actually see my van, parked at the launch, three/quarters of a mile in the distance. Since my adventure was happening on mid-day during the week, very few boats would be coming by.
None-the-less, I fashioned a signal flag by tying an orange poncho onto my fishing net.
One boat did run by, well to the South. I raised the flag and waved, and waved, and waved. All to no avail. That craft was a good mile away, running a channel to the Southwest. It seemed that I was going to have to get myself home.
I thought back to my sailboats. In every one of those, the tiller held the rudder against the power of the sail, which was constantly pushing the hull in an opposite direction.
Well, my Yamaha was pushing the boat in an opposite direction, opposite to where I wanted to go!
Every good boat has a paddle for emergencies. Sure enough, mine was stuck way back up and under the forward deck. Out it came.
Just holding the paddle in the water and trying to use its flat blade to steer, while the engine surged against it, wasn't going to work.
No, I had to find a way to brace the paddle against a side force, sufficient to overcome the power of the engine. Luckily, I had rod-holder bases installed on either side of the hull.
I fetched the thick plastic rod holder and snapped it into its base. Using that object as my fulcrum, my paddle became a rudder, with its handle working as rudimentary tiller.
As I applied more power to the Yamaha, the pressure increased against the "tiller" and while I held the "rudder" angled into the water, I was able to move the skiff further along my designated path.
I also left the trolling motor running. With it pointing to the port side, it acted to slightly counter the starboard forces of the motor
Nothing worked as perfectly as described. The paddle would slip; the waves would push; and the engine would often over-power my jury-rigged steering.
However, after thirty minutes or so, I was at the mouth of the launch basin. The trolling motor still had enough juice to drag the skiff to the dock.
I had to back the trailer nearly all of the way into the bay to float the boat on, but a little wet-wade to strap the skiff down was welcomed, given where I had been just under an hour ago.
Just another fun day on the water.....I may have to take up golf.....Oh!....I already do that...... badly.
Ha Ha Rich
p.s. I also had a whistle, and a phone, and I could have called for help....but...what fun is that?
Glad you made it home in one piece. That'll teach you to go out in those nasty glassers 
