Rough day out

1880 Views 17 Replies 11 Participants Last post by A Salt Weapon, Jul 25, 2007

tokavi

Discussion Starter · Jul 23, 2007

Fished out of Sabine yesterday. You know those days where everything goes wrong. This was one. Planned on running out to a wreck about 65 mile off. The north wind had some chop kicking up around 35 miles out so we detoured over to a rig to catch bait and let it lay down a little. When I pulled the throttles back I felt a thump and the port engine starts redlining. Shut it down and checked it out. Somehow managed to break off the propeller shaft. Prop went to the bottom. While we were tied off to the rig we did manage to catch a limit of snaps and a big smack 7-8 lbs. Started the slow ride in at 9 am. We were about 15 miles from the jetty and heard another boat calling the coast guard. They were dead in the water about 2 miles behind us. We responded and rigged a tow line. Now we have a 31' Fountain towing a 21' Contendor a a blistering 5 knots. Then the remaining engine keeps dieing due to fuel starvation. Had to keep pumping the bulb in the fuel line to keep it from dieing. Made it back to the dock at about 7 pm. Oh Well, Like Forrest Gump said,"S*** Happens". I did get a guy to look at the engine today and he said it seems ok, should have her back on the water at the end of the week. By the way the Contender guys were nice enough to offer to pay for our fuel and offered to buy a cold one.

Reactions: 3

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Haute Pursuit

· #2 · Jul 23, 2007

Ouch... I hate days like that. We had a similar one last year that turned into a 45 mile 8 knot booze cruise for everyone but me when we lost one of our motors. Can you get your Fountain to plane on one motor? Our Pursuit is too heavy for one 200 to get it up.

FormerHR

· #3 · Jul 23, 2007

Good job on the tow in. Wonder how many guys would of ignored the call being one engine down?

tokavi

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jul 23, 2007

Haute Pursuit said:
Ouch... I hate days like that. We had a similar one last year that turned into a 45 mile 8 knot booze cruise for everyone but me when we lost one of our motors. Can you get your Fountain to plane on one motor? Our Pursuit is too heavy for one 200 to get it up.

Not a chance. I have tried spinning in circles, ect. boat is just to heavy.

tokavi

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jul 23, 2007

FormerHR said:
Good job on the tow in. Wonder how many guys would of ignored the call being one engine down?

I don't know how many with motor problems would ignore the call. I do know the Sabine Pilots without motor problems will drive right past a disabled 21' Contender on Sundays in July!

Reactions: 1

wiserwithage

· #6 · Jul 24, 2007

back problems?

Great job on the tow. What a man of character. I just have to wonder how much praying the guy with back problems did before the trip. He must have prayed hard for a gentle ride

. Next time advise him not to pray so much.

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tngbmt

· #7 · Jul 24, 2007

lol, so it wasnt just us.
we left umphrey at about 6AM headed out & saw lightning ahead. detour to a rig and caught a bunch of red drums (all released). a huge ling swam by and we all toss out squid and sardine at it .. the newbie with my avet spooled with 65# JB managed a spider nest. as he was trying to remove it, the ling hit his line. a minute later it was wrapped around the rig's nearest leg. by the time the reel was back in action, the only thing we could do was cut the line. we start heading out, 5 minutes of bouncing, the alarm sounded and the engine loss power. shut down and restart .. no alarm. ran for a minute and the alarm sounded again. we headed to the closest rig, tied off. the crew begin to fish while we trouble shoot the yammy. open the cowling and found low oil reserve tank. couldnt get it to pump manually .. so we guess it was the oil pump. filled the tank, turn around and saw all smiles .. they've already caught half the boat limit of snapper. we ran 15 miles to the next rig without any problem .. tied up and freeline sardine for kings .. we open the engine and found low oil. refilled it. we put a 40" ling in the box and a king that didnt fit a 120qt cooler, we cut him with some skin still attached. broke our cheap gaft. then i pull the hook on a screamer.. newbie mistake, i tighten the drag on the avet too much before the fish finished his initial run. at noon, we begin to rig hop back in while refilling the oil tank at each stop and picking up the remainder of the snapper limit, two more lings and my epic fight with a stingray using my trout rod.. we made it within sight of the jetty and had to refill oil one last time. the water was flat calm by then. everyone enjoyed the trip .. the owner of the boat just called $400 bucks for quick repair but we're ready to hit it again in the morning.

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tokavi

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jul 24, 2007

Just wanted to let everyone know there were a bunch of kingfish and big smacks on the outside of the Sabine Bank. I saw several kings free jumping and we were marking fish and bait all over the place. I put out a couple of rigs running a jet head and 2 oz. squid head. We picked up several school size kings and a couple of smacks. Also had a big fish hit the jet head and spool a 30 wide before we could get turned around on him.

Charles Helm

· #9 · Jul 24, 2007

Nicely done with the one-motor tow!

coyote

· #10 · Jul 24, 2007

Great job on the tow. Had to be hard on one eng. and every one. I have been tow and have tow a few boat befor.

CFARMS

· #11 · Jul 24, 2007

Kudos to you for the tow . Most wouldn't have, especially with engine trouble of your own. I've been on both sides too, got tow insurance this year - cheapest peace of mind I've ever bought - $150 / year with trailer towing, etc. GC.

A Salt Weapon

· #12 · Jul 24, 2007

Hey Tokavi, are you planning on running this weekend if your boat is repaired?

BTW, Be ready for sticker shock on the prop shaft. I just had mine replaced for about a Grand...and that doesn't include a new prop. better call the insurance co.

BTW a greenie to ya.

hillbilly deluxe

· #13 · Jul 24, 2007

i did the same thing out of port a. my motor was running like shi!!!! when i got in the jetties and see a bay boat with guys jumping up and down waving. so i turned around and head back to them. there motor wouldn't start and they didn't have any rope with them. so i tie on to them with my rope and told them i would try to get them back as my motor was running like **** to. as I'm towing them in. they get there motor started and untie and live me in the channel bad motor and all. they didn't even wave as they left us. sorry bast****

Hotrod

· #14 · Jul 24, 2007

Good job.

Hotrod

· #15 · Jul 24, 2007

hillbilly deluxe said:
i did the same thing out of port a. my motor was running like shi!!!! when i got in the jetties and see a bay boat with guys jumping up and down waving. so i turned around and head back to them. there motor wouldn't start and they didn't have any rope with them. so i tie on to them with my rope and told them i would try to get them back as my motor was running like **** to. as I'm towing them in. they get there motor started and untie and live me in the channel bad motor and all. they didn't even wave as they left us. sorry bast****

That's pretty Chicken **** of them!

tokavi

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jul 24, 2007

hillbilly deluxe said:
i did the same thing out of port a. my motor was running like shi!!!! when i got in the jetties and see a bay boat with guys jumping up and down waving. so i turned around and head back to them. there motor wouldn't start and they didn't have any rope with them. so i tie on to them with my rope and told them i would try to get them back as my motor was running like **** to. as I'm towing them in. they get there motor started and untie and live me in the channel bad motor and all. they didn't even wave as they left us. sorry bast****

Serious bad manners there! Sometimes I wonder what goes on in a persons head when the chips are down. I am a firm beleiver in the old saying, " What comes around goes around" Folks with bad manners will get theirs and folks that help others will get a hand when they need it.

tokavi

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jul 24, 2007

A Salt Weapon said:
Hey Tokavi, are you planning on running this weekend if your boat is repaired?

BTW, Be ready for sticker shock on the prop shaft. I just had mine replaced for about a Grand...and that doesn't include a new prop. better call the insurance co.

BTW a greenie to ya.

A Salt, I am hoping to be back up and running. I will fish this weekend if I am. I had a guy check out the engine yesterday. He said he thought the parts would be around $800and he is ordering them today. I am keeping my fingers crossed on that one! If your going to fish this weekend and I am able to, let's get together and buddy up. Who knows, I might need a tow in! LOL

A Salt Weapon

· #18 · Jul 25, 2007

Hey Tokavi...check you PM's

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