Wes Logan's crash on Champlain sold me

[Princeton_Man]

How many of you have seen the video of Wes' crash? He was running hard when he something below the surface. I'm ordering an Outboard Leash today. Also a great example of why you should have your kill switch attached to your PFD or clothing. Although, I don't think the boat was going anywhere with or without it yesterday.

https://youtu.be/VS_-5q_V1y8?si=9OxbSsxKvfAQtObF

[D.W. Verts]

Hadn't even heard about that...

Dale

[J.W.]

I had heard about it, but only just now watched it. Scary stuff.

I put my seatbelt on every time I get in a vehicle, because for my whole life, seatbelts existed and I was always told to put one on. Like most of us guys that are not super-young or new to fishing, kill switches on boats were not always a thing for me, so I have a tougher time remembering to wear mine, even though I do try to remember to wear it every time. I sure would hate for something like this to happen on one of the occasions when I forgot to wear it. Fortunately my son is usually pretty good about double-checking me on it. And for him, kill switches will be second nature, like seatbelts because he's never been in a boat that doesn't have one.

[FlatsNBay]

He went to the hospital, got stitched up and then returned to catch his 5th keeper!  He said the leash saved him by prevented the outboard from going in the boat.

[D.W. Verts]

On that "ignition safety switch" thing (when I sold boats and was Pro Team Mercury, for REAL, Merc said "please don't use the term 'kill switch' 'cuz it sends out the wrong message".

The trick is to hook it to your life jacket when you first take the jacket out of the box. I mean, if you're wearing your PFD then your "kill" switch is attached, right?

If you DON'T wear a PFD, then you are on your own...

And remember this- that SAFETY switch can save a bunch of OTHER folks lives as well.

Dale

[D.W. Verts]

Okay, so I watched the video. Scary, and he handled it pretty well. However, he didn't hit a thing. Those Mercury mid-sections have an inherent weakness, and have been jumping off of, and sometimes INto boats, for several years now. It's why this "leash" thing was invented. Mercury knows about it. They've acknowledged it.

Of course, the Old School in me just says that it's a case-in-point of too much horsepower on too large of a boat, and it's creating issues that have never before been seen. You watch the way the boat is working in the waves (and it seems he was driving at a very reasonable pace) and you see the longitudinal "twist" that occurs in a bass boat. You can almost feel the engine and the torque that it's putting on the transom.

I sold boats for almost twenty years. I have NEVER seen a motor leave a boat because of the motor. I've seen transoms let go, and I've seen loose/bad motor mount bolts break, but never anything like the runaway black 250's of late. Somebody better get their act together. And I used to BLEED black. Not so much any more...

Dale

[Princeton_Man]

Okay, so I watched the video. Scary, and he handled it pretty well. However, he didn't hit a thing. Those Mercury mid-sections have an inherent weakness, and have been jumping off of, and sometimes INto boats, for several years now. It's why this "leash" thing was invented. Mercury knows about it. They've acknowledged it.

Wes posted a second video explaining what he hit.

https://youtu.be/9cefRLWJ__Q?si=GWIAIqM0bJnTagB7

[rb-nc]

Okay, so I watched the video. Scary, and he handled it pretty well. However, he didn't hit a thing. Those Mercury mid-sections have an inherent weakness, and have been jumping off of, and sometimes INto boats, for several years now. It's why this "leash" thing was invented. Mercury knows about it. They've acknowledged it.

Of course, the Old School in me just says that it's a case-in-point of too much horsepower on too large of a boat, and it's creating issues that have never before been seen. You watch the way the boat is working in the waves (and it seems he was driving at a very reasonable pace) and you see the longitudinal "twist" that occurs in a bass boat. You can almost feel the engine and the torque that it's putting on the transom.

I sold boats for almost twenty years. I have NEVER seen a motor leave a boat because of the motor. I've seen transoms let go, and I've seen loose/bad motor mount bolts break, but never anything like the runaway black 250's of late. Somebody better get their act together. And I used to BLEED black. Not so much any more...

Dale

WRONG
Go back and watch it again!!!!!
Wes is a Skeeter/Yamaha Pro
You can see the decals on the carpet in the video. HE WAS NOT RUNNING A MERC

[Hobious]

there is another video of another fisherman.  the perspective shows the motor coming out of the water and onto the back deck.  i saw it awhile back.  i went out and patted my kayak lovingly. 

[D.W. Verts]

I reckon. But I've never seen a boat react that way to hitting something, even dock flotsam. The boat "unloaded" from the back. Anyway, lucky young man. That was a heck of a hit he took from that gunnel.

Dale

[Princeton_Man]

I reckon. But I've never seen a boat react that way to hitting something, even dock flotsam. The boat "unloaded" from the back. Anyway, lucky young man. That was a heck of a hit he took from that gunnel.

Dale

I've watched it a dozen times, the way it road up and kicked to side, I think he caught it at an angle. He said the same thing in a later video. 

[J.W.]

Holy crap, man. I didn't realize those leashes were so expensive!!! Potentially worth it I guess, but jeez.

[D.W. Verts]

Team Marine's Andy Hauser, a man with almost as much experience with bass boats as me (toot! toot!) just put a video on YouTube today. He mirrors my opinion almost perfectly. There's a problem here folks, Mercury or Yamaha, whatever.

Dale

[caddyjoe77]

Team Marine's Andy Hauser, a man with almost as much experience with bass boats as me (toot! toot!) just put a video on YouTube today. He mirrors my opinion almost perfectly. There's a problem here folks, Mercury or Yamaha, whatever.

Dale

100 percent -- it starts with where the metal comes from.   

i do have a leash, it is not on yet -- i need to get it installed.   im looking to find high quality stainless bolts because if they were to give way -- well i think the outcome might be potentially worse.  Would like to know the shear strength of the leash bolts. 

very sticky situation for the OEM's.  Andy makes a great point, people quality control because they had to keep up.  But at the same time i think the problem is in the metal and how it was cast and where it was potentially sourced from. 

[D.W. Verts]

AND the huge boats and bigger engines are just plain changing the science of the situation.

Dale

[caddyjoe77]

AND the huge boats and bigger engines are just plain changing the science of the situation.

Dale

ok, ill agree.

Additionally, we have had 96 inch beam boats for quite some time.  That started mostly (as i recall) in about 2012, when the prior generation motors were out.  I had a ranger 119 which i believe was 95" beam.  I think, once everyone figured out that you could make a 96" beam go fast at 20' 5" and up with a 250 (maybe 2015 ish it was common).  but those still had the old generation engines. 

Maybe it happened just as much then per number of boats.  We also didnt have the socials like we do now, so that could be part of it. 

If you were still dealing in boats and fishing, would you think there are messages coming down from the OEM's?  I have to think they are starting to get a bit squeamish when they sit down? 

[D.W. Verts]

Mercury has sent service bulletins and are being fairly transparent.

I can say, as Andy did in his video, that I have NEVER seen an outboard leave a boat unless the transom/jack plate went with it. I have NEVER seen a mid-section fail. I've NEVER seen trim rams fail and tear away. I've seen my share of lower units ripped completely off a motor, and have stood in awe as we inspected the damage. Sometimes there was collateral damage to the boat (you found out who built the BEST rigs, for sure). Now this is all from 2010 and back for me.

I will never put a leash on my rig. Silly, maybe, but Never is NEVER. I really and truly believe that the 250's and heavier 21' plus rigs have created issues that are an engineering issue, couple with, YEP, probably manufacturing process issues (spell that PEOPLE).

I did this for twenty-plus years, working in the industry and fishing/guiding 200+ days a year for almost a decade. I've seen a lot. And the video of that crash showed me immediately that the boat UNLOADED from the rear end. I don't see evidence of a collision at all. And even if he had multiple impacts before, the motor should have STAYED ON THE BOAT.

Oh yea- I have seen some catastrophic jack plate failures. When is the last time any of ya'll check the bolts on YOURS?

Dale

[caddyjoe77]

100 percent why i wanted your opinion   You have tons of respected experience in the industry.

like was noted, in the old days -- the lower unit ripped off, the motor didnt separate from its mount. 

what do you think is wrong with the leash?  Again, serious question.  I think, if anything it would help keep, but not 100 percent fully prevent 100 percent of the time as there is nothing that could IMO except not being out in a boat. 

my biggest concern with the leash is "how strong are those bolts". 

and yes -- i need to check my bolts torque

[D.W. Verts]

I think the leash is a fine idea. If I had the big boat and massive HP I would do one.

Grade 8 bolts shouldn't be needed, but stronger won't hurt a thing. And torque away buddy.

Dale