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Location: 31 | Yikes, did you also have to replace some fillings in your teeth too? I've only hit one reef on plane like that, and it stopped us cold too.
Doug J. will chuckle at this because it was sooo incredibly stupid, but probably something he sees several times a summer. In Sept of 1988 we were running from the Angle to Shoals Lake Narrows everyday... yes, without GPS or even a cell phone.
I had found a little short cut between a couple fish up there that we were working and about the 3th time between these islands... wham. When I trimmed it up I fully expected not to see a lower unit.
Despair! So here we were with the boat shifter stuck in forward, oil slowly leaking out, seemingly dead in the water almost an hour and a half from camp on this beautiful late September afternoon. I was spooked to say the least. After gathering my composure somewhat I pulled the shifter as far toward neutral as possible and turned the key.
Relief! It started right up, but was still stuck in forward gear! Everything seemed to be normal enough otherwise and we thankfully made it back to camp okay. The next morning we "hammered" the oil leak shut and drained and filled the lower unit. After checking it out fishing around camp for a while we were back up in Shoals Lake that afternoon, and fished this way the last few days of the trip.
I think that little shortcut cost me just under $2K, but I had learned my lesson. No more shortcuts on plane until I was 100% sure. | |
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