Boat fail confessions!

Descant · 04-14-2016, 03:14 PM

Similar event some years ago. Cruising along at 3000 rpm and two bilge pump "on" lights appeared, along with a buzzer. All else looked OK. So, I slowed down and raised the hatch, and water was pouring out of a hose just before it entered the muffler. This was first run of the season. Whoever de-winterized the engines missed a hose re-connect. A brief engine start at the docks would not pump enough water to force the bilge pumps on, so it went undetected.

Different boat, around 1984. 1971 Chris Craft with closed cooling system. Again, early season run. Corrosion in the heat exchangers and they both blew at nearly the same time. So much for twins giving you the benefit of a get home ability. We weren't far off shore and the wind blew us gently into a nearby dock. We got a ride home and a little later came back and towed the boat home, then towed it to the marina the next day.

J'ever notice? These things seem to happen at 4:31, just after the marina put the phone on the answer machine. Nice to know that SeaTow and TowBOAT/US are available now. An oddity to me: these plans will pay if I break down almost anyplace but my homeport. So, if it won't start at camp, I have to be sure to note that the marina is my homeport, not the camp. Then they will pay the tow bill to get me to the marina or to do service on site. Of course, service done at the marina is maintenance. They don't pay for that. Same job at camp is "emergency start". Paid for.

04-14-2016, 03:14 PM	#7
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,366 Thanks: 1,352 Thanked 1,624 Times in 1,056 Posts	Yup! Similar event some years ago. Cruising along at 3000 rpm and two bilge pump "on" lights appeared, along with a buzzer. All else looked OK. So, I slowed down and raised the hatch, and water was pouring out of a hose just before it entered the muffler. This was first run of the season. Whoever de-winterized the engines missed a hose re-connect. A brief engine start at the docks would not pump enough water to force the bilge pumps on, so it went undetected. Different boat, around 1984. 1971 Chris Craft with closed cooling system. Again, early season run. Corrosion in the heat exchangers and they both blew at nearly the same time. So much for twins giving you the benefit of a get home ability. We weren't far off shore and the wind blew us gently into a nearby dock. We got a ride home and a little later came back and towed the boat home, then towed it to the marina the next day. J'ever notice? These things seem to happen at 4:31, just after the marina put the phone on the answer machine. Nice to know that SeaTow and TowBOAT/US are available now. An oddity to me: these plans will pay if I break down almost anyplace but my homeport. So, if it won't start at camp, I have to be sure to note that the marina is my homeport, not the camp. Then they will pay the tow bill to get me to the marina or to do service on site. Of course, service done at the marina is maintenance. They don't pay for that. Same job at camp is "emergency start". Paid for.