What would happen if an engine died on plane?

[karnage]

I'm not sure what topic or sub this would fit into appropriately, but I've had this question in the back of my mind for awhile. Say you improperly attached a fuel hose and it popped off going full speed down the lake, what would happen and how would you handle such a situation? I'm not the most experienced but have always slowly let off of my throttle and trimmed down as I come to a stop.

 

[alldodge]

With gas it would slow down coughing sort of, settle down and water would slap against the stern but that would be it. It would happen faster if lets say the kill switch was pulled, but same thing. Only worry is if anyone went flying forward with it stopping fast

 

[dingbat]

I'm not the most experienced but have always slowly let off of my throttle and trimmed down as I come to a stop.

The same thing that happens when you run out of gas in a car…nothing

Why do you trim down?

 

[ahicks]

An outboard or I/O has sort of a ratchet arrangement in the lower unit. If power were to suddenly stop, the ratchet would allow the prop to keep spinning, allowing the boat to come to a graceful stop.

On a straight inboard, there is no ratchet built into the drive line. Here a sudden loss of power could be a whole different scenario, the resulting violence depending on how fast you were going and type of boat.

On a fast moving (say 50-60 mph or more) ski/drag boat for instance, you could easily have anyone else in the boat with you sliding forward in an uncontrollable manner, and the boat's nose just looking for an excuse to go under. Clearly, a total loss of power at speed would be a situation to be avoided. You have to be careful just lifting your foot on a full throttle run.

 

[karnage]

An outboard or I/O has sort of a ratchet arrangement in the lower unit. If power were to suddenly stop, the ratchet would allow the prop to keep spinning, allowing the boat to come to a graceful stop.

That's interesting, fair enough.
Water will hit the stern with the boat tilting back after stopping a high speed run normally, so I really didn't know what to assume. Someone told me the boat could spin out.
I've had my motor trimmed and not given enough throttle and gotten a hopping action on the lake, thought maybe something similar would happen. Boat physics are a little different than a car.

Why do you trim down?

Someone taught me to trim down so when I get up and go I don't forget. Is there a disadvantage to doing so?

 

[alldodge]

Alpha may ratchet but Bravo's will not

 

[Scott Danforth]

most recreational boats...... if you loose the engine due to fuel, it coughs and sputters and you simply slow down. if you grenade the engine, the boat simply slows down

Someone told me the boat could spin out.

Simply not true

worst that happens if the following wave hits the back of the boat, the back of the boat comes up a bit. with some cut-down transoms (running an outboard), you may get some water in the boat.

 

[tpenfield]

I ran out of gas out in the bay once . . . The boat slowed down and came to a stop.

Then the waves (4 footers) started moving us towards some exposed rocks (maybe 500 feet away). I tossed out the anchor and the Admiral called SeaTow.

I don't recall the boat spinning out . . .

 

[briangcc]

My youngest "tested" the kill switch while we were on plane. Boat slowed to a stop. That's it. Nothing more drastic than that.

 

[cptbill]

If it was a twin engine you should expect it to come off plan and pull to one side or the other(been there, done that)but no big radical problem until you get the bill to fix it