MFG rebuild getting started pics

[Woodonglass]

Good to see her in the water. The BF hasn't seen water in over a year. Gunna try maybe but with all the rain we've had I might float her in my back yard!!!

 

[sphelps]

Yeah Mike , it was nice to get out on the water for a little while . With rushing to get the Wagemaker ready and all my back issues , work and life stuff ,I have really neglected the MFG .. Also just been stupid hot lately . I think we had a record
30 days straight with the temps over 90 deg and no rain .. Finally cooled down and we been getting some much needed rain this last week . Now I gotta cut the grass ...

 

[sphelps]

Time to replace the trailer .. I got good use out of the old one but the salt has been chewing at it here and there . I’ll probably use the old trailer for the Manatee seeing as it’s just being towed a few minutes down the road to launch ..
I picked up a nice aluminum Magic tilt trailer a while back . Seeing as we are headed down to the Suwannee next week I figured I had better get the new trailer ready . Put a new set of LED’s on and added some carpet to the tops of the bunks .
Took it to the ramp and made the switch .. It actually fit better than I had expected .. I need to lower the winch down a couple of inches and raise the center roller a little .. Probably add a set of bunks closer to the center of the hull also ..
‘I also either need to move the boat back a little or cut the bunks off some ..
Really looking forward to getting out and enjoying the river next weekend ...
Cheers every one !!!

 

[sphelps]

Got back home in one piece . Trailer worked out good ! Could use some guides down low on each side of the trailer . The upright guides are to far out to help much centering the boat in the bunks .. That and the aluminum trailer likes to float if you back in too deep ..
Had a great time other than a major mishap with Sil and his boat .. First pic was the good part ..

 

[sphelps]

Now the bad ..
This was worse than it looks .. Me and Chris went for an afternoon cruise up river . I was was in the MFG and Chris was in his boat .
I was in front of him a little going around 25 mph or so . I glanced back and saw his boat halfway through a doughnut ! Heart dropped spun around . He took his hand off the stick steer for a half second boat took a hard turn and threw him out .. He had to go under a couple times to get out of the way but was thankfully able to swim out away where I could pick him up .. If he had his PFD on he probably would have gotten hit . No way he could have dove down far enough ..
Ok safe on board not much we could do but watch it go round and round at almost full throttle. Thankfully we were at a bend in the river and it slowly worked it’s way to shore .
Big oak tree and limb in the water slowed it down . It was going around the limb hanging down then the bow jumped up so it started taking on water . Finally went down enough to drown out the motor ..

 

[sphelps]

We bailed and pumped it and amazingly only some scratches out the hull bottom . No damage to the motor other than flooding .
We towed it back pulled it out . Cleaned the carbs and fuel lines . Plugs out and spun the water out of the crank case . Took the extra tank from my boat with good gas . Flooded the carbs with gas and it fired up . Cleaned the carbs and emptied the crank case out twice ..
Back in the water and seems to be running fine ..
Im just as guilty about running with without the kill switch on my belt so I can’t criticize him much but never take your hands off the steering at wot ... especially with a boat like that ..
The lord was looking out for him and that’s for sure ...

 

[GA_Boater]

A fun day on the and !

It always seems that when that happens the boat knows exactly where you are in the water. Glad he was able to get under to avoid the prop. We lost a a fella here not too long ago. Unfortunately he hit is head while going over the side and you know what happened then.

I don't want to say not wearing the PFD saved Chris, he was lucky. The rescue MFG looked good on the water.

 

[sphelps]

I agree on the pfd .. Best outcome would have been with both pfd and kill switch cord worn no doubt ..
I actually had to tow the merc back to the dock twice in one day .. The first tow was he ran out of fuel . :facepalm:
We had plenty of help with the cleaning up of the motor with all the guys with the AOMCI that were there ..
The Merc guys had a reason to thump their chest after we successfully revived the sunk motor .. But it was pointed out that the Rude had to pull the merc back in to the ramp . Twice ...:lol:
On another note .. I came up on what I thought was a log drifting along .. Nope ... Just a huge gator swimming across the river .. That and while a bunch of us were standing in and out of the water at the ramp messing around with boats a REALLY BIG water moccasin came swimming through the ramp .. You would have never known just how fast some old guys can move .. LOL!!

 

[GA_Boater]

This CAN'T be the end of the stories! Man overboard, gators, water moccasin, bunch of old guys, you can't kill a Merc - The must be more or I'll be disappointed. :lol:

 

[sphelps]

Well I did win a socket set at the raffle !
Big mistake letting the Admiral plot the route home though .. She didn’t like how the wind was blowing the camper around on the freeway so we did what it seemed a zig zag route across the state going through every little town imaginable . Lol !
I took so many left turns I thought I was in a NASCAR race at 40 mph ..:lol:
We still had a great time ! Now back to the night shift :cold:

 

[kcassells]

Glad to hear all are ok Sam!

 

[Baylinerchuck]

What an adventure.....wow.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Glad no-one was hurt.

 

[archbuilder]

Glad to hear he is ok! He will remember that for sure! I have to say that is one nice thing about the no-feedback steering I put on Miss Morgan. It won't let the motor turn unless there is input via the steering wheel. That being said, I do keep my hands on the wheel. I don't always use the kill switch, but I do if I am going to moving fast or it is rough. I actually have the habit of having one hand on the wheel and one on the throttle when I get her really going. Not sure if that is a great idea, but I like the ability of being able to instantly chop the power.

 

[gm280]

Can we say everyone was extremely lucky that day? Yes we can!

You do know that theme parks charge people to experience such eventful happenings.

Wow, I can't even imagine such a day, but surely glad everyone was safe and okay. I can tell you a boat running in circles can easily chop up a person in no time. I actually seen that happen years ago on a local lake. I don't know if the person made it or not, but they did carry her out in a blaring ambulance when they finally got to her.

She was sitting on the bow of the boat with her legs hanging over the bow. The driver seen a wave coming from a passing boat and when he hit the wave he throttled back throwing her over board. When he seen her going, he hit the throttle again thinking he would get her before she went totally over and actually drove over her... Not pretty whatsoever! It happens so quickly...

 

[mickyryan]

man thats crazy! thank goodness all is well

 

[buxmj]

Wow Sam, that is an adventure! Glad all ended well, except for some high blood pressure, hope you had a good stiff drink when you got home.

 

[Woodonglass]

Merry Christmas my friend!

 

[sphelps]

Merry Christmas Mike !!!! Thanks for checking in !!

 

[sphelps]

Guys I finally got around to naming the MFG a month or so back . I just haven’t got around to posting this video. I apologize for my bad acting skills . I get nervous speaking sometimes .
But I do this with a very heavy heart .. I named her “Miss Lois “ after my mother . She is the most loving caring woman I have ever known and I am so proud that she is my mom . I’m the youngest of 7 .
Sadly we lost her early this morning . This wasn’t unexpected but still seemed to have happened to quickly . I love her and will miss her greatly . With that said here is the naming video.