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Thread: Sunk 18C in Fresh Water

  1. #1
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    Sunk 18C in Fresh Water

    I just found out today that my old 18C sunk on a beach at Lake Powell over the weekend. I guess it was swamped during the night in a storm.

    I know people pickle motors with diesel fuel when they sink in salt water but what about fresh water? What about the drive?

    I work with the boat's owner and want to make sure it gets taken care of and doesn't just sit waiting for insurance.
    RickS-E

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    I think the drive is pretty well sealed.
    Ask Tidbart what he did for his 502 that sprung a leak.
    I think ultimately he had to have it rebuilt.
    George Carter
    Central Florida
    gcarter763@aol.com
    http://kineticocentralfl.com/


    “If you have to argue your science by using fraud, your science is not valid"
    Professor Ian Plimer, Adilaide and Melbourne Universities

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    The backyard mechanic way: Drain the oil (and water), replace the filter and refill with fresh oil. Remove the distributer and with an adaptor, spin the oil pump with a drill until clean oil pumps out of all push rods. Change oil/filter again. Squirt a crapload of oil in each cylinder and (with the plugs still out) crank the engine over a bunch of times. Change oil/filter again...and go boating.

    Worst thing that is going to happen: Some rust will have formed that will prematurely wear the rings or bearings which will necessitate a rebuild...but there is a good chance this won't happen. Why rip the motor apart if it's not necessary.

    .........then again, I'm just a cheap ass
    Why is faster never fast enough.

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    swamped?

    or sunk-sunk?

    any gas sheen on the water?
    Charter Member - WAFNC, SBBR, KWOSG
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    www.donzi.org


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    With some quick attention it should be made to run again asap . . . as stated drain and change all fluids . . 2-3 x atleast . .

    I'd venture that if done right away and invoiced from a professional shop and documented the insurance company will pay, vs having to pay for a rebuild . .

    Mario L.

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    Quote Originally Posted by mphatc View Post
    With some quick attention it should be made to run again asap . . . as stated drain and change all fluids . . 2-3 x atleast . .



    Mario L.
    X2

    Ken

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    Do the above immediately. This happened to me in 1980 to a 302 Ford. I addressed the situation within a few hours. Now thirty years later, the engine is still running with good oil pressure, good compression, and doesn't even use an appreciable amount of oil. The engine has not been disassembled since the incident.
    "1978" F-22; Turbo'd & Intercooled.

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    From the above posts, it certainly sounds like it can be readily "saved", and I certainly hope so. A couple thoughts come to mind though. A recent thread about bilge pumps came to mind and I wonder if his is working ? I'm probably wrong, but I would think that the bilge pump would be able to "keep up" in this situation, but I guess it depends on the severity of the storm. Also, instead of beaching it overnight, I would anchor it with the bow towards open water and tie the stern off to a tree or such.

    Just my thoughts....and I do hope it can be saved without a re-build.

    With kind regards,
    Phil S.

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    After the 13 March storm of 1993 I retrieved my fathers Dodge pickup from the turing basin at his marina in Keaton Beach Fla...it had been completely submerged for 5 days, we did not know where it was until the water cleared enough to see the shadow of a black truck at low tide...we winched it out, dad told me to get rid of it...I got it home, drained it (318), flushed it, replaced a bunch of stuff and used it for 4 more years...it was a rust bucket and the electrical system was a work of art...but it ran...I sold it to a guy who needed the drive train...

    BTW any pics of the boat? If he sells it post it here...

  10. #10
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    I talked to the owner last night. He pulled up on a beach that someone else had picked but had concerns from the get-go about the spot due to the exposure to the main lake channel. He went ahead though and nosed the boat in on the beach to get the gear off. Once he shut the boat off he discovered that the battery was dead and couldn't restart the boat. He tried to move the boat by hand but couldn't so he left the boat nose-in on the beach. I believe he said he disconnected the battery and left the boat for the night. The wind, weather and waves kicked up during the night, swamped the boat and sank it on the beach. They woke up in the morning to find waves coming over the windshield. They eventually got emergency services out to float the boat and pull it back to the ramp. During the process they pulled out one of the aft D-rings and smashed the fore deck into their steel barge which removed a good amount of the red gel deck stripe. From what I understand the motor has been pickled and the owner is waiting on insurance feedback.

    I'm gonna go look at the boat today to see how bad it is. It sounds like it had quite a bit of gel damage on the hull and deck along with the flooding issues. The main concern with the motor is the likelihood that the flood water was mixed with sand and it probably got into the motor. At this point he thinks it may be a total loss in the eyes of insurance but we'll see. This was a nice Red & White 1996 18C w/350 Alpha. I'll try to get some pictures.
    RickS-E

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    Quote Originally Posted by BUIZILLA View Post
    swamped?

    or sunk-sunk?

    any gas sheen on the water?
    Swamped. I didn't see any gas sheen but certainly oil. Oil was running down the outside of the hull from under the rub rail. The mechanic said water poured out of the dip stick tube when he pulled the dip stick.

    Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures but the boat looked a lot better then I though it would. I didn't see any damage on the hull other then the gel being rubbed off, down to the glass, on the front keel. The chip on the deck from the tow boat mishap is right on the nose of the deck just in front of the navigation light; maybe about 2" diameter w/no glass damage. All this is an easy fix. The drive looks good and didn't get banged up. The motor and electrical seem to be the only major issues. The boat was probably under water for 14-hours or so. I'll keep an eye on it.
    RickS-E

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    Just curious Rick, does the owner have any idea why the battery was dead?
    George Carter
    Central Florida
    gcarter763@aol.com
    http://kineticocentralfl.com/


    “If you have to argue your science by using fraud, your science is not valid"
    Professor Ian Plimer, Adilaide and Melbourne Universities

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    Quote Originally Posted by gcarter View Post
    Just curious Rick, does the owner have any idea why the battery was dead?
    He hooked the battery up backwards a month ago and cooked the alternator. He replaced the battery and alternator, used it once on the local lake then this trip to Powell. Sounds like the boat left the ramp fine then had a dead battery 20-miles up lake.

    George, don't know if you remember him but this is Rob's boat from the first year we met at Powell. He showed up on Saturday or Sunday with the Red & White 18C.
    RickS-E

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    That's a shame. Pickling an engine doesn't work for saving an an engine to run again.It's only good for minimizing corrosion for a rebuild.The only way to save it,is to take the steps that yeller said. Although I did it slightly different when My truck fell through the ice, at the ice races. I changed the oil and filter. Took all the plugs out ,cranked it over to purge the cylinders of water. then I dumped 2 stroke oil down the venturi with the throttle plate fully open,cranked it over and repeated, until oil came out of every plug hole repeat a couple times with the 2 stroke oil down the open venturi. purge all the oil out of the cylinders. Put the plugs in and start it. let it run at idle to reach operating temperature and dry out.
    change the oil and filter again. The key is to do it immediately
    machinist ,bore it deeper,ream it bigger, and lap it to a fine finish



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  15. #15
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    His main issue is the sand. The water was so churned up that the boat is full of sand so more then likely some of it got into the motor. It's gonna have to be pulled and rebuilt.

    The mechanic was telling me that he'd also have to replace all the gauges. I'm not sure I believe this if things are dried out quickly.

    Here's some pictures of the boat from the 2006 DACA meet.
    RickS-E

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