BigBendFishing.Net

Looks like I'm the latest victim of an Aucilla Rock. I have an idea of where I'll take it to be repaired but I'm open to opinions for a Lower Unit replacement.

I would have to say give Waivel Porter a call, 421-1490. Which rock did you hit...were you able to mark it?

Welby wrote:Looks like I'm the latest victim of an Aucilla Rock. I have an idea of where I'll take it to be repaired but I'm open to opinions for a Lower Unit replacement.

I hate to hear that. That is one place I wont launch. I launch at Ecofina and run down ther to fish. How bad is the damage?

Hit-n-Miss wrote:

Welby wrote:Looks like I'm the latest victim of an Aucilla Rock. I have an idea of where I'll take it to be repaired but I'm open to opinions for a Lower Unit replacement.

I hate to hear that. That is one place I wont launch. I launch at Ecofina and run down ther to fish. How bad is the damage?

I didn't know there was a difference in the rocks at Econfina and Aucilla?

reelbad wrote:

Hit-n-Miss wrote:

Welby wrote:Looks like I'm the latest victim of an Aucilla Rock. I have an idea of where I'll take it to be repaired but I'm open to opinions for a Lower Unit replacement.

I hate to hear that. That is one place I wont launch. I launch at Ecofina and run down ther to fish. How bad is the damage?

I didn't know there was a difference in the rocks at Econfina and Aucilla?

The difference is I know where most of the rocks are at Ecofina....I dont at Aucilla.

I should have clarified............I did launch at Econfina and was running to a spot near Aucilla. I do have it marked and will post the #'s later today when I retrieve them off my GPS. It was about 7:20AM Saturday morning and I think high tide was around 7:30AM and I was in approx. 4.5' of water (obviously not enough) just west of the Aucilla mouth and out on the flats...Ofcourse I thought I was safe.....mistake on my part. The damage is pretty bad, housing busted, prop messed up, etc. I cant seem to post pics or I would.

It may not have been a rock. There is a big long oyster bar in that area.
(and lots of rocks)

Here we go.....ouch !!!

thats nasty right there.. sorry man

Yep. New housing for sure. MAY save the prop.

That sux.

http://www.crowleymarine.com/lowerunits.cfm
Dubble

Ouch! That does hurt. Were you in the river or just getting out into the flats when that rock reached up and bit your motor?

I found out just how far the Rock Garden extends to the south a few years ago, but my motor got off light with only a bight out of the skeg, bent prop, and bent prop shaft, but that was because the keel hit first putting some real rock rash on the hull. The scar on my skeg reminds me to go slow in less than 5 ft on low tides every time I wet my boat now.

nuts

I hit one going slow with my old tracker. Merc Classic 50. Huggins Marine in Albany wanted $2800 to fix it. I only gave $3000 for the whole rig... I checked around and found a friend that had a similar motor with a blown head. He sold me the whole lower unit cheap and everything matched right up. That saved me about $2500. I didn't have a warranty but I never had any problem from it either.
I'm sure a newer and bigger motor would be more complicated but worth looking into.

Welby wrote:I should have clarified............I did launch at Econfina and was running to a spot near Aucilla. I do have it marked and will post the #'s later today when I retrieve them off my GPS. It was about 7:20AM Saturday morning and I think high tide was around 7:30AM and I was in approx. 4.5' of water (obviously not enough) just west of the Aucilla mouth and out on the flats...Ofcourse I thought I was safe.....mistake on my part. The damage is pretty bad, housing busted, prop messed up, etc. I cant seem to post pics or I would.

Is that the group of rocks about 1 mile or so from the mouth of Ecofina running about 1 to 2 o clock? Man that foot looks bad, I feel for you.

Sorry to hear that Welby. That's why I have boat insurance. Fishing in treacherous waters and all that.

That's the good news........I am insured and had plenty of "Idle time" to call my agent on my way back to the trailer...