Almost sank our boat today

[Henry Boyd]

In the process of moving our boat 12 nm from our dock to the boat yard where it will spend the winter we almost had a disaster.

On the 496 raw system there are hoses that go to the bottom of the exhaust manifold. The jacket on the manifold has a female threaded port that an aluminum nipple screws into. On the end of the nipple is a hose to pipe thread reducer. One of the nipples sheared off flooding the ER. Fortunately we were just pulling into the boat yard and somebody spotted the bilge pump ejecting water and ran and got the hydraulic trailer onto the ramp and pulled us right out.. We never got to the high water float switch.

This brings to mind two points for everybody else with 496/8.1. engines:

1) check these darn things!
2) have a set of wooden plugs handy in the ER.

I'll post pictures when the work gets done.

Henry

 

[Summer Fun II]

WOW. :wow:

 

[mwph]

Glad you and the boat are dry.

Question... How long was the engine compartment actually filling? Did you notice the bilge pump come on right away?

Again, glad you are ok.

 

[Gunn]

Wow Henry, glad you all and your boat is OK. If it was going to happen, it was good timing it was on that trip.

 

[Go Aweigh2452]

Always a good idea to not only carry wood plugs but to hang or keep them near the seacock or fittings you may need them.

Also, consider carrying a wax toilet ring in a zip lock which can also be used to jam a small hole.

 

[MonacoMike]

Always a good idea to not only carry wood plugs but to hang or keep them near the seacock or fittings you may need them.

Also, consider carrying a wax toilet ring in a zip lock which can also be used to jam a small hole.

I always learn neat tricks here. That is another little thing to add to the emergency kit. MM

 

[rcknecht]

I was on a friends boat when a RW hose went the boat end up sinking, sort of... I pulled he on to a sand bar and we called sea tow and they pumped her out and towed us to a marina... If we would have shut the engine off the engine room would not have flooded... Live and learn...

 

[electricaldoctor]

Exactly. Shut off the engine and close the sea cock. Then after your nerves settle down, you can make some good decisions to get you and your passengers home safely.

 

[Henry Boyd]

Exactly. Shut off the engine and close the sea cock. Then after your nerves settle down, you can make some good decisions to get you and your passengers home safely.

Fortunately for us it never got to that point, While we do have a seacock and valves because we added a through hull water pickup, you have to remember stern drive systems don't always come with them. Had we discovered the problem farther away from the haul out ramp, that is probably what I would have done as well.

Henry

Henry

 

[electricaldoctor]

Sorry about that ... I was assuming inboards.

 

[rondds]

Similar thing happened to me when I was out on my Dad's old Cruisers Inc. Leaving the marina at idle speed and noticed the bilge pump light on the dash was on - and on STEADY. Immediately pull the hatch to find one of the raw water hoses had popped off. Shut down, shoved it back on, tightened the hose clamp and got back underway.

With an outdrive the wooden plug is a must since they typically do not have seacocks. If the hose burst, duct tape is great to have, maybe to just get you back to port. Not sure if water can make it past the impeller - if it can, shutting down may not help (other than to slow the flow). Raising the hose above the water line will stop it, but that only applies if you have enough hose to reach that far up.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Wow, close call, Henry! Glad you made it in safely. Did something come loose in the engine bay and bang into it? Checking the other nipples, I assume? Again - glad it turned out OK for you.

 

[rondds]

Those nipples on my engines are brass (maybe bronze??). I guess galvanic corrosion did the fitting in(?)

 

[Steve S]

If the hose burst, duct tape is great to have, maybe to just get you back to port. Not sure if water can make it past the impeller - if it can, shutting down may not help (other than to slow the flow). Raising the hose above the water line will stop it, but that only applies if you have enough hose to reach that far up.

Rescue Tape is a must to have on board!

http://www.rescuetape.com/

 

[electricaldoctor]

www.stayafloat.ca is good stuff to have as well.

 

[rcknecht]

Those nipples on my engines are brass (maybe bronze??). I guess galvanic corrosion did the fitting in(?)

Ron all this talk about your brass nipples is getting me exited...

 

[rondds]

Exited??? LOL

 

[Two Peas]

Glad things ended safely Henry!

 

[Henry Boyd]

I'm traveling this week on business and haven't heard what the final outcome is. When I left on Saturday afternoon, they were going to check the other side as well. The big concern at this point is if they will be able to get the broken bits out of the manifold assembly.

Ron as exciting as brass nipples would be, I think they should have been bronze!

And without a doubt last Saturday was our luckiest boating day ever.

Henry

 

[Dick Whetstone]

I keep several different size Nerf footballs (very small to standard size) on my boat. Nerf footballs are soft foam rubber footballs sold for use by children. I have never had to use them but I personally know people who have. They are very handy to plug most any size or shape hole even a jagged hole. Once inserted into a hole, they conform to the dimensions of the hole, even a jagged hole and seal it very well.