BigBendFishing.Net

Reel Cowboy wrote:

SHOWBOAT wrote: I hope you weren't running too fast or you might have more than a prop and skeg to worry about.

Did know there was such a thing RC.

Seriously though, I knew better than to be running where I was, the way that I was.

A buddy and I barely got off the trailer at Fenholloway Sunday morning. We eased our way out touching mud bottom a couple times during the negative tide. Fishing was slow, and the fish we caught barely fought back. However, by 3:00 we somehow managed two limits of trout in the boat, and we had released a really fat over-slot red.

Running back in I was about a mile from the ramp, nearing the River entrance, and I thought I was going around the "little bar" by the chicane in the channel markers. I had the jack plate all the way up and was running between 15-20 mph. My Xpress isn't a tunnel, but the gear case is about even with the bottom of the haul when the jack plate is up. I apparently found one section of the bar a couple inches higher than the others (and wider than my GPS lines show) as I heard contact and found all three tips on the PowerTech blades bent and about 3-4" of the skeg is broken clean. The haul never touched bottom, so the structure couldn't have been that high.

Ideled back up river about 4 mph and got the boat on trailer....barely. Tomorrow I'l be visiting Parkway to drop off both the boat and truck (mirror replacement from the rogue lunch time deer); I hope they have volume discounts. I imagine this one will end up in the hands of Progressive. We'll put up some pics tonight.

Hate to hear it

Bummer.

That sucks.
I also take her to see Wavel. A rock guard wouldn't have helped much at the speed but it might have saved a little more of the skeg.

Reel Cowboy wrote:That sucks.
I also take her to see Wavel. A rock guard wouldn't have helped much at the speed but it might have saved a little more of the skeg.

Thought about it before hand; I had one on the old boat. I know some members had trouble with water pressure after installing them though, and that isn't anything I want to get too close since I'm running a jack plate without a tunnel. Based on the amount of members needing work to their tunnels, I can't say I'm too sad about not having a tunnel.

6 of 1 half dozen of the other. I'm beginnning to follow Keyser's MO, if you chase fish in the right places and do so in timely fashion, then there are costs of operation to be had. I've busted some cheap props over the past 7 years, this is my first significant incident. Hopefully my last for some time....

Butch and I learned a long time ago. Aluminum is cheaper than stainless steel. And gets you there and back at the same speed. Less intrusive on the lower unit gears too.
Save the stainless for places like St.Joe and Carrabelle.
Keaton to St. Marks only adds insult to injury.

That stinks brian.

That's the price you pay for fishin skinny.

tin can wrote:That's the price you pay for fishin skinny.

It's hard to fish skinny at 15 mph.

Sorry Man... Its part of the game.
Glad you were able to get back in easy and caught fish!!

Jumptrout51 wrote:Butch and I learned a long time ago. Aluminum is cheaper than stainless steel. And gets you there and back at the same speed. Less intrusive on the lower unit gears too.
Save the stainless for places like St.Joe and Carrabelle.
Keaton to St. Marks only adds insult to injury.

I agree with JT on this one.

aluminum v. stainless is something I know we've discussed here before. I was running stainless b/c that is what came with the boat, and I didn't see the need to replace it. Looking into the possibility or replacing my 3 blade PowerTech with a 4 blade aluminum from PropCo. Anyone have personnel experience with PropCo or their products?

On the repair side, insurance has already assessed the boat and cut a check. I couldn't have asked for a quicker response from Progressive. Looks like I may be back in business by sometime next week. Thanks Parkway!

Propco knows his stuff! When I had my Scandy tunnel with a 4 stroke 40hp Yammy that man put me on the right prop in one try! Improved performance 10x over what I had before Propco.

Hate to hear that.

Sucks to hear that Brian.