The Boat Fanatic Thread

[utee94 16,066]

"Murder Hornet" now that's funny.

Congrats on the new boat.

[Cajun 11,771]

Well, that paint scheme just looks a bit angry.

*(don't get me wrong because I love the boat)

[Bob Lives! 952]

That was my comment. Clearly I’m now entitled to some ownership interest in the Murder Hornet.


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[Cajun 11,771]

Ok, so I mentioned nauseating story from my day out on Canyon Lake last Sunday.  So, I get to the lake early to get the boat in the water and set everything up for my daughter's birthday.  I pull down to Ramp #6 at about 7am and I'm surprised to see someone else launching their wakeboard rig at that particular ramp that early in the morning.  No biggie, I'll wait.  As I pull down the drive I can see a well fed female in the boat and some dude with lots of hair product backing it down the ramp in an F150.  The boat is nice - a completely tricked out AXIS that I'm pretty sure was brand new (I later saw a paper dealer plate on the trailer).

Anyway, they pull off the launch without a hitch.  She backs the boat out into the cove and hovers while Rascal Flats hair parks the truck/trailer.  When he gets back down she pulls into the little side cove just to the left of the ramp (pictured below) if you're facing the water.

Well, he gets on and then they switch places.  She gives up the wheel and he takes over the boat.  At this point I've got my rig still on the trailer, but in the water just making sure everything is in it's spot for when I launch.  I'm sitting at the steering wheel and had just hit the blower switch when I hear a muffled griding sound.  As I look up I see this dude has idled into the ramp just a few inches below the water right in front of that tree changing colors.  What happens next was beyond my comprehension.  Large Marge stands up from her seat and charges him like a silverbacked gorilla screaming at the top of her lungs (I think this was her boat and dude was the bf).  Upon seeing this while simultaneously hearing and feeling that brand new six figure boat grinding on the concrete, Fast Cars and Freedom panics and hits the throttle forward hard.  The boat lunges my directionabout 15 yards away, but thankfully (for me) the ramp and physics took over and as he hit it harder and the boat was vectored out into the deeper water of the cove.  Looked like Evil Knevil hitting a jump at the wrong angle.  I'll never forget the expressions on their faces.  It was all slow motion, like when you see a car wreck right in front of you.

They spent 20 minutes out there arguing without realizing that the boat was sinking.  I had to tell them.  I offered to tow them in, but she was having none of it as, apparently, it still had power.

All I can tell you is that absolutely made me want to puke.  The sound of that bottom hitting the concrete with that prop turning hard.  

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUK!

Edited October 21, 2020 by Cajun

[Bob Lives! 952]

i feel like you're leaving out the end of the story.  did they sink? did they get it back on the trailer? i have to imagine that process was a shit show too.  and where are the pics?  not of Marge. of the fucked up hull.  

[Cajun 11,771]

Ah, yes, I left you hangin'

Well, I had to get over to the marina to pick up a friend and his boy who wanted to do a spin aroung the lake before heading to Ingram for an arrowhead hunt, so I've got nuthin' except to say that as I was idling out of that cove I turned back and they were SLOOOOOOOWLY making their way back to the ramp, presumably to get it back on the trailer and pull it.  I couldn't stick around to see, but I can guarantee you, judging by the sound of that hull hitting the concrete ramp they had two or three significant holes in it, as it seem to bang off the ramp several times before shooting out into the cove.  I also heard the prop hit and would be surprised if there wasn't some significant damage to the prop, rod, and steering.  Zero chance that thing had less than $15000 worth of damage to it and better than average chance it was a LOT more than that.

It looked very much like that AXIS BL was gonna buy, but brand F'n new with all sorts of goodies on it.

Edited October 21, 2020 by Cajun
Oh, and I think if Marge had seen me coming back to rubberneck and/or snap pics she would of made me a personal project of hers and I didn't wanna join Rascal Flats in that category.

[Bob Lives! 952]

This is why I don't understand how cheap boat insurance is.  So many things you can fuck up.  I already paid to remove a small scratch in my gel coat and had a small bend repaired by Nettle Props (at no charge, very nice of them). I narrowly missed crushing my bimini top on a beam in my marina's roof and I narrowly missed bending the nose of my bow on the boat docked in front of me in the marina.  That's all in just ~ten hours of operation.   

[Cajun 11,771]

One thing I've always done at ramps I don't know well is to wade down to the end to see how far I can back in and then to check the edges to see if they are arced like this one.  I usually feel silly doing this, and get some looks now and again, but after witnessing that shitshow in Sunday, I'll be Safety Fuckin' Sally from here on out.

[Cajun 11,771]

3 minutes ago, Bob Lives! said:

This is why I don't understand how cheap boat insurance is.  So many things you can fuck up.  I already paid to remove a small scratch in my gel coat and had a small bend repaired by Nettle Props (at no charge, very nice of them). I narrowly missed crushing my bimini top on a beam in my marina's roof and I narrowly missed bending the nose of my bow on the boat docked in front of me in the marina.  That's all in just ~ten hours of operation.   

Yep.  It's a contact sport, that's for sure.

I've got to find a new place here in SA, but Nettle was where I took my props in ATX.  I told my cousin at Boat Town one day, that I was tired of Lake Austin and Travis and wanted to try LBJ and he casually mentioned, "Don't fuck up your prop".

I wasn't paying enough attention and he didn't elaborate,  but that shallow ass lake sure did.

Advantage Nettle.

[Bob Lives! 952]

I dragged my old pontoon's prop in LBJ a bit.  Nothing serious, but in my current whip, it would call for repair.   There are spots that would surprise you, like just west of the new 2900 bridge on the north half of the lake.  Others are  more obvious, like anywhere close to party island.  My favorite place in that lake is where the Llano runs into the lake.  There 's a place there that we dubbed  Bluebonnet Island which was just a sand bar covered in wildflowers.  Great place to get out and swim b/c the water is clear and it's right at the point where the flow of the river comes to an end.   But it's way too shallow there for me to consider getting close to in the surf boat.   We'd have to park a ways back and stop.  

[troph 25,089]

That’s a crazy ass story.

[Bob Lives! 952]

it's a common ass story.  I see it posted multiple times a day on the Qualified Captain IG page.  I try not to laugh too much b/c karma is a bitch. 

[Cajun 11,771]

@troph I've seen a lot of wild shit at the ramps, but that one was the wildest.

And right in my face.

That boat deserved better.

[utee94 16,066]

Seen a lot of wild stuff on the ramps, and out on the water, especially in Devil's back in the late 90s/early 2000s when the dot com money was flowing freely.

 

 

[Cajun 11,771]

This is basically me anytime around a summer holiday during amateur hour -

 

[Cajun 11,771]

Just now, utee94 said:

Seen a lot of wild stuff on the ramps, and out on the water, especially in Devil's back in the late 90s/early 2000s when the dot com money was flowing freely.

 

 

[troph 25,089]

it's a common ass story.  I see it posted multiple times a day on the Qualified Captain IG page.  I try not to laugh too much b/c karma is a bitch. 

Yeah but it’s on the internet. I don’t know many who’ve seen it IRL. I watch qualified drinking my morning coffee and it shocks me too every morning.

[Cajun 11,771]

The funniest thing I've ever seen was one morning out on Lake Austin (about 8am), I'm up near Commons Ford setting up for some friends who were meeting me down there around 10.  There's very little action on the lake and I'm enjoying the quiet and solitude when I hear a boat coming from north to south.  Just one lonely boat, nothing fancy, but something just looks off.  As it gets closer here's what I see (except he just goes straight by without a care in the world) ---

 

[Cajun 11,771]

Also, at Bull Creek, I saw a topless girl projectile puking over the sider of a beautiful SANTE  while two of her friends held her head up by her  foot long pigtails.  The friends  were twerking through the entire episode.

SKILZ

I need a dashcam for my boat.

Edited October 21, 2020 by Cajun
At least I got the Yoga hotties at Commons doin' their thing to my The Jesus tunes.

[Sbbruin 22,082]

21 minutes ago, Bob Lives! said:

it's a common ass story.  I see it posted multiple times a day on the Qualified Captain IG page.  I try not to laugh too much b/c karma is a bitch. 

Part of the reason California, starting in 2018, began a phased in by age boater license of sorts.  In 2018, anyone 20 or younger had to have the license, which requires a boater safety course.  I think I need to have one by 2024.  

The main reason, though, is it's another place to generate fees for California.  Because dipshits are always gonna dipshit.

[bigshark88 388]

Guy next to me launched the whole trailer and boat together once. The parking lot to ramp angle was pretty abrubt and when his trailer tires backed up over the transition the trailer came off the ball and the whole rig (boat + trailer) went in the water. Super busy ramp too. His old lady was at the boat helm ready to back it off the trailer and went apeshit when she started ghost riding backwards towards the water. We were loading up a boat on the adjacent ramp. I was at the helm of that boat and got a good look at 15mph splash down. Their boat floated right off.

Don't recall if their skeg was dragging or what other damage they got. We strapped down and haules ass. The guy was wading into the canal with a rope I guess trying to get the trailer out of the basin.

[Bob Lives! 952]

Better there than on the highway I guess. Seems like trailer ball technology is due for a little advancement.


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[Updawg 2,378]

Wrong sized ball?

[Cajun 11,771]

That's what Lance Armstrong's wife said.

[Brew 3,049]

Simple boater’s education should be required for everyone. Too much stupid crap happens on the water because of lack of experience combined with alcohol a lot of the time. Happily, I’ve never seen anyone screw up a wakeboat, most of my screw up experience has been with jet skis.

[fattyflattie 4,640]

4 hours ago, Bob Lives! said:

Seems like trailer ball technology is due for a little advancement.

Bulldog hitch. It doesn’t get more idiot proof.
 

I have a friend who lost one moving from Fla back to TX. Pretty much the whole boat passed him in the median type deal.  Fucked him up wrt towing for years. 3-4 years ago we are sharing a house during a tournament (20 years after the first incident) and drinking beer near his truck. Something didn’t look right. His tongue was just sitting on the ball, waiting for part deux, fiberglass bugaloo. He’s aggy, fwiw. 

[Pescado_Rojo 19,558]

When I worked in Louisiana a bunch, I'd see boats still in plastic wrap off in the ditch or in the median all the time between NOLA and BR, or between Lafayette and Lake C. 

[blacklab 12,049]

Murder hornet is safely home.

Boat was in New Braunfels and it was 55 miles to the house. Got up to about 60 without much problem. I did have one semi entering 35 that may have had to jam on his brakes to slide behind me but hey, it's not my job to slow to 30 to let you on the freeway. He then passed me and swerved into my lane, missing the front end of the truck by a few feet.

Only had one shit in my pants moment. After I got onto 35 a car was passing me on the left. I was watching in the rear view mirror and as his headlights hit the boat and went from the flat to the curve it created an optical illusion of the boat sliding off the trailer to the right. "That was a fun hour of boat ownership" I thought to myself as it was happening.

 

[Cajun 11,771]

Yeah, trailering is where the stress is for me.  People get right up on your ass.

That drive from where I kept it at Boat Town to Walsh Landing where I'd launch in ATX was actually one of my least stressfull because Mopac was bumper to bumper and crawling at 2 miles per hour.

Easy haul at that clip.

[ChickenSandwich 9,918]

Gremlin hunt

Was on the water thins morning and when went to throttle up, it just stopped at 3400 rpm with the hammer down. Revs free in neutral. Reverse normal. Turned off motor and immediately restarted. Problem gone. Run around all day no issues (starting and stopping multiple times). Motor runs and sounds perfect. (Sounds perfect even when having the problem. Doesn’t make a big down sound. Just doesn’t accelerate.) 
Start up to head home, same exact issue. Acceleration just stops after 3k rpm. Turn on off, issue gone. 
 

Motor is a Yamaha 115 outboard 4 stroke. 
Full tank of gas (ethanol free)

Old man at the dock suggestions: 

micron filter ?

or the “check valve” on top of gas tank? 

Edited October 23, 2020 by ChickenSandwich

[Brew 3,049]

Sounds like it’s time to go boat shopping to me.

I would think if it’s a fuel system related issue you would have a perceptible bog from fuel starvation not a limiter type situation. It sounds like it’s kicking into a safe mode if it just caps it at 3400 rpm. Is it running hot, getting a blockage on a water intake, etc.?

[ChickenSandwich 9,918]

Temps are perfect. No smells. 
 

And it’s not a safe mode...I think. First time it happened this morning it was actually at 4200 rpm wouldn’t go further. When I cut speed to investigate, and mess with it,  new Max rpm was 3400 now half the speed etc. I would think a safe mode is a set locked thing etc. 
 

When stabbing the throttle up and down you can hear the motor want to rev with it. If the start stop of the key didn’t fix it I would assume it wasn’t getting fuel and maybe bad pump. 

[Sbbruin 22,082]

55 minutes ago, ChickenSandwich said:

Gremlin hunt

Was on the water thins morning and when went to throttle up, it just stopped at 3400 rpm with the hammer down. Revs free in neutral. Reverse normal. Turned off motor and immediately restarted. Problem gone. Run around all day no issues (starting and stopping multiple times). Motor runs and sounds perfect. (Sounds perfect even when having the problem. Doesn’t make a big down sound. Just doesn’t accelerate.) 
Start up to head home, same exact issue. Acceleration just stops after 3k rpm. Turn on off, issue gone. 
 

Motor is a Yamaha 115 outboard 4 stroke. 
Full tank of gas (ethanol free)

Old man at the dock suggestions: 

micron filter ?

or the “check valve” on top of gas tank? 

Fuel filter issue I’d guess.

[Lat22 4,070]

8 hours ago, ChickenSandwich said:

Gremlin hunt

Was on the water thins morning and when went to throttle up, it just stopped at 3400 rpm with the hammer down. Revs free in neutral. Reverse normal. Turned off motor and immediately restarted. Problem gone. Run around all day no issues (starting and stopping multiple times). Motor runs and sounds perfect. (Sounds perfect even when having the problem. Doesn’t make a big down sound. Just doesn’t accelerate.) 
Start up to head home, same exact issue. Acceleration just stops after 3k rpm. Turn on off, issue gone. 
 

Motor is a Yamaha 115 outboard 4 stroke. 
Full tank of gas (ethanol free)

Old man at the dock suggestions: 

micron filter ?

or the “check valve” on top of gas tank? 

It sounds filter related.  Might be the VST filter. Could also be the anti siphon valve on top of the fuel tank.  You might need to have your injectors cleaned.  From the "maintenance matters" brochure that Yamaha puts out.

 

1. Primary On-Engine Filter. This is typically on the front, side, or rear of the powerhead, and is usually made of plastic you can see through. It filters fuel coming into the outboard. This “primary” filter usually features a small water trap at the bottom of the cup. This is the first filter after the 10-micron filter; so if there’s water in here, it’s time to change your 10-micron. On Yamaha outboards, there may be a red ring visible inside this filter. Don’t ever remove it. If it’s floating, you’ve got water in this filter’s trap. Time for a change.

2. Vapor Separator Tank (VST) Filter. Attached to the electric fuel pump in the Vapor Separator Tank (VST), this filters gas again just before it’s pressurized into the fuel injection rail(s). The VST is a prime spot in your fuel system where deposits and gum can form, particularly if fuel is untreated, and the VST filter is the most difficult to access and usually the most expensive to replace. Help protect it by consistently treating every tank of fuel, and regularly inspecting and servicing the first two filters in the fuel line.

3. In-Line Filter. Some models have an in-line filter between the primary fuel pump and the VST (vapor separator tank) and/or in the fuel line between the VST and the fuel rail, located along the top of the outboard. Refer to your service manual or contact your dealer for the exact location for your model.

4. Fuel Injector Screen. These are built into each fuel injector. They’re very fine-mesh screens and are not user-serviceable. If debris somehow makes it here, the fuel injectors must be removed and professionally cleaned, or replaced—reason enough to inspect and/or change your fuel filters regularly.

 

Edited October 23, 2020 by Lat22

[fattyflattie 4,640]

8 hours ago, ChickenSandwich said:

Gremlin hunt

I may be getting posters mixed up but this one has done something similar before right?  
 

The F115/150/300 are probably 3 of the most reliable outboards on the planet.  Sucks yours is acting up. Interested to hear what it is once you find out. 

[ChickenSandwich 9,918]

We did. Ended up replacing everything fuel related from outboard forward. All hoses, drain and clean tank etc. not sure the valve in gas tank got changed. That fixed everything and been no issues. That was after messing with the engine first. Clean injectors. New water separator etc. 

[troph 25,089]

11 hours ago, blacklab said:

Murder hornet is safely home.

Boat was in New Braunfels and it was 55 miles to the house. Got up to about 60 without much problem. I did have one semi entering 35 that may have had to jam on his brakes to slide behind me but hey, it's not my job to slow to 30 to let you on the freeway. He then passed me and swerved into my lane, missing the front end of the truck by a few feet.

Only had one shit in my pants moment. After I got onto 35 a car was passing me on the left. I was watching in the rear view mirror and as his headlights hit the boat and went from the flat to the curve it created an optical illusion of the boat sliding off the trailer to the right. "That was a fun hour of boat ownership" I thought to myself as it was happening.

 

where are you going to use it mostly? Lake Travis or Lake Austin?  I can't remember...

[Armybrat 41,320]

NSIAP, but these launch ramp shenanigans make mine look pretty tame... except for the woman involved.

Summer of 1962 i was at Walsh Landing putting my little 15’  Glasspar ski rig in the water. Got it launched without incident and had girlfriend Elaine pull it over by dockside with the bow rope to await my return from the parking lot.

Walking back down the driveway I noticed something askance... gf in her small white 2-piece suit looked distressed and my boat was almost 1/4 down in the water by the stern. Forgot to insert the gottdam drain plug.

Tied the boat up, put the drain plug in, and we both started to bail the water out with what was at hand. Luckily I got it started, then when out on the water and up to enough speed, pulled the plug to drain the remainder. Would’ve made a mildly amusing Youtube video.

To satisfy Surly Rule #1, here is Elaine:
(sorry, no bikini pics)

 

[Cajun 11,771]

25 minutes ago, troph said:

where are you going to use it mostly? Lake Travis or Lake Austin?  I can't remember...

Pretty sure he's a Lake Austinite.  I remember him saying he'd walk his doggo at Commons Ford and said he saw me tied up there one day.

[blacklab 12,049]

25 minutes ago, troph said:

where are you going to use it mostly? Lake Travis or Lake Austin?  I can't remember...

Austin. I live just south of the lake and our neighborhood has it's own boat ramp. Never more than 10 or so boats there on a summer day.

[Cajun 11,771]

 And if I've done nothing else of value on this site, at least I got Murder Hornet embraced and accepted as the preferred name before her skipper's maiden voyage.

BlackLab, I believe you had a poem that you wrote and wanted to read for us?

 

[utee94 16,066]

All hail Murder Hornet.

[Sbbruin 22,082]

Saw this and it made me laugh.

[blacklab 12,049]

It's a good name

And Cajun, you were right about the get up and go. We drove it around the little lake at Texas Ski Ranch yesterday. I've driven dozens of boats over the last 30+ years and this is by far the fastest accelerating boat I've ever driven. I throttled it and nearly threw the salesman out of the boat. 

[Cajun 11,771]

BL, when I bought the Nautique from Boat Town back when, they wanted a week to do a "make ready".  I think my cousin saw the disappointment on my face that I wouldn't have the thing immediately for the perfect weather and lake conditions we were having at that time, so he said, "I'll get you something to use right now while we get this one ready".  I lived on Exposition and Enfield and by the time I got home he was burning up my phone saying, "Hey, my guy has your loaner boat already in the water and at the dock over at Walsh", so I made the 2 minitue drive over right there and then.

What was there waiting for me to take off in?  My very own Murder Hornet!  Fueled up with rage, revenge, and 99.9 proof aggression.  First time I hit the throttle forward I lost two fillings...

 

Edited October 23, 2020 by Cajun
I loved my Nautique, but I gotta admit, I missed the JUMP in that Malibu when I switched out.

[Cajun 11,771]

Oh, and this Spring I'll be bringing the new boat up to Lake Austin as I'm keeping my storage space at Boat Town.  I love Commons Ford during the Spring.  We will have to ,meet up out on the water/at the park.

Maybe drink a couple of Frescas.

Mmmmmm?  Mmmm?  Mmmmmmmmm???

[Cajun 11,771]

Later that day on the same boat at Commons.  Even those cabin speakers look pissed off and "hive" -like ----->

Edited October 23, 2020 by Cajun

[Cajun 11,771]

1 hour ago, blacklab said:

It's a good name

 

I feel like we just had this moment BL (1:24 mark) -

 

[Chewbacca 7,827]

49 minutes ago, Cajun said:

Later that day on the same boat at Commons.  Even those cabin speakers look pissed off and "hive" -like ----->

Moar pics of wife plz.

[troph 25,089]

22 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

Moar pics of wife plz.

oh man what was her name? she was one of the classy ladies on the old site.  don't think their together anymore btw.