Another day on the lake.. another rookie mistake

At least my title rhymes.

We are still enjoying our new-to-us 2013 SX190 we got last spring. Haven’t been out much this year due to work. My wife and I both took this week off and we went out today.

Got into the water, fired up… reverse off the trailer…or try to… but nothing is happening. Lots of revving. Only motion came from my wife backing the truck up. The boat then floats off the trailer and she pulls forward to park.

I am now drifting at the dock with a running engine but no forward or reverse drive. Just…floating. A small breeze pushed me over to the dock where I tied off and turned the motor off. Thinking….thinking… DOH… forgot to put the clean out plug back in. Whoops.

So, don’t be like me. I’ve never forgotten to put that plug in before, but I did today!other than that,we had a great half day on the water and plan to go out again later this week. Maybe I will update this thread letting y’all know we didn’t have any issues!

It’s been a while, but I tried to launch without removing the boat transom straps. Took me a minute to figure it out.

Con’t…
Forgot to plug in a coil so running 7/8 cylinders. couldn’t figure out why couldn’t get past 7k on one motor.

Con’t…
Locked my door instinctively at a ramp getting out of the truck. Sweet talked on Star to do a one time remote unlock.

mark_m said:

It’s been a while, but I tried to launch without removing the boat transom straps. Took me a minute to figure it out.

Con’t…
Forgot to plug in a coil so running 7/8 cylinders. couldn’t figure out why couldn’t get past 7k on one motor.

Con’t…
Locked my door instinctively at a ramp getting out of the truck. Sweet talked on Star to do a one time remote unlock.

Click to expand...

Dude the transom straps have me dying laughing, I’m sorry!

I work for a large law enforcement agency and we have multiple boat ramps that we “work” security at for overtime, 12 hour shifts during the summer. It’s great money and super easy. Anyways, I’ve seen a lot of wild stuff in all the hours I’ve racked up at this ramps, and that always makes me feel better about myself.

Saw a Suburban backing down the ramp with a single jet ski. Did a full 360 in reverse at the ramp chasing the trailer around. Just last weekend a new boat owner came straight to the lake after having just bought a pontoon, knew absolutely nothing about boating or anything. I spent some time with him in the parking lot going over stuff. He launched fine. When he came back in the evening he absolutely broad sided into the dock, it was painful to watch. Seen plenty of folks back tooooooo far down the ramp and drop their trailer wheels off the ramp…. It’s about a 2 foot drop, straight down. Seen phones dropped in the water at the dock several times…. Numerous injuries unfortunately… but those 12 hour shifts are full of entertainment!

My boat will barely move some, but not a lot without the clean out plugs... But how would I know, it's never happened to me either.

mark_m said:

It’s been a while, but I tried to launch without removing the boat transom straps. Took me a minute to figure it out.

Con’t…
Forgot to plug in a coil so running 7/8 cylinders. couldn’t figure out why couldn’t get past 7k on one motor.

Con’t…
Locked my door instinctively at a ramp getting out of the truck. Sweet talked on Star to do a one time remote unlock.

Click to expand...

Oh and the truck unlock was with a running Silverado 2500 HD… on the ramp… boat in the water… with the transom straps attached.

All it takes is a split second and it comes back to you....face palm.

Here's one more for giggle and face palms...perfect launch off trailer, perfect tie up at the dock, drive out and park the truck/trailer a fair ways away, walk back, start up, loosen lines, reverse out, cut the wheel, push throttle forward, motor out through no wake, throttle up and feel something seriously wrong, hit the bilge switch and WOOSH like a fire hose...instant sphincter clench...drain plugs!.

First outing. Cleanout plugs I had taken out, but left in the holes. Had only driven it in the test run--had the family on this time, so figured more weight, etc. Got pretty far out there trying to figure out why it was not going as fast as it was. Opened the engine hatch to find water up to the bottom of the engines. I had about 6 inches to disaster. Then found the plugs.

Fortunately, the boat was delivered with a faulty breaker for the bilge pump, so nothing got pumped out.

Put the plugs in, got back to the dock, put her on the trailer and let her drain. A long time.

Since then, I always take the plugs all the way out of the hole and lay them on the open wet storage there. Can't even start the boat with them placed there. Or at least I have not figured out a way to do so yet. Gimme a chance.