hit sandbar, worried about lower unit

[Johnny K]

I have a new 2005 Yami 70hp 2 stroke with about 3-4 hours on the break-in. Over the weekend I was cruising at about 3500 rpm when I ran into a sandbar that stopped the boat in about 1.5 boat lengths, not a dead stop but pretty quick. The skeg and prop dug in and stalled the motor. The paint came off the skeg about 3-4 inches up from the bottom and the prop (aluminum turning point hustler) had some paint scraped off the leading edge but no dings or dents. I got off the sand bar and made it back to the dock. It sounded like the motor was OK but it being brand new I am very concerned. Should I be worried about any damage to the internals? Also how tough is it to break something in the lower unit?
Thanks

[striperman]

Take a good look at it , make sure everything looks right, give the bolts a once over...If it was a true sandbar, I wouldent worry about it. I have a new yami and have dug holes with it getting it out of shallow water fishing spots! The paint comes off but none the worse for the wear, bounced off a few rocks already also however not going more than 1.5 mph....Dont worry I am sure its fine, I would check the water passages for sand and flush it out good...Paint wont stay on the lower end forever. You should see what some of the guys yamis look like that dig clams up here in the northeast and they run fine!

[Johnny K]

Thanks for the reply, I'm not concerned about the paint at all, I know thats going to happen. I'm just worried about the skeg and prop bringing the boat to a complete stop.

[striperman]

Just look at the skeg, I am sure your fine!

[Ken]

Johnny,
The lower unit is built to take a lot of punishment, but I would check the following:
Inspect closely the housing around the prop shaft
seal - you are looking for any hairline crack(s).
Inspect the leading edge of the gear housing (nose of the bullet) for any cracks.
Put the motor in neutral, and spin prop by hand and look at the center of the prop shaft - you are looking for any wobble that would indicate a bent/out of round prop shaft.
From what you have described, I don't think you have done any damage, but it is best to check.
Also, that prop being aluminum, I would pull it and take it to a prop shop and have them check it.
Aluminum props bend very easily.
Watch for any gearcase oil leakage, and check lower unit oil for any water intrusion after next trip.
And don't worry about the paint on the skeg - if you do any shallow water fishing, that's going to happen.
Good luck [img]smile.gif[/img] ,
Ken K

[Johnny K]

Thanks guys, I'll do as suggested and check everthing out. Just a bummer for that to happen on the second day of using a new motor. Man those sandbars change all the time! Here one week and gone the next.

[Sambo1983]

70hp four stroke

Mate we had a brand new Yamaha 4stroke that we bought from Canberra marine out on the weekend. Hit 3 sand bars and the engine shit itself. Apparently it was full of sand. Guy at Canberra marine blamed it all on us saying we must have been driving it hard through heaps of sand due to the fact the engine cut out and the prop and stegg didn't have any paint left on them. Only very short stints in 70cm of water and tilted up every time as soon as we realised but it still caught a heap of sand and then stopped on us. Not really impressed with the new motor or the shop that sold it to us. Ive driven plenty of boats over plenty of sand bars and never had this happen before, the paint yes, they don't exactly cover them in layers and layers of the stuff, but the motor shitting itself.... I guess they don't make them like they used to.

[greasyshaft]

how did your engine shit itself?

Buy a Mercury, apparently they good for hitting sandbars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNokPOnPNa0