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On Friday I ripped my rudder clean off and destroyed the prop/shaft. (my 4 blade prop is now a 2 blade prop) There was also some gelcoat damage. The boat was almost a total loss since I had no rudder or prop and was at the mercy of the wind and current. Luckily there were a few brave souls on my boat - and with some clever maneuvering and a 100 foot anchor rope we were able to beach the boat.
When I told the lake patrol about it they told me that I was stupid for not driving in the middle of the lake (I was 80+ yards away from the shore) and that they have a "no hazard marking policy" because water levels are constantly changing. They said it was my fault since they had signs up around the lake that told boaters to watch out for obstacles. (doesn't help when the obstacles are under water and completely invisible from above) Mine was one of 3 boats that day alone that hit something in the water and had substantial damage. This is a regular occurrence there, and the people that are supposed to be helping ensure boating safety are doing nothing about it. (and pretend the problem doesn't exist when confronted)
Anyway - if you're going to Lake Isabella, be very very careful. Ask some locals where the sand bars and islands are. And stay as far away from the shore as you can when you're near French Gulch.
On a positive note, prior to the accident we had amazing conditions and one of the best days of the year landing new tricks, etc
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