Not good 1st outing of the year.

[xpjim1]

Went yesterday to finish up the boat and test then new stuff. Got the boat and needed to shorten some ballast hoses, reclamp and tape , install new pedestal and vision air chair and load the boat for a test run today.

1st off, stereo and amps worked perfectly 2 weeks ago. i turned it on to listen to while working and the fuse in the distrobution box kept blowing for the tower speaker amp. I disconnected everthing and then the tower amp would be fine for one song and then you could barely hear the speakers. Again disconnected and reconnected and it was working fine again.

Today had all boat already to go on about an hour shakedown cruise. Went to test the ballast changes, hear the stereo with the boat running, sit in the new chair and my daughter wanted to ride her new yellow loogey.

Got to the ramp and it was very, very windy. did my typical launch and pulled the boat off the trailer with a rope to the dock. Pulled boat to end of doc, parked truck and got back to the boat. Again very windy. Told my daughter to really push the nose out so I could get a good line on the back up. She pushed great , hopped in boat, i put it in reverse and nothing. WOuld not engage, Tried again, nothing. Ok crowded ramp, very windy and no reverse. Wind blowing me towards the rocks. Put boat in gear, forward works great and pointed to the doc, not much room and no reverse to slow down and swing the back of the boat., Had rope hooked up to transom. I did my best bow to dock jump ( 50 year old, 270 pound individual) and caught the dock rail and almost lost it. Pulled transom back to dock and all saved.

I think its a busted cable but no time to look at it. Why can't things ever be easy

[foxfam312]

I think you did a heck of job , sounds like it could of been real ugly, good save.

[xpjim1]

Yea 2 options, make the jump with rope or boat sideways on the ramp. Its pretty funny how I never even really think of when I use reverse on the ramp and docking. you just do it. When you dont have it, it gets your attention in a hurry

[wannabewakeboarder]

Try a shift cable Xp.

We had the same problem Last fall, Took to the dealer, installed, a couple of weeks later, push off the trailer and shifted fine, get to gas dock put in reverse to slow her down, and it goes in forword gear, We plow the dock, So after getting a tow from a nice old Malibu, Taking boat back to dealer. Getting the problem solved we have had no issues since.

[CP3]

Atleast you saved it

I had almost the same thing happen to me at the beginning of last season, except when I put it in reverse the motor shut off. luckily it wasnt windy

[xpjim1]

After the save I went up to get the truck and my daughter and her friend holding thr boat. A guy in an outboard turning around by the dock and hit forward instead of reverse. Almost plowed into my boat. Helpless feeling watching from parking lot.

[TigeDuner]

Sorry to hear about the bad times Jim. Hopefully it will be calm on the next trip and you can finish your shakedown. Let me know what broke-got the same boat.

[KonaKing]

Nice job xp

Fantastic save. Its funny how it always seems to be in those crazy situation that it all goes down.

Besides if it were easy it would be called snowboarding...

Old skiers joke

[da.bell]

Great save XP and sorry that the 1st outting was that bad. However, it that was your only problem on the first outting, you are going to have a great boating season.

[formandfunction]

Could be your last problem all year.

[jwanck11]

My heart started to race as I read your post.

Sorry to hear bout the troubles and nice save!

[xpjim1]

Well heres the semi good news. I am having a family reunion next week. Cousins and their kids are coming out. I have not seen most of these cousins in 10 -15 years soo I need the boat. I do not have time to work on the boat as it is kept 270 miles from my house. While I think it is the cable and I could replace it , and if its not the problem I am screwed. So I called my favorite dealer in Nevada. On Thursday he has to pick up a boat about 50 miles from Havasu. If I got my boat to him, they would fix and bring back to Havasu for me. So I made a 3 hour detour on my way home from Havasu and dropped off the boat at Matt's shop. Kinda good timing as they are making a trip south so things do happen to work out.

[samw]

Sounds like it's going to work out....

[KonaKing]

My dealer would never do that without charging me $115 an hr

[da.bell]

Well heres the semi good news. I am having a family reunion next week. Cousins and their kids are coming out. I have not seen most of these cousins in 10 -15 years soo I need the boat. I do not have time to work on the boat as it is kept 270 miles from my house. While I think it is the cable and I could replace it , and if its not the problem I am screwed. So I called my favorite dealer in Nevada. On Thursday he has to pick up a boat about 50 miles from Havasu. If I got my boat to him, they would fix and bring back to Havasu for me. So I made a 3 hour detour on my way home from Havasu and dropped off the boat at Matt's shop. Kinda good timing as they are making a trip south so things do happen to work out.

You got to love it when things work out.