Monday, September 1st, 2008
Motor Fell in Water

Since we put the sailboat in the water a few weeks ago its been tied up at my parents' dock on Lake Norman. I have been down a couple times to work on it and Grant and Kitch took it out sailing last Saturday. And hopefully we are going to get to take it out this coming weekend for a bit, if there is any wind.

I got a call from my dad tonight regarding the sailboat. Being the last big weekend of summer on Lake Norman there were a lot of boats on the lake this weekend. The sailboat got rattled pretty good by passing boats apparently and some of the dock lines eventually broke. Even worse the motor clamps broke, along with the cable lock securing it to the boat, and the outboard motor on the back fell into the lake.

My dad was kind enough to re-secure the boat with some temporary dock lines but I could not convince him to go swimming for the motor. I am going down to their house tomorrow to dive down in hopes of finding the motor.

A bit of history on that motor, it's my dad's motor. Also, this is not the first time its seen the bottom of the lake. My brother Tyler accidentally dropped the motor off the back of a John boat once and my dad had to dive down to get it. Tyler thought it was hilarious.

Up until recently it had not been started (approximately 2 years since). But with the help of my neighbor, we got it running again. Turned out it just needed a new spark plug and the water cleared from the cylinders.

Hopefully that's all that it will take this time around too.
15 Comments
daveheinzel
1) This sounds like a job for Super Denny. You can do it! And also please document this fully. K thanks.
Dave Heinzel   Monday, September 1, 2008
stevenheinzel
2) Sounds like a pretty rough crowd was on Lake Norman over the Labor Day weekend - and probably not all were sober!!
stheinz   Monday, September 1, 2008
reera
3) I've been a witness to the folly on the lake. I hope you have success on your dive and can retreive the motor. "No wake" seems to mean speed up and trash your neighors dock to some people.
dannie   Tuesday, September 2, 2008
RoseDeaton
4) Hey Denny, I just remembered, the other day Dad mentioned that our "heron" from our dock weather vane has escaped again, for the second time. Apparently, the wind comes across the main channel at a pretty good clip(we have to bungee our grill up on the deck) and the heron takes flight right off the base. Can you imagine how that must look? LOL Last time I spotted it on the beach and I moved it to our dock gazebo where it waited patiently for a year or more for someone to get a ladder and climb up to remount it. Hey, would you be thinking of putting a heron on it's perch when you are going towards a lake or a boat. Soo... Denny, when you are diving for the motor today, if you happen to see a copper heron, would you kindly lay it on the dock. Thanks so much! Mom (More adventures at the Deaton's)
gigi   Tuesday, September 2, 2008
ChinaCalling
5) What part of Lake Norman are your parents on? My pictures usually come from the cove to the left of the Pump Station Bridge off Perth Road.
ChinaCalling   Tuesday, September 2, 2008
dennydeaton
6) My parents live in Pinnacle Shores off Hwy 150, across from Queen's Landing. Sound familiar?
Denny Deaton   Tuesday, September 2, 2008
hawkwolf
7) Denny: According to the weather forecast, the beaches of NC will begin getting the punch from Hanna on Friday Morning.
BeanCounter37   Tuesday, September 2, 2008
spike
8) What does that have to do with Lake Norman?
Spike   Tuesday, September 2, 2008
George
9) Program your iPhone to dive down and find it.
LimeyGeorge   Tuesday, September 2, 2008
dennydeaton
10) I found the motor. Photos coming soon.
Denny Deaton   Tuesday, September 2, 2008
dennydeaton
Denny Deaton   Tuesday, September 2, 2008
12) The rain shield may come over Lake Norman, didn't Hugo give the Charlotte area a high magnitude disaster?
BeanCounter37   Tuesday, September 2, 2008
hawkwolf
13) The later forecasts on Hanna are calling for it to inland and go up towards the Asheville area, so it get you pretty wet.
BeanCounter37   Tuesday, September 2, 2008
dennydeaton
14) UPDATE: if anyone is interested. We got the motor fixed. Or should I say Grant did. He found the exact part at a boat junkyard for $10. Its blue but it totally works. Now to get that puppy running again. Looks like things are go for sailing this weekend.
Denny Deaton   Wednesday, September 3, 2008
lgrant
15) If it isn't one Deaton finding the right thing for a great price; it's another one. With you two as Skipper and Gilligan--we know the boat will stay afloat. :) Good news!!
LGrant   Wednesday, September 3, 2008
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