Hit something at a slow idle speed

On Friday I was idling into a slip and hit an underwater concrete slab. I have the Volvo Penta 5.7 GS. The engine cut off and I can feel a small chunk missing from the skeg. I know the volvo pentas have impact protection but I want to pull the boat out of the water and inspect the entire unit. The prop is not damaged so it looks like the skeg did it's job of protecting it.

What are some areas and things I need to check when the boat is out of the water? Should I drain the outdrive oil and inspect it for metal shavings? The outdrive runs fine but I just want to inspect anything else that may have been impacted.

Thanks for your help. This is my first boat and have learned a lot in a short amount of time!

Re: Hit something at a slow idle speed

If the prop is indeed intact, all you will need to do is have your skeg repaired. If the prop is damaged (esp. a stainless steel prop), I would get it looked at by a competent marine mechanic, you may have damage to your prop shaft.

Re: Hit something at a slow idle speed

Thanks for the help. I did notice a little more water than what I have seen in the past in the bilge so I am going to pull it out of the water and inspect the boots and bellows.

Re: Hit something at a slow idle speed

jbrownatl said:

I know the volvo pentas have impact protection

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What is this "impact protection" you speak of?

Over the coarse of 2 years of ownership i've hit two submerges "objects" (probably stumps) and on an ocasion or two i've dragged the skeg while pulling the boat out of the water because i forgot to trim up. I know all of these things are stupid but I'm new to boating and mistakes will be made.

But everything works as good as the day I bought it but I'm just curious what kind of built in defense against impact these volve outdrives have.

Re: Hit something at a slow idle speed

The Volvo Penta manual I have says:

"The trim/tilt system provides impact protection for the drive unit. if an impact occurs, the drive will "kick up," thereby helping to minimize drive damage." When moving in reverse, there is no impact protection.

Hope this helps.

Re: Hit something at a slow idle speed

Last time I spoke to a Volvo Mechanic and I mentioned the "impact protection" he laughed and replied, "it doesn't. It's a hydraulic system and there is no way for it to kick up." Reason I was talking to him is that I snagged a farmers steel cable that he has strung accross the river to assist his ferry across and keep it from floating down river. There sure didn't seem to be any impact protection on my 2007 SX-M drive. It actually pulled my drive away from the transom ever so slightly but enough to warrant a repair bill. :facepalm: