Splash Day finally!!

Well after many weeks and multiple boat bucks…

Splash day arrived!



We went to one of the local lakes about 15 mins from us called Springfield Lake.



I had two helpers with me on this journey and for their first time handling the lines, they did amazing.




Park the trailer walk the boat to the end of the dock and around to a finger, hop in:

Battery switch. (What did they say and the shop…oh yea 1 to start and 2 if anchored and using accessories)

Switch from off to 1

Ignition on.

Blower on….(why don’t I hear blower)

Change battery selector to 2..blower comes on. (Huh, weird)

Go through starting procedures….crank for days. No turning over though….(swear words in my head)

Go to the back, lift up the sun pads…

Son says

“Hey dad. There’s water down there.”
Since he’s six I go yep! We’re on the lake! Water all around.

He meant. Water is coming into the bottom of the boat and sloshing around!!

Panic mode….

Yep definitely put the plug in. (not my first rodeo.)



Back on the trailer we go!!

So luckily boat didn’t start so we were saved from sinking in the middle of the lake.

Unfortunately, I have to drive this thing back to the repair shop where it has been since May 19th…Inquire as to why they never water tested, since the mechanic told me he had to get her in the water since they’ve done so much work and want to make sure everything works under load….

i wish I could upload the video here of the water running in the transom. I’m assuming they missed installed a gasket or sealant or something when they installed the new bellows and replaced all the rubber parts between the outdrive and the engine.

Now I’m used to some water being in the bilge.

After we were back on the trailer I checked the ski locker.

There was 2-4 inches of water!



Even after trailering home and pulling the plug there is still water that can out!




So splash day 2021 was an epic fail.
But…at least we didn’t sink!

After this debacle I’m thinking I may need a new repair shop.

Accepting recommendations in the Akron/Canton Ohio area!

Oh, man; I feel for you! Keep us posted.

Starboard Marine Repair in North Canton. https://www.starboardmarinerepair.com/

That's infuriating. It's one thing to have the mechanic make a mistake, it happens, it's a completely different thing for them to bold-face lie about something as important as a water test and let you take your kids out on the boat. I'd be sooooo pissed and they'd know it.

Good luck.

That sucks. I could feel your anticipation until I looked at your pictures.

Wonder if "Water Test" meant ran the boat on muffs vs "Sea Trial" boat in the water.

BTW thanks for having your crew in life vests.

Shop opened at 9 am. I was there at 8:45. Service Dept was already open.

Spoke with counter guy. Explained what happened.

“Did ya out the plug in?”

Seriously.

He put in a work order. I explained that I’m heading to a two week lake vacation on Saturday. You had the boat from May-end of July.

Tech came out.

I showed him the videos. He things the water came in through a small gasket on the steering arm where it connects to the outdrive. Says they were made poorly as they are high up and not supposed to be exposed to the water. He apologized for not getting the boat off the trailer and in the water previously.

this is his plan.

Take boat to the water. See where water line hits on the hull. Through the grease fitting on the top of outdrive collar, pump it full of waterproof grease so coat the steering shaft. This “should” keep the the water coming in to a few drops and be manageable by the bilge. Then after we get back at the end of August pull the engine, replace the trim lines, replace the gaskets, and asses the whole transom and various parts for any issues.

Thoughts?

If this grease plan keeps the water out, do I continue to give them a shot with future work? Or Move on to another shop?

Nater Potater said:

Oh, man; I feel for you! Keep us posted.

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Thanks.

Little Ducky said:

That sucks. I could feel your anticipation until I looked at your pictures.

Wonder if "Water Test" meant ran the boat on muffs vs "Sea Trial" boat in the water.

BTW thanks for having your crew in life vests.

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Yea life jackets definitely ease the stress at the docks with kids. Man was I on a high on the way to the lake! Crash and burn!

copb8tx said:

That's infuriating. It's one thing to have the mechanic make a mistake, it happens, it's a completely different thing for them to bold-face lie about something as important as a water test and let you take your kids out on the boat. I'd be sooooo pissed and they'd know it.

Good luck.

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Oh I was not happy. They knew it to. When the tech asked how far we got. I said we starting sinking at the dock. SMH

WinkBuilt said:

Take boat to the water. See where water line hits on the hull. Through the grease fitting on the top of outdrive collar, pump it full of waterproof grease so coat the steering shaft. This “should” keep the the water coming in to a few drops and be manageable by the bilge. Then after we get back at the end of August pull the engine, replace the trim lines, replace the gaskets, and asses the whole transom and various parts for any issues.

Thoughts?

If this grease plan keeps the water out, do I continue to give them a shot with future work? Or Move on to another shop?

Click to expand...

I'd be surprised if the upper steering shaft would have let that much water in that quickly. Did they have the whole gimbal assembly off of the transom?
I had a boat that had sat dry for a year on a trailer, and, apparently, the transom had shrunk in the meantime. Once launching, water was coming in pretty quickly from all around the transom plate. I was able to stop it by tightening the through-bolts. Granted, it was an in-line six, so getting to those bolts wasn't much of an ordeal. Yes, the transom probably had soaked up water from sitting in the lake most of its life, and it dried out and shrunk while on the trailer.
Greasing the upper shaft will slow down the water, but, by the sounds of it, you had water coming in faster than that. If it was truly the upper shaft leaking that bad, I don't think greasing it would make much of a change.
'Sounds like you need to be there when they drop the boat in the water and get your head down below. I don't know how much I'd trust that shop.

Well quick update.

They did some “repairs” Tuesday as well as going over all the mechanicals of the outdrive.

Shop is closed Wednesday…(so frustrating)

Water tested today and low and behold there another leak discovered. They were getting after that today and water testing tomorrow (Friday morning).

Fingers crossed it’s fixed.

Passed water test this am. They found another leak yesterday morning and repaired that in the afternoon.
She’s back home and we’re getting prepped for Lake Erie!!

Got the little guy helping me this time.

WinkBuilt said:

Passed water test this am. They found another leak yesterday morning and repaired that in the afternoon.
She’s back home and we’re getting prepped for Lake Erie!!

Got the little guy helping me this time.

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Are you crazy????!!!!??? Letting a baby drive a boat? Had to sound like an internet nitwit for a sec. Congrats on sorting it out.

Well, there's your root problem. You're trying to launch that boat upside-down! There's no way it'll hold water like that. Might consider a basic boating course.
I'm glad to hear your shop came through for you. What was the ultimate guilty party causing the leak?

HawkX66 said:

Are you crazy????!!!!??? Letting a baby drive a boat? Had to sound like an internet nitwit for a sec. Congrats on sorting it out.

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Just sittin in the driveway at this point. Two weeks of stuff to pack in the next 24 hrs!

yea you know someone would think it

Nater Potater said:

Well, there's your root problem. You're trying to launch that boat upside-down! There's no way it'll hold water like that. Might consider a basic boating course.
I'm glad to hear your shop came through for you. What was the ultimate guilty party causing the leak?

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Didn’t catch the pic till just now!
That was not the way home from shop. They pumped the steering shaft with grease and the main source was around collar near top of transom. Since engine will need pulled for trim lines, they just sealed around the outside and made sure everything was tight. Then splashed this am to confirm.