Re: [OMC-Boats] Tilt Clutch

BC,

Thanks for sharing. I wish I still lived along the Willamette & Columbia, was there from 87 to 91 and didn't own a boat then.

I had a similar but much less harmful grounding experience this weekend. Was idling out of a no-wake zone running maybe 4 mph with two passengers aboard.
Wasn't paying really close attention to the depth finder or that fact I was slightly off the "beaten path" as far as the channel goes. DOAH!

Suddenly there's that sickening "thud" feeling, followed by the stern rising slightly. I immediately pull her into neutral and shut off the power. I big cloud of stirred up muddy looking water is just aft. Power up the tilt and no damage to the prop, just a light polishing of the edges to show for our little mis-adventure. Probably didn't hit it hard enough to break the tilt clutch. Lowered the drive barely into the water, started up and motored off toward deeper water and then when the deep finder said I had three feet I lowered her fully.

Lesson learned: Pay closer attention, Lee! And going slowly has it advantages.

Lee

________________________________
From: omc-boats-bounces@... [mailto:omc-boats-bounces@...ultimate.com] On Behalf Of BC Howk
Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 11:33 AM
To: omc-boats@...
Subject: [OMC-Boats] Tilt Clutch

All,

I had been debating about broadcasting my stupidity but since the subject of tilt clutches has come up in Nexi's saga to get going, thought I'd share my anecdote from this very week-end.....

My Girlfriend expressed interest in getting out on the water, however is a novice to boating. I took this as a challenge to create the most pleasant boating experience I could muster while teaching her about the pastime I enjoy so much. I prepared her for the idea that there is always something with an old boat and is just part of the process...

So we get launched and are cruising through downtown Portland on the Willamette river on a beautiful day, Dauntles V6 roaring like a lion, wind whipping through hair, big grins all around...perfect.... So I hop out of the driver seat and hand my beloved sportsman over to her, and we are cruising along having a great time...

We get to a part of the river neither of us have been on that looks a little rocky, my GF asks if it's OK to go through. Looks OK to me but I suggest that when in doubt, go slow....about 2 seconds after backing off the throttle....KACHUNK....rattle, rattle rattle. OMG!!! one Millisecond of panic then I remember this site and that OMC put a tilt clutch for just such a thing. I collect myself for another millisecond turn off the motor and proceed to asses the damage. We are safe..good, the outdrive is up and hung on slightly submerged rocks, the hull is still floating and the prop is expectedy dinged up. I hop out and push then row to deeper water, lower the outdrive and start the motor. everything sonds OK. we start making way and the boat vibrates badly at anything over 1000 rpm from the damaged prop, so I decide to limp slowly back to the launch.

About halfway back I can take it no more, find a sandy beach, grab my spare prop and jump in the water with a pair of needle nose pliers. My GF (being an awsomely good sport) catches the pins and washers that I hand up to her and holds them like gold as I explain that dropping them in the river would be bad (believe me I was handling them like gold myself). Whole process took about 10 or 15 minutes (I was being VERY careful not to drop anything), since we were there took a little stroll on the beach smelled some flowers etc. Pushed the old girl off the beach, lowered the drive again fired up and took off like bats out of heck...everything is working perfectly, so we decide to pull up to a resaurant on the waterfront right downtown, had a wonderful dinner, walk the waterfront, grinning and happy again, run into one of her aquaintances that turns green with envy when she hears we boated there...Life is GOOD!!!

Morals of the story
1. Thank you OMC engineers!! for putting a clutch assembly on the tilt that prevents extensive damage on a grounding event.
2. In case you were ever curious, YES those clutches work, now you have no need to test them like I did. DOH!
3. Thank you OMC boat community for educating me about this stuff so I can be Mr. cool and collected in front of my novice boating GF, salvaging a wonderful experience for her and keeping an open door for more pleasant boating outings.

Cheers,
B.C.
Received on Tuesday, 11 August 2009