Wrapped My Trolling Motor Around Prop

[speedo]

So Saturday morning I wake up in Forman Creek on Oroville. Have coffee, catch a few dinks, and then decide to move. I untied my bowline from a manzanita on the bank, warmed up the engine and put Albert into reverse. Backed up thirty or forty yards, and the engine died. Tried again, and the engine quit again.

Then I realized I hadn't brought up my "trolling motor" (see sig). Raised the outdrive, and imagine this view: looking at the prop from behind, in the water, there's about twenty feet of anchor line wound around the outer hub of the prop, and on the inner side of the prop, about seven feet of chain! Prop was stuck tight, and I was wondering how much kinetic energy might be bound up in it as I started trying to untangle the mess, with the prop inches from my belly.

I have no idea how this potential disaster worked out so well, but the prop had cut the line neatly at the splice onto the chain, and the chain and anchor were both dangling below the outdrive, though wrapped around it several times. Unwrapped the line, unwrapped the chain, (after putting the anchor up on the swim deck!!) and almost good as new. . . well except I had to get a new "power cord" for my "trolling motor". Seventy five feet of new poly, and I'm good to go!!!

Happy Fourth, Nutcases!!!