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[PSUBS-MAILIST] Underwater Truck
This is a true story by a chap on the boatdesign list. I suggest
he be voted a honorary submarine builder. This all happened
the weekend before Oct. 14, this year.
Mike H.
======================================================
Went sailing with my friend, Tim, today. He built Dave Carnell's $200
sailboat last winter. It was perfect. Wind from the south west as we
headed north up the lake and followed us to the west and ended up
north west as we turned back. We spent about an hour and a half, and
when we were done, we just sailed to within 25 ft of the dock,
dropped the sail and coasted in perfectly. Got all the rigging
bundled up and were lifting the boat into the back of my pickup.
With the boat half way into the bed, the situation went FUBAR (F...ed
Up Beyond All Recognition)in a heartbeat. I heard a clunk and the
truck started to move. We were at a launch ramp, a steep one. I was
able to jump out of the truck and we both watched it back right into the
lake. The boat managed to get out of the way but it wasn't unscathed.
The bottom got crunched in, in an area of about 10". The truck ended
up with about 2 ft of water above the roof, totally submerged.
Took the local volunteer divers to hook the cable to the truck and
$175 for the tow truck team to haul it out. Someone got pictures and
will be sending them to me, I'll post a couple. The truck was running,
and I only hope that the electrical shorted before the water was sucked
into the engine. That will usually end up with bent or broken rods,
as we all know: you can't compress water worth a damn.
All in all, a kind of crappy day. Still, this evening I managed to trade
LilJon10 for an S10 that runs, and has the back cut off. Will need to
close off the opening behind the front seats, so will use wood and
epoxy. Instant S10 pickup. Still planing on taking the boy fishing
tomorrow.
======================================================
And then he tried to fix the truck:
=====================================================
Pulled plugs, drained water/oil from oilpan (water was up to top of
dipstick tube), put on new battery (old one was at 1.5v), cranked
engine and spit water 10 ft to the sides. Replaced plugs, drained
lawnmower for gas and poured down carb.
The damn thing started after about 5 minutes of cranking and
gassing the carb. Blue smoke from the neither world, but it ran,
smoothly even. Let it run about 5 min shut it off, went to get the
kids from school and restarted, no smoke, started first time.
Now there's a tough old truck. I would love to see a new one revive
like that after a drowning. I spent all of about 1 1/2 hours on it. I
figure
I lost the radio, probably the speakers (box), my 4 way, a couple
paddles and some other junk. I got lucky.
Steve (Captain of the SS half ton Titanic)
======================================================
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