I just read where they recovered the body of the angler in Florida from Lake Okeechobee. So sad to hear that a fellow angler left his young family behind.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/local/...OHSsbVmUcjdG5H/

Gentlemen, there has been a lot of talk lately about hypothermia and how to survive in the water if you are ejected from the boat. I know it was discovered that this accident was not caused by a mechanical issue but rather the driver spearing a wave.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AkgjPkCQXc

This accident was caused by a mechanical problem that could have very well been avoided. It was discovered the locking nut that attaches the hydraulic steering to the outboard motor had come loose, most likely from vibration. This allowed the motor to swing sharply to the side while the boat was underway and ejected both the young men.

Guys, as you get your boat ready to launch, PLEASE do a quick visual check to the nuts & bolts on the steering system!!

If you are running down the lake at any speed at all at a high trim angle, the rotation of the prop causes tremendous torque on the steering system. Before hydraulic steering came along, it was much more apparent as to how much steering torque was felt on the wheel. The higher your motor is on the jackplate the more steering torque you will be placing on the system. I have been chunked out of a bass boat at 70+ and it is NOT MUCH FUN.

Let's do some preventative stuff here before we hit the lake. I don't want any of you to have to find out how long you can survive in 50 degree water. Let's take a few seconds to check our boats and STAY OUT OF THE WATER until it hits at least 80 this summer!!

well said!

Ken, we are 2 of the very few that think that accident was due to mechanical failure. It amazes me how many think it was driver error. The college kids. Not the Costa accident.

TFF Member Tip Strikes again always good to get this from fellow Tff'ers on some things as little as a loose nut! no pun intended.

He did not say this accident was caused by a mechanical failure!

It does not have to be an older boat either. My new 2018 Skeeter, first time in the water had the nut back off. It did not fail as I was breaking in the motor barely on plane that day; but noticed it had about 4 inches of play in the steering. It would break to the right and when I would make the correction it would break to the left. I immediately put it on the trailer then back to the dealer.

Didn't this happen to John Pierces boat several years ago on Ray Hubbard and he was thrown?

Yes, and he was lucky to have survived it.

Do you just look at the nuts and check to see if they're tight?

I was about to ask same question. What am I checking or looking for?

maybe in okieland...

Nuts, bolts, move the engine back and forth with it off of the transom saver.
Check jack plate bolts and look for visible leaks from the cylinder etc.

Well, get your azz over here and check my nuts!!

So the report where they speared a wave was not true? I've been trying to follow the updates but the one I saw said they speared a wave and said nothing about mechanical failure