Thoughts

[Rees Guide]

Hearing of the tragedy yesterday up north with the fisherman getting killed after hittng an underwater obstuction has me thinking. This happened several years ago on the Tenn Tom waterway in much the same fashion.
Someone needs to figure out a way to "tether" these motors down to keep this from happening. Boating is lacking in the safety department compared to autos.
Would like to know if the transom was tore out or what. If not mistaken the transom was tore out in the incident on the Tenn Tom.

[Speck]

I was just thinking the same thing John. We have all hit under water obstructions in the past. It's scary to think about a 400+ pound outboard hitting you in the back of the head at high speed.

[Rip a Lip]

I've been fishing quite a bit up near Wyatt's crossing and have been amazed at the number of boats that go thru that area up on plane. Seems crazy to me, as I fish all day I see timber just under the surface of the water. No mater how high the water gets in that area I will not run thru it on plane. I just take my time and cruise to my spot. I was reminded at Enid camp just how dangerous hitting an underwater obstruction can be...thank goodness I was not up on plane when I hit it.

["G"]

I witnessed some boats yesterday at Sardis running through the trees on plane........like Rip I just go slow and take my time

[Rees Guide]

Both these incedents were not timber related tho, the bridge should have been marked if tht section was unsafe and on the Tenn Tom it had to be a submersed log that had drifted in the cut they were in. GDG and I were in that cut the other day and traveled thru there at dead idle.
Doesnt matter how well you know the lake or area drifts are dangerous, Grenada lake has several out in the middle down around the dam rite now. At first lite these could be very dangerous at 50 MPH there wont be any time to react.

[Dee F]

i agree with you rees.. first off i think ALL bridges should be mandatory no wake zones. i watch folks go under the 43 bridge here at barnett wide open everytime im on the lake.. i used to too... until the day i come under it and there was a tree about as big around as a 5 gallon bucket hung up.. luckily i had time to slow up a little bit, but still hit it... had no choice.. hit it or the bridge.. mark my word.. someone will lose their life at that bridge one day.. then they will make it a no wake zone... it's sad it will take that ya know? i honestly wish they would put speed limits on the lakes. theres no reason to need to run 70mph across the water, after all youre out there for enjoyment and to relax.. why not go about 25-30, and carry on a conversation with the person in the boat with you??

[Eagle 1]

the change of water levels at the c.o.e. lakes make them dangerous at all levels . At Enid for example there is a bridge that the metal structure is still there . the water must be 255 plus before you can't see it . The bridge is way up the creek and is known by the locals . It is not on c.o.e. property ! owned by Panola county. a man from out of state had fished it (trot line) several yrs. earlier and did not realize the water was 10 ' higher than their last trip 15 yrs. ago .

[Cray]

John to answer your original question, the only way I can think of is to go from yor motor mount on either side with a vinyl covered stainless cable. Using u clamps to your tiedowns eyes on transom.or drill hole through transom on either side and mount 1/2 in stainless eye bolt with backing plate. May not stop it completely but would sure dissipate a lot of the energy.

[Rip a Lip]

I hit that stump, tree or whatever it was, just as I showered down on the throttle to get going. I wasn't going fast at all and it broke the pin that holds in the arm on my cmc tilt and trim and also broke the bottom of the hole that the pin goes thru. I can't imagine what would hold that motor down while on plane and at a high rate of speed.

[Release to the Grease...]

The TN river is running several feet high right now, I think this accident occurred on a spot that is normally dry land, so the obstruction wouldn't have been marked.


This is what happens when you hit a stump at WOT on the Sabine River - This happened to Mike Iaconelli at a BASS tourney earlier this year. No one was seriously injured.