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04-28-2017, 01:30 PM
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#1
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Guru
City: Solomons Island Md
Vessel Name: Fryedaze
Vessel Model: MC 42 (Overseas Co) Monk 42
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,720
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Okeechobee prop strike
Came across Lake O on Sunday 4/23. When we were between Moorehaven and Clewiston we felt a thud. I thought the wife slammed a door. We were in about 10- 13 feet when it happened. I must have seen over 100 gators in this 10 mile stretch of the canal. Some crossing in front of me and diving under. Its mating season. Once across the lake the wife said an odd sound was in the aft cabin. At 1000 RPM there was a bubbling whooping sound. I thought it was the cutlass bearing. Later I would decided it was cavitation sounds. Brought the speed up to 3/4 power and I could feel the vibrations.
Sooooo I think we hit a gator. Went into River Forest near Stuart and got awesome survive. I talked to the guys at Blair's Propeller shop and he said they see stainless props bent much worse from a gator strike. I would recommend Blair's for repairs. After discussing the prop with them I have decided to get new props this summer. My current props are 25 X 27. I didn't know that they don't make 25 X 27 Dyna Jet props. My props had been reworked by PO and the blades are very thin. I am at risk of bending the props anytime I have a small bump. I will be going to standard 26 X 26 which will have more meat on the blades. You can actually flex the blade tips with your finger.
So.... gator strike, thats my story and I am stikin to it.
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04-28-2017, 01:49 PM
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#2
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TF Site Team
City: Jacksonville
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 11,671
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Yikes! Glad it was just minor damage. I can't imagine hitting a gator. I guess you don't go over the side to check for damage.
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04-28-2017, 01:56 PM
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#3
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Guru
City: Solomons Island Md
Vessel Name: Fryedaze
Vessel Model: MC 42 (Overseas Co) Monk 42
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,720
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry M
Yikes! Glad it was just minor damage. I can't imagine hitting a gator. I guess you don't go over the side to check for damage.
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Funny you should say that. I had my mask in had and my trunks on. Started out the boat and the wife said " what about the electricity in the water". It was fresh water and I had read the stories about electrocutions in fresh water. The real zinger is the next day the yard guy told me there was a 12 foot gator that patrols the basin that I was going to dive in.
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04-28-2017, 02:07 PM
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#4
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Guru
City: Carrabelle, FL
Vessel Name: Morgan
Vessel Model: '05 Mainship 40T
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,160
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Well, one less Florida Gator in the world. No loss. :-)
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04-28-2017, 02:19 PM
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#5
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Guru
City: Quebec
Vessel Name: Bleuvet
Vessel Model: Custom Built
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 4,374
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Next time try to keep his skin to make a nice handbag for your wife
L.
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04-28-2017, 02:38 PM
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#6
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Guru
City: South Florida
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,083
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Gators are tough, you could cut one in half and he wouldn't even know he was dead for a week. A little nick like that prop strike was probably like a mosquito bite.
And I believe you Fry, seen it
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lou_tribal
Next time try to keep his skin to make a nice handbag for your wife L.
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04-28-2017, 02:57 PM
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#7
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Guru
City: Fort Lauderdale. Florida, USA
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 21,449
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Wifey B: Shame on you running into an innocent little alligator. Even worse if he or she was trying to mate at the time. Bad boy.
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04-28-2017, 09:23 PM
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#8
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Guru
City: Solomons Island Md
Vessel Name: Fryedaze
Vessel Model: MC 42 (Overseas Co) Monk 42
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,720
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BandB
Wifey B: Shame on you running into an innocent little alligator. Even worse if he or she was trying to mate at the time. Bad boy.
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By jumpin jiminy, there will be no fornicating under my boat!
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04-28-2017, 09:27 PM
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#9
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Guru
City: West Coast
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,789
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Somewhere there is a gator hanging out with his buddies telling the other side of the story. Probably bragging that his skin is thick enough to force a boater to get new props.
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04-28-2017, 10:02 PM
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#10
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Guru
City: Fort Myers, FL... Summers in the Great Lakes
Vessel Name: Slow Hand
Vessel Model: Cherubini Independence 45
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 12,818
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When I was going from Moore haven to Clewiston last month, there was a dead gator floating on the surface. My guess is that a fair number are killed or injured just like manatees, from prop strikes.
Ted
__________________
Blog: mvslowhand.com
I'm tired of fast moves, I've got a slow groove, on my mind.....
I want to spend some time, Not come and go in a heated rush.....
"Slow Hand" by The Pointer Sisters
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04-28-2017, 10:41 PM
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#11
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Guru
City: Carrabelle, FL
Vessel Name: Morgan
Vessel Model: '05 Mainship 40T
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,160
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In all seriousness, I dinged one of my props 3 years ago in the St. Lucie River just east of the lake entrance. I was pretty close to the bank passing a tug and felt a small bump. It was pretty slight damage, no vibration or anything, small enough that I didn't bother fixing it until my next haul out.
I thought at the time that I grazed a log, but it was on the prop that was closer to the middle of the canal. After reading your account, I wonder if it was a gator.
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04-28-2017, 10:53 PM
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#12
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Guru
City: Thibodaux, Louisiana
Vessel Name: Gumbo
Vessel Model: 2003 Monk 36
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,882
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That Gator is calling an attorney right now. You'll be getting a notice from "The Strong Arm" or maybe the "Heavy Hitter" tomorrow
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04-28-2017, 11:33 PM
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#13
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Guru
City: Kenai, Alaska
Vessel Name: Melanie Rose
Vessel Model: 1999 Willard PH
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,236
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It would probably be hard to tell the difference between a well water logged dead head and a gator. I see dead heads hanging in the water column on the sounder from time to time, and always wonder if they are on the way up, down, or just suspended there taking on more water before the final plunge...
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04-29-2017, 06:17 AM
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#14
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Guru
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 22,553
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There are now cook books for Manatees and Gators so it need not be a total loss!
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04-29-2017, 07:35 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
City: LAFAYETTE,LA
Vessel Name: Relenti
Vessel Model: Atlantic 30, 1983
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 451
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The problem with gators is getting the skin off-we use a pickup to pull it off. Taste like fish.
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04-29-2017, 07:57 AM
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#16
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Guru
City: Cape May, NJ
Vessel Name: Irish Lady
Vessel Model: Monk 36
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,947
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Gators got to be hard to filet!
__________________
Archie
Irish Lady
1984 Monk 36 Hull #46
Currently in Cape May, NJ
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04-29-2017, 08:12 AM
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#17
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Guru
City: Satsuma FL
Vessel Name: No Mo Trawla
Vessel Model: Hurricane SS188
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 2,300
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I guess I am a non believer. You obviously hit something but I doubt if a 7 knot trawler can hit a gator which has a natural sonar in 13 ft of water. I am unable to get close to them in my nearly silent kayak. They can feel me coming and get into the water from the shoreline often before I even see them. But admittedly, the gators we have encountered on the St Johns are extremely shy and somewhat reclusive. That might be due to all the fishing boats that zip by at 45+MPH.
__________________
Buffalo Bluff Light 28
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04-29-2017, 08:17 AM
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#18
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Guru
City: Delaware
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 681
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry M
Yikes! Glad it was just minor damage. I can't imagine hitting a gator. I guess you don't go over the side to check for damage.
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Why not?
Jim
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04-29-2017, 09:59 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
City: LAFAYETTE,LA
Vessel Name: Relenti
Vessel Model: Atlantic 30, 1983
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 451
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Donsan
I guess I am a non believer. You obviously hit something but I doubt if a 7 knot trawler can hit a gator which has a natural sonar in 13 ft of water. I am unable to get close to them in my nearly silent kayak. They can feel me coming and get into the water from the shoreline often before I even see them. But admittedly, the gators we have encountered on the St Johns are extremely shy and somewhat reclusive. That might be due to all the fishing boats that zip by at 45+MPH.
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Years ago, my Brother-in-law was running a 20 CC boat in a 25' wide Marsh Island canal doing about 30 knots. Hit a 12 foot gator and as we watched it trash around in the canal ran up into the marsh about 100 ft-high and dry. Of course every few years the gator gets bigger
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04-29-2017, 10:19 AM
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#20
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Guru
City: gulf coast
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 3,440
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had dinner with a group. gator was on the menu but the only person that said he liked it was a lawyer.
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