Help! Fishing Boat Belly Up In My Boat House!

auburnmdw

Recruit
Joined
Sep 24, 2015
Messages
1
Recently bought a cabin with pier/boat house. Included in the boat house was a 1987 Fisher 15 foot fishing boat, that hadn't been run in about 7 years. I got it out, and was able to use with the trolling motor (was waiting to get it out of the water to check the Evinrude 35 outboard out). A couple of weeks ago, I forgot to lift the boat back out of the water (there is a "come along" lift system in the boat house). The stern of the boat got caught under the door of the boat house, so instead of going with the flow of the waves, the boat filled with water, enough to sink. My wife discovered the boat on it's side, and made the mistake of opening the door, to the boat house, which caused the boat to go "belly up" in the boat house. It is still sitting there, belly up. I've tried various combinations, with the cabling system, to pull the boat up, to no avail. Any suggestions on the easiest way to get this thing right side up? It is sitting in roughly 4-6 feet of water.
 

smokeonthewater

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Messages
9,838
Drag it out of the boat house... Get a few guys in shallow water and roll it over.... Then drag ashore till sides are above water n pump it out.
 

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,657
Or roll it over, and then lift the bow only, slowly.
Eventually most of the water will be out, and you should be able to lower the bow and it should float.

The good thing is that it is an older Fisher boat, so there should be no wood in the boat to gat water da,aged.

The bad thing is that you will have to get the motor emptied out and oiled so that is doesn't rust and seize.
 
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
Messages
923
Wow - I almost thought that you had my old boat until I read the 15ft part. Mine was a 1985 Fisher, 16ft with a 1979 35hp Evinrude. Pretty good boat except a very narrow beam so it would not get up on plane with more than a person or two in the boat.

Anyway, I would strap a come-along with tow straps and slowly roll it onto its side and then upright. Have some ice cream buckets for bailing or buy a manual bilge pump off of iboats.
 

Willyclay

Captain
Joined
Sep 8, 2006
Messages
3,239
BTDT and I have to agree with Smoke that you need to get it out of the boathouse so you will have room to access things. IMHO you should concentrate on the motor first because as soon as it is exposed to the air, the rust begins. Have lots (gallons) of WD-40 on hand for your best shot. Good luck!
 
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