Am I stupid for doing this?

[Fordiesel69]

Some folks call this a black hole. Im sure there are other terms for it.

I like to take my boat and run 20 mph in a tight circle. Usually it takes about 3-5 laps for the water to start to disrupt in the middle. Then turn out, trim it up quite a bit, then head right back into the center disruption about 25-35 mph. If this is done just right the entire boat will come out of the water almost completely with the bow high and actually land quite nice without being harsh. All summer I have done this over 100 times (literally). Most people on the boat love this and want to do it again, and again. Recently someone told me this a sure way to get yourself killed, and not to mention snap the gimbal ring at minimum.

In all honesty, is this really that dangerous? I actually learned it from watching jet skiers. Never once did it ever feel close or loss of control. Sometimes it is more harsh or simply not effective at all, but never came thru my mind as being all that scary.

Am I the only idiot doing this with a boat? Flame suite on........

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

Consider yourself on fire and getting extra crispy.

 

[Sparkinator]

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

No, I'm sure you're not the only idiot doing this.

 

[Boss Hawg]

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

YES

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

As Willard said to Kurtz in Apocalypse Now, "They told me that you had gone totally insane, and that your methods were unsound."

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

In all honesty, is this really that dangerous?
Am I the only idiot doing this with a boat? Flame suite on........

Do you really have to be told???????? As mentioned, there's plenty of other idiots doing it too.

Is the OP a troll who wants to be flamed??!!!!!!!!

 

[Philster]

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

Touchy subject. Since you asked for opinions... it sounds dangerous. I will check YouTube occasionally for boat flips with your type of boat in it.

I do know someone who blew out gears when he did similar things in the ocean. The sudden prop in/out blew out some gears. He actually dropped 4600 on a new upper because the whole thing was beat up inside. No one wanted to rebuild it.

 

[LazyCruiser]

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

Well, I hate to say it but:

IT SOUNDS LIKE FUN

A couple of sayings that I just love
- if you're not occasionally breaking your stuff you're not using it right
- if you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much room

I'd be much more worried about a repair bill than getting hurt

 

[ziggy]

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

safety aside. at the very least, it's gotta be tough on equipment. have ya ever thought about what's taking place with a stern drive. from ft. motor mounts back to prop shaft? man, there's lots of possible places for failure. even just tight turns on the ujoints.. imho, it's gonna wear your boat out faster. just food for thought.. safety aside..

 

[Fordiesel69]

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

Many local boaters jump 2ft rollers all the time, and in my opinion, the landing is not in control. It is like hitting a brick wall. These black holes feel soft on the landing. The outdrive appears to be in the water and I do not get and engine flare at all. I just never thought of the stress on the gimbal ring.

 

[dirtdiver]

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

Its illeagel for you to operate your boat in any manor to cause it to come completely out of the water... atleast in PA it is.

 

[oops!]

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

your boat....you can do with it as you please.

if no one is around you and you can do the manuver safely....have fun....that is what boating is about.

personally .....if i was to do that....i would make sure minimum distance of about a mile.

i will reserve comment if i saw someone doing that.

to you, the cost of the equipment is worth the fun.

 

[skyking897]

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

Ok, a lot of you are saying this is dangerous. It might be and then again it might not. I don't know, but if it is can someone enlighten me as to why? I've watched off shore racing and those guys are out of the water more than they are in it. Besides the harsh ride.... enquiring minds want to know.

 

[oops!]

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

enquiring minds want to know.

the possibility of swamping is high.

the possibility of ejecting a passenger is high.

there is a possibility of rollover

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

Ok, a lot of you are saying this is dangerous. It might be and then again it might not. I don't know, but if it is can someone enlighten me as to why? I've watched off shore racing and those guys are out of the water more than they are in it. Besides the harsh ride.... enquiring minds want to know.

They also wear helmets. Have at least a 5 point restraining system(at least for the canopied boats) and wear racing life suits....

 

[JB]

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

35 years ago I watched a guy doing exactly that on Grapevine Lake. He had a big, black bass rocket with what seemed to me too much Merc on it. He had some sort of modified exhaust that woke the dead in a nearby cemetery.

He hit the turbulent water in the middle of his doughnut and the boat shot straight up, dumped his passenger, then fell over backward on top of her. The engine over-revved so quickly that a rod came through the crankcase before it landed.

By the time the many spectators got there they found about 2' of the bow sticking above water. The miraculous young lady (in a PFD) was paddling around screaming for her BF, with blood running into her eyes from being nearly scalped. She had no other injuries. The operator expired and was dredged up the next day. No PFD.

Like many stunts that seem like great fun to immortal young folks this one proved deadly to one young fella and heartbreaking to his sweetie.

I agree that it must be great fun, but worth killing for? I don't think so.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

Just look at my signature.
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[Frank Acampora]

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

While having fun with your boat is your business, and while your passengers may enjoy the stunt, you are the captain. ULTIMATELY it is your responsibility to ensure their safety and your liability if you are negligent. Operating in that manner with passengers IS negligent.

The sea is a cruel mistress and you never know what she will do.

Do the stunt alone if you must and have fun, but never with passengers.

This from the guy who believes that "Too much horsepower is never enough."

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

I don't know about the mechanics of I/O but as far as outboards go, the turning shouldn't present a problem. It would all depend on whether you are putting too much strain on the bracket/transom. All equipment can handle ordinary force constantly, excessive force occassionally, up to a point.
As for jumping the waves: again a matter of degree. When I have the river to myself and want waves for the tube, I create a rough patch by doing a swirley too. But I don't hit it so my boat is airborne. I have grown up jumping wakes, and when my friends and I were 14 or so doing it, some of them weren't too smart about it.

Putting a boat in air compromises control completely. Anything less than that compromises control to some degree--even operating on a plane does.

There are plenty of daredevil activities that are fun if you make it and fatal if you don't. Assess the risk, know your skills, and go alone.

 

[DuckHunterJon]

Re: Am I stupid for doing this?

So I guess the engineer in me is getting the better of me. I'm not ever planning on doing this as it sounds like it could be hard on the equipment - and I paid way too much for my equipment (not to mention the safety aspects). But I have to ask, what is the physics behind what is happening. I'm just not getting it. I've made whirlpools in swimming pools by running around the perimeter in the water with a few friends, but I can't imagine this is happening here - unless the prop wash is creating it. Is it just standing waves being created in the center of the circle? Can anyone explain it to me? Again, just curious, not going to try it, or even condone it. Thanks!