The idle musings of a former military man, former computer geek, medically retired pastor and now full-time writer. Contents guaranteed to offend the politically correct and anal-retentive from time to time. My approach to life is that it should be taken with a large helping of laughter, and sufficient firepower to keep it tamed!
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
What happens when a bass boat's steering gear fails at high speed?
Been there, done that, was bruised for weeks. Boat store I was working at was checking out the, then, new 300hp Johnson and the steering went catastrophically. At least the trolling motor worked so we could get back.
Trust me, after rolling, bouncing and hitting the water at that speed, nothing on your body doesn't hurt. The boys probably went home and just soaked in a tub of Advil.
I'm not convinced it was a mechanical failure. Watch closely the steering wheel. They turn right to step out of the wake, then slightly left and much more right again. The helm responds right and by then its too late.
Anon is right, the bow dug in at about a 30 degree angle when he finally dropped off the wake. That's what happens when one tries to 'ease' over. Also probably had it trimmed too far nose down, which was a contributing factor.
Living on the Mississippi River most of my life I've seen my share of boat accidents. It also appeared to me like he just stuck the bow. Seen something similar happen to one who was overtaking a barge during a bass tournament practice session. Seen ski boats get in accidents but bass boats seem to be more spectacular. Ripping over a wing dam with 4 inches of water over it, plowing headlong into a submerged stump field that's about a foot deep or whacking a submerged drifting log will turn bass boats into insurance write offs in rather spectacular fashion. It was nice to see PFDs. I wish I could convince more of my old river rat buddies to wear them. Too many funerals in the past year or two. In fact two are still in the water. Probably won't find them until spring.
A couple of years ago two guys from here died when the steering cable snapped. They ended up in the water and the boat came round and chopped them. The helmsman didn't have the cutoff switch attached to his wrist...
Hey, Mark. Yeah, it is the Gators (Hwaaak, spit. Go 'Noles!!!) otherwise known as the University of Beijing in Gainesville. You can still stop a rowdy crowd of college fans by whispering "Galen Hall, Gaaaaaleeeeeen Haaallllll...."
God, next thing you know there will be college curling teams or something.
And, to actually defend them, hey, this is the South!!! Wadda want, a hockey team?
Bass fishing is big all over FL but especially N. and Central parts where the many big lakes and wide rivers are. Ever-faster bass necessitate ever-faster boats and they just keep getting faster to outrun those 300+ hp bass-chaser boats. I heard one in JAX that sounded like something on an aircraft carrier from W.W. II. But hey- ya have to keep up with those ever-faster bass. What's a bass-buster to do, right? Seriously: these boats present a real danger to Florida's threatened Manatees with their large powerful propellers. Manatees are air-breathing mammals and not only come up for air but feed on the Water Hyacinth that floats on the surface. The local solution is to post speed limits signs along the routes. Right. That will solve it.
Good luck with trying to get them wild eyed Southern boys to back down on their bass boat speed. For any reason.....What's the point of all that HP if'n ya cain't turn it loose now and then?
13 comments:
Wow!! They were lucky they didn't break a neck going off the boat like that!
Been there, done that, was bruised for weeks. Boat store I was working at was checking out the, then, new 300hp Johnson and the steering went catastrophically. At least the trolling motor worked so we could get back.
Trust me, after rolling, bouncing and hitting the water at that speed, nothing on your body doesn't hurt. The boys probably went home and just soaked in a tub of Advil.
I'm not convinced it was a mechanical failure. Watch closely the steering wheel. They turn right to step out of the wake, then slightly left and much more right again. The helm responds right and by then its too late.
The steering didn't fail. He just lost control.
Looks like he went off the wake, and stuck the bow, like turning the wheel on a bike and locking the front brake.
Anon is right, the bow dug in at about a 30 degree angle when he finally dropped off the wake. That's what happens when one tries to 'ease' over. Also probably had it trimmed too far nose down, which was a contributing factor.
Living on the Mississippi River most of my life I've seen my share of boat accidents. It also appeared to me like he just stuck the bow. Seen something similar happen to one who was overtaking a barge during a bass tournament practice session. Seen ski boats get in accidents but bass boats seem to be more spectacular. Ripping over a wing dam with 4 inches of water over it, plowing headlong into a submerged stump field that's about a foot deep or whacking a submerged drifting log will turn bass boats into insurance write offs in rather spectacular fashion. It was nice to see PFDs. I wish I could convince more of my old river rat buddies to wear them. Too many funerals in the past year or two. In fact two are still in the water. Probably won't find them until spring.
A couple of years ago two guys from here died when the steering cable snapped. They ended up in the water and the boat came round and chopped them. The helmsman didn't have the cutoff switch attached to his wrist...
This was University of Florida, Andrew. They instead went home and each drank a keg of Michelob.
And "University bass fishing team"??? But then it is UF, so that isn't really all that unexpected.
Hey, Mark. Yeah, it is the Gators (Hwaaak, spit. Go 'Noles!!!) otherwise known as the University of Beijing in Gainesville. You can still stop a rowdy crowd of college fans by whispering "Galen Hall, Gaaaaaleeeeeen Haaallllll...."
God, next thing you know there will be college curling teams or something.
And, to actually defend them, hey, this is the South!!! Wadda want, a hockey team?
Bass fishing is big all over FL but especially N. and Central parts where the many big lakes and wide rivers are. Ever-faster bass necessitate ever-faster boats and they just keep getting faster to outrun those 300+ hp bass-chaser boats. I heard one in JAX that sounded like something on an aircraft carrier from W.W. II. But hey- ya have to keep up with those ever-faster bass. What's a bass-buster to do, right?
Seriously: these boats present a real danger to Florida's threatened Manatees with their large powerful propellers. Manatees are air-breathing mammals and not only come up for air but feed on the Water Hyacinth that floats on the surface.
The local solution is to post speed limits signs along the routes. Right. That will solve it.
Good luck with trying to get them wild eyed Southern boys to back down on their bass boat speed. For any reason.....What's the point of all that HP if'n ya cain't turn it loose now and then?
Don't like that those first few boats that went by did not stop.
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