Steve Moore
Well-Known Member
Propas
what happens when boats hit rocks??
- Thread starter hidesert cowboy
- Start date
- Status
I always try to stay center channel and the river channel while traveling. Also helps when in a new cove to see if other wakes are breaking where you don't think they should. There is always something underneath. Must have polarized glasses. (perhaps most important)
Did have a pretty good rock strike in the late 90's. Sea Ray 21 ft. hit a rock between two steep canyon walls while wake boarding. I would have never dreamed that there was something there. West side of Wahweap Bay when the water was much higher. Took about 6inchs of gel coat off the bottom and kicked the out drive up. Scared me to death. Had to cycle the outdrive 10-15 times to get the air out of the hydraulics. That used to be a great place to wakeboard. East of Lone Rock.
Did have a pretty good rock strike in the late 90's. Sea Ray 21 ft. hit a rock between two steep canyon walls while wake boarding. I would have never dreamed that there was something there. West side of Wahweap Bay when the water was much higher. Took about 6inchs of gel coat off the bottom and kicked the out drive up. Scared me to death. Had to cycle the outdrive 10-15 times to get the air out of the hydraulics. That used to be a great place to wakeboard. East of Lone Rock.
Bill Sampson
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
In 2002, the second year I had my houseboat timeshare, we were headed back to Wahweap. I was having a friend drive (the same one who hit the rocks at Lake Mead mentioned above, stupid me) the houseboat from the top level on the main channel. I was assisting on emptying out the storage area below the helm area. He came down the stairs and said wordds you never want to hear "you better come up here, I think we are going to hit something." When I looked out I saw that he had decided not to follow then main channel buoys and take a shortcut, even though you could see brush coming out of the water. We were towing 1 ski boat abd 2 jet skis, so I could not just reverse the engines. I cut the engines and raised the outdrives, but we still hit the rock ledge. Luckily the boat floated over, but we damaged the 1 lower outdrive and destroyed a prop. To this day he insists that he was not responsible for the collision since I had taken over the driving. Needless to say, he has not driven the boat again. The lesson here is to stick to the main channel buoys.
Twice (once last year and just some days ago by buoy 44, a stickup barely above water with no marker yet in the rising water) I have been cruising along maybe 30mph and "suddenly" I pass some rocks not far off my path. If I had been heading straight for it, it would have been 50/50 if I had time to evade. That's the stuff that sticks in your stomach a minute 
Ryan
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
Unfortunately, you’re not always safe even in the main channel.
My folks hit many years ago with a houseboat.
Last September I did a boys trip with a rental house boat and my Malibu.
A newbie was driving down the main channel with the Malibu in tow. We were near Annie’s. I was on the top deck and noticed he wasn’t following my advice of staying in the middle. Just ahead all of a sudden i saw green water.
I ran downstairs, cut the engines. We floated over the whale as did my Malibu. Couldn’t have had more than 6” of clearance.
That was the last time I let him drive the boat as well.
cookster22
Member
I love this product and, since hitting a rock and doing about $9k in damage, I've used it every time I go on the lake. Awesome!
My take away from this conversation is you need to set expectations with the person allowed at the helm. Clearly state taking the helm makes them responsible for any and all damages- they are the captain.
That said it is sad and frustrating that you must specify a level of obligation to someone else. It should be self evident!!! I would assume if someone let me drive their car, motorcycle, boat. Jet ski, ATV.....that by taking the wheel I was indicating both my belief I had the necessary skills to operate it and that I was fully and solely responsible. UGH!
That said it is sad and frustrating that you must specify a level of obligation to someone else. It should be self evident!!! I would assume if someone let me drive their car, motorcycle, boat. Jet ski, ATV.....that by taking the wheel I was indicating both my belief I had the necessary skills to operate it and that I was fully and solely responsible. UGH!
birdsnest
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
Hope your trip up the sj was good. The guys voted for Last Chance. Maybe get to meet on another adventure. Funny how someone else driving never quite does what you asked them to do. My center of the channel obviously is not their center of the channel as we are 40' from edge and the old "Hey, would you mind getting back in the middle of the channel." And never quite trust them again.
We didn’t make the SJ. We are still fighting a small leak in the port engine and had to pull the boat again. We did get to have a lovely dinner with Wayne and his darling bride. Headed back next Friday to try to bring the HB back to Halls. We will have too keep looking for opportunities to meet up
Last edited by a moderator:
- Status