Chaos at the ramp

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (4) Likes(4)   Quote Kevin.S Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Chaos at the ramp
    Posted: 13 Jan 2020 at 11:52am
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But probably not the usual sort of ramp chaos that you might think.  As we arrived back from a fishing trip on Saturday (terrible days fishing -not even a single bite) a woman shouted to us from the pontoons asking if we could help her husband who had broken down.  He was only 500m or so from the ramp so we set off to tow him back.  We soon found the broken down boat, along with a couple of kids floating out the back on a biscuit.  We hooked up a tow rope and took him back to the ramp, which was a little tricky as there was quite a current running across the ramp on the outgoing tide.  Fortunately there was a guy who had just launched his boat and he grabbed our painter and pulled us to the pontoons and then I untied the boat we were towing and passed him that rope and he pulled them in.  He then set off for a fishing trip, but he didn't get 10m from the pontoons before his steering cable broke leaving him traveling in circles next to the ramp.  With his wife sitting on the transom astride the outboard to "steer" it he managed to reverse close enough for us to reach out from the pontoons and grab them and pull them back in.  After all that just getting back to the ramp in a fully functioning boat seemed quite a result compared to the others around us, even if the fishing had been terrible.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Alan L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jan 2020 at 12:26pm
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It is amazing the number of near disasters that we don't get to read about. Must be multiples daily over summer. Imagine having an engine or steering failure crossing a bar. Just both happened by a presumably busy boat ramp. Pure luck.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Mr Moritz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jan 2020 at 1:12pm
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Remember out sailing in my Cherub class yacht. Came across a guy in a Z class yacht.
His mast had got jammed against the wing of a moored sunderland aircraft. He was in a bit of a predicament as his mast was between the two engines on the wing and held there by wind and tide. He couldn't move.
I brought my Cherub in as close as I dared, he threw me a rope, which I cleated up.
I hauled the mainsail in and sailed as close to the wind as I could and managed to extract him off the plane. Quite exciting at the time. 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote cirrus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jan 2020 at 1:29pm
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Lucky you were there Kevin. Nothing is co-incidence.

Been alot of talk about steering cable failures of late.

So how do you know if this is about to happen to you.

Are there warning signs,things to watch out for.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Alan L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jan 2020 at 1:50pm
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Thats the thing with steering - when you ain't got any, you wish you had some.
I have had 2 - on different boats - but same system - identical boats. One - there was a warning. The steering was getting heavy. Obviously the cable was getting stiff. My priority in the next 2-3 days - as soon as my fishing buddies departed back to NZ, was to pull the steering out. It didnt last that long - blew a segment out of the gearbox.
The 2nd one was the scary one. No warning. Sudden failure - cable separated from the steering rod - internally.  No way to anticipate or detect that. Now I have a plan B.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote cirrus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jan 2020 at 1:56pm
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Thanks allan. suspect it is the sort of thing not given much thought by many ,until it happens
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote tjm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jan 2020 at 2:09pm
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Talking about issues at boat ramps lately Ive been seeing that some boaties are not preparing for launching or retrieving their boats properly This isnt an issue if the ramp isn't busy but in summer when others are waiting you need to be organised In the weekend I watched one person back his trailer down to water muck around for ten or so minutes while others had to wait for him to organise him self I might be wrong but surely aim to get in and out as quickly as possible to ket others do the same
Cant beat hunting and Fishing in N.Z
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MacSkipper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jan 2020 at 4:35pm
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Originally posted by Kevin.S Kevin.S wrote:

But probably not the usual sort of ramp chaos that you might think.  As we arrived back from a fishing trip on Saturday (terrible days fishing -not even a single bite) a woman shouted to us from the pontoons asking if we could help her husband who had broken down.  He was only 500m or so from the ramp so we set off to tow him back.  We soon found the broken down boat, along with a couple of kids floating out the back on a biscuit.  We hooked up a tow rope and took him back to the ramp, which was a little tricky as there was quite a current running across the ramp on the outgoing tide.  Fortunately there was a guy who had just launched his boat and he grabbed our painter and pulled us to the pontoons and then I untied the boat we were towing and passed him that rope and he pulled them in.  He then set off for a fishing trip, but he didn't get 10m from the pontoons before his steering cable broke leaving him traveling in circles next to the ramp.  With his wife sitting on the transom astride the outboard to "steer" it he managed to reverse close enough for us to reach out from the pontoons and grab them and pull them back in.  After all that just getting back to the ramp in a fully functioning boat seemed quite a result compared to the others around us, even if the fishing had been terrible.
good on you for helping others trouble Clap!
Good fishing trip nothing breaks, great trip catch fish.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Big -Dave Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2020 at 8:08am
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I've tired a few back to the ramp who have pushed off then gone to start and no one was home.
Steering, easy to feel smug when you have hydraulics, but I had the stainless arm from the team to the motor fracture on the bend. Fortunately it had snapped on the way to the beach, I hadn't noticed but once in the water, going round in circles was the game of the day...

Crap happens, being polite and helpful even if you think they are buffoons, goes a long way.
you can't fix an idiot with duct tape, but it does muffle them for a while...
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Wanda_Ra Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2020 at 5:50pm
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I always start the outboard up at home n run it for a min jsut to check.Dont need water for that short a time.
Also a few years back had the steering cable break on my 30hp on the tinny on the way out to the mussel farms off Coro.Just had the 9 yr old sit up the front working the throttle as needed and i was at the back steering.
Still went out and had a fish as it wasnt really a drama.

Something is going to go wrong sooner or later,you just have to hope you can deal with it safely.

Ive helped a few out on the water and been helped myself once or twice over the years.
If you think you are too small to make a difference,try sleeping with a mosquito in your tent.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fish Addict Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2020 at 6:12pm
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Originally posted by Wanda_Ra Wanda_Ra wrote:

I always start the outboard up at home n run it for a min jsut to check.Dont need water for that short a time.


Interesting I always thought even a few seconds without water was a no, no.
I googled the topic and it seems as always there are mixed views and opinions. A minute is more than most would recommend.
Each to their own, I'm not mechanically minded and so I will take the advice of my outboard mechanic which is never, never ever.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MATTOO Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2020 at 6:27pm
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KevinS,

You did the right thing.



I for one support your response.

You don't need a pat on the back for doing what you did.

I'm just doing it because where I come from that's a given.

Lost art now sadly.

M
Just cruising in my now sweetas pimped out Southern 755 HT0!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Alan L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2020 at 7:15pm
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I often kick the motor over without water, pre-launch. Just to make sure no dramas in the surf. But only 5-10 secs - run it a few seconds and shut down. Apart from the heat issue for the motor, the impellor is running dry.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Clutch Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2020 at 11:30pm
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I'm with Fish Addict. Better safe than sorry. I only ever run the motor with water.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jan 2020 at 10:03am
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I rinse in the drum
 The morning of or the day before a trip I fire up on muffs.
 Check, battery (which has been on a solar trickle charger since previous trip
Steering (got caught out in the 70s with salt jammed steering) Lights, jackets, bilge and clean down/ live bait, spare battery charge.
 Trailer tyres, tiedowns etc
 And put the bung in (that hangs on a braid string from the motor)
 Set up the painter for launching.
Have enough sinkers, lures etc.
Then turn the motor off.

We use the boat on every window we can, subject to crew availability and family events etc.

It seems this is not the norm, even for thu regular use, and in my books should be mandatory if used occasionally right ??

Fire up without water, the impeller runs dry.. if had sat for a while, or and/not rinsed well, the rubbers impeller are likely to stick a little and 'wear' (rip the tips)
 Hence why well fitting muffs with good  water pressure or better still a 1/2 45gal plastic drum comes into its own.

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Mr Moritz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jan 2020 at 10:31am
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Yeah I wouldn't run mine up without water, although I think there are some impellers sold that they say can be run dry. The tips of the impeller rub against the edge of pump housing and without water lubrication generate enough heat to melt the impeller tips. Ergo weak water flow, bad news...
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Alan L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jan 2020 at 11:11am
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Which is why I run it 5-10 secs, no more than. Prob less than 5 secs.  Just enough to know it is going to fire straight away. Bouncing around in the surf trying to get the motor to kick isn't much fun. Needs to go straight off. There have been times had to haul it out again on to trailer - maybe flooded or wet plugs, maybe bad contact somewhere - went perfect last time, this time...click. etc. Not like a boat ramp. Easier said than done - especially when the tractor has disappeared down the beach with someone elses boat etc. To me, it is worth kicking it over before dropping it off the trailer.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Kevin.S Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jan 2020 at 3:33pm
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Fair comment Alan.  Running the motor at all without water will increase impeller wear, but replacing an impeller more often is a small price to pay for the reassurance you are getting in those circumstances.  

An even bigger problem than wear on the impeller is the heat that builds up very quickly without any cooling water in there.  I once changed an impeller and had to change the whole housing as it had been partly melted, which I'm pretty sure was from someone running it dry.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Alan L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jan 2020 at 4:03pm
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I have replaced impellors on both my motors - simply as precautionary maintenance. After 5-600 hrs, they still look like new. Have kept as spares. The dry running I have done, has had no effect on the impellors. But without a doubt you could build up heat in them quite quickly while dry running. Which I why I only do it for a few secs. Simply enough to know the motor is going to fire with one turn of the key. 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Catchelot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jan 2020 at 5:28pm
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I once knew a fella that had a big rig and twin 115 Envinrudes, his batch was about 5 mins to the launch, he used to start and warm up his motors before launching... we used to cringe as we watched him go past.Cry

And I guess the impellors are a bit of a sacrifical part as most services see them replaced for piece of mind even if they look fine...
"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques Cousteau
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