On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 19:00:24 -0500, "Eisboch"
wrote:


"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
.. .

I've hit things at speed with my outboards and, well to put it
plainly, F'd 'em up pretty bad, but I've never ripped a lower unit off
at speed. Broke a casting once, lost a skeg once and seriously
mangled a prop shaft and prop once.

Then again, neither of my boats weigh 15,000 lbs either.

When a youngster with a Sears 12' aluminum boat and 7 hp outboard, I seem to
remember leaving the motor unlocked, so if I hit something the motor would
just flip up. (It was embarrassing when you forgot and revved it up in
reverse).

Hell, I still do that. :)

Anyway, it just seems to me that a heavy boat at speed isn't
going to stop in time=zero if it hits a rock higher up than the nosecone and
the energy of the impact has to go somewhere. Maybe the leg will stay
together, but the transom will get ripped off.

The only incident I can compare to was off of Fisher's Island when I
hit a telephone pole type log going 30 or so in my Ranger. It was
just below the surface so I didn't see it until I was right on top of
it. The log hit the motor dead on between the middle section and the
lower unit. Totally cracked the mid section, broke the lower unit
open and mangled the prop shaft and prop.

Fortunately, nobody was hurt, but Sea//Tow had a long tow back to the
launch. :)

Later,

Tom