Yes, I hit it. . . .

[TOAST]

Well, this morning was supposed to be a great day of boarding with the family and finally trying to surf behind our 05 VLX. New surfboard just waiting to be christened.

All was well for a while. . . . This was our first trip to Wickiup. We arrived around 11am at Wickiup Reservoir. Sun out, beautiful mountains as a backdrop and pure glass. No ski boats only a few fisherman. (that should have been a clue - I just thought we were lucky)

My wife and a couple of kids skied and boarded. My 5 yr old decided to try the kneeboard for the first time. We were in the middle of the 'fat part' of the reservoir a couple hundred yards from any shore. My 5 yr old got right up on the kneeboard and was having a great time. I was so busy enjoying the moment I didn't notice the depth gauge go from 30ft to 5 ft. Next thing I know it is loud 'thump' and just a little water over the bow. I knew we had hit something I just hoped it wasn't too bad. Totally driver's error for not noticing the depth change or having the alarm set. . . but who would have guessed such hazards out in the middle of the reservoir. (the pains of not having local knowledge)

Everyone was fine. The bilge pump remained dry so that gave me some hope. I was able to check the prop and bottom of the boat with the dive mask. (btw, I just bought the mask a couple of weeks ago after reading a post here.)

No major 'visible' damage to the glass, fins, or prop. But I did get vibration as we gingerly powered up see how it felt. So we limped it in back to the dock without ever getting the new surfboard out. Once on the trailer, inspection confirmed that the glass was ok. Looked like the gorilla fins went through the stump about half way up the fin.

Called Madras Marine upon returning to the house. I talked to Steve and Randy -- I mentioned Tracie speaks very highly of them and lit up with compliments about Tracie and her technical prowess. Anyway, they may get a new 537 in tomorrow via UPS. If they do, they can make the swap and check the drive shaft and other parts to insure they are OK. I'm hoping for that so we can try to get out again Friday. . . . This time I think we'll try Cultus.. . If it doesn't come in, we'll have to get it taken care of in Portland.

Any other ideas or things to watch for as I move fwd with repairs?? I'm thinking I'll replace the prop with the same 537 and have this prop repaired as a spare.

[YZThump]

Glad it wasn't worse, especially since you were pulling your 5 y.o. Chalk it up to bad luck and hope it doesn't happen again. You are right about knowing the waters you boat in....so valuable. I hope it was just a bent fin on the prop.

[Hman442]

Cultus looks pretty scary, you can see the bottom & it only looks a few feet away,

but it seems alright. Be aware of the rock ledge just off of the boat ramp though.

I haven't been there since '04 & I heard they did some work at the ramp.

Good luck this time.

[srud]

Sorry to hear about the mishap. I have felt your pain, too many times. Hopefully it is indeed, just the prop. Knowledge of the water is invaluable. I have a lake that I think I know pretty well, but as it's a river that's been dammed up, it occasionally get's logs floating in it after a good rain. I guess the net is, I will never get that comfortable even after hours and hours of experience on the lake.

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend!

[obski]

Hopefully it is just the prop and not the drive shaft. If they can check it out for you that would be great. Hope the rest of your trip goes well and glad to hear there is no damage to the hull. Don't beat yourself up over it. It happens.

Just call Acme and get an RMA # to send your damaged prop to them for repair. It's a good idea to keep it as a spare. You should also buy a prop puller and perhaps a whole kit with a case to hold the spare. I bought mine from Elberts in Newberg. You can call them up to order or just stop by their shop. Nice people.

[actionadd]

Glad to here the boat was OK, Changing a prop is no big deal. I have done it twice.

I would check the fins out after a few trips and make sure there is no spider cracking around them it they hit the stump.

Good luck.

[blake0401]

I wanto to know where you were on the water so I can stay away and not be a statistic. OBSki had hit a rock but he said it was on the metolius near the shore and not to stress about it. where were you exactly, thanks blake

[blake0401]

now that I read it slowly I see you were at wickiup and not the pallisades. i have driven by wickiup many times en route to cultus and thought how beautiful but my brother in law says it is shallower than you think. i think you just suported that. would you go back now that you have some knowlege. how was the water, ramp and lake prior to bumping some bark.

[TOAST]

Blake, no I don't think I'll be heading back to Wickiup. On the plus side: the water was great, gorgeous backdrop with mountains/pine, very little traffic, etc. . . . However, the ramp really was a lot of trouble, not much slope to it at all, made launching a challenge, no docks = pain for a large crew, and I think you need to really know the lay of the lake, water levels, etc.

I'd guess it could be a wonderful place if it were your 'home course' . . . We'll only get out a few times/year out of Sunriver, so doesn't seem worth the hassle/risk to learn all the nuances of Wickiup. I heard Cultus just put in a new launch that is very nice. . . I heard Cultus is a little colder than Wickiup. Wickiup today was coming in at 69 degrees (with air temp of 84)

Also thanks to all for the encouragement. I'm really not too burned about about it now. Just tough to see such a nice day, new board, on vacation and not be able to take advantage of it. If it turns out to be prop only, I can live with that and chalk it up to experience. I'll have to get back to you on how I react if it turns out to be much more extensive.

[blake0401]

g o to cultus. it is gorgeous. not too many people. ramp is not bad as long as the lake is up which it is. I just talked to the lodge yesterday. If you back way to far in there use to be a ledge you would drop off but I could still get my boat in in august when it was low. stay close to the dock as it is smoother to launch there. hope all is well with the beautiful boat.

[TOAST]

Thanks for the advice -- definitely Cultus next time.

[Headhunter 2317]

Didn't someone clip a stump or a rock at the NW WOW too?

Was that George W?

[Chauncemaster]

I think getting another 537 and getting the old one repaired as a spare is definitely the right way to go.

[CarveItUp]

g o to cultus. it is gorgeous.  not too many people.  ramp is not bad as long as the lake is up which it is. I just talked to the lodge yesterday.  If you back way to far in there use to be a ledge you would drop off  but I could still get my boat in in august when it was low.  stay close to the dock as it is smoother to launch there.  hope all is well with the beautiful boat.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The ramp at Cultus was completely re-built last fall. I think they deepened the channel at the ramp during that work but am not 100% sure. I've heard the ramp is really nice now but haven't been up yet...letting the water warm up a bit first.

Typically the best water is at the west end of the lake. It has a nice sandy beach so bring your day gear with you and set up there. You're going to like it!

Didn't someone clip a stump or a rock at the NW WOW too?

Was that George W?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That was Obski at Lake Billy Chinook (Round Butte).

[LS-One]

Could have been worse, a friend of mine hit a floating log a couple weeks back here at Mc Clure in his 04 Wakesetter, it took one of the fins off leaving two one inch holes in the bottom, when he got to the ramp he had knee deep water in the boat.

[WakeGirl]

Glad to hear that Randy & the guys are fixing you up, they're a good bunch. I'm also glad to hear that it wasn't worse - bent prop is the least of what you could have come away with after hitting something like that. FWIW, by the time the depth sounder reads it, it's too late (unless you're just idling along).

Cultus is great, as CarveItUp mentioned, the ramp has been completely rebuilt & the channel dredged out to the main part of the lake. There is one spot on the lake that you have to watch out for in the late summer - there's a rocky shallow spot that a MC tore his hull out on a couple of years ago in really rough water late in the summer when the water was lower. He hit that spot just on the low part of a wave & managed to bottom the hull out on some rocks. Watch out for the east & northeast ends of the lake close to the shoreline, it's very shallow in there & easy to get a prop hit. West Beach is where it's at. Except for that one spot, the entire south side is good, especially over by the resort (that's the deepest part of the lake IIRC). It's a beautiful lake with very clean, clear water. A buddy of ours told us yesterday that the water temps were up to a warm 62 degrees.

Another lake that I'd recommend up there is Crescent, farther down the Cascade Lakes Highway. If anything the water there is even cleaner & colder than Cultus. The ramp is good & there's a campground with access to the lake.

[Headhunter 2317]

These stories are making me very thankful for my DEEP WATER lake.