2024 Has started out to be the toughest yet, but yesterday I unknowingly took Murphy with me. Went to Lake Nickajack, one of the Tennessee River impoundments, and the first thing I do is back in without putting in the plug. Well, a few choice words and labor fixed that, so back to the ramp to launch. Warmed up the Merc and shifted into gear....only no gear....no forward, no reverse, no matter what. Resigned myself to fishing within trolling distance but the weather man was wrong again. The light 5mph winds were on somebody else's lake. The blistering north winds froze my fingers and celebrated another skunking. Packed up, went home to ck on gear linkage, but ended up staring at a busted lower unit housing! Keg broken off, bearing carrier shattered, and housing cracked open. For the life of me, I don't remember ever being in that wreck! I hit some rocks on the Cumberland two years ago, but I never noticed the housing busted. Can't explain this one but perhaps Murphy can. Searching for a lower unit now and hopefully I'll fish alone next time!

Is it possible that you had water in your lower unit that froze?

 

Hope you get everything working soon the smallmouth are getting hungry.

15 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Is it possible that you had water in your lower unit that froze?

 

Hope you get everything working soon the smallmouth are getting hungry.

That is a possibility, but I didn't think that a little bit of water could explode it. And the bearing carrier is outside the sealed housing. The prop was not damaged, so nobody ran into my boat while I was having dinner or anything. Just an expensive mystery. I found a lower unit in Minnesota so I'm back in business in a week or so. It wasn't easy, or cheap to find a lower unit for a 47 year old engine. I'm glad you found some hungry smallmouth. Maybe I'll find some too!

Ouch!! Wind on nickajack starts at 15 and only goes up 

 

I had a guy rear end my motor at a stop sign once and the prop was fine but the lower gave out 6 months later 

17 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Ouch!! Wind on nickajack starts at 15 and only goes up 

 

I had a guy rear end my motor at a stop sign once and the prop was fine but the lower gave out 6 months later 

I'm laughing at the weather explanation, not your lower unit misfortune.  🙂

You are right on about the wind. It is only calm during the summer when it is needed.

@Blue Raider Bob Sorry to hear about your bad trip. Sounds like one of many out of state trips I’ve had in recent years. Still waiting on hearing back from injector rebuilder as to what’s going on with our 2008 Optimax.

Dang it, Bob. You know I want nothing but happiness for you, so when your Life choo-choo derails, I want to rail at the sky and say, "Why? Why? Anyone but Bob!"