boating mishaps

Audrey II · Post by **Audrey II** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 11:26 pm

Where you see it in the picture is where it was when it blow up. I was leaning over it with my right hand on the throttle and my left hand tapped the starter the seat blow straight up in the air I was told about 100 + feet as hard as that is to believe. On the way up the seat hit me in the elbow being that my hand was holding the handle bar my thumb was messed up pretty bad. The rub rail which you can see in the picture swung out and hit me in the chest as if I was hit with a full swing of a baseball bat.The force of the explosion throw me into the ski behind me the wind was knock out of me I couldn't breath or scream for help but enough people saw and heard the explosion they came running from all over. Someone called 911, help came quick. They were prepping my for surgery in the ambulance on the way to the hospital when I asked why they told me calmly that I just blow up and probably have internal injuries. After a few hours of MRIs Xrays and all sorts of other expensive tests I was told I was very lucky and sent home with my arm wrapped from my fingertips to my elbow and some heavy duty pain killers. It took several months for my thumb to heal but no permanent damage.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Tue Dec 14, 2010 6:31 am

Do they have blowers ? I don't rember seeing one on them .

Audrey II · Post by **Audrey II** » Tue Dec 14, 2010 8:45 am

No blowers. I did smell fuel as I walked up to the unit but after I uncovered it and opened up everything pulled the seat opened the hood and stuck my head deep inside but couldn't smell anything so I thought is was safe I closed everything back up and tapped the starter to make sure the battery was still good because it had been sitting for several weeks and that was the result.

An imported lesson I learn and will share is never trust your nose. If you smell fuel and then the smell goes away there is a good chance you have become desensitized to the smell. You need to walk away for a few minutes and get fresh air if you smell it again when you return then you have a problem and needs to be addressed.

rbcool · Post by **rbcool** » Tue Dec 14, 2010 1:28 pm

Good lessons to heed!!

Ron

rossjo · Post by **rossjo** » Tue Dec 14, 2010 5:42 pm

My neighbor's 200 Johnson blew the cowling off a couple of times when starting (backfire). Never hit the ater, but he would have to walk up on the bank and retrieve it, put it back on, and then she'd (had to be female) fire up and run OK. Had the old FICHT fuel injection, which Johninrude since dumped.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Tue Dec 14, 2010 6:39 pm

I don't know why they don't have blowers you would think it would be law , after all they want the same rights as other boater.

and you can thank jet skis for boat licensing .

Audrey II · Post by **Audrey II** » Tue Dec 14, 2010 8:56 pm

Actually I have had a boating license since I was 13 that's 32 years ago. I think it's a good Idea so many new boaters are clueless and make such dumb mistakes that it would be beneficial to require boating training. Both my kids have taking the boating safety class as well. My daughter was only 11 when she took it.
I have taken the basic safety class 3 times at this point and 2 more advanced courses with navigation and plotting. I think this should be mandatory as well. I would like to took more classes if I could find the time and someday I would like to get a captains license just for giggles.