A rough couple of weeks with the boat

[shawndoggy]

Two weeks ago I flatted in the truck on interstate 80 while towing home from the lake.  This is also when I learned that I didn't have all of the necessary jack parts in my used truck and had to cry uncle and call roadside assistance.

Then two days later, flatted in on the trailer on the way home from the lake.

Then yesterday I didn't even make it to the lake before this happened...

My love of time on the water has been sorely tested recently.  I'm just hoping that all of that superstitious nonsense about bad things coming in 3s is accurate!

[braindamage]

Wow...you’ve got be at the end of this bad luck streak!

[Eagleboy99]

Yikes!  Esp. on the window.  How much is that gonna cost?

[UWSkier]

Well, on the plus side, things supposedly happen in groups of three, so you should be all set for a while.

[IXFE]

I feel for you Shawn!  I’ve likewise had a tough run this season (and last). The emotions a guy feels when let down by his boat are the same, regardless of the circumstances  

A year ago my boat was in and out of the dealer due to a flickering screen, recall, and stereo “crickets.” My season ended early with the boat sitting at the dealer for two weeks to get a wedge sensor fixed. 

This year started with a bang, literally... overheat and impeller pieces everywhere (user error). Then a check engine light due to a bad fuel pressure regulator. We even had two boards fly out of our clamping racks last week!  Luckily nobody was hurt, but my P5 Matrix was damaged, requiring repair  

While I haven’t been stranded on the side of the road (yet), I know plenty on this forum who have been this year. We’ve been towed in once and limped home twice.

It doesn’t matter who’s fault... like your run off luck, this all adds up to time OFF the water waiting for parts, repairs, etc. (many dealers are 5-6 weeks out right now, worse than usual). Even if you DIY, it’s still down time while you wait for that special tool from Amazon and that opening in your work calendar. 

It has all really tested my patience and my love for this hobby. For 10 years our boating experience was relatively problem free. These past 12 months I’ve had to really convince myself that with this hobby, you gotta take what Mother Nature and your boat give you!  When either one of those two decide you’re not boating... you’re NOT boating. Best to just go limp and submit. 

But as @gregtay recently reminded us... when it’s good, it’s soooooo good....

my boat on Friday night... 

Edited August 2, 2020 by IXFE

[ROFF]

Man that really sucks about the windshield.    I recently had the same.   Was it a rock or just shattered from impact stress?   Hard to tell really.  
 

The windshield process is a long one.   I ended up fabricating a temporary one from 1/8” smoked plexiglass from the hardware store to keep me on the water until the permanent fix happens.    It turned out much better than I thought as I am the only one who can tell.   
 

 

[shawndoggy]

Not sure on the windshield, but there wasn't an obvious impact or projectile.  I suspect it was just a weird hull flex?  My dealer says that there's a starboard side windshield in Merced and he's put an order in for it.  Fingers crossed that it'll be here soon.

2 hours ago, IXFE said:

But as @gregtay recently reminded us... when it’s good, it’s soooooo good....

I know... but I've also had the feeling lately that I'm chasing that old feeling and it's just not there.  Crowded lakes (bc covid), mechanicals, and getting interested in riding my bicycle again.  Haha I've been thinking about the sweet bike I could've bought with all of my recent maintenance and repair expenses...

[skurfer]

2 hours ago, IXFE said:

I feel for you Shawn!  I’ve likewise had a tough run this season (and last). The emotions a guy feels when let down by his boat are the same, regardless of the circumstances  

A year ago my boat was in and out of the dealer due to a flickering screen, recall, and stereo “crickets.” My season ended early with the boat sitting at the dealer for two weeks to get a wedge sensor fixed. 

This year started with a bang, literally... overheat and impeller pieces everywhere (user error). Then a check engine light due to a bad fuel pressure regulator. We even had two boards fly out of our clamping racks last week!  Luckily nobody was hurt, but my P5 Matrix was damaged, requiring repair  

While I haven’t been stranded on the side of the road (yet), I know plenty on this forum who have been this year. We’ve been towed in once and limped home twice.

It doesn’t matter who’s fault... like your run off luck, this all adds up to time OFF the water waiting for parts, repairs, etc. (many dealers are 5-6 weeks out right now, worse than usual). Even if you DIY, it’s still down time while you wait for that special tool from Amazon and that opening in your work calendar. 

It has all really tested my patience and my love for this hobby. For 10 years our boating experience was relatively problem free. These past 12 months I’ve had to really convince myself that with this hobby, you gotta take what Mother Nature and your boat give you!  When either one of those two decide you’re not boating... you’re NOT boating. Best to just go limp and submit. 

But as @gregtay recently reminded us... when it’s good, it’s soooooo good....

my boat on Friday night... 

Does that bottle need coolant? How do you like the Matrix?

[IXFE]

1 hour ago, skurfer said:

Does that bottle need coolant? How do you like the Matrix?

Yeah, a few of us have noticed what appears to be low coolant from the factory/dealer prep. Begs the question... is it intentional?  There’s no fill line and I don’t want to overfill. @G Spot sent me a pic of his with a bit more in there so I have at least one other reference. My boat doesn’t seem to have any issues maintaining temp. She idles at 163. But I’m gonna splash some more in there this week  

The Matrix is my very best friend in the whole wide world. 😂😂

[jjackkrash]

Ugg.  I felt sick reading that first post after I got to the windshield.  Fingers crossed on Merced.

[pauley71]

10 minutes ago, IXFE said:

Yeah, a few of us have noticed what appears to be low coolant from the factory/dealer prep. Begs the question... is it intentional?  There’s no fill line and I don’t want to overfill. @G Spot sent me a pic of his with a bit more in there so I have at least one other reference. My boat doesn’t seem to have any issues maintaining temp. She idles at 163. But I’m gonna splash some more in there this week  

The Matrix is my very best friend in the whole wide world. 😂😂

I think it reads low when cold.  I've noticed it but like you ... no temp issues so I keep rolling (or I did when I had a boat  )

[skurfer]

11 minutes ago, IXFE said:

Yeah, a few of us have noticed what appears to be low coolant from the factory/dealer prep. Begs the question... is it intentional?  There’s no fill line and I don’t want to overfill. @G Spot sent me a pic of his with a bit more in there so I have at least one other reference. My boat doesn’t seem to have any issues maintaining temp. She idles at 163. But I’m gonna splash some more in there this week  

The Matrix is my very best friend in the whole wide world. 😂😂

You more skimmer these days? 

Coolant I'm guessing it needs to be lower in the bottle cold and higher when warm. The Indmar's tend to drink coolant for a bit, I'm guessing it's the long run heater lines. BU might have same.

[MalibuNation]

Wow Shawn, better days are ahead!

[IXFE]

1 hour ago, skurfer said:

You more skimmer these days? 

Coolant I'm guessing it needs to be lower in the bottle cold and higher when warm. The Indmar's tend to drink coolant for a bit, I'm guessing it's the long run heater lines. BU might have same.

I have ridden my Soulcraft maybe three times over the past two seasons. The rest is ALL Matrix. I’m actually thinking about selling the Soulcraft. Nobody rides it anymore. The whole family has made the move to the Matrix. I’m about to add a smaller one for my daughter. 

[UWSkier]

6 hours ago, IXFE said:

I feel for you Shawn!  I’ve likewise had a tough run this season (and last). The emotions a guy feels when let down by his boat are the same, regardless of the circumstances  

A year ago my boat was in and out of the dealer due to a flickering screen, recall, and stereo “crickets.” My season ended early with the boat sitting at the dealer for two weeks to get a wedge sensor fixed. 

This year started with a bang, literally... overheat and impeller pieces everywhere (user error). Then a check engine light due to a bad fuel pressure regulator. We even had two boards fly out of our clamping racks last week!  Luckily nobody was hurt, but my P5 Matrix was damaged, requiring repair  

While I haven’t been stranded on the side of the road (yet), I know plenty on this forum who have been this year. We’ve been towed in once and limped home twice.

It doesn’t matter who’s fault... like your run off luck, this all adds up to time OFF the water waiting for parts, repairs, etc. (many dealers are 5-6 weeks out right now, worse than usual). Even if you DIY, it’s still down time while you wait for that special tool from Amazon and that opening in your work calendar. 

It has all really tested my patience and my love for this hobby. For 10 years our boating experience was relatively problem free. These past 12 months I’ve had to really convince myself that with this hobby, you gotta take what Mother Nature and your boat give you!  When either one of those two decide you’re not boating... you’re NOT boating. Best to just go limp and submit. 

But as @gregtay recently reminded us... when it’s good, it’s soooooo good....

my boat on Friday night... 

My boat right now. Yes that's a fuel pressure gauge and a home made USB cable for communicating with the ECM. Not only that, I may have sprung a leak in the port muffler during my exhaust hose and manifold gasket project a few months back. 

Currently expecting Amazon to show up any moment now with 25' of fuel hose. 

[Kojak]

I feel for you man. Last year was my breakdown year. Had several breakdowns with my 06 (power wedge, exhaust valve spring) so I repaired it and sold it before something major happened. I bought my 15 and the drive plate sheared on my second trip to the lake. Also had some issues with the trailer. Needless to say, the previous owner was harder on things than he let on.

Anyway, that's all fixed and things have been going good this season.  Our family has been having a great time. Even my oldest daughter, who had previously pretty much quit going to the lake with us, has joined us several times. Isn't that what it's all about? 

[Fffrank]

All of you guys stories about breakdowns make me want to keep rocking the 2004. So little to go wrong and when it does it's cheap/easy to troubleshoot and fix. 

[IXFE]

2 hours ago, Fffrank said:

All of you guys stories about breakdowns make me want to keep rocking the 2004. So little to go wrong and when it does it's cheap/easy to troubleshoot and fix. 

Don’t make this thread isn’t about new boat vs old boat reliability. It’s about time away from the water for any reason...

your old boat has trailer tires, a windshield, and fuel pump. Same as the new ones. Pretty sure any of the above mentioned items could happen to your boat too. 

[hethj7]

My Dad’s fishing boat trailer hub let loose on the highway and he watched his tire roll past him and into a farm pond down the road. Luckily no one was hurt and he got stopped.   He waited at the pond - the tire floated up and the wind blew it back across the pond to him.  Lol.  
 

However,  it took probably 8 weeks to get parts in so he lost a good bit of his normal fishing season.  
 

As with about any toy, boat or otherwise, stuff happens.  

[Txstoj]

Sorry for your recent run of bad luck @shawndoggy but as I have seen from your posts over the years, it is still worth it.  Saturday, we were taking the boat out and happened upon a guy at the ramp with a sinking jetski beached on the ramp.  He had help on the way way with a trailer but we brightened his bad day with a couple of beers and a bottle of Gatorade while he waited for his trailer.  We have all been there needing help and some point and glad to see everybody made it home safe.

[ahopkins22LSV]

I read this thread yesterday right before a couple hour drive home from up north. Luckily nothing major but did get the pleasure of driving home in the dark during a big thunderstorm with 3-4 lane traffic... I also dinged a prop for the first time in my life last week. Your luck will turn @shawndoggy, we’ve just been taking this year with a grain of salt and enjoying the moments while we can. Never thought I’d be ok with skiing less than ten times come August but I’ve probably enjoyed those ten sets more than on a year when I’ve skied 100’s. 

[Michigan boarder]

This spring my boat sat curbside for 2 months, while I messed with the carb and timing.  2 months.  The weather was lousy, couldn't get my boys to help me, couldn't figure out what was wrong with the boat, ski team was cancelled due to Covid, I starting seriously thinking "What's the point.  This just isn't what it once was".  But now, the boat is used almost daily by our family, the most we've used it since we bought it in 2009.  I'm so glad we have it and we've had some great times.  It's not the same, now it's my wife and I and some friends, then the next trip my son and his friends, then my other son and his friends, then maybe all of us, but we all share the boating passion and talk about our outings together.  I've been nursing a bicep strain for the last 3 weeks so I've been MIA behind the boat, but we're having a blast doing everything else.  Hopefully for you this one of the valleys in the peaks and valleys of boating.

[UWSkier]

I just noticed the Rock Tamers on the truck. Is it too late to send those back? 

[Stevo]

That’s a bumma Shawn, 

if we weren’t in this reduced circle of contacts, I’d invite you and the fam to join this weekend, gonna check out Boca/Stampede 

I lost a vault grease cap on the way to Shasta last month,  thank goodness for the decorative center cap stopping it from flying down the highway. I was able to reinstall it until getting to Redding where I could purchase a replacement and grease from the Bu dealer. 

the windshield thing concerns me as depending on which way the wind blows my windshield gap and alignment change. I’m concerned a good jolt from those quality California freeways could flex and pinch the glass and I’d be in the same boat..

 

[MLBurns]

I have wondered many times when someone is going to make a towable cover with padding for the windshield area.