XFXCRACXBHA%$!!!

My beloved boat went back in the water today. Finally. It's being fixed about
90 minutes N of here and business is keeping me tied to the home office for a
few days, so I just asked the engine installer to do the initial sea trial and
call me with a report.

Was supposed to be done before Christmas. Engine mounts, engine brackets, wrong
brackets for the new mounts, etc etc etc etc etc.......repair held over until
after holidays. Snows to beat all heck this week, slows down some more.
Finally, ready to splash.

My old engine was counter rotating. They don't build a counter rotating model
of that engine anymore- the correction is made in the gear box. When I ordered
the engine, I very specifically stressed that I needed the counter rotating
gear.

"No problem."

When the engine and gear came in, I asked, "That's the counter rotating gear
box, right? I don't want to have to switch props and most especially I don't
want the boat to pack to port."

"Yes indeed. This is the counter rotating gearbox. You won't have to change
props, and the boat will back to starboard."

So, onto the Travelift.
(drumroll)
Down to the launch ramp.
(drumroll)
Into the water
(drumroll)
Fire up the engine, (reportedly runs great!!)
(louder drumroll)
Put boat in forward.......and it goes in reverse.

AAAACH! After all that......Wrong tranny!! :-(

To his credit, my engine supply guy didn't quibble a bit. The correct tranny
has already been ordered, and he will absorb all labor costs to get the wrong
gearbox out and the right gearbox in. Pays to belabor an important point. While
I've done business with this guy for many years and he would be unlikely to
ever try and squirm out from his responsibility...there can be no question that
we discussed a counter-rotating transmission on several occassions.

Any boat repair will take longer and cost more than originally guesstimated. No
Schlitz, Sherlock.