Such a sad story

[Michigan boarder]

My wife and I were sitting on our beach watching a sunset when a very young guy and girl came flying up and just missed our dock and beached right in front of us.  We thought it was someone we knew, coming to say hi to us....nope, just a kid who had no idea what he was doing or where he was going.  Our toddler boys were already in bed or they would have been playing right where that waverunner came.

[Bozboat]

21 minutes ago, Michigan boarder said:

My wife and I were sitting on our beach watching a sunset when a very young guy and girl came flying up and just missed our dock and beached right in front of us.  We thought it was someone we knew, coming to say hi to us....nope, just a kid who had no idea what he was doing or where he was going.  Our toddler boys were already in bed or they would have been playing right where that waverunner came.

Did you rip off your shirt and afun him?

[Michigan boarder]

17 minutes ago, Bozboat said:

Did you rip off your shirt and afun him?

I should have tackled him right off that wave runner.  But my wife and I just sat there, confused both thinking: "why is he beaching here? do we know them? why did he come in so fast?  well that's a weird smile, now he's turning it around? he's going back in the direction that he came fro---OH!  That was an accident?!?"

[UWSkier]

2 minutes ago, Michigan boarder said:

I should have tackled him right off that wave runner.  But my wife and I just sat there, confused both thinking: "why is he beaching here? do we know them? why did he come in so fast?  well that's a weird smile, now he's turning it around? he's going back in the direction that he came fro---OH!  That was an accident?!?"

Should have walked over and yanked the lanyard.  "My waverunner now!  Walk home."

[edwin]

9 hours ago, oldjeep said:

A good fiberglass shop can fix just about anything. 

+1

[Sixball]

I would look for a good glass shop other then dealer.  Dealer sells boats and keeps them running under warranty sometimes.  Glass shops do it for a living.

[justgary]

I think I'd push on the damaged part and compare the stiffness to the other side of the boat.  If it is still fairly strong and doesn't have a hole, I would consider checking the engine alignment and going for a test drive.  If it doesn't have abnormal flexing on that side, I'd ski with it until your season ends.  But that's just me.  Fiberglass is amazingly strong stuff. 

Even if you get it repaired first, definitely check the alignment before you use it again, since the engine may have shifted sideways a bit. 

And don't let the kid's dad intimidate you.  They owe you, and they need to make you whole. 

[bbelt]

Ok so I ride dirt bikes and have limped back to camp on some badly broken machines and then after some wire and duct tape got right back at it.  I was already thinking about doing the same with my boat and didn't want the more saftey minded peoples to hate on me.  In fact I already told the kids when they were super bummed about missing out on the rest of the season that we will just wear our life jackets more often so if it sinks we will be ready.   Some laughed, some looked worried.  

How do you propose I check my engine mount?  What am I measuring against?  Bolts look centered in the holes or what?

Bump on glass guy suggestion in utah.

[justgary]

The engine and driveshaft have to be aligned so that you don't work harden the driveshaft and break it over time.  Search this site for alignment and you will see how to check it, but basically you loosen the flange bolts just behind the transmission, back the coupler apart slightly, and check with a feeler gauge to make sure that the flange faces are parallel.  It is easy to do on a direct drive boat since you can remove the engine hood and floor panel.  It is best to check the alignment while the boat is in the water so that the hull takes its natural shape (not deformed by trailer or lift bunks).

Regards,

- Just Gary

 

[vaporbluebu]

1 hour ago, bbelt said:

Bump on glass guy suggestion in utah.

I had my boat in to Taylor’s in SLC for some warranty work and had them fix a deep scratch on my 2013. They didn’t fix the scratch in house but took it to their guy. Not sure who it was, but they did an excellent job. I would ask Taylor Boats who they use...I was very happy.

Curious what lake did it happened on?

[Sixball]

The one thing I would give thought to if the cracks are bad you may start soaking water into the fiber of the glass. If so it may make repair more significant. If you can find a good glass shop it may not take long to get the work done. It will depend more on the shops backlog or fitting it into a work order. Glass work can go quit quick if one is putting in a steady work time.   I do not recall if our boats are a sprayed fiber or sheet layer or even a combination.  If you can find a shop I would take it to them and get a glass workers opinion on how bad it is. they may tell you to use it till it would fit into a work schedule. But they would now more looking at it then most people.   

[bbelt]

Lake is in SW colorado.  If I told you I might not be the best skier on the lake anymore . . . Also, I dont want my lake looking like deer creek on a saturday.   I practically had the lake to myself and still got tagged so you can imagine how bad I might do on a busy lake!  I actually talked to a dude at Taylors today.  Sending pictures to get a quote.  

Onlyinboards is the site I was looking for.  Hate to say it but the new responses are not very comfy looking.  Seems like there are plenty of 2015 and older boats with low hours and handy ski locker.  Fix or sell or fix and sell . . .

[67King]

On 7/5/2018 at 11:44 PM, bbelt said:

I know this is like asking which oil to put in my boat but the younger kids are getting bigger and the oldest will be returning within a few seasons with spouses and babies.  The more room question has been bouncing around my head even before this happened.  I love the wake on this boat and dont surf or  board at all.  Are there modern crossover versions of the malibu with diamond hull or has that all morphed into something different?

So sorry to read that.  Part of me wishes I had a video to show my kids why I hate jet skis (they've observed enough, though).  We already don't go out on holidays or the weekend afternoons because of jackassary from tubers and jet skiers.  At any rate, more room or a good ski wake.  If you are starting to talk grand kids, then you are looking at a V-drive.  I would consider looking for an older direct drive for the next few seasons or however long, and then suck it up and go with a V-Drive.  Maybe go test drive a VTX, and see.  I've been trying to talk my wife into letting me buy an old Pro Star or something to do ski runs, but I'm not getting any sympathy.

[sic0048]

This one sounds like it will be hard to prove who is at fault.  If I read the OP discription correctly, the jet ski was "in front and to the right" which clearly puts him in the right of way (between 12 and 4) and it would have been the OPs responsibility to avoid the jetski.  Now I realize the jetski was driving erratically, but that will be harder to prove vs the physical evidence of the crash damage.

Edited July 7, 2018 by sic0048

[williemon]

In my neck of the woods, PWC are supposed to yield right of way in all circumstances. Thats because they are smaller and more manuverable.  It may be different in other areas. A good glass shop may be able to tell you if you can still use the craft until the season is over. A quick way to see if alignment may be out would be to grap the prop and spin it by hand. When i first got my used 01, i would have to grab tight with one hand and tug to get it to move. I discovered it was bad out of alignment. Once i aligned properly, i can hold a blade ear between my finger tips and pull and he prop will spin pretty easy. Thats only a quick check though and does not mean perfect alignment. 

[isellacuras]

Heard about this story today on my local riding crew Facebook page.  Don't know any details but I'm sure they are forthcoming. 

[bbelt]

It can always be worse.  I have been  working on making my boat water worthy again and you would be surprised how flimsy the side of the boat is right at and below the rub strip.  It would not take much to park the front end of a jet ski into your femur.  I just finished a 2 year rehab from my broken leg so lots of empathy for that poor guy.

Regarding the drive shaft and truing process.  I gave my prop a spin.  It takes some effort with one or two fingers and feels about the same as it ever did.  But it screeches something awful.  That has also been the case previously.  If for example I run the boat and engage the prop in the driveway it screeches so loud that I quit doing it in my pre-season check.  Wondering if that is normal?  The sound/friction is coming from the brass piece just above the prop.  I assume the water lubricates it some because I never hear it on the water, or of course the sound doesn't make it through the water.

Still planning on checking with shim gauge when I finish screwing the side back together.

[bbelt]

The repairs by the way were on the advise of Ralph the glass guy in SLC.  And basically he said it can be restored to useable with moderate costs and that to put it back the way it was would cost more than the value of a 30k boat.  Apparently they really can fix just about anything but it quickly exceeds the value of entire boat on older models.

[ORMailbuboater]

5 hours ago, bbelt said:

It takes some effort with one or two fingers and feels about the same as it ever did.  But it screeches something awful.  That has also been the case previously.  If for example I run the boat and engage the prop in the driveway it screeches so loud that I quit doing it in my pre-season check.  Wondering if that is normal?  The sound/friction is coming from the brass piece just above the prop.  I assume the water lubricates it some because I never hear it on the water, or of course the sound doesn't make it through the water.

Still planning on checking with shim gauge when I finish screwing the side back together.

I was always told NEVER to put the boat in gear when out of water.  Ok to run the engine as long as you have water running through the cooling system.   The drive shaft should not be engaged.  The strut bearing is lubricated by water.  That screeching sound is metal on metal.  Not a good thing.   A bit of friction when turning prop by hand out of water is normal.  

Edited July 18, 2018 by ORMailbuboater