"The free flow of info. is wha
"The free flow of info. is what the net is all about,good men of good intent, can disagree.
Jes i never wish anyone, bad luck, i also wish you,a happy holiday, peace on earth and good will to everyone who reads this.
I posted this on another website 2008.
The tow of shame !
Ok I just clear the sail boats at Keyport NJ.
I'm running at about 3500 rpm 20 mph everything is perfect, oil pressure, temp, charging, all is perfect.
I'm in about 25 feet of water per my fishfinder/depthfinder.
It's a great day to be alive. I have my 13 year old son the fishing machine with me. Weather is perfect, tide is coming in, slight chop.
I get to the middle of the bay oh maybe 15 minutes, and boom, it happens.
A loud boom the boat feels like i hit a wall and it revs high like i'm in neutral.
Temp. goes to 200 and i shut her off.
I know i didn't hit anything.
I call my friend, he says i'll be there 2-3 hours.
Ok I throw out the anchor. And were fishing.
Put up the Bimini top, and wait.
I calm down, and start thinking, what happened, maybe not in those words.
After all this is a family site.
My friend gets to me and I pull the anchor and he starts to tow me in.
Longest ride in at maybe 1 mph past maybe a 100 boats.
Never been so red faced in my life. Dejected don't even comes close to how i feel at the time.
I get the boat on the trailer and home ok. I's in the driveway now.
OK thats my tale of woe it happened yesterday. Oh by the way i got a keeper and one short the fishing machine nothing.
Now to the question! I need the minds of omc owners and mechanics.
Never easy for me to ask for help!
Ok motor off throttle in gear, Drive fully down. I turn the prop and the ball gears move both of them.
I'm thinking what the ---. No way got to be the water pump shaft stripped out got to be.
I'm turning and turning the prop the ball gears both of them turning.
Has anyone ever heard or seen the ball gear strip on the shaft coming out of the intermediate housing. I don't think the shaft is turning just the gear.
I have not gone out to the boat this morning yet except to walk the hot dog, dog we have. I walked past it but have not touched it yet this morning.
And in the same thread about a week latter i posted:
Ok a update and a tip for all stringer owners.
Was the coupler, very, very unusual for it to go. But got a used one and worked great.
Started it in the driveway no problem. Shifted good, Tattle-tale stream strong on the ball gears.
Go out to the bay cause i'm itching to see if i got any mechanical skills left.
Have on the boat me my 16 year old son who is the deer slayer but he don't like the bay to mush. His boy scout friend and farther, 4 people in all.
A perfectly gorgeous day 6:30 in the morning, Bay flat.
Boat is running perfect.
Get to spot one drop the lines, no fish, start her up, get to spot 2 about 1 mile away, drop the lines, no fish.
Start her up go 100 yards, and she strips out the water pump shaft. Shut her off 2 seconds.
Did I as a reasonable person bother to check the water pump shafts, when i was waiting for the coupler in the mail? No. I have to find out on the water.
Throw out the anchor.
Same guy in his bayliner comes for me in 8 hours cause he's working.
Heres the warning guys. If you have a stringer.
CHECK YOUR WATER PUMP SHAFTS EVERY YEAR.
Mine were good 3 years ago. I know i checked them.
Out drive apart waiting for the shaft i ordered. One goes they both go.
One i had.
This all happened AFTER i replaced the 2.5 omc with the 3.0 merc motor. Was a real interesting year."