SHEER A PIN IN THE PROP

Since we have been in Florida I have gotten into the habit of taking the puppies for a ''boat ride'' about every evening. They love the boat and they all are determined to sit on my lap during the ride. It is a contest between them as to which one can sit the ''highest'' on me for the most breeze and the best view.


Willa has gone on a seven day cruise with 3 other ladies and me and the puppies have been ''batchin' in'' for the duration. Yesterday evening I decided it might be a good diversion to take the puppies for a boat ride. ''BAD DECISION''.....


I went out and untied the boat from the fire pit and rolled up the rope and tossed it into the bow of the boat. I got into the boat and dipped out the rain water and started the engine. The puppies were standing in the door of the coach watching me intently and only after I ''gave the signal'' would they come out to the boat. I left the engine idling and went back to the coach and told the puppies ''OK'' and they bounded out heading for the boat. I locked the door of the coach and headed down to the boat. I put the dogs into the boat and crawled back to the back seat and dropped the shifter into reverse to back out off the beach. I had not noticed but the prop was stuck in the sand and when the engine went into reverse the tiller handle jerked to the left violently and the motor stalled because the prop did not turn because it was stuck in the bottom …...... I said ''shux'', put the motor in neutral and re started the engine and wiggled the motor getting the prop unstuck from the sand bottom. I even tilted the motor to be sure everything was ship shape. I reversed again and the boat started moving out into the current. As I started to sit down the motor stopped pulling. ''Hummmmmmm?'' It was still running but we stopped backing up. ''Hummmmm?'' I put the motor in forward and nothing happened. By now we were drifting away from the camp sight, the dogs were all excited trying to get into my lap and I had no propulsion on the motor. I said ''Shux'' again, tossed the dogs off my lap and re shifted the motor without effect. Now I said ''SHUX'' again and reached for my paddle and finally got back to our camp sight shore line. I turned off the motor and dragged the boat back up on shore. The puppies were all sitting in the boat looking bewildered waiting for their boat ride which had not happened yet. I went around to the back of the boat and dragged it up on shore and took a stick and turned the prop with the motor in gear. ''AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH''.. I had sheared off the sheer pin in the prop when I put the thing in reverse with the prop stuck. This sheer pin is a safety devise to prevent damage to the prop/lower unit if you are stupid enough to put the motor in gear with it stuck in the sand. I took off the cowling of the motor and found a spare sheer pin in a small holder on the inside of the casing of the motor. I carefully removed it and put it in my mouth so I would not loose it The puppies were watching patiently while I fumbled with the gas line and un did the clamps to remove the motor. They finally decided that there was not going to be a ''ride'' so Gus jumped out of the boat into water about six inches deep and he was followed by Finnie in short order. They proceeded to the sand shore line to investigate and Gypsy bounded out into the water to help the guys. The ''guys'' got their belly wet and Gypsy got soaked because she is short. I finally got the motor un hooked and started toward shore when I accidentally knocked off my cell phone in the water while I was carrying the motor to shore. I said ''S H U X '' and grabbed the cell phone out of six inches of water and I stepped on a sharp sea shell and managed to drop the motor on my left foot. When I had said the last ''shux'' I managed to drop the sheer pin from between my lips into the water. With all the commotion the dogs decided to come over and investigate what I was doing and they waded out into the water for a ''look around''. I got the motor off my foot and got it on to the sand shore and went back out and sifted for the sheer pin. Ten minutes later I finally found it. I grabbed my wrench and went back to the motor, removed the prop and as I was installing the new sheer pin Finnie decided it was time to come over to me and ''shake''...... You know how a dog will shake to remove excess water from their fur.... Remember that Finnie has a ''long hair show coat'' and he can absorb about five gallons of water when wet. Any part of me that wasn't already wet was wet now. I said ''SUN ON THE BEACH'' real loud because I had dropped my sheer pin in the sand again when Finnie gave me the shower. Here I was with three wet dogs, a cut foot, a motor with sand and water in the power head of the motor, soaked to the skin and a wet cell phone and I had lost my sheer pin again. In my haste I had forgotten to tie up the boat and when I looked around the boat was drifting away in the current. I really believe if I had my shotgun I would have ''shot the boat''. I grabbed the bow of the boat and pitched the rope on shore and ran and hooked the boat back to the fire pit. Finnie and Gus thought I had invented a game so they were splashing around in the surf and barking. Gypsy was over on shore eating a dead fish. I finally put the dogs in the outside pen, washed off the cell phone in the sink and removed the battery to let it dry out. I finally found the sheer pin again and installed same in the propeller of the motor and took some spare gas and washed the sand and water out of the power head of the motor.


The motor is back on the boat now and it works fine. My cell phone seems to be ok except voices on it sound like they are underwater and instead of ''ringing'' it just kinda ''burbles''. The puppies are dried out and peacefully sleeping on the sofa and my cut foot is just a bad scratch and I got a purple place on my big toe from dropping the motor on it. All is right with the world and we may just may try the boat ride again tomorrow.


I sure will be glad for My Willa to get back home ….....


FOR SALE...
THREE DOGS (dry now)
ONE CELL PHONE (once wet with a special ring tone now)
ONE BOAT (slightly used with a new sheer pin in the prop)
MAKE OFFER, BUY ONE ITEM, GET THE REST FREE…...


God bless our troops and bring them home real soon......