Got my boat back today
 

I had new engines installed on my boat. I went from a pair of 2006 Yamaha 250’s, to new 300hp Yamahas. Also a plus is the newer engines weigh about 100lbs less for the pair.

So after spending about $55,000 I was excited to break them in and try them out. Definatly tell a difference.

The dealer delivered the boat to a local ramp for me to pick up. There is a break in procedure and you don’t want to spend any time idleing. Since I have about 15 minutes of no wake zone to my dock I planned on putting a few hours on in the harbor before going home.

After about 1 1/2 hours I notice when I go off plane the bilge pumps were coming on. They had removed my drain plug and did not replace it. The boat lives on a lift so I have never removed it..

So I decided I probably should head toward home, if the engines were to quit I would sink. And let’s say I ignored the no wake zone, the bilge pumps kept up fine at around 1200 rpm.

Found the drain plug in the transom, I’ll put that back tommorow and will be double checking everything else.

Boat did run good.

Great news!?!

Lots of scary stuff in your post.

$55k, and they still fuched up the job. Forgetting the drain plug is kind of a big deal.

I think I would be dropping a line to the manager that runs that shop.

That is item #1 with boats. Will it float!!!?! Yikes.

I let them know as soon as I got back. As far as I know everything else is fine, and they apologized, I got back fine, just should not have happened and they know it.

Hopefully it won’t happen to anyone else. I was fortunate that I have two bilge pumps and was able to get to my dock without any problems.

Were I the manager of your vendor......I would send you a written apology along with a nice gift certificate - $100 or more.....

The Yamahas sound nice. But you weren't tempted to get a Cummins engine?

Boats are one of the hobbies that can easily be more expensive than an airplane. And there is no federal licensing of the mechanics or the boat drivers.

Just toys for big boys. Have fun with yours.

We need a pic of these bad boys!

Boat plugs go into a zip lock bag tied to the steering wheel. That’s the way I was taught.

No question.

That is how I was taught as well. Even on our old SeaDoo's we did that.

For the larger boats we also always carried at least two spare plugs just in case. We have all seen the videos!

Good to hear you are pleased with the motors.

Right, "sorry that we almost sank your boat" seems a little inadequate.

When I was a kid I put our 68 Starcraft with an 85 horse Johnson in the water ONCE with the plug removed. Luckily I was able to get it on a plane and get the plug replaced. No bilge pumps :-)

Congrats on the new motors. Hopefully they give you the reliability and performance you expect.

The vendor sounds like he has some idiots working for him. Hopefully he can figure out which idiot made this mistake.

$55,000 for two boat motors?

These ain't the same as your grandpappy's 5 horse Johnson...

I guess they didn't water test it?
I put in a remote bilge plug in my boat.

Awesome. Were the new Suzuki motors considered?

And bummer about the boat plug, but that’s on the captain, not the shop manager. It was always part of my pro-op walk around. I missed it on my maiden voyage. I was 18 and thought I knew everything. Nope.

Drain plug, damn. I always tell people put the drain plug with the keys to the boat in a mesh bag.

Yep... makin' sure the plug is in ... and it's never happened to me ....

But I saw my buddy's maiden voyage/launch in his 22' center console back in the 80s ... like it was yesterday ;)...

It sinks in :D

Drain plugs stay out .... you want rain, etc. to have an exit if it's outside ... a plugged boat makes a nice big azz tub too!

I think "found the drain plug in the transom" sums it up. When I was around boats, especially in salt water (where I live), we spent the better part of a case of beer cleaning the boat once on the trailer.

The plug didn't end up underneath something. But it was left out for the boat to drain. The guy that owned the boat that I was most often skiing behind went on to off shore racing. He knew a few things about boats.