Me and SWMBO just got back from a three day cruise to the
San Juan Islands aboard Cruis'n Rulz!. Launched from
Shilshole Marina about 12 pm Saturday. Perfect weather all
weekend. Spent the first night anchored stern to off the
east side of Blakely Island, in a little cove I've been
going to for years.
Sunday night in the Shaw Island cove. Everything was perfect
except....
On launching Saturday morning, I Backed down, launched, and
went to park the rig while SWMBO moved the boat to the end
of the dock. Upon returning a few minutes later, I flipped
on the blower and opened the engine hatch as usual before
startup. I was greeted by a rapidly flooding engine bay. In
thirteen years of launching Cruis'n Rulz! I have never left
the drain plug out, until now. PANIC. The pumps were not
even keeping up with the flow. She was down by the stern and
drawing deeper as I watched. The water was over the sole in
the forward cabin. I looked up to the parking lot. 2 rigs
were blocking all the spaces, with the morons doing the tie
down routine in the parking lot. No way I was going to get
down to the dock with my rig before it was to late.
I always keep a spare drain plug on board; never understood
why until now. Grabbed it and dove in the 45° water, down to
the keel, and screwed it in.
A second dive with a 5/8 wrench to tighten it. Damn that
water's cold. Spent all day Saturday with a honking tension
headache.
From now on, I'll tie a red ribbon to the lower unit
whenever I take the drain plug out. Don't want to take that
dive again...
JR
--
Remove X to reply

--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonXrnorth