near disaster!!!

[oGaryo]

Just had a VERY near miss. Stbd engine got stuck in forward gear whilst manouvering into home berth. Heading straight forward to T Bone an SC42 opposite to us. No time to get crew on the bow with boat hooks and boat was speeding up anyway so wouldn't have been effective. Decided to put port into reverse approx 6ft away from ramming the SC42. Bizzy Bee turned hard to port now pointing down the fairway. Steered the boat using port throttle and steering to get her into the open area at the end of the pontoons. Found the nut holding the throttle in place had loosened enough to make the gear change innefective. Tightened up, got it working again. Got marina staff on the berth in case it happened again and made it safely baxk into berth. I NEED a beer!!!

 

[Jonmendez]

Blimey Gary sounds fun! Sure it wasn't the after effects of the meet? Great evening and well done.

 

[[2068]]

Put a bit of threadlock on those nuts!
Shutting off the engine at the key would work, but that's with the benefit of hindsight.

 

[lisilou]

 

[STEVEDUNSTABLE]

I don't know G,... .. . ... you do like an adrenalin rush after a night out !!!!......... jubilee clips are on special offer at the mo .... (put one on the threaded bit !!!... tee hee tee hee...

 

[oGaryo]

Put a bit of threadlock on those nuts!
Shutting off the engine at the key would work, but that's with the benefit of hindsight.

did that once in the open water mate.. thought about doing it in the fairway but the boat had built up speed very quickly with the wind puching us in that direction too. thought it better to keep control with both engines in forward and kill the stbd engine once in open water which I did to then reposition the throttle lever and tighten the nut back up... going to replace them with nylocs

 

[Cozzy]

Nice recovery Gary :encouragement:

T bone with a bit of speed up could have been very nasty.

 

[colhel]

Found the nut holding the throttle in place had loosened enough to make the gear change innefective.

That'll be because the nut had a few beers last night. Always get a bit loose after a long break.

 

[z1ppy]

nice recovery Gary! calm head under pressure. Glad the guys at the marina were able to help you and all is well when no harm is done!

 

[rafiki_]

Well done Gary for keeping a clear head and reacting positively. Yep, nyloc's sound the answer.

 

[thejonesey]

Wow Gary, well done not hitting anything or anyone. Your story reminds me of a friend who had his boat in for some work. First trip out after said work, notched both engines astern and jumped forward, he panicked and pulled back on the sticks therefore increasing the speed forward and eventually driving his lovely boat between two boats and a gap that left him stuck after lots of crunching and splintering GRP. At least that's his story!

 

[Portofino]

They should have nyloc,s on
So you can adjust the " stiffness " of the levers - mine had last time I looked

 

[oGaryo]

cheers guys.. at first I have to admit it was a case of, what the hell's going on. left all controls alone for a few seconds to see what was happing to the boat and sussed the stbd engine was in forward. nudged it back and nothing happened as the level had come away from the splines, another second of panic (I must admit) what do I do next, we're heading straight for that rather expensive looking boat a few feet away. then started to think straight and used the one control I had that was reliable, the port engine.

I surmise, that if it wasn't for the brain lubrication from last night making my thought processes ultra slick, it could have been a completely different story.. thank you HSB real ale, you may well have saved my bacon

 

[oGaryo]

They should have nyloc,s on
So you can adjust the " stiffness " of the levers - mine had last time I looked

it appears mine on a SL-3 dual control unit don't

 

[[2068]]

"No damage" is an excellent result, considering.
The SC42 owner wouldn't have been best pleased to have an anchor appearing in his mid cabin

 

[beltsandbraces]

Wow Gary, well done not hitting anything or anyone. Your story reminds me of a friend who had his boat in for some work. First trip out after said work, notched both engines astern and jumped forward, he panicked and pulled back on the sticks therefore increasing the speed forward and eventually driving his lovely boat between two boats and a gap that left him stuck after lots of crunching and splintering GRP. At least that's his story!

was that incident in brighton marina? we where there made a hell of a bang.