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Not such a good day at the lake.


js9467

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So my girlfriend and I along with a couple that we are friends with and their daughter went to the lake today.

We were hanging out in a cove and I decided to fill some ballasts so we can surf when ready. This is where it went bad.

I decided to go first and asked my buddy to pull me. I'm on the board and he's not really keeping it in a straight line. Then it hits me! How much experience does he have!?!

I go down, he turns into the wave to pick me up, they take a BIG one over the bow. Then another, and another. He doesn't know what to do, the daughter is floating INSIDE the boat, I'm in the water and almost got run over...

Long story short, everybody is safe. I realize that this is 100% on me as I should have probably thought to vet the driver before I put him behind the wheel of a boat with 2000+ pounds in it. He felt bad, but I assured him that this was totally my fault.

After assuring the safety of everyone, I begin to worry about the boat. We are talking about a BUNCH of water. It was way over the engine so I'm thinking the worst. I run the bilge hard and use the fat sac pump to get the boat dry... Turn the key, and... Nothing. (My brand new JL 1000/5 is shot also)

Again, I'm thinking the worst. I flagged us down a tow, get the boat on the trailer and head for the house.

I'm thinking the starter is shot at the least. I shorted the terminals and it turns!! I'm thinking... What in the world!?! Then.. I move the throttle and of course it was just out of neutral.

Feeling like even more of a dummy, I crank the boat without issue and run it for 5 minutes or so.

Now the question. The boat seems to run fine, oil looked normal, but there was 0 tranny fluid in it.

Should I take the boat to the dealer for a run thru, or just add ATF??

Thoughts??

Sent from my iPhone

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take it to the shop and get them to go over it , pull the starter motor a part and clean it in side before the water stuffs it, ,

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Bummer to hear. Hope it all works out & ends up as a learning experience.

It'll take a few months or a year, but the starter will die before long.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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Wow! What an ordeal. I know how you feel. We tackled our first big rollers with the boat fully slammed. As the surfer went down, I came to neutral and the boat went to the starboard side, two big boat rollers were coming towards me...I throttled up to get the the nose up. The boat crashed through the wave, then I did a big circle to head back to the surfer to only encounter my own rollers. Once again. I throttled up...Nose Up, Nose Up!

I would never let an inexperienced driver drive. I was being called an inexperienced driver on this forum with about 60 hours of surfing under my belt. Let's just say the criteria is high. Glad everyone is safe. I tend not to slam the boat when my family is on board.i think theirs a time and place for that with the boys, IMO

  • Like 2
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No tranny fuild???

Not sure how that can happen just because of excess water inside the boat. I would expect to see a strawberry color of tranny fluid mixed with water more than anything...

Edited by DIE2SURF
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Ugh, how would the tranny fluid come out? I'd take it in somewhere to get checked out.

Be thankful you don't have my boat. When it's weighted while surfing, you can't pull the throttle back to neutral or the wave will come right over the transom. I have to instruct new drivers to slowly stop and let the stern wave pass the transom (while still in gear) before hitting neutral, or slowly make a left turn and let the roller come hit the side of the boat. Either way it takes practice to not take one over the front or rear or side.

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If it was over the engine the whole boat would be full to the top of the gunnels. No way your boat would start after having water that high. You would of fried all your electronics in the boat.

If your starter got wet take it apart and grease it. If your transmission is empty now it was empty before.

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So my girlfriend and I along with a couple that we are friends with and their daughter went to the lake today. We were hanging out in a cove and I decided to fill some ballasts so we can surf when ready. This is where it went bad. I decided to go first and asked my buddy to pull me. I'm on the board and he's not really keeping it in a straight line. Then it hits me! How much experience does he have!?! I go down, he turns into the wave to pick me up, they take a BIG one over the bow. Then another, and another. He doesn't know what to do, the daughter is floating INSIDE the boat, I'm in the water and almost got run over... Long story short, everybody is safe. I realize that this is 100% on me as I should have probably thought to vet the driver before I put him behind the wheel of a boat with 2000+ pounds in it. He felt bad, but I assured him that this was totally my fault. After assuring the safety of everyone, I begin to worry about the boat. We are talking about a BUNCH of water. It was way over the engine so I'm thinking the worst. I run the bilge hard and use the fat sac pump to get the boat dry... Turn the key, and... Nothing. (My brand new JL 1000/5 is shot also)Again, I'm thinking the worst. I flagged us down a tow, get the boat on the trailer and head for the house. I'm thinking the starter is shot at the least. I shorted the terminals and it turns!! I'm thinking... What in the world!?! Then.. I move the throttle and of course it was just out of neutral. Feeling like even more of a dummy, I crank the boat without issue and run it for 5 minutes or so. Now the question. The boat seems to run fine, oil looked normal, but there was 0 tranny fluid in it. Should I take the boat to the dealer for a run thru, or just add ATF?? Thoughts?? Sent from my iPhone

Ok remember AFUNs ballast thread? Will the people that said, driving a boat isn't rocket science please chime in here? Please feel free to comment I'd like to know your thoughts on this post.

Anyone can drive a ballasted boat my a**.

To the OP. That sucks! I'm really sorry that happened. Lesson learned though. Driving a boat takes a little training and driving a ballasted boat takes even more.

Edited by Ruffdog
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^^^^ With proper instruction and a little time under your belt....most people could drive. It's a little asinine to just throw someone in the helm in a listed sacked boat. We all have our moments....the OP realized this the moment the boat was headed towards him. Sorry OP...s*** happens and you will recover....you will probably become the best instructor out there, lol.

  • Like 2
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+1 Ruff

And for every one person that tells a story like this, there's dozens that have done it and not cared to share their story publicly.

JS: glad everyone is Ok. That's the important thing!

And I'm wondering; were the waves that came over the bow just your own? What was traffic like? Lake or river? Weather conditions? Were you 100% maxed out ballast wise? I'm imagining at least a few of these variables were in your favor and very easily could not have been on a given day. Imagine what could have happened had there been another boat surfing nearby throwing another roller or 2 at ya. Or if there was commercial traffic operating in the area. Or if there was a strong current. Or if... Or if... Or if..

Any thoughts 3sport? :)

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Scary time! Things can go wrong so fast. Glad everyone is ok. This is a grreat reminder at the beginning of the season for everyone to take care adn be aware!.

  • Like 2
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Sorry to hear, glad no one was hurt! Might be a good time to teach your gf. My wife is a pro now and I would much have her behind the wheel than one of my non boating friends.

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That would be me. Still not rocket science. What was the driver's level of experience? Big difference between zero hours and just 10 or in Afun's case 60. And a little experience being beneficial still doesn't make it rocket science. Just because someone does something stupid - whether he should've known better or not - doesn't make it something requiring a 4 year degree. Driving a car isn't rocket science either, but people do stupid things all the time - there are always going to be examples of accidents. Experts have accidents to - doesn't mean whatever they were doing when they had the accident is especially hard. Do you need to be an expert or rocket scientist to turn a wrench? No, But I bet you have examples of people hurting themselves trying to do it. Further, Based on all the stories on here about how crowded your waterways are and how there are so many yahoos on the water, it would seem the "relatively" few major accidents there are suggest you don't have to be all that with it to drive a boat.

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3sport

A+ for punctuality. D on content. :lol: We both know I never said it was rocket science... Just to be taken seriously...... And that its made increasingly difficult by circumstances that may or not be present on a given day. I'll be anxious to hear more details from JS.

And curious to hear Afun already had a close call ... With merely his own wake.

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3sport

A+ for punctuality. D on content. :lol: We both know I never said it was rocket science... Just to be taken seriously...... And that its made increasingly difficult by circumstances that may or not be present on a given day. I'll be anxious to hear more details from JS.

And curious to hear Afun already had a close call ... With merely his own wake.

You call that a close call or are you trying to get this thread rolling.... That's WAKESURFING. You are in it. You are going to deal with your occasional rollers, sea lice, shallow water, stress at the ramp, people following to close, etc...

I was in total control because of my now 85 hours of experience....I was paying attention and my beer was in the cup holder....no spillage!

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Nobody and I mean NOBODY other than my life long friends that I've ridden with for years drive my boat. People say anyone can drive a ballasted boat...no way. Especially super weighted. Driving mine is a science and I still take on a little over the bow every now and then.

post-18128-13993320745266_thumb.jpg

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Nobody and I mean NOBODY other than my life long friends that I've ridden with for years drive my boat. People say anyone can drive a ballasted boat...no way. Especially super weighted. Driving mine is a science and I still take on a little over the bow every now and then.

attachicon.gifImageUploadedByTapatalk1399332074.096492.jpg

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Amen
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Nobody and I mean NOBODY other than my life long friends that I've ridden with for years drive my boat. People say anyone can drive a ballasted boat...no way. Especially super weighted. Driving mine is a science and I still take on a little over the bow every now and then.

attachicon.gifImageUploadedByTapatalk1399332074.096492.jpg

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

^^^^^Holy $h!t..... :rofl: Nice

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3sport

A+ for punctuality. D on content. :lol: We both know I never said it was rocket science... Just to be taken seriously...... And that its made increasingly difficult by circumstances that may or not be present on a given day. I'll be anxious to hear more details from JS.

And curious to hear Afun already had a close call ... With merely his own wake.

I was responding to Ruff, who appeared to be quoting or referring to a post of mine when I said driving a heavily weighted boat is not rocket science. This was when everyone was gravely counselling Afun not to put the lives of all in danger by overweighting his boat given he only had a season of boating experience. Bunch of fretting old ladies on here - in my humble, and I'm sure not experienced enough to be valid, opinion.

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