Hit something submerged hard in the Delta this weekend
 

We were at the Delta yesterday near Bullfrog Marina and hit something submerged really hard. I've been up and down this slough many times in the past and never hit anything before. This felt way bigger and more fixed to the bottom than a log. Unfortunately the boat now has a pretty bad vibration. Limped back to Orwood at under 5MPH hoping not to do any more damage. No visible damage to the prop, which really surprised me, so I'm guessing its the shaft. I'm taking it in next Monday to have it looked at.

Here is a link to the spot. Might want to watch out if you are in the area.

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid...009543,0.01929

I'll take some pics and post and see if anyone sees anything obvious.

Nothing worse than to end your day like that!

thanks for the heads-up on the location, and sorry to hear about your experience.

The delta is full of mysterious objects! Good looking out for others. I've been down that route multiple times and always stayed right in the middle. On low tide heading upstream you can see the remains of an old pier.

Get yourself a run out gage and check to see if the shaft is bent. It will take no time at all. Less than .003" is acceptable. Also look to see if your prop strut holder is still perpendicular to the hull. At least that will give you an idea of what is wrong. Good luck and thanks for letting us know. I noticed on Saturday at 5:00 pm the tide was out. Really low water conditions.

I would soap up the shaft bearing, jam a garden hose on it and run it in gear. (idle speed) Takes only seconds and you will very quickly if the shaft is bent, and where.

Sucks! thanks for the FYI.

I have spent lots of time right there since that was the turnaround area for the slalom course that used to be just north of your mark. I don't think I have ever seen anything in that spot at the lowest of tides so I suspect it is something like new like a partially sunk anchor bouy. There are a few somewhat new anchor bouys up by Holland Riverside marina, the steel ones about 6' in diameter. I did not like seeing these on the delta thinking they could sink and become an underwater hazard. I also don't like seeing random steel bouys floating in random areas since I occasionally return from outings after dark.

try a new prop, sometimes you can't see the damage

That is brutal for sure. Low water sucks and you don't know what you cant see. A few years back some local youths (yutes per Peschi) decided throwing about 10 shopping carts off the center span of local bridge was a good idea. This bridge is a heavy artery to a big area of the island and sees lots of traffic. Its been awhile but I still remember the number being about 10 boats that were seriously jacked up before it got cleaned up.

See? silver lining.

Thanks for all of the replies. I'm going to have a closer look tonight and see if I can figure out exactly what bent. I'll take some pictures. Next time we go out that way I'm going to take some rebar and poke around and see what I can find. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a buoy. Certainly felt like a big metal thud. I've been up and down that area many many times and never hit anything. We were very close to the middle of the channel so I'm guessing whatever it is is new.

Anyone know where to get a run out gage? And are they expensive?

Thanks again.

Pat

Can get a runout guage at Home depot or if you want to be really cheap even Harbor Freight.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-inch-...cator-623.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/clampin...tor-93051.html

Hey man, sorry to hear about your trouble. Just a thought, but you may wanna throw on a different prop and see if that cures the vibration problem. Last summer I hit something and picked up a really bad vibration. I'm talking about a mirror vibrating, can't go 3 miles an hour, am I gonna make it back to the dock vibration. Even though the prop looked perfect, I threw on one from my friend's boat and the vibration was gone. When I sent my prop to the guys at Nettle props, they said it was really warped, but in a manner that wasn't visible to an untrained eye. So, if everything else checks out, you may want to give it a shot. Good luck!

Finally had some time yesterday to crawl around the boat and see what really happened. It turns out the prop is bent. The prop isn't all chewed up so you have to look at the blades fairly closely but one is definitely bent out of shape. The other thing is that it sure looks like the rudder is bent. I don't know what mine looked like before I hit but it doesn't seem like it should be this far off-center. It seems to steer fine but this doesn't look right. I've pasted some pictures below. I'll be checking the prop shaft on Friday.

Going to order an Acme 525 and have the guys at Delta prop fix this one (515) for a spare.

Pat

rudder should be off center, but not bent/angled.
would have almost no effect on performance though. probly not worth the cost to replace it

My rudder looks like that too, not that, that makes it right. Do you have the 20% off code for the delta prop company?

Thanks guys.

Dave27, I don't have that code. If you wouldn't mind either posting it or PM'ing me that would be great. New prop is over $400, and I'm sure repair is over $100 so anything helps.

Thanks.

Might want to have that spare prop re-pitched to something more agressive too, usually when you have the prop re-done, it's a great time to have it re-pitched as well

Are there any nicks/dents in the rudder?

does it steer easily?

spend enough time in the delta and you will hit stuff, some stuff harder than other stuff, sometimes the stuff is in a place you run through all the time, you will see lots of stuff but you usually won't hit that stuff because you saw it it's the stuff you don't see that you hit.

I hit over by Wimpys some stuff in a place I go through often that stuff felt like a battleship damn near stopped the boat at 35mph bent the rudder like a pretzel and my brand new acme prop looked perfect but was bent all 3 blades dropped it off at Delta prop in Lodi they fixed it better than new,

Took my prop there last year. $120 out the door for a minor repair. Cupped the edges. All good ever since.

lifetimewarranty, no nicks or dings in the rudder that I can feel.

It seems to steer like it always has but needs more inspection.

I'm heading out to Lodi today to visit Bob at Delta Prop.

I'm hoping to get the prop swapped out today and put it on the water this afternoon and test everything out. I'll know more then.

Pat