Re: [OMC-Boats] Tilt Clutch

Hey BC - great story! Esp since it had a happy ending. Guess
what? I'm in PDX too, and know exactly the restaurant and waterfront
area you went to. In fact I had just done the dock and dine
experience at that very restaurant with my GF the weekend before you -
and yes it's awesome. Love Portland summers. Was using a slightly
different boat, but that's another story for another time. On to
the important part - can you tell me EXACTLY where that was that you
hit those rocks? I'm out there practically every weekend and would
love to avoid them. I also have another friend who hit some rocks on
the Willamette near downtown. Huge boat, huge hull damage.
Perhaps the same spot. The Willamette usually doesn't seem to have
too many rocks, atleast as far as I can tell when I pull up my anchor
and watch the sandy sludge dripping off.

I know i'm gonna get a severe scolding for not taking this
conversation off list, but sharing is good - esp when it shows how
small the OMC boating world is! Maybe I'll see you out there
someday. You should send me a pic of your boat so I know what to
look for. You've probably seen me if your on that stretch a lot -
a different boat though. Soon in my Deluxe I hope.......

Jeff D

On Aug 11, 2009, at 10:32 AM, BC Howk wrote:

> 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.
>
> _______________________________________________
> OMC-Boats mailing list
> OMC-Boats@...
> http://lists.ultimate.com/mailman/listinfo/omc-boats
Received on Wednesday, 12 August 2009