Help! My Seacraft sunk!!!

[thehermit]

pretty cool somebody give him an "at-a-boy!"

[McGillicuddy]

Way to go bitsamonkey!
Nice to have a buddy that can offer aerial views, especially in clear water.

Glad you got some fresh fish and bugs to help celebrate the recovery.

[65Bowrider]

What a story!! Not only of how it happened, but your rescue efforts too. It's good that you had the resources to get the job done ... and successfully.
Looking forward to seeing your pictures ... after you've had a chance to relax after all the stress.

[gofastsandman]

I was concerned you may never find her. Gotta love Pilots!
Did you learn any tricks on saving electronics?
GFS

[Cheg]

trying to get an idea how much floatation you needed to raise the boat. Number of inner tubes, est. amount of water displaced, rough quess would be fine. Or even better, if someone out there has figured out how much additional floatation ( mine still has original amount,and dry)that would keep a 23' afloat for awhile. I've read they all flip. Would 2 or 3 cu. ft. of floatation under each of the gunnels plus a couple of additional cu. ft. poured between the side and box stringers prevent both things from happening? Now would be a good time in my rebuild for me to address this. Thanks for all the info over the years.

[bitsamonkey]

Here's an update and some pictures. I was able to start working on the motor as soon as I got it back to the house and flushed with lots of fresh water through spark plug holes and intake. I then turned the motor over by hand to get as much of the water out as possible, filled with diesel and collapsed into bed. The next morning the real engine work started. I removed everything and flushed with water, blew dry with compressed air, flushed with denatured alcohol and blew dry again, followed by some wd-40 type lubricant. Every last system got this treatment as well as every plug and electrical connection, which also were lubed with a special electrical lube that's plastic safe. The starter motor was disassembled and received the same treatment, as was the remote oil tank and pump. Same for the throttle and cables. Fuel lines and vst(?) tank got the same. I dried the coils and cdi with a heat gun for a while. Once all of this was complete the cylinders got filled with alcohol and blown dry repeatedly and then misted with lubricant through the spark plug holes and intake. Once the starter was working I spun the motor over to clear out any mayo left in the case. I then filled the motor mounted oil tank and pre-mixed some gas about 40:1 hooked up a gas line and started it right up! Eureka! Yamaha outboards...waterproof to 25 ft for at least 7 days! The engine runs great and looks even better than before with all of the cleaning and Boe-Shield. I am so impressed with the quality of all of the yamaha components and electrical systems! I did not have to buy one single part to get this motor running again. The trim, ignition and kill switches all work, everything works and the motor sounds great. I have not taken compression readings, but I'm sure they'll be fine.
Total cost for the salvage was $94 for the inner tubes, $230 for one week rental of the 3" pump, $150 for the plane ride and gas and sandwiches.
I couldn't have done this without the help of some really good friends.

[McGillicuddy]

WTG bitsamonkey!

Get those pictures up. Glad to hear it turned out right and you saved $3500 bucks . Looks like a salvage co is in your future

Maybe project number 2 is that mid '60s 21' sitting outside the channel east of Cudjoe Key... Don't think you'll need the plane to spot that one. Go get'er bits...git'r done...just don't disrupt too much eel grass.

[FELLOW-SHIP]

Wow what a story I’m impressed with your tenacity and commitment also with Yamaha ability to take a licking and keep on kicking. But I sure hope I don’t have to pull up this thread some time in the future and ask myself now what do I need to do.
They way that you are going you will be back in the water by next weekend.


FellowShip

Just for the Grins

[rhody98]

Story of the year and we're not even two weeks in.........happy ending and all. I think you had a lot of people rooting for you.

[seafari25]

Hey Bitsamonkey,

Nice job!

I like the Yamahas too. My 1998 50 has sunk twice(fresh water mind you). Once about 8 years ago for about 5 days. I didn't go to the extent that you did, I just pulled the plugs, turned the key for a few minutes to spit all the water out, dried the plugs, put them in and fired her up. I then ran the snot out of her for a half hour or so. She's still running sweet. Good motors.

I guess SeaCrafts do sink. I told the story of how our 25 was in the water for a week without the bilge or cockpit plugs in. Due to that and the fact that the water only came in to the bilge under the engine block, I've deemed our Seafari unsinkable for years now. That's what gives me the grapefruits to push her in the rough stuff...I may have to re think that

Happy New Year to all
Brandon