Just Joining The "Club"...

Hi Gang,

It was bound to happen sometime...

After seeing a post on iBoats about 'Liquid Rollers" that extolled it's virtues, I figured it was just what I needed to help get the Sea Ray onto the trailer that last 3 inches, without having to torque it up with the winch.

So we went out on Lake Wylie yesterday. After launching, I parked the trailer, got out, and applied the Liquid Roller liberally to both bunks. Then we went out on the lake for a couple of enjoyable hours of cruising. Very pleasant. Got a little too close to the sandbar on the north end, the depth-finder went from 4' to crazy mumbo-jumbo numbers. Knew I better get out of there, but too late. I felt and heard the drive as it touched bottom. Not really a big issue, we were at idle speed, so a hard turn to port and we were safe. Brought it back up on plane, no problem. Cruised around for another hour or so, then back to Copperhead Island to load the boat on the trailer.

Pulled up, tied up at the dock. I got out and got the truck/trailer, backed it nicely down the ramp. Wife is at the helm, and asks if it time to trailer the outdrive, and tell her no...not yet. I tell her she needs it to drive onto the trailer. We are still relative newbies, so that's a reasonable question. Anyway, she drives the boat on the trailer smartly, with just a little guidance from me, pulling on the bow and stern lines. Bow of the boat glides up smoothly, touches the bow roller like a breeze. She turns the motor off, goes up front, leans over the bow and attaches the safety chain, and winch strap, so the boat will have no chance of slipping off. I am thinking, wow this Liquid Rollers is some great stuff! Never have we had such an easy time loading. I am so pleased at this point! I get into the truck, pull the boat out of the water, and then I hear it....scrape, scrape scrape. OMG...the drive is not trailered! I stop the truck, go back and look...5' of skeg-scrape on the concrete. Luckily, nothing broke or bent, just some minor scrape marks on the bottom of the skeg. I also notice the prop has lost some paint from the encounter with the sandbar. Other than that, no major damage. It could have been worse.

Lesson learned...don't let distractions keep us from doing the right things at the right time.

BTW, other than visual inspection that I have done, what should I look out next time out performance-wise, to see if there is any internal damage?

Thanks,
NCC

Re: Just Joining The "Club"...

Every single trip is a lesson.

If you just buffed some paint off the rpop I don't think you have any worries, ti is when you take chunks out that it causes problems.

Take a file or sandpaper and touch up the skeg and you are good to go.

Re: Just Joining The "Club"...

I know a guy who pulled his up, and was adjusting straps etc., and noticed a vibrating noise--he had forgotten to turn off the engine.

Re: Just Joining The "Club"...

Another boating learning curve.
We are never fully educated no matter how long we have been doing it.

Re: Just Joining The "Club"...

NCCamper, hello neighbor. Im familiar with Copperhead. That ramp is very shallow. Dont worry about it. By you description all you have done is cosmetic. The job for the skeg is to keep your prop intact when you hit something solid like you did. If you are inclined you can file and then sand any scratches but like I said, it all sounds cosmetic. Dont worry about the prop and the sand bar. It will take more than that to mess your prop.

You need to go there for the fireworks!!!! I did last year and loved it....

Re: Just Joining The "Club"...

Nandy,

The damage is mostly cosmetic. Upon further inspection, the skeg has a sliver missing, maybe 1/8" high and 2" long, barely noticeable, but there nonetheless. Nothing a file won't cure.

Haven't been out on the lake for the fireworks on the 4th, this being our first season. Would like to go, but we have heard some horror stories, in the category of "night boating and alcohol don't mix well". We've heard many good stories as well. If I feel we can view the fireworks safely, then we will go. I want to make sure I am experienced enough to handle any hazard that might be thrown our way.

Where do you do most of your boating, neighbor?

Thanks,
NCC

Re: Just Joining The "Club"...

That is a nice ride you have there!!! Im glad your rig was not damaged. for the last year fireworks we launch from the Buster Boyd Access Area... It was an experience. We anchored in the outlet to the lake from Copperhead. We could see the show and much of the private fireworks too. That include some boaters also doing their own firework show... Not safe... We waited well past the fireworks to head back. I think it was around 2 am. Just before it got dark I grabed a hold of my spot light for just in case but I did not have to use it until after the fireworks. Even with my running lights on I had people heading my way and I had to signal to them (by aiming a few feet in front of them) with my spot light that I was there.
Im not going to down play alcohol. I was amazed at the amount of intoxicated folks at the ramp and how the authorities where ignoring them... But you just be careful and play it safe. We dont need drunks in the water to have accidents. If you follow my accident thread you will see that I got hit in a very clear day with great visibility. All it took was for an incompetent boater not familiar with the boat to almost kill me and my guests.
I wish Copperhead do an exception with their ramp open hours for such a day. Maybe they do, I dont know, but that would be the perfect and safest launch for the area as far as I know.

I generally boat in Mountain Island Lake. Do a little tubbing, go to the sand bar, get to a open beach and do some barbecue. It is all good. I stay away from Lake Norman, just too busy and too many rigs. I hate the feeling of the hull hitting them big waves. Lake Wylie is a bit more friendly to me, but it is a little dirty. I spend a lot of time camping in state parks that have lakes close to them. Last one was lake Tillery, I think the park is Morrow Mountain? Anyway, Gary boats a lot there but he has a place there as well. Maybe if I can get my boat taken care off we can go boating someday.
Where are you planning to do most of your boating and where are you located in NC?

Re: Just Joining The "Club"...

I had read earlier about your accident. Matter of fact, my BIL and SIL were out on that lake that day. Just glad you guys weren't hurt. How did that end up, by the way?

We are also campers, and we are looking for a nice campground, not too far from CLT, where we can camp, and also beach or anchor the boat nearby. Any ideas?

We will keep the 4th i mind. I knew that Copperhead closes at dusk, but didn't think of that related to getting out of there after the fireworks. Too bad nearby MeDowell Campground doesn't have a dock for campers!

Maybe we will meet up sometime! Hope to see you soon.

NCC

Re: Just Joining The "Club"...

The boat accident claim is undergoing but it will be a long process.

So far lake tillery was a good experience. We have been to other lakes but not stayed overnight. Jocassee has a campground that you can only access it from a boat. It is primitive thought. Hartwell has a campground too but I don't remember if you can overnight. These are a bit too far, about 2 hour drive. I haven't stayed in one close enough. This year we had counted to do the boat/camping more often but we shall see.

Re: Just Joining The "Club"...

Nandy,

See, our problem is we have only one tow vehicle, the GMC. For camping, we like Lake Wateree, Cane Creek, McDowell Park, even Table Rock in SC. It's difficut to go drop off the camper (23' Jayco Kiwi hybrid) at a campground, then come back, grab the Sea Ray and pull it down to the campground. Now if McDowell had a place to dock, or even beach the boat for campers, that would be ideal. We are about 20 mins from McDowell, which is close to Copperhead Island ramps.

Hopefully, we will see you out there!

NCC

Re: Just Joining The "Club"...

NC Camper I'm in the same boat as you (pun intended) I have a 35 foot Fifth Wheel so it entails two trips. (my signature) . Nandy how do you do it? Haul your Tent ( camping Equipment) in the boat?

I've done the two trip thing several times but that gets expensive and time consuming considering both ways. I bought a Screen room with wind tarp for Privacy and thought I would try that route with an air mattress because we are wanting to do some overnight boat trips that are several hours from home. Is there a better way?

Re: Just Joining The "Club"...

I camp from a tent so there is no issues for me. Not sure I will ever go back to a tent if I ever bought a camper. But I see y'alls complication.

Re: Just Joining The "Club"...

Been there done that! Had the skeg of my outdrive scratched up one day when pulling my boat out of the water and forgot to lift the outdrive up. Wife was hollering telling me to stop the truck but drove about 5 or 6ft before stopping. Nice long scratch mark on the boat ramp. Went home and took a file and some sandpaper and went to work on the skeg. Lesson learned.

Re: Just Joining The "Club"...

Hey folks,

I'm familiar with most the areas you're talking about, living very close to Wylie and Mountain Island Lake. Just grabbed my 1973 Cobia last year, put a "new" 1991 70HP Force on over the winter after the Evinrude died. I launch either from the South Point ramp near the South Fork River and the steam plant, or there is a local guy who runs a small ramp just off NC Hwy 27 (about a mile south by the water from the dam between Mountain Island Lake and Wylie). I stay towards the north on the lake because when I fish I dislike skiiers and boarders In case anyone doesn't know, when you get real far north on Wylie there is a fork (dam is to the left/port). STAY AWAY from the middle it is 2 feet deep over 100 feet off that point. Just figured I'd let my almost busted prop save you the hassle

-Chris