re: Thoughts on dragging a boat to Destin.

My dad did it once, circa 1997. We had the company condo booked the same week Hurricane Danny smashed Mobile and the pan handle, and damn it, we were going to the beach. We lost all the life jackets when a hatch blew open while crossing Mobile Bay, but it gets better.

Dad had the lower unit serviced right before we went down and, unbeknownst to us, the shop failed to put the gasket on the lower unit drain plug. We've all experienced the amazingly calm weather after a tropical event blows through, so shortly after arriving we loaded up and set off. We launched in the bay are rode around for a little while, finally deciding that it was calm enough to brave the pass and go ride by the condo and wave to mom.

About halfway to the condo, now very much in the gulf, the engine comes to a complete and LOCKED UP halt. I mean running wide open and then a violent mechanical noise. That little gasket was apparently very important. All of the lower unit oil had leaked out.

We put the 64 lb thrust trolling motor to the test trolling all the way back and through the pass to the marina. That 21' boat was pitching up and down with the trolling motor prop come out of the water every 3 seconds. Made for a very long afternoon. Not to mention winching the damn boat onto the trailer. Dad busted his arse on the algae covered launch too. That was the last time we pulled the boat to Destin.