Not such a good day at the lake.

[formulaben]

No, as long as you didn't put it in gear...I thought you may have done it at the marina off the water with no fake-a-lake!

[js9467]

No, as long as you didn't put it in gear...I thought you may have done it at the marina off the water with no fake-a-lake!

No.. While the situation I put my riders in was very dumb, I do have a moderate level of experience and common sense. Hard to believe after reading my post, I know. It was a definite eye opener for myself and the crew. These folks go with us often. If any good came out of the situation, it opened everybody's eyes up in regards to what could happen.

[saidainc]

Yes.

Might want to check your impeller in addition.

[Afun]

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.ImageUploadedByTapatalk1399332074.096492.jpgSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I clearly have the Ninja setup....but you my friend....you my friend have the Samurai Ronin who Assassinated Ninja Setup.....I feel much better now

[MEYJR]

No.. While the situation I put my riders in was very dumb, I do have a moderate level of experience and common sense. Hard to believe after reading my post, I know. It was a definite eye opener for myself and the crew. These folks go with us often. If any good came out of the situation, it opened everybody's eyes up in regards to what could happen.

You made me think about something I hadn't before. I have never been behind the wheel of a weighted boat and just picked up our new LSV Saturday. Luckily every Thursday evening our dealer lets you come out and go out in one of their boats or yours and teaches you anything you need to learn. Looks like I will be going to boat driving school. Thanks for sharing. I work in a dangerous industry and for as long as I can remember it has been tough getting people to share their near misses for fear of looking foolish. But all it does is help the next guy not make the same mistake.

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Edited May 6, 2014 by MEYJR

[tn_rider]

I clearly have the Ninja setup....but you my friend....you my friend have the Samurai Ronin who Assassinated Ninja Setup.....I feel much better now

ROFL!! It's a wake you really have to see in person.

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[Afun]

ROFL!! It's a wake you really have to see in person.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would love to see it...let me know if you want to try the Ninja one day

[aggie08]

What's the issue with starting the boat out of water? Burning the impeller? I've started it a couple times sans fake-a-lake for 20 seconds or so after I've done some kind of maintenance just to make sure I didn't mess anything up. Certainly no where near long enough to overheat. Still a no no?

Edited May 6, 2014 by aggie08

[Chattwake]

Water lubricates the impeller. Running your car with zero oil for 20 seconds is bad. Will it make the motor or impeller explode instantly? Probably not, but it's really bad either way.

[Steve B.]

You can start the engine away from the lake, as long as it has sufficient water entering the raw water pickup. Most recommend idle only. Spinning the raw water impellar without water will destroy it relatively quickly. Fake a lake is fine.

To the original poster just glad everyone is okay. Hopefully no major boat damage.

Steve B.

[aggie08]

But just the impeller is at risk? I'm definitely going to stop doing it; just wondering if there's anything else I should check.

[-BS-]

Afun- wasnt try to get the thread rollin OR fire ya up. Just restating what you had already said; your OWN rollers caught you off guard and put you in a situation where you had to make a quick decision. In the moment, you had enough hours under your belt to make the right one. Awesome. However, it should be noted, you did NOT have enough hours under your belt to keep yourself free and clear of your own wave in the first place. You put yourself in a bad spot. No biggie. you dealt with it. Now..... before you take offense to that, understand; I'm not saying I or anyone else here is the worlds best driver...... But I think in a few seasons, you'll laugh at the notion that one day you had to take evasive action because of your own wave. That simply wont happen with more time under your belt. I know personally, I have to take that type of action maybe 5 times a summer..... And it's ALWAYS because of the completely unpredictable/dumb actions of other boats OR very large commercial traffic...... And always when we are maxed out ballast/passenger wise..... And usually on a crowded river.

And JS: I think it's beyond cool that you posted your experience here. Too many would be too proud to do that. But realize it really does help the next guy! It should also remind us all (for those of us that take it seriously anyway) to stay on-point when we're ballasted up.

[justgary]

aggie08 -

You can also seriously weaken your exhaust hoses without raw water. You'll know they have finally burned through when you are away from the dock and the boat starts filling with enormous quantities of water. Keep a roll of duct tape in the boat for emergencies.

Edited May 6, 2014 by justgary

[ebelizard]

Glad to hear everyone is ok, it could have been much worse. I learned my lesson last season when my over-confident buddy driving my boat almost collided with another after I went down in the water.

I now only let people who own tow boats drive mine, and they have to be a close friend.

...and my boat is a piece of $hit.

[Lance B. Johnson]

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.Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Because obviously in your opinion it never happens because all people are able to drive from birth as some sort of instinct. Driver training not needed anyone can do it. Then someone post the contrary and you too proud to see what were talking about and call us old ladies. Ok. Can't argue with dumb pride.

[h2ojunkie]

Had similar situation with water over the bow but due to cruise control would not allow my son to rev up over oncoming waves. Boat full of water like yours but we never shut engine off, let it run for 5hrs to keep it hot to dry out some with all storage lids ect..open. Try and run a dehumidifier or two in your boat for days if not weeks and it will dry out. My starter went out the next season even tho we removed it and cleaned and sprayed it. It will fail sooner or later so budget for it or just get one cause your gonna need it.

Like was mentioned, lesson learned, expensive and valuable one at that but now ya know to train friends, wife ect on how to drive a ballasted boat as well as non ballasted. Glad everyone is okay. At least it didn't sink.

[js9467]

Had similar situation with water over the bow but due to cruise control would not allow my son to rev up over oncoming waves. Boat full of water like yours but we never shut engine off, let it run for 5hrs to keep it hot to dry out some with all storage lids ect..open. Try and run a dehumidifier or two in your boat for days if not weeks and it will dry out. My starter went out the next season even tho we removed it and cleaned and sprayed it. It will fail sooner or later so budget for it or just get one cause your gonna need it.

Like was mentioned, lesson learned, expensive and valuable one at that but now ya know to train friends, wife ect on how to drive a ballasted boat as well as non ballasted. Glad everyone is okay. At least it didn't sink.

Good advice, thanks. It was a tough decision to shut it down with all that water. Still wondering if I made the right one by doing so. We got it home and ran the shop vac, removed everything, and let it air out yesterday and today. Seemed dry today and my amp even worked.

I may get by with just a lesson learned and a delayed starter issue.

Going to have the dealership do a complete run thru and look at the tranny. Figure I may as well have fluids changed while it's there. Just in time for the season. I feel lucky and relieved.

[-BS-]

3sport: I just have one question...... If driving a ballasted boat is so darn easy (basically common sense, right?)......... Then who are all the power turning, trailer smashing, tailgating, chili-dipping Wally's we all rave about? Who are those people you suppose?

[TallRedRider]

Good reminder to remember to give my wife a good lesson on our first outing. I can reassure you that I dream of driving my boat several days a week all winter long, and she hasn't given it a thought since last October. I am not too proud to admit that I have goofed up while driving, fortunately I don't think I ever had quite that much water in the boat.

I would shut down the engine if I took a huge amount of water in the boat. If water goes in the air intake, you might as well write a check for a new engine on the spot. Even if it wasn't anywhere near the intake, it could easily splash up that high. It sounds like this boat had enough water in it that it could have happened.

I think the guys who borrowed the wakeboard towing you back is exactly what I mean when I talk about Karma!

[Fman]

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.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1399332074.096492.jpg

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Is that seriously your boat? Wow, if it is, that is slammed to the rub rail. Do you really think that is safe to be on the water like that?

[tn_rider]

Is that seriously your boat? Wow, if it is, that is slammed to the rub rail. Do you really think that is safe to be on the water like that?

Yes, that's my boat. My crew has driven boats slammed like that since I was 12. So about 10 years without a close call at all (knock on wood). So IMO yes, in our case with experience I say yes. You may think otherwise. Would we ride that slammed on a packed day with rollers everywhere? No way. We are conscious of our own wake as well. One more pic for fun

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[Fman]

Glad you have it dialed in, I don't know if I could feel good about having my boat slammed to the rubrail with 10 people in it. The wakeboard wake must be rediculous! I'm surprised you can plane out and ride. What engine and prop do you run? Total weight?

Edited May 6, 2014 by Fman

[3sport]

3sport: I just have one question...... If driving a ballasted boat is so darn easy (basically common sense, right?)......... Then who are all the power turning, trailer smashing, tailgating, chili-dipping Wally's we all rave about? Who are those people you suppose?

I don't know, maybe the same people that go 10 mph below the speed limit in the fast or passing lane or the person that jams on his breaks causing a pile up to avoid hitting a squirrel or maybe the person that locks up his brakes and rear ends the person stopping for the squirrel rather than steering around him, or how about the person that texts and drives (something that I freely admit I have done and no doubt will do again, but do not defend - it's stupid)? What is it they say about "common" sense anyway? My point is just because something isn't overly difficult or doesn't or shouldn't take a lot of "sense" doesn't mean accidents won't still happen or people won't on occasion fail to use their common sense. One, two or even a dozen examples of people taking water over the bow are not necessarily indicative of something taking great skill. And for the record, I'm not saying boat driving is necessarily common sense - it's probably not intuitive for most that if you let off the throttle, you lose all steering - that's not what happens when you drive a car, but a few simple tips like waiting for the wake to pass before turning back to pick up your rider or punching the throttle to get your nose up can go a long wait to helping someone avoid getting swamped - and to be able to do those things is not rocket science.

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[3sport]

Because obviously in your opinion it never happens because all people are able to drive from birth as some sort of instinct. Driver training not needed anyone can do it. Then someone post the contrary and you too proud to see what were talking about and call us old ladies. Ok. Can't argue with dumb pride.

No, I think some people are inherently bad drivers - doesn't make something rocket science. And I have no pride - my hygiene is too poor for that. But I will admit when threads go for pages and pages about where to keep your fire extinguisher or the foolishness of people that surf at 10 mph without a life jacket, yeah, I tend to get the impression there's a bunch of nervous nellies on here. And I'm sure many people would probably think I'm reckless - after all, I sometimes ski without a life jacket under my dry suit.

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[tn_rider]

Glad you have it dialed in, I don't know if I could feel good about having my boat slammed to the rubrail with 10 people in it. The wakeboard wake must be rediculous! I'm surprised you can plane out and ride. What engine and prop do you run? Total weight?

Most won't believe me lol I have the monsoon with the 2315 prop. It's the little engine that could lol. In that pic if each person averages 150 pounds plus ballast I'd say around 5000 pounds with no wedge. There is a 400 pound guy in the middle. I like to ride with the wedge because I think it adds more meat to the wake. Which would make the wake bigger in size? More weight in the back or front?

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