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 So here I was......		  New Topic  Topic Locked
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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts
Initially Posted - 05/24/2009 :  10:45:50  Show Profile
getting ready for a little day sail yesterday afternoon. My routine is to lower my motor into the water and start it as soon as I board. While it warms up, I go about uncovering the main, get out the PFD's, turn on the radio to check the latest weather, etc., etc.,

While I was going about all of that, my neighbor notices that I have a water snake crawling out of my motor. She hollered something and I went back to look. Yep, there was a black snake that appeared to be stuck about halfway in the housing at the top of the motor shaft. My first thought was that I'd just let him alone and see if he would slither his way out. He didn't. I grabbed a long handled brush and tried to coax him. Didn't work. Finally I just grabbed him and pulled. Fortunately, he came out in one piece, still alive and not biting at me. I through him back in the water and went sailing. Hope he doesn't come back.

One of the drawbacks to the ultra-long shaft is that the prop is still in the water when the motor mount is lifted. If I tilt the motor up, it sticks into the fairway too far and I'm afraid somebody will hit it.

Anybody else find any interesting stowaways?
John Russell
1999 C250 SR/WK #410
Bay Village, Ohio
Sailing Lake Erie
Don't Postpone Joy!
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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts
Response Posted - 05/24/2009 :  10:53:43  Show Profile  Visit delliottg's Homepage
No pictures?
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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts
Response Posted - 05/24/2009 :  13:11:25  Show Profile
Whoa John! Were you pretty sure it wasn't a cottonmouth water moccasin?
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Tom Gauntt
Navigator

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204 Posts
Response Posted - 05/24/2009 :  14:33:25  Show Profile
An actual sea serpent... If you find any mermaids, let us know. But don't post the pictures here. The last fellow that posted a picture of scantily clad females on a boat was keel-hauled!
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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts
Response Posted - 05/24/2009 :  14:47:53  Show Profile
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Dave Bristle</i>
<br />Whoa John! Were you pretty sure it wasn't a cottonmouth water moccasin?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Crikey Dave!!! I hadn't thought of that! I might have been in grave peril instead of just annoyed!
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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts
Response Posted - 05/24/2009 :  16:00:08  Show Profile
I always bring my XLS out of the water, except last week when I forgot. no serpents, just lots of spiders.
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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts
Response Posted - 05/25/2009 :  17:40:21  Show Profile
Moc's don't live this far north except in urban legend.
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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts
Response Posted - 05/25/2009 :  18:34:48  Show Profile
Not so sure about that... I'm pretty sure we had them in the White River that feeds into White Lake in Michigan (which connects to Lake Michigan)--when I was a kid. The key is the girth... An adult Cottonmouth is pretty hefty, while common (non-poisonous) water snakes are more slender. If it's over an inch in girth, I'd keep my hands off. Long and skinny--<i>probably</i> OK.
Edited by - Dave Bristle on 05/25/2009 18:36:40
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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts
Response Posted - 05/25/2009 :  18:36:11  Show Profile
As it turns out, the blasted thing is an endangered species. [url="http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/7951/lewsnk.html"]Lake Erie Water Snake[/url] Guess it's a good thing I didn't kill it.
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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts
Response Posted - 05/25/2009 :  18:42:08  Show Profile
Maybe... "Pale gray" (the L.E.W.S.) or black (something else)? You said black.

BTW, I haven't seen your situation, but in a marina, I recommend tipping the engine out of the water. Marinas can have stray electrical currents that can create havoc with metal stuff in the water.
Edited by - Dave Bristle on 05/25/2009 18:49:42
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Ed Cassidy
Captain

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USA
365 Posts
Response Posted - 05/25/2009 :  20:30:57  Show Profile
An easy check for a moccasin is to see if it's eyes are round or shaped like a cat. If shaped like a cat, it's a moccasin. The water snakes around here try to mimic a moccasin to keep you at bay to the point they make their heads triangular and strike at you. Gets them killed every time! In Florida, with the exception of the coral snake, all poisonous snakes have 'cat' eyes.
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Unsinkable2
Captain

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USA
273 Posts
Response Posted - 05/26/2009 :  08:54:36  Show Profile  Visit Unsinkable2's Homepage
If I found a snake anywhere in my boat, I would go below, cut a through-hull hose, and walk - make that run - far away.
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jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts
Response Posted - 05/26/2009 :  09:10:55  Show Profile
Jeez...
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tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts
Response Posted - 05/26/2009 :  09:19:13  Show Profile
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by John Russell</i>
<br />As it turns out, the blasted thing is an endangered species. [url="http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/7951/lewsnk.html"]Lake Erie Water Snake[/url] Guess it's a good thing I didn't kill it.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">OR IT YOU
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glivs
Admiral

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USA
836 Posts
Response Posted - 05/27/2009 :  08:41:38  Show Profile
Now that is what I call a theft deterrent...
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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts
Response Posted - 05/27/2009 :  11:48:15  Show Profile
Water Moc's northern range limit is Virginia to extreme southern Illinois and west to Ok. and Tx. It is not found in Pa, Oh, In, most of Il, or northward. The closely related copperhead does make it to southern Oh, In, Pa, Il, and up the coast to southern New England. All poisonous snakes in the US except coral snakes are pit vipers with triangular heads larger than their necks. A few species of rattle snake is all the rest of us have to worry about. Most of our poisonous snakes are fairly docile unless you step on them or pick them up. They will usually try to slither away or freeze for camoflage, but if provoked to a threat display (showing strike posture and open mouth, rattling if it can), you should stop and slowly back away. Unfortunately, the copperhead's threat display is to strike.
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pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts
Response Posted - 05/27/2009 :  19:41:12  Show Profile
My motor skeg was always in the water, never had a visitor.
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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts
Response Posted - 05/27/2009 :  20:21:08  Show Profile
They can't see where they're going in your lake.
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pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts
Response Posted - 05/28/2009 :  10:48:24  Show Profile
True, they lay around our docks but can't find the scuppers!
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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
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