Confession Time?
06-02-2016, 08:33 AM
#11
Registered
Tried to grease the coupler with a Harbor Freight grease fitting -- it got stuck on the zerk fitting and I couldn't get this off to save my soul. Finally, I removed all of the "stuffs" around the engine so that I could get access. I was able to get a large screw driver in and was able to pry the fitting off -- NEVER again will I mess with that Harbor Freight stuff.
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06-02-2016, 08:34 AM
#12
Gold Member
Gold Member
Couple:
Went to ramp at beginning of season without testing. Couldn't get it to start. Spent hours screwing with it only to look down and realize I hadn't put the safety switches back in.
Guy across the street from me bought a knock off "Cigar Boat" off Ebay for 6k. Problem was the cabin kept filling with water. He came over and noticed I had two drain holes in the cabin of my Cafe so figured he'd replicate it. I looked over just in time to see his spade bit break through the bottom of the boat!!!
Put the drives on Backwards once and only realized it when I went to hook up the tie-bar.
Got to the ramp once and put it in Reverse, went to shift back to neutral and it was stuck in reverse. Turns out I had missed the clasp when I installed the drive so it pushed it into reverse but then obviously wouldn't pull it out.
Didn't properly stabilize the Gantry Crane in April 2015, dropped an engine with my father in the boat. It landed on him, broke his leg, sliced all the way through his leg and out the other side and put him in the hospital for a week. To make matters worse he had started blood thinners three days before.....
Last summer was trying to diagnose a water flow problem on the lift when I finally realized the tide had gone out faster than I expected and the pickups weren't in the water.
Man, reading through that list, I sound like an idiot.....
Went to ramp at beginning of season without testing. Couldn't get it to start. Spent hours screwing with it only to look down and realize I hadn't put the safety switches back in.
Guy across the street from me bought a knock off "Cigar Boat" off Ebay for 6k. Problem was the cabin kept filling with water. He came over and noticed I had two drain holes in the cabin of my Cafe so figured he'd replicate it. I looked over just in time to see his spade bit break through the bottom of the boat!!!
Put the drives on Backwards once and only realized it when I went to hook up the tie-bar.
Got to the ramp once and put it in Reverse, went to shift back to neutral and it was stuck in reverse. Turns out I had missed the clasp when I installed the drive so it pushed it into reverse but then obviously wouldn't pull it out.
Didn't properly stabilize the Gantry Crane in April 2015, dropped an engine with my father in the boat. It landed on him, broke his leg, sliced all the way through his leg and out the other side and put him in the hospital for a week. To make matters worse he had started blood thinners three days before.....
Last summer was trying to diagnose a water flow problem on the lift when I finally realized the tide had gone out faster than I expected and the pickups weren't in the water.
Man, reading through that list, I sound like an idiot.....
06-02-2016, 08:52 AM
#13
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Long Lake, MN
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Sounds like "close to disaster" counts too.
This weekend I decided to replace rollers on my trailer with home made bunks. I figured I could do this with the boat still on the trailer. Not knowing what I was doing nor having the proper jack/stands to do the job, or a definite plan, I came really close to dumping the boat off the side of the trailer when the blocks stacked on my jack to make it taller collapsed like a Jinga tower. Thankfully In the end, it seems to have lined up great (& didn't have the boat bounce off concrete). I guess I won't know for sure until I dump it in the water and level out the boat
This weekend I decided to replace rollers on my trailer with home made bunks. I figured I could do this with the boat still on the trailer. Not knowing what I was doing nor having the proper jack/stands to do the job, or a definite plan, I came really close to dumping the boat off the side of the trailer when the blocks stacked on my jack to make it taller collapsed like a Jinga tower. Thankfully In the end, it seems to have lined up great (& didn't have the boat bounce off concrete). I guess I won't know for sure until I dump it in the water and level out the boat
06-02-2016, 08:52 AM
#14
Had a different boat with twin 454 clunker 330hp motors with the check ball for water flow in the top hoses at thermostat...pulled one of the hoses off while boat was in water at the dock because one of the check balls got stuck...water started gushing everywhere :-)
06-02-2016, 09:35 AM
#15
VIP Member
On way back from ShootOut thought I would top off Cig in MO w 93 since cant get in OK..
Park in shop for week. Show up Friday to hook up and take back to lake house-Fuel leaked out vent holes- I guess all week- looked like paint stripper down both sides. Damnit man- Vincent fixed up perfectly.
Park in shop for week. Show up Friday to hook up and take back to lake house-Fuel leaked out vent holes- I guess all week- looked like paint stripper down both sides. Damnit man- Vincent fixed up perfectly.
06-02-2016, 10:15 AM
#17
Registered
years ago I started up my 21 footer in the morning on the hose prior to heading to the ramp. I was in the boat and had my buddy turn the water on and off. All was good.
I asked him to disconnect everything while I loaded up the coolers and out of the corner of my eye I saw him run the hose back to the reel, and was sure all was well.
When we got to the ramp I jumped into the drivers seat from the sidestep and he backed me in. I fired up and idled around to the dock to to pick him up after he parked.
After he jumped in I checked all the gauges temp , oil, all good- we idled out to the end of the no wake zone and took off- right about the time the boat should have nosed over onto plane it would rev up like it slipped out of gear?!??
Forward/ reverse - both clunked satisfyingly each way and after a dozen attempts to get onto plane I gave up and we decided to float all morning in the water and just enjoy the day as best we could.
When we ran out of food and drinks we decided to pull the boat out and I told my buddy to stop half way up the ramp so I could pull the plugs (it was a tunnel) I noticed the hose adaptor was still on the outdrive.
Buddy removed the hose- but not the adaptor - I didnt check it I "assumed".
UD
I asked him to disconnect everything while I loaded up the coolers and out of the corner of my eye I saw him run the hose back to the reel, and was sure all was well.
When we got to the ramp I jumped into the drivers seat from the sidestep and he backed me in. I fired up and idled around to the dock to to pick him up after he parked.
After he jumped in I checked all the gauges temp , oil, all good- we idled out to the end of the no wake zone and took off- right about the time the boat should have nosed over onto plane it would rev up like it slipped out of gear?!??
Forward/ reverse - both clunked satisfyingly each way and after a dozen attempts to get onto plane I gave up and we decided to float all morning in the water and just enjoy the day as best we could.
When we ran out of food and drinks we decided to pull the boat out and I told my buddy to stop half way up the ramp so I could pull the plugs (it was a tunnel) I noticed the hose adaptor was still on the outdrive.
Buddy removed the hose- but not the adaptor - I didnt check it I "assumed".
UD
06-02-2016, 10:37 AM
#18
Registered
10 meter; First run after an off season repower, added about 200hp per side. Cant believe how well the boat runs now , so much faster , big midrange improvement , Hill even got the props right first try. Psyched! Put about 10 miles on and headed out to race rock light to have a cold one with my bud that helped with all the work. finished our beer , time to fire her back up. Always start the starboard engine first , some kind of superstitious thing for me I guess. Turning it over and hearing this clunking / scraping noise . Stop cranking before it fires and really f's something up. Short version , never torqued the starboard flywheel bolts and they were backing out, thank God it didn't light off. If I fired up the port side first I never would have heard it. Long, slow ride back to the truck.
35 Lightning; This one is hard to admit. 25 plus years with twin engine sport boats. Head to the ramp to drop her in for the season and bring it to the lift. Fire it up , let it warm up , shove away from the dock , slap both sides in reverse and proceed to drive straight up the concrete ramp. Put props on the wrong direction , reverse = forward now , not a good feeling. no damage tho , not sure how.
35 Lightning; This one is hard to admit. 25 plus years with twin engine sport boats. Head to the ramp to drop her in for the season and bring it to the lift. Fire it up , let it warm up , shove away from the dock , slap both sides in reverse and proceed to drive straight up the concrete ramp. Put props on the wrong direction , reverse = forward now , not a good feeling. no damage tho , not sure how.
06-02-2016, 11:08 AM
#20
Did some engine mods on the Stinger which included cams, lifters, push rods, roller rockers, intakes, carbs, 10QT oil pans, new oil pumps & pick ups, polished cranks, new bearings. Ran engines on hose, everything is all good. Get it on Lake Michigan for a poker run and find the port engine oil pressure coming down, and a heavy oil smell in the bilge. Put 8 qts in port engine that day, and couldn't run it over 2500 rpm without blowing oil out. Took it home pulled the engine & oil pan, found the effing seal was in backward so that the spring seal lip was out not in. Every time the crankcase pressure was up, she blew the oil right on by the seal. Oh shiiiiiiiiiit. I've built lots of engines before and after and never done anything so effin dumb!
