coming in on one engine

Xplicitlnck

Xplicitlnck

Well-Known Member
Jan 2, 2012
4,030
Long island ny
Boat Info
330ec
Engines
Twin 7.4 straight drive
While at the pump out station last Saturday I noticed my port engine was not pumping water out the exhaust. So I shut it down (must have just happened temp was at 180) I figured the day was over so I tried getting back to my dock on one engine. Only a couple hundred yards away. So I untie and notice I have almost zero control. I've never had to operate any twin engine boat with only one engine working. I could not make left turns whatsoever. Only using reverse to sing the bow around but as soon as I put it back in forward it would just put me back were I started even with the wheel turned all the way and the tab all the way down. Luckily the wind was in my favor and pushed me right back into a dock were I tied up and changed the raw water imprller. Even after changing the
Impeller it still wasn't pumping. I had plenty of flow to the strainer and through the hose to the pump but the pump wasn't pumping. Got frusttated shut everything down and sat back for a few. After about an hour started it back up to c if I got lucky and yes she started pumping again. Went for a quick run and she ran about 10 degrees hotter thennormal but held steady. Any thoughts?
 
Jonathan
I've often though about shutting an engine down and practicing my low speed maneuvering but never did it. It makes sense that in reverse you have no rudder control b/c there's no water moving past the rudder. Maybe if you had some momentum in revers the boat would respond a bit but you really can't get any momentum in closed quarters. I figured I'd get to the nearest t-head I could find OR use my Tow/BOAT unlimited card!

How was the impeller you took out? Any missing pieces? Could be trapped downstream. First stop is the oil cooler (I think).
 
It was forward and reverse. If it was in reverse the bow would turn to starboard even with the wheel turned hard And the tab down. And in forward she turned hard to port again wheel turned hard to star and star tab down . Just had no control at all which I don't understand. I've seen people come in on one engine all the time not to mention people I know who've traveled hundreds of miles on one engine. .

The impeller was missing some parts so I looked at the oil cooler and found a bunchalong with seaweed. I think I got it all. Just trying to figure out y it wouldn't pump water right away after I changed the impeller..
 
Try raising the trim tab on the side that is running and lower the other side. It helps keep the boat straighter.
 
X,
I lost the Starboard motor on my boat Saturday after fueling up. I had to limp back across the cove from Patchogue river on one motor while dealing with a sailing regatta in my path. With only a port motor, a southern wind 5-10 mph and that awkward entrance to my marina it was no fun. I had my 3 kids with me to boot as the wife was working. Thank god for Kindles! Lol
It took me 4 attempts to enter the marina because as I engaged the port motor, the boat turned to the starboard , even with the rudder hard to port. The southern breeze coming across the bow port to starboard did not help! On one attempt I was only 20 feet from beaching the boat at the yacht club next door! I hear you with the lack of control!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Todd
 
HUMPH said:
Try raising the trim tab on the side that is running and lower the other side. It helps keep the boat straighter.
Click to expand...

Tab discussions are confusing because the buttons work the opposite of the tabs themselves. I LOWER the tab on the side of the running engine, which is done by pushing to top of the rocker on the opposite side... My logic is that the running gear on the dead side is already doing nothing but providing drag, so lowering that tab just adds more drag.
 
One engine sucks. I lost my port once on a routine cruise and getting back into our slip was a challenge. I had no turning ability whatsoever, but managed to get my bow close enough to the dock finger that one of my crew was able to spear a cleat with our boat hook. I would not want to do that again, we were perilously close to our neighbors sailboat with little to no control.
 
I have been unlucky enough to come on one engine several times over the past 2 years (thanks to Cool fuel 3 issues and a few hose clamps breaking.) However I have been lucky enough to have a bow thruster. I can tell you that I was able to manevuer around a marina or return my house dock with out any issues or anxiety. For all those people that think you don't need a bow thruster on a 32 foot boat, I will agree and tell you that don't need air condtioning or power windows and locks in your car, but once you have it, you will grow to love it. I woudlnt buy another boat with a bow thruster. Trying to drive an inboard with just once engine is not fun. You better have people on board or waiting at the dock to help.
 
Tod
I could not imagine getting into your marina with one engine. That's just nonsense lol it's bad enough with two engines.

As for the tabs. I def screwed that one up. I definetly presses theport switch to drop the port tab. .. dumbass. Well along with the rubber from the impeller I also found a piece of plastic. I was a little confused about that one and can't figure out were it came from any ideas?
 
In the lessons learned category. I lost one engine bringing my boat in to the marina in Nov. Suddenly a front came through with 25+kt winds. I thought I could handle it with on engine. I was wrong. After 20 mins of trying to get near my slip, and minor stern damage, I was able to get close enough to the dock to toss a 50' line. I now know that if you lose an engine turn the wheel hard to the engine that is still running. This should keep a straight line. Also the next time I lose an engine I will drop the hook and call for a tow(which is covered by my insurance). No more heroics.
 
Yes, trying to maneuver on a single screw is tough business. Glad you got her back to the berth and hopefully have the issue fixed. Could you have sacked the plastic up from the water? How's you sea strainers?
 
Yea I'm with u on dropping the hook and calling for a tow I was very close to doing that until I calmed down collected my thoughts and noticed the end was pushing me perfectly into an empty pump out dock. And I don't think anybody would have been to happy with me dropping in the middle of my canal. There would b no passing in either direction.

But ok now for the issue I'm gunna post up about that now in general repair
 
Boats have different handling characteristics. We watched a big Viking come in on one engine into Leland harbor years ago. He ran out of fuel on one side and was on fumes on the other. Not good planning. The fuel dock was packed and I was waiting a too. After twenty minutes, he was able to go to the fuel dock and nailed it in high winds, darkness with a great landing. Skilled skipper (questionable fuel management) and a great boat. Makes a difference.
 
lost my stbd engine 15 miles from home, water pump blew up, auto pilot saved the day, kept it straight on course! docking was a different story
 
Coming in on one engine is tough, I have had to do it 3 times since getting our 330, thanks to vapor lock/cool fuel issues. The first time was easy, no one was around and I just backed in, in 2 tries. The other two times, all my pals were there, to help of course, but as luck would have it, it took 15 minutes to get her in!

I don’t know why you would have the engine running hotter, except maybe there was some viens missing from the impeller and are lodged somewhere. I hope you are able to get it figured out, and back out on the water, with both engines!

Matt
 
I have two 5.0 Mercruiser IOs, one of my raw water pumps got smoked, the entire impeller broke up as well at a piece of black plastic that was part of the pump housing. I found some of the pieces in the themostat housing. Good luck.

Xplicitlnck said:
Tod
I could not imagine getting into your marina with one engine. That's just nonsense lol it's bad enough with two engines.

As for the tabs. I def screwed that one up. I definetly presses theport switch to drop the port tab. .. dumbass. Well along with the rubber from the impeller I also found a piece of plastic. I was a little confused about that one and can't figure out were it came from any ideas?
Click to expand...
 
We've had to come in on one engine 3 times over the past few months with different issues, which we hope we have them all sorted out now. It was not fun, and the stress level when the wind blows you towards a new high $$$ dollar cruiser is just awful. Very seriously thinking about a bow thruster for general use and just in case it happens again. Expect the Viking mentioned below may have had one too:) Never heard of anyone who had a bow thruster that doesn't like them, so plucking up the courage to "pull the trigger":)
 
X, I've done some single engine practice and part of the problem is the beam vs length on our boats. The props are that much further from the centre line of the boat, so the prop thrust that usually allows more control when using both engines becomes your enemy when only able to use one engine. Combine this with relatively small rudders and you have a scenario where low speed manoeuvring is VERY challenging. The faster you go, the more the rudders work - but in a tight space you don't really want to go any faster than you would like to hit something (like a nice new SeaRay docked near yours). Also, to get going fast will require a big enough area to allow for that initial bow swing in the wrong direction until your speed builds for the rudders to work (not always possible). The next problem is once you get to your dock - how do you stop quickly with only on prop to reverse without spinning the boat's bow??

I think you were right to just let the wind blow you back to any available dock!
 
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