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Help please - need advice... Gas Cap - First big rookie mistake

Dang. read this thread last week and it happened to me. hit a rock. was in deep water but a rock was right below the surface. was running 4000 rpm or so. nicked it up and curled a little. ran fine after that but will replace soon or early spring. anything else i need to check?
 
Chronicles of a Rookie

Husband and I are thrilled about buying our first boat.

The temperatures have certainly been agreeable to being out on the water, but hot, hot, hot (and humid). Record setting, in fact, for three days running now (we may possibly make four today).

But lordy, lordy... Nothing like putting two rookies in a boat on the Mississippi River with no boating experience or piloting training, (other than I can sail a boat -- sort of).

It's like putting a dyslexic behind the wheel of a car for the first time, in England, with no maps and no instructions on how to drive a car.

Yesterday was the first day with no mishaps, so it was a great day!

First day the shiny new stainless steel gas cap sunk to the bottom of the river, and of course every place was closed... so we bought a sewer pipe clean out plug from the hardware store until we could replace it.

Second day we plowed into our dock finger while trying to maneuver our boat into a rather slim slip during gusty winds out of the south... fortunately, all of our docks are being pulled and replaced this winter due to age, (and we're getting bumpers on our slip fingers). I think a bouncy house arrangement might be a better option until we're better at piloting a boat. :p

Third day we destroyed the prop on a wing dam. Had to special order a new prop, which (thankfully) my brother from California was here visiting, so he could help with the replacement.

Fourth day we couldn't go out as we were waiting on our replacement prop, and the weather was rainy anyway.

By the fifth day, (my brother gone back home to CA), it was just my husband and me... and we managed to get stuck in the mud. I won't point any fingers, ahem, but I do recall mentioning how very shallow the water was to the person piloting the boat... and that same person whom was protesting how it wasn't shallow because said person had just kayaked in that same area earlier that morning. :rolleyes:

Sixth day... no mishaps!! Where's my shiny rookie badge? ;)
 
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Dennis T. said:
Dang. read this thread last week and it happened to me. hit a rock. was in deep water but a rock was right below the surface. was running 4000 rpm or so. nicked it up and curled a little. ran fine after that but will replace soon or early spring. anything else i need to check?
Click to expand...

So sorry, Dennis. I feel your pain. :(

I'm certain someone else has good advice to offer.

My brain is trying to take all of this new knowledge in, and so far all the talk elsewhere about shafts, skegs, "run out," yada, yada, yada is still all Greek to me...
 
Just go on YouTube and start watching videos. I learned a lot that way. My first lesson in boating was replacing head gaskets on a Four Winns Fling jet boat. I even got proficient at rebuilding the carbs out on the middle of the river...... :D
 
SEMPERFI8387 said:
Just go on YouTube and start watching videos. I learned a lot that way.
Click to expand...

I love YouTube.

I honestly don't know how I existed before the days of the internet and YouTube.

I've learned how to repair many features of my refrigerator (defrost heater, sensor, timer, evaporator fan motor), disassemble my washing machine to dislodge wayward clothing pocket miscellany (usually coins) wedged in the impeller, rebuilding the spring motors in (and restoring) antique gramophones (my real passion).

I think about the "old" days of having to go to the library and spend hours in the card catalog looking for the equivalent resource (if one existed).
 
ImTinkerbella said:
card catalog
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People under 30 don't know what that is. That is the only piece of old furniture I would like to own. I have a 1946 Library dictionary and stand. One of the new words listed is "atomic"
 
Remediation said:
People under 30 don't know what that is. That is the only piece of old furniture I would like to own. I have a 1946 Library dictionary and stand. One of the new words listed is "atomic"
Click to expand...

db6d973b7940e66cc6ff6007c673b1aa--home-vintage-repurposed_zpssdcz9cvm.jpg
 
Remediation said:
People under 30 don't know what that is. That is the only piece of old furniture I would like to own. I have a 1946 Library dictionary and stand. One of the new words listed is "atomic"
Click to expand...

Like this?

Perhaps not the best picture, but my friend who purchased our old 1885 home in 2014 is a librarian and moved her card catalog into the house as part of their decor furniture.

Every time I'm over there, I'm having furniture envy... and I miss many of my vintage, period pieces. As we are in a modern place on the river (relatively speaking), I've changed my decor to mid-century modern... so your "atomic" comment is apropos.

My friend said that: "When we bought this I never thought of how much fun a one year old would have with it (or how much time I would spend cleaning up because of it)." :p

I'd love to see a picture of your old library dictionary and stand.

cardcatalogandJoanna.jpg
 
It's funny. We had to look up the card, then WALK TO GET THE BOOK. Now days, kids complain when they look it up on their phone/tablet/iPad/ and complain about the download speed. o_O I have to say, when I was younger, I had the sh**s of hearing "you don't know how good you have it" ....... now I understand what they meant. :D
 
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