Luckily run a muck instead of a ground

[keith2k455]

First long day boating on the IL river today. Went pretty well except for one small incident. I must have read the buoy wrong and ran into 0 foot water.

I was going slow, maybe 15 mph and all of a sudden depth dropped to 0. Heard what sounded like some scratching, so I backed throttle down and just started raising the drive as fast as I could. Was kicking mud and muck everywhere but didn't get stuck. Went straight back and pulled it out since we'd been out for 4 hrs as already.

Temp stayed fine and no fluids were lost. Checked it out on the trailer and all I saw was one small nick on my prop. I think that foot or two of muck and crap on the river bottom saved me. Rookie mistake I hope I never make again.

 

[southkogs]

I've done it on rocks ... might wanna' check your cooling system to make sure you didn't get much/any muck up there. Glad things were easy on ya'.

 

[NewfieDan]

I did something similar, but it happened in a marina. It needed and still does need dredging. The bottom where it happened to me was mostly gravel. Chewed up the prop pretty bad. Haven't been back to that marina with the boat since.

 

[littlerayray]

I do it often and hurt my prop this weekend doing it .all so that the kids can play on the tube, it's a risk you take. normally when entering unfamiliar or sketchy waters, I send someone to the bow as a spotter, just to be safe but that doesn't work in murky waters. don't forget your sonar is only reading what you have already passed over.

 

[keith2k455]

True on the sonar. I need to find a spare prop like most of you keep on hand in case of emergency too.

 

[boatman37]

i did it the first time i dropped my boat in. its knicked up pretty good and i need to change it but not looking forward to changing it in the water. i do have a brand new spare that came with the boat. there was a low spot about 10' to the side of the courtesy dock and i found it

 

[gm280]

I have to admit I did that as well on a lake shortly after buy a new bass boat. I didn't know that end of the lake was merely a foot or so deep until I was in it bad. However, I did manage to reverse the engine kicked up nearly out of water (mud) and got it out. I used that bass boat for over ten years after that without any issues... Some times you're lucky and some times you're not...