Could have been worse
Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2014 4:47 pm
My just purchased 10 meter express arrived here in Michigan a couple days ago. Have it shrink wrapped and spent yesterday on it removing cushions that will be recovered. Also just going over the boat starting to get familiar with it. The antifreeze coolant in the reservoirs did not have a lot of color in it, so to be safe I used a coolant tester and it did test weak. To be safe I decided To pull the plugs on the blocks and manifolds to drain then start with fresh antifreeze in the spring. The inboard sides were not to bad. Went to outside of port motor first and the lower block plug was just out of reach. I did not fit down in the small space between hull side and block between manifold and exhaust hose. Off come the coat and hoodie and back in I go, head first. Almost reaching plug with wrench. A little wiggling and got second arm in the hole. Can not get good enough leverage to turn plug loose. Time to back out and get different wrench. You can see this coming, yup, I am stuck. Really stuck. Wife went back to truck to warm up 20 minutes earlier. She did stick her head back in to check on me after I had been stuck for a very long five minutes or so. She was not strong enough to pull me out and the yard man was in a building on far end of yard. She called him and he headed my way, but with a burst of adrenalin, wife yanking on my belt and maybe all mt sweat luring me up, I managed to get out. Bruised and tender, but real happy to be upright. Lucky for me wife did not think to take pictures of me upside down with waist to feet flopping above the deck, head, arms and shoulders wedged below deck line. I am going back tomorrow with the right tools and a skinny buddy to remove the last plugs.
