Northwest Fishing Reports

Well.... sometimes things happen and you kinda don't want to tell da boys online about your mishaps, out of embarassment, but maybe it will help someone else learn from my dumb mistate.
I always feel like I keep my trailer in good shape, and I service my outboard regularly etc. But I had an inncident on Puget Sound tonight that was kinda scary.
I went out about an hour and a half before dark, to drop crab pots for a pick up in the am. Taking a friend's kids out.
I motored about 3 miles from the Shilshole Marina, dropped pots and motored back. I remember the sound of my prop at high speed, was sounding kind of different I kept going full bore. Turns out when I get to within about 200 yards from the Shilshole breakwater, I lose complete control of the stearing. When I look at the motor sitting on the transom. 25 hp Merc. long shaft. One of the bolts going through the transom/motor mount,, has completely fallen out.
Also, the bolt that acts as a tighten down clamp on to clamp to the transom,, this whole side of the motor has jumped;slipped off the transom altogether. Now the 175lb motor is all being supported by the remaining bolt. Even the remaining clamp down had become extremely loose. (when I removed that last bolt at home, it had bent from the pressure)
I always keep my 55lb thrust MInn Kota on the boat, just in case I have an emergency and at least I could get to shore with it. I fired up the Minn Kota, and just barely limped in to the Marina. Even being just a few 100 yards in Puget S. chop, it was a struggle.

So I guess I'm telling folks to remember to check your transom bolts on outboards, and the clamp down, every time you go out. All that vibration can only cause a chance for things to loosen up like this.

Quick answer-nylock nuts.

Glad you made it back OK. Kinda makes you think when something like this happens especially when you have your friends kids on board. Being safe by yourself is one thing but when others are relying on you even though it sounds like you weren't in a real dangerous situation double checking your gear is a good idea.

Amx wrote:Quick answer-nylock nuts.

And check their torque when you do your annual service.

Glad you got back safe, two engines is a must in the sound. Nylock nuts and thread lock are they way to go. On my kicker motor i have two lock nuts below and the top two bolts i just turn so i can run a padlock through the the two thumb handles together if that makes sense not only a theft deterent but stops then turning too. This is what i use for the lock nuts http://www.mcgard.com/marineproducts/outboardmotorlocks" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sickbayer, thanks for that link you sent. i will find a set of those. today its off to find the standard locking nuts.

The Quadfather wrote:Sickbayer, thanks for that link you sent. i will find a set of those. today its off to find the standard locking nuts.

Sickbayer's nut option/suggestion is better than lock nuts for theft protection. In your case.........175lbs motor is not walking away. That and the occasional visit to lakes with a no internal combustion motor restriction, the nylock or lock nut, for easy no special tool ( getting lost or misplaced) needed for removal is the way to go. Do you think there was foul play?

Last time the motor was off, was something (nuts bolts) not put on right away or were lock nuts temporarily not used for some reason? Lock nuts don't come loose.

I think I have checked the lug torque on my old boat, maybe 2 times in 19 years. Those checks were mostly to check for changes in transom thickness. Caused from expansion, contraction through heat and possibly wetness if any wood exists in my boat's transom.

But good tip to check those nuts and bolts, especially if the motor is off and on the boat.

MotoBoat wrote:

The Quadfather wrote:Sickbayer, thanks for that link you sent. i will find a set of those. today its off to find the standard locking nuts.

Sickbayer's nut option/suggestion is better than lock nuts for theft protection. In your case.........175lbs motor is not walking away. That and the occasional visit to lakes with a no internal combustion motor restriction, the nylock or lock nut, for easy no special tool ( getting lost or misplaced) needed for removal is the way to go. Do you think there was foul play?

Last time the motor was off, was something (nuts bolts) not put on right away or were lock nuts temporarily not used for some reason? Lock nuts don't come loose.

I think I have checked the lug torque on my old boat, maybe 2 times in 19 years. Those checks were mostly to check for changes in transom thickness. Caused from expansion, contraction through heat and possibly wetness if any wood exists in my boat's transom.

But good tip to check those nuts and bolts, especially if the motor is off and on the boat.

175# is nothing for OB theives, there was a day when I would carry that across the yard by myself. Regardless of what type of locks you have on your motor they will only keep the honest people honest. When my kicker was stolen the insurance agent had all the stats, any size motor, if they can get the truck with in 20ft your motor is gone in under 3 minutes. Keep your eyes peeled.....

i ALLLWAYS use silicone when i do assembly work .. on ALL nuts 'n bolts unless Locktite is required ... yes nylock castilated all of 'em ... example ..... a guy brought me a glass boat had cracks where he had bolted on some pole holders ... after the repairs i mounted 'em a lil farther aft ( he didnt like 'em where they had been mounted before) ... i started by cutting some spacer blocks out of Trex to match the agle of the hull (things have to be plumb 'n square in my world) .... used the pole holder to mark blocks and drilled holes that were a lil snug for the bolts ... used blocks to mark the hull ... changed bits to the next bigger size and drilled and CHAMFERED the sharp edges off the holes inside and out ... then i cleaned ALL nuts bolts washers blocks surface of pole holder hull with acetone ... 1st step ... use my finger (that's clean because i just clean'd parts) to put a smear of silicone on the side of the block that'll contact the hull just a thin even coat (noooo ooooze please) .... then put a lil in the bolt hole 'n smeared it around with a tooth pick .... then a lil in the holes in the hull and on the washer 'n head of the bolt where it will contact the hull ... slid 'em in the hull and gave the threads the toothpick treatment ... again leave'n a lil extra dab on the inside where the bolt comes threw the hull .... then the spacer and the toothpick treatment again leave'n a lil dab where the pole holder nut washer make contact .... tighten wipe off anything ugly with acetone/rag and let CURE ... so what i end up with is all those "lil dabs" of silicone i left filling the holes around the bolts and coating all surfaces where 1 piece contacts another ..... "GLUED" in place if you will .... and unless you get down and reallllyyy look you dont even know its there .... but i do <SHRUGS> .... and if you ever need to take something apart the silicone dont give ya any trouble ... maybe a lil mess to cleanup/off .... i've built/rig'd dozs of boats and never had anything fall off ... DOG

Dog is right about the thread locker i used it on those out board locknuts and my auto pilot steering cylinder.