My boat is on the DL for awhile. Wife and I took our parents out for a boat ride and dinner Thursday after work. Coming back, water was like glass, cruising through the channel in 20-25' water at normal cruising speed (3k rpm, roughly 30-35 mph). Didn't see the completely submerged tree floating just under the water until I was almost on top of it. I swerved the only direction available and thought I missed it for a second. But it was simply too long to avoid completely given the short reaction time. I heard a thump, thump and the boat came off plane and glided to a stop. Boat still running, but no forward or reverse, gauges all read normal. Raised the engine hatch, smelled gear oil but didn't see any more water in the bilge than normal. While assessing the situation and contemplating my next move, bilge pump kicked on. Turned engine off and heard water coming in behind the engine. Life jackets on everyone. Could still see the Keokuk Yacht Club where we had gone to eat. Called them and a group of patrons came out and towed us back in. Bilge pump outpaced the water coming in. Once we had the boat secured to the dock and everyone safely ashore, I jumped in to assess the damage. To my surprise, there was nothing left of my lower unit to assess. The lower unit is still on the bottom of the Mississippi somewhere (or wedged in the tree I hit).
I still can't believe it. I've boated this stretch of the river my entire life. My parents, who have been boating this stretch of the river since long before I was born, both were sitting in the bow facing forward watching where we were going. Water conditions were about as good as it gets for spotting debris on the river. None of us saw it. I've been in a lot riskier conditions in my boating career, and I happen to smoke a tree in near perfect boating conditions (or at least as close as you can get to perfect boating on the Mississippi). I guess chalk it up to pure dumb luck.
On the positive side:
1) Everyone is safe without so much as a scratch.
2) Boat itself survived and didn't sink. I sat there in amazement while waiting for my Dad to return from the marina I put in at with my truck/trailer simply watching my boat continue to float with water coming in like it was. That little bilge pump kept up a hell of a lot better than I thought it would in that type of scenario.
3) Insurance is paid up on the boat.
4) Mechanic said only damage is to the outdrive. Should be a simple swap of popping the old drive off (what's left of it) and sliding the new drive on. Given that, he said he could work it in as soon as I find a new outdrive. Hopefully that will be soon.
Here's the damage. Warning: pictures are graphic and may cause nausea to those with weak stomachs...
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Finally, my many thanks to the fine folks at the Keokuk Yacht Club who came to our aid.
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