rebelrn
06-09-2003, 08:45 PM
We got back from Canada on Sat. Water level on Wabigoon is down about 1-2' at least. I am pasteing a note I sent a friend about my experiences. I had been through this one area where I ding'd the prop a 100 times and never had a problem. I would suggest to anyone that knows an area is a bit shallow to take the first time through SLOW!!
I hit rock/log's 4 different times while in Canada. I NEVER hit anything before. I bent up my prop on (probably) a log leaving one lake and going into a slew (you can normally run fast there but due to low water, after that I went slow) (prop is now being fixed now in Canada---I left my boat up there as I leave again Friday for Lac Seul). The resort owner is taking it in to be fixed for me. ONLY $70 US. That may be a bit more than here but I don't have to mess w/it. Then I was fishing near an island and the bottom dropped from about 2-3' to about 8' so I gunned my boat to move to another spot and BOOM, I hit a big rock w/the front hull and I slid up onto it. The aft portion of my boat was sitting on top of this big rock that was about 1' under the surface. THERE I SAT. I couldn't get the boat off the rock. I tried the front trolling motor several times. I stuck my leg off the side and tried pushing. It was 6' deep next to the boat but only 1' off the stern!!! And 8' deep in front of the boat!!! Finally after about 1/2 hr I got into the water (I had to be careful as one step in the wrong direction and I'd get VERY wet. I was able to lift the hull off the rock and jump back into the boat. THEN, as I approached that next island, I was in about 8' of water and going about 6 mph (a fast idle) and I was about 200 yards from that island and BOOM, I hit bottom again w/the skeg. The motor (my brand new Honda) jumped and bounced. UNBELIEVABLY it didn't damage the prop but it did nick up the skeg. Then one last time I hit that first log again just putting in the beginning of that slew. When I pulled the boat out of the water Sat morning I was worried about what I would find!! Well, That LUND didn't even have a scratch!! I couldn't believe it. Not even a dent in the metal that runs along the bottom!! LUCKY!
The lodge owner where we go said the water level was low like this back in 1979!!! He said someone near Ignace had totally ripped the bottom off of his boat!!!
To all who will be heading to Canada soon. Have a safe trip.
I hit rock/log's 4 different times while in Canada. I NEVER hit anything before. I bent up my prop on (probably) a log leaving one lake and going into a slew (you can normally run fast there but due to low water, after that I went slow) (prop is now being fixed now in Canada---I left my boat up there as I leave again Friday for Lac Seul). The resort owner is taking it in to be fixed for me. ONLY $70 US. That may be a bit more than here but I don't have to mess w/it. Then I was fishing near an island and the bottom dropped from about 2-3' to about 8' so I gunned my boat to move to another spot and BOOM, I hit a big rock w/the front hull and I slid up onto it. The aft portion of my boat was sitting on top of this big rock that was about 1' under the surface. THERE I SAT. I couldn't get the boat off the rock. I tried the front trolling motor several times. I stuck my leg off the side and tried pushing. It was 6' deep next to the boat but only 1' off the stern!!! And 8' deep in front of the boat!!! Finally after about 1/2 hr I got into the water (I had to be careful as one step in the wrong direction and I'd get VERY wet. I was able to lift the hull off the rock and jump back into the boat. THEN, as I approached that next island, I was in about 8' of water and going about 6 mph (a fast idle) and I was about 200 yards from that island and BOOM, I hit bottom again w/the skeg. The motor (my brand new Honda) jumped and bounced. UNBELIEVABLY it didn't damage the prop but it did nick up the skeg. Then one last time I hit that first log again just putting in the beginning of that slew. When I pulled the boat out of the water Sat morning I was worried about what I would find!! Well, That LUND didn't even have a scratch!! I couldn't believe it. Not even a dent in the metal that runs along the bottom!! LUCKY!
The lodge owner where we go said the water level was low like this back in 1979!!! He said someone near Ignace had totally ripped the bottom off of his boat!!!
To all who will be heading to Canada soon. Have a safe trip.