Hitting a large object?

[blackwaterstout]

Just curious as to how the motor reacts when it hits a submerged object? I haven't had this happen but isn't there some type of release half way up the exhuast housing that will release the unit to keep it from tearing the transom out of the boat? How hard of a hit does it take to dislodge the motor from the "U" shaped lock? Also what happens if you have the release lock set?

 

[stan_deezy]

Re: Hitting a large object?

I was a passenger in a boat that hit a rock at full speed (about 30 mph). Motor jumped up revved hard and died. Prop guard took the brunt of the impact and was never seen again: damage to the skeg but with a bit of work (and a lot of money) the engine worked again.<br /><br />If the release lock had been on........hmmmmm, I suspect that we'd have done some serious damage to the engine and the boat and ourselves.<br /><br /><br />Oh, and by the way, it was a Coastguard RIB

 

[blackwaterstout]

Re: Hitting a large object?

Should you not use the release lock? What about when you put your engine into reverse? Do you manually set the lock each time?

 

[Pony]

Re: Hitting a large object?

I usually put my hand on the top of the moter when in reverse, as i have a tiller (that way i can leave the lock disengaged. Its dangerous to go in reverse without the lock engaged as the motor will will come up if you reverse to hard. its really a matter of really easying into the throttle as to not "jump" the lu out of the water if you choose to keep it unlocked as i dom and i suspect many others do as well

 

[Guest]

Re: Hitting a large object?

Depends what type of motor. I had an Evinrude 15 hp until a couple of years ago. It was a manual tilt model. When I was running, I'd keep it in tilt mode (as opposed to run mode). I hit objects a couple of time (not going full speed) and the motor just tilted up avoiding any major damage. Surprisingly, I was also able to run reverse in the tilt mode as long as I didn't go too fast. <br /><br />Just to be clear, I ran with the tilt lever on tilt but with the motor still in the down position. Hope that makes sense.<br /><br />Bill

 

[jtexas]

Re: Hitting a large object?

BWS, last year I hit some kind of submerged object, must have been a floating tree trunk, at WOT with my 70hp evinrude...it tilted up, didn't even quit running. The tilt system has an emergency release valve, so it was not damaged at all. I shut it off to check for damage, it started right back up & off we went.

 

[timmathis]

Re: Hitting a large object?

I't all depends on what you hit and how fast or hard! I have hit a stump and just bent prop. Another time we hit a log(floating underwater)and it broke one coil off and knocked off the cover and it sank (the cover)Like I said it depends on what and how hard.

 

[T. MELTON]

Re: Hitting a large object?

I hit a submerged log on the Ohio river at around 40 mph and all it seemed to do was drive wood into the speedo pick up on the lower unit and knocked the dust cap off my prop lock. It just depends on the situation.

 

[mrloring]

Re: Hitting a large object?

I hit a submerged log with my 28hp Johnson. My lock was set to "tilt" so the lu came out of the water and I shut it down to check for damage. I was testing a new prop, so I was very upset , but upon inspection I found no damage . I always keep the lock set to "tilt" and I can reverse with no problems.

 

[Mercury140-I6]

Re: Hitting a large object?

I could be totally wrong here. But on Mercury outboards the tilt lock only engages while in reverse, when in neutral or forward it should tilt freely. Every Mercury I have had or worked on in high school did 4.5, 7.5, 650, 1250, 1500, 115, and 140. Don't know about the other brands though.<br /><br />Craig

 

[blackwaterstout]

Re: Hitting a large object?

Yeah it's just kinda confusing. I have a Johnson and it's either locked or unlocked. I guess I'll leave it unlocked. I'll just be careful in reverse. I doubt I'd ever go much faster than idle in reverse anyway.

 

[briannh1234]

Re: Hitting a large object?

140 merc with power trim and I hit a submerged rock at full speed. Felt a little bump - knew that wasn't right so I slowed down and tilted up the motor ...<br /><br />The rock must have hit the very bottom of the skeg. The skeg broke off and took enough of the gearcase to total it. All the oil was gone and the prop was bent pretty bad.<br /><br />The entire rest of the motor was fine. Trasom was fine. Bought a used lower unit on e-bay and a new prop on-line.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Hitting a large object?

We run 30hp Hondas on our whitewater rigs and we hit rocks all the time and HARD! We always leave the reverse lock disengaged, but sometimes the blow is too much. We've ripped lower units off, destroyed more props than I can count, even ripped a whole motor off the transom. We sacrifice these motors quite frequently if it means keeping the boat out of danger. BTW, the reverse lock does nothing when you slam into a rock at 20MPH in REVERSE!

 

[joblo33]

Re: Hitting a large object?

I hit a lot of submerged stumps and rocks in the channels between the lakes where I live. Usually the motor pops right up and theres no damage. Every once in a while I'll wreck a leg. The weirdest time was when I hit a stump at only about 5mph and all seemed fine but it seemed to be stuck in neutral. Upon further inspection at home a gear had broken off inside the leg.<br />Eric

 

[blackwaterstout]

Re: Hitting a large object?

Well I'm definately going to run with the motor unlocked. Just seems to make more sense.<br /><br />Even with the motor in locked position shouldn't it kit away from the lower mount when it hits something?

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Hitting a large object?

depending on the motor and the hull speed running unlocked can be dangerous. the lock is designed to release on impact and trim+tilt models have a shock piston and valving to allow for impact. the danger of running unlocked is a rapid or emergency slow down usually will allow the motor to flare causing a loss of control about the time you may need it most.