Well crud

Stodge

We lost the starboard engine on the way home from an outing last weekend.  Was hoping it wasn't too serious. 

Well I got a call saying the boat is coming out so they can pull the motor.  It seems water backed up into the riser and got into the exhaust and cylinders.   

Willhound

Crap! Hopefully they can save it.

Liberty44140

Bummer! Would that be from bad shutters? 

McGarnicle

Pull plugs and crank till all the water is out? My buddy had something similar happen the other day on his ski boat, had too many people and just loaded it up with fuel so when he came off plane water went up the exhaust and hydro locked the motor. Pulled the plugs and kept on cranking till all the water got out and then fired her back up. 

Stodge

@Liberty44140 The flappers are only a couple years old.  Apparently there is a service bulletin to install spacers to "I think" elevate the risers".

@McGarnicle I think my mechanic did that already.  He's thinking there is already valve damage.  Will find out more tomorrow when it's apart.

You know it's not good when they tell you to call the insurance company.

McGarnicle

@Stodge that really sucks, sorry to hear. Will your insurance company cover mechanical failure? I thought only the drives if they get damaged by something submerged but even that can be a gray area is what I've been told. 

skennelly

Man that sucks @Stodge...best of luck to you.

Stodge

@McGarnicle I'll find out soon.

zaverin1

Who is your mechanic 

Stodge

Dave Blaz.  Have used him for over 10 years.

zaverin1

Did you have your dinghy on

zaverin1

Did you come off plane hard?
or did she just lock up

rasbury

No expert but you should have risers so that water can't hit the motor....

webaker1973

rasbury I see you are from Sanford.  Are you on the St. Johns?  Moved from there a couple of years ago.

cls10105

That sucks Stodge. Do you know what happened?

rasbury

@webaker1973 yes we live in Sanford and do most of our boating on the St. Johns....we trailer so don't stay in the water....do the marina in Sanford ( not much there but a very nice downtown) and then go up to Hoontoon Island, Blue Springs and one trip of to "the glen" if your familiar with the area.....

Dude_Himself

Oh man, Hontoon Island. In college a lady friend and I - we "slept out" on her dad's ski boat anchored in the middle of the lagoon. We were loud and well lit - music, vodka, nudity, swimming in alligator-infested water, you name it. In the morning, once it was light enough to see, we were horrified to realize the lagoon was surrounded by tent camping sites with a huge event going on. Turns out Hontoon Island is (was) one of the most heavily trafficked campsite in Florida. 

webaker1973

@rasbury @Dude_Himself Familiar will all that.  We used to keep our boat at Boat Tree marina and once took a trek from Lake Monroe, through Lake George up to Palatka for the Blue Crab festival in memorial day.  Great weekend and highly recommended.  

@Stodge Sorry to hijack the post, hope you got everything figured out.  Please share if it something related to risers.  Trading up to a 342 from a Baliner 245 and any Intel is appreciated.

randy56

That was unexpected, I'm sure hope you get through it with a tremendous expense. 

zaverin1

So what’s the word stodge 

Stodge

Still waiting on details.  

zaverin1

Keep us up to date if you can.
i am Interested why it just hydro locked like that.
besides dinghy weight and maybe a fast fall from plane but still makes no sense

Stodge

I'm told it's a design flaw.  The risers are supposed to be a set height above the waterline.  Mercury has spacers that will raise the risers 3 inches higher.  I plan to have those added when all is said and done.

rasbury

so when the motor was installed, the spacers were not or perhaps during a manifold/riser change they were left off? That is somebody's fault! I'm surprised the flappers did not stop the water however...or are they missing too? This IMO should not have happened....and there are taller spacers also as I recall...if needed. 

zaverin1

Ye most inboards run tall spacers 

rasbury

If there are none, I'd be **** at someone.   

reneechris14

looks like mine are only 2in but the riser on my 05 342 is taller then the ones on my 02 270( can't fined a pic)

Stodge

It's the original engines from 2002.

No spaces added, and flappers were only 2 years old and in place.

rasbury

I don't know anything about a 342 but can't imagine that the motor is not sitting below the water line and should have a 3" spacer or larger? I think my 270 are 3".

zaverin1

Any updates 

Stodge

I saw the long block before I left on vacation last week.