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Running Engine While Out of Water


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Wife and I were out this past weekend and after a long day on the water the two of us went to load the boat onto the trailer. I'm not going to name names since I know who butters my bread ( :whistle: ) but after the boat was on the trailer, I attached the bow strap, jumped in the truck and pulled the rig out of the water. Got about 50 yards before I realized the engine was still on. :mad:

Long story short, I jumped out of the car and had the engine killed within 30 seconds of being out of the water. It wasn't in gear or anything but am concerned about any possible damage. With the tranny disengaged, would that cause anything bad to happen? Is there anything I should check prior to our next outing? And finally, any suggestions for getting people that help with launching and trailering the boat to remember all the things they need to do? I really don't want this to become a repeating event and heaven forbid the boat goes out while I am not there. That could spell disaster.

Thx,

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Your motor and trans are probably fine no worries. My daughter did it to me this weekend she left it running and in gear, it is a ugly feeling watching that prop spinning when you pull out of the ramp.

What I do just after I put the last turn on the winch I tell who is ever at the wheel to shut off the motor.

Edited by rodman
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If it was running without water for 30 seconds you should be ok. The worst that would happen is you tore up your raw water impeller. Next outing just start it up as usual but watch the temp guage closely at idle. If temp doesn't climb too fast your should be just fine. If you have to travel a long way to the lake, then using a fake-a-lake connected to a hose will give you piece of mind as well.

Two questions me and my crew always ask....prior to launching "are all plugs in", and prior to pulling the boat out "engine & electronics all off". Get in the habit of asking these and your entire crew with follow suit.

Edited by BuFootin
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Thanks. I sure hope nothing happened. If it is the impeller, I have a spare ready to go.

I think you're good given you just pulled out of the water. The engine was spitting out the lakewater for the first few seconds anyways. You didn't happen to check engine temp when you shut it down did you? Worst case scenario is your impeller is shot, you'll know within the first few minutes next time you hit the lake if your engine temp rises much higher than 160 you'll know you need to change it.

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I think you're good given you just pulled out of the water. The engine was spitting out the lakewater for the first few seconds anyways. You didn't happen to check engine temp when you shut it down did you? Worst case scenario is your impeller is shot, you'll know within the first few minutes next time you hit the lake if your engine temp rises much higher than 160 you'll know you need to change it.

I didn't see it. I wasn't in the boat, instead yelled back to have it shut down.

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In the spring or fall I always start my boat to blow everything out in case of a freeze. We've done this for years to multiple boats without any issues. We regularly put 100 - 200 hrs on an impeller without ever failing. I only had one impeller ever go bad on me & it was the impeller that came on the boat when I bought it, so I don't know any of it's history.

I still do the same thing now, but we use the Globe impellers, which have a guarantee to endure up to 15 min. of "run dry" time over the course of their life. Technically your not "running it dry" though as the motor is full of water when you start it (or leave it running as in the OP's case).

So if you know it's history, and it's not been in there long, no big deal. If you don't know it's history, or it's an older impeller, then put a Globe in it & don't worry about it again :rockon: .

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  • 5 years later...

Had that happen this weekend.  We have to launch from a beach at this club we joined so it was our first time doing that  and when we were leaving we were trying the drive on trailer, daughter in bow connects hook at roller and I drive out.  All went well till my daughter was spazzing out and asking mom to make sure she did it right, I had to pull out quickly before tires start to sink in sand, pulled out and when I got out to make sure things were right I noticed motor still running.  Hoping it's only the impeller, couldn't have been more than a minute max and probably less.  The joys of blonde wife....

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