Ran aground like Black Beard

[dragula65000]

Well, if anyone reading this has been helping me get my boat in the water, thank you for helping me. I had it out this past weekend, 1989 175 johnson on an 18 ft bass boat. Well, I was rippin up and down the river, and went through 15 gallons of gas due to my carbs needing rejetting. Anyhoo, I was on the way back and misjudged the bouys on the local river while watching my fishfinder, and got into 3 ft of water, shut the motor off, and ran aground on a sandbar. I got it started at the launch after being towed back by a jetski (very embarassing), and it ran ok. I got it to the house, ran the brackish water out of it, and it accelerated ok, and ran good. Is there any other precautions I should take? I also learned a hard lesson...slow down in an area you aren't familiar with.

 

[DJ]

Re: Ran aground like Black Beard

AARRRRGH, I hate that matey.<br /><br />Towed in by a jetski, Dear God, how can you live with yourself. <br /><br />Just watch the water pressure next time you're out.

 

[bassntime]

Re: Ran aground like Black Beard

And i thought getting towed in by the opp was embarassing (also have a bass boat)

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: Ran aground like Black Beard

I have a real shallow channel going into my harbor at low tide, about 1.5 to 2 ft at the lowest point, and I hit while in gear every now and then, I usully just open it up after I get past the shallows and I never have a problem. If you had the engine off on the bar you should be fine.

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: Ran aground like Black Beard

Are you saying you shut down before you ran aground? What would be the problem? Why did you have to be towed? I could see maybe needing help to refloat off the bar, but if you were shut down and floated in, I can't see what the problem would be. Unless you hit hard and damaged the hull or L/U. Curious what happened. Hope all is well.

 

[AntsGrady]

Re: Ran aground like Black Beard

I also have real shallow water at low tide. 1.5 to 2'. I usually just keep her up on plain. 22' 225 evinrude and no problems. But if I slow down I'm done and have to trim her up and crawl in.

 

[alden135]

Re: Ran aground like Black Beard

Originally posted by AntsGrady:<br /> I also have real shallow water at low tide. 1.5 to 2'. I usually just keep her up on plain. 22' 225 evinrude and no problems. But if I slow down I'm done and have to trim her up and crawl in.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: Ran aground like Black Beard

I do most of my running on shallow rivers (with a jet L/U). Grounding issues are something we deal with constantly - of course trying to avoid, but learning to deal with. The good part about a jet is that you can run a large boat in 6 or even fewer inches of water. The down side is if you're not careful, or just unlucky, you tend to get much more stuck than with a prop. BTDT, with both.

 

[alden135]

Re: Ran aground like Black Beard

Originally posted by D.:<br />[QB] The good part about a jet is that you can run a large boat in 6 or even fewer inches of water. <br /><br />again, laugh or cry? What happens when you guys come across an underwater obstruction like a sunken log?

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: Ran aground like Black Beard

Well, when the water's shallow enough so that a submerged log will be of issue, that log will be in less than a foot of water, and will be pretty obvious. You should be able to "read" the water - it's done all the time to identify the difference between a 9" channel and the surrounding 5 inches of gravel bar - or rocks in a rapids. That's part of the skill and why it's fun to run rivers. If you've done any paddling, you know what I mean. <br /><br />I would say I've never even had a close call with a log on the bottom. Floating logs, either just above or just below the surface are more of a hazard and the idea is to be as careful as possible. Most floating obstructions, if deep enough to not be visible, but shallow enough to hit are usually pretty benign. A good quality aluminum riverboat hull is designed to take some hard use (even abuse... I could tell you stories). Remember there's no lower unit on the motor to get trashed by a log - it's running no lower than the bottom of the boat. <br /><br />It's braided, sandy and small gravel streams that are the hardest for me, especially when the river is somewhat unconventional in the route the channel's taking down stream. But rocks and logs large and shallow enough to cause harm are generally fairly obvous. But there's always not paying attention and unusual circumstances that cause problems.

 

[dragula65000]

Re: Ran aground like Black Beard

Well, I guess the motor shook so hard, it knocked out the starting solenoid. It didnt make any sound when I tried to start. Not starter, nothing. Well, I thought the motor siezed, and was quite agitated, but when it started at the ramp, I was happy. But I feel sorry for that 900cc jetski. That guy had to wear it out pullin me in. It wasnt too far, but still embarrassing.

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: Ran aground like Black Beard

So your saying that you were under way when you hit and stalled the motor. I've done that before also, going slow it's not that big a deal, going fast and you can destroy a prop. You probably pulled some sand/silt into the impeller, but doubt you really destroyed anything, just make sure you have good pressure the next time you run it, I hit a couple of times a season and usually change the impeller every 3, and I haven't really seen any real damage cause by the sand to the impeller.<br /><br />Ants Grady....I sometimes go in on plane also, if I can judge the middle of the channel the right way, boat only draws about 10 or 12 inches on plane, but the damage is a lot worse if you hit, by me it's only real shallow for about 30 feet or so, so slowing down and trimming up for 30 feet isn't too bad.<br /><br />alsen135....The tide runs through my channel at about 20 knots, so any logs that are around are not sinking to the bottom, they are out of there, it's mostly a sand/silt bottom so all your gonna do is kick up a little mud. I agree with D, floating logs are a lot more dangerous, but usually you see them in enough time.