Don't let this happen to you....

Posted By: Rick Powers
Date: 7/1/08 7:57p.m.

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Hi Friends, So, there I was, single handing on a nice California afternoon, motoring out of the marina... I was listening to my newly rebuilt ($$$$) inboard Atomic-4 engine purr... I heard a new and unusual sound, like a cliking ratt-a-tatt-tatt and thought, I should look at the engine. So I opened the newly installed cockpit floor hatch (believe me, this is a great thing to put on a C-27 with inboard Atomic-4 engine) and what did I see? DANG, the ventalation duct (think of a home dryer exhaust hose with the wire wrap) had got caught around the fuc#ing drive shaft and was quickly winding it's way into a big mess... So, I pointed up into the wind, cut the engine, and (while single handing), went into the new hatch and proceeded to clip masses of wire with a pair of wire cutters. Occasionally I would look up to see my course, upwind in a narrow channel with a big freightor ship on the right, and mud flats on the left. After 10 minutes if near terror, I had freed the drive-shaft, and was able to have my 1 hour sail with cold beer and no worries... Arriving back at the marina slip, I put the boat away (sail covers, etc.) and happend to notice excess water in the bilge. More water in the engine compartment... Closer examination revealed that the dang wire snare had managed to tangle with the packing nut and locking nut and had loosened them to the point where outside water was pouring in at an alarming rate! I called for polite help from a more experienced dock neighbor, and we managed to remove all the wire wrapped into the nut threads, then re-tighten the packing nut, and tightened the lock nut. Had I not been aware, I could have easily SUNK MY BOAT at the dock. Lessons to all: 1) Keep loose stuff away from the drive shaft. 2) Listen to your engine/boat as you travel. It will tell you if something is wrong. 3) Be sure to have cold beer on hand to feed a helpful friend on the dock... WORD -Rick Powers, Palo Alto, CA