CAPTAIN CHUCK

I am here to tell the tale of my last 2 years that some of you may find intresting... even entertaining to others. It all started in August of 2004 when I purchased a 1994 24' Baja Outlaw from a dealer in S. Carolina. I bought it for a relatively cheap price and it needed some work but overall a decent boat. Over the next 11 months I put all my heart and soul (not to mention about 10k in repairs and upgrades) into my Baja. I was in the process of having the vinyl done a couple pieces at a time by a local upholster and I had the engine tuned up and the outdrive rebuilt in July 2005. Due to my job I was working a 14/7 shift schedule so after the engine and outdrive work I only got to take her out for 2 weekends....then the schit hit the fan!!! On August 29th 2005....the worst day in history if you ask me....that bittch named Katrina literally rolled through my back yard. We had a 25' storm surge in my neighborhood!!! I was at work in south Texas of course when it came through and I couldn't get home to get my boat. My neighbor secured a couple of lines to some telephone poles for me before he high tailed it out of town. I wasn't able to get back home until the police finally let us back in about 5 days after the storm. I was in shock at the ferocity of what that storm did to my home and the surrounding area. My Baja was still in my front yard (kinda) along with 2 of the 3 homes that were across the highway from me. My Baja came to rest on top of a Lincoln Towncar on top of an 8' wrought iron gate that crumbled under the weight. See pics below. At some point during the storm she rolled on her side and took on water. (salt water of course) To my great despair I found out that my insurance had lapsed on my boat and my ex-wife conveniently forgot to tell me about it. (long story about her) So I had to salvage what I could. After about a week of cleaning with a bobcat and a dozer my front yard was somewhat clean. I took the Baja to a buddies that lived in an area that wasn't directly hit by the storm since my home was uninhabitable. I only had 1 day to go over the boat and all I could do was drain all the fluids out of the engine and the drive. She only had a couple of bad spots on the starb. corner where the fiberglass was damaged. (no holes in the hull though) I went back to work for my 14 day hitch and left my boat in my buddies driveway about 40 miles from my house. I secured it with a stainless cablelock that I ran through the rim and I also put a hitch lock on it. The second weekend I was gone my buddy called to inform me that my boat was gone. He had to go to Houstin to get his family and while he was gone someone helped themselves to my recently devoured Baja. I was beyond pissed. I had lost my house, my boat, and my wife within a 2 month period....Keep the house and the bittch of a wife but GD I wanted my boat!!! The local law enforcement infrastructure was so overwhelmed at this point they told me to wait a couple of weeks to make a report bcuz they simply didn't have the manpower at that time. I knew at that point I would never see my beloved Baja again....Well it turns out that I was wrong. I got a call from a detective last week and he asked me if I had a Baja stolen from me after the storm. I told him I did and he said a confidential informant came forward with information on where a stolen boat was being kept. It turns out some phuckhead had it sitting in his backyard in the woods of Mississippi. The cops ran the hull id # and it came back to me. So after they arrested the douchebag who had my boat I went to pick it up from the impound Monday. Apparently my boat has been sitting in this azzholes backyard untouched for almost 2 years. Needless to say she is in bad shape. I am going to start gutting her next week and I am going to document the whole process for the wonderful members of OSO becuz I know the best of the best are members and anything I do will be scrutinized and I am going to need that for a few of the things I plan to do. I know the stock 454 mag is probably shot so I am looking to repower with either a 496ho or a 502. I guess when it comes down to it the price will be the deciding factor. All my money went to rebuilding my house.(damn insurance companies are legitamate thieves) Any encouragement will be greatly appreciated from all of you guys. I know anything I need to fix or upgrade I can find it on here so wish me luck on this massive project I am going to undertake pretty much by myself. Thanks guys !!!

I HATE HURRICANES AND THIEVES!!!
Capt. Chuck

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...BAJAosopic.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...0/BAJAOSO2.jpg

CAPTAIN CHUCK

Only by a sure force of will...Trust me.
Thanks bro.
CHUCK

Ironmanwb

Good luck man.

Hope all goes well from here on out.

CAPTAIN CHUCK

What do you guys think about this engine? I don't know anything about Volvos so any input would help. I have a bravo one drive on my boat.....could this setup work?

http://www.offshoreonlyclassifieds.c...o11701-en.html

Chuck

CAPTAIN CHUCK

Well guys after some discussion with other members I have decided to go with the Volvo Penta 496. I am hoping the swap will be as easy as some people have told me. Can anyone tell me the difference between closed cooling and not? Thanks.

jmeng

Someone else can probably explain this better but... With closed cooling you don't circulate water through the engine like normal. Water is passed through a heat exchanger which cools the coolant that is circulated through the engine.

CAPTAIN CHUCK

Thanks Jmeng...I'm pretty sure I know what your talking about. I guess there is not really a big difference. Cool.

Chuck

jmeng

Big advantage is in saltwater you don't have the internal corrosion issues. Shouldn't make a difference on Lake Ponchartrain.

five cent worth

Dude good luck! Things will be better in the future....think, your boat is going to fly now with a 496!

CAPTAIN CHUCK

Thanks for all the positive influence guys. It's good to know all my OSO bros are behind me. On we go......


Chuck