www.iFourWinns.com

While waiting to pick someone up at the dock, I was going just off idle speed near the shore when I heard a thud and the depth finder went from 10 feet to 1.9 and started beeping. I kind of panicked and threw it into reverse before trimming up and floating into deeper water.

Stainless Turbo1 prop has some damage. Lower unit has some paint missing on the bottom. No skeg damage. I boated the rest of the day without any issues - no vibrations or anything. No water in the bilge. Engine temps normal. I did notice a 3-5mph drop in speed, however.

When I got home I put the stock volvo penta aluminum prop on. Not sure if I want to repair the stainless or just run the aluminum - I boat in a reservoir that sees decreasing water levels throughout the year.

So has anyone else experienced something like this with their boat?

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2006 Four Winns Horizon 200
Volvo Penta 5.0 GXi/SX

I have hit a few things over the years. Those rocks seem to be magnetic or something... Last year I hit bottom with my 40hp outboard. Its an older motor and didn't do much damage to the prop, just chipped paint but it blew out my seal, which was fine moored for 2 years. It was most likely due for replacement and this bump put it over the edge. I had a little milky oil in the outdrive.
I would recommend checking the oil just to be safe.
I would bring the stainless prop to get fixed if its not too expense. Aluminum is fine and more forgiving hitting things but a stainless is more efficient.

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--2002 3880 Regal Flybridge | Twin Merc 8.1HO **Seven**
--2003 AB 13 VST Console Inflatable | Tohatsu 40hp TLDI **Phish'n ski**
--310 Mercury Inflatable | 1982 9.9 Johnson

When we bought our boat, it came with a stainless prop (Ballistic) w/ some nicks in the blades. I sent it out to be fixed (don't remember the cost, unfortunately, but it was cheaper than a new SS prop). We bought a new AL prop to run in the mean-time. Once we got the SS prop back and on the boat, the AL prop became my spare (never leave the dock without one!).

I've run in some low water before, but it was never in rocks and always been mud or sand: coastal waters with sand/mud; beaching at the lake in mud; stuff like that. The SS prop has always held up well.

The main lake we boat at is Medina Lake outside of San Antonio. It is an irrigation reservoir with decreasing levels throughout the year. Some years much lower than others (we're currently 51% full or 25' below conservation pool). At those levels, I switch out the SS prop for the AL one. Better to throw a blade than to trash the lower unit "if" I happen to clip the top of a stump by mistake that I didn't know was there. We've spent some time on our lake at lower levels just so we can identify where the major obstacles are and know to avoid those areas, but it's still a safety factory for me.

I have a buddy with a 25' pontoon that was cruising a local river a few years back. They got into a shallow area with big boulders that were closer to the surface than they thought. They were going slow, but still hit with a pretty good thud. Bent the AL prop pretty good. Lots of vibration and had to cruise back to the dock at idle speed (no spare prop). He didn't have any water in the oil in the bottom end, but still had a mechanic go thru it just in case.

It happens. Check your lower unit oil, make sure your skeg is straight, maybe have the seals replaced just as a preventative measure, and look at getting the SS prop fixed. Then this becomes a learning situation and we chalk it up to "stuff happens!"

(Like my wife says, "If crazy stuff never happens when we go somewhere, then what will we have to talk about later on?" Oh the stories we could tell you... )

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1999 180 Horizon OB Fisherman Pkg
2013 Grand Cherokee 4x4 w/ 5.7 Hemi
San Antonio, TX

Thanks for sharing your stories!

I didn't damage the prop too bad - just nicked the edges. I boated the rest of the day, probably put 2 hours on it, without any vibrations or issues other than the reduced speed. Also I'm pretty sure the lower unit had been touched up before, and this is the paint that wore away on the bullet part of the bottom of the outdrive.

Skeg is straight, actually untouched from the looks of it.

What's the best way to check the oil for water? I'm guessing you have to drain it rather than check it using the dipstick on the top of the drive.

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2006 Four Winns Horizon 200
Volvo Penta 5.0 GXi/SX

Best to drain and replace since its a 5 minute job but you may be able to tell from the dipstick.
Also, you don't have to drain all the oil. If you recently ran the boat it will all be milky and only need a little to come out to check in a clean pan, then just top it off.

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--2002 3880 Regal Flybridge | Twin Merc 8.1HO **Seven**
--2003 AB 13 VST Console Inflatable | Tohatsu 40hp TLDI **Phish'n ski**
--310 Mercury Inflatable | 1982 9.9 Johnson

Done it, and the lesson learned is to keep spare props and the prop tool on the boat

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9377&hilit=prop

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2011 SL242 5.7 VP GXi - 320 HP Dual Prop

So I had to help move one of my landlords dad's boats recently - a 1986 bowrider. Mercruiser 3.0.

Took a look at his lower unit, and the prop was bent at the edges, and the lower unit has seen some contact over the years - made mine look like new!

So now I feel better knowing I'm not the only one who has done this.

I also asked my uncle if he ever hit anything with his Horizon 190 back in the day, and he said he only hit a stick and didn't do any damage - I think he's lying! I think I even remember riding on his boat as a kid, and he bottomed it out in a channel and bent the propeller.

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2006 Four Winns Horizon 200
Volvo Penta 5.0 GXi/SX

We've hit two rocks at slow speed in places there "shouldn't" be rocks. But when the water level is low on our lake, things no one ever hit start popping up. I only run with aluminum Evinrude props, so they're a little more forgiving. Just hit one the other day and probably won't pay to have it reconditioned. It's not that much more money to buy a brand new one. I like factory fresh!

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2015 H180 OB + 2015 Evinrude 135 HO

This summer has been tough with the heat and lack of rain.

My hometown lake is Great Sacandaga, so actually reservoir. You really need to be careful there and stay in the channels.

I downloaded Navionics and was highly impressed with it. I’d recommend it, especially this year where areas can pop up that are normally boat-able. It also has crowdsourcing so people can tag things like rocks, stumps, etc.

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2006 Four Winns Horizon 200
Volvo Penta 5.0 GXi/SX

In boating, there are those who have and those who are going to lol...
I hit a stick that really dinged my prop way back in 2002, no damage to the drive...then somewhere around 2014 or so I got grounded on sand bar, soft grounding at a very low tide, was able to power off but had to replace my impeller and wear plate due to sucking up sand. Otherwise I try to avoid going out at low tide and our waters are usually pretty deep but you do have to be mindful if out at low tide. On the North Shore of LI we have rocks, on the South Shore they don't but they have much shallower waters. As in, almost not navigable at low tide unless you have outboards, or outdrives. In a straight inboard you can be in a real tight spot there.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II