# I rear ended a boat **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [September 11, 2015, 3:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139 "2015-09-11T03:34:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jchin346](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@jchin346](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jchin346)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 3:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/1 "2015-09-11T03:34:55Z")
The other day I was on the way to work and i was very tired because I had gotten 3 hours of sleep the night before. There was a truck carrying a boat and I hit the rotor… It made an indent in my hood and I don’t know if it is fixable. The hood is perfectly fine besides this and it closes fine. I don’t know if this is fixable because of my… unique circumstance. ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/4/4ec4c65f180297f119ffb224a6fbaed237f39e55.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![BillRussell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/billrussell/32/3179_2.png) [@BillRussell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BillRussell)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 3:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/2 "2015-09-11T03:43:32Z")
Everything is fixable. If you are going to quote “unique circumstance”, you have to be more specific. The big questions regards your insurance and do you want to use them to get this fixed, or do you just want to let it ride. Me, I’d do nothing. ---
**Author:** ![jchin346](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@jchin346](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jchin346)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 3:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/3 "2015-09-11T03:50:12Z")
If i were to fix this, how much do you think it would cost? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 3:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/4 "2015-09-11T03:50:13Z")
That dent can be easily fixed with a hammer and dolly. If you don’t know what a hammer/dolly is, take it to someone who does. Tester ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 4:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/5 "2015-09-11T04:00:10Z")
I assume you hit the outboard MOTOR not a rotor. If so there may be damage to the motor and you should notify your insurance. Don’t know if it is fixable, your joking right? If you have full coverage insurance use it. Only the people doing the repair can give you a estimate cost. ---
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 5:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/6 "2015-09-11T05:01:30Z")
Don’t assume this is repairable because the dent is small. Have a shop look at the underside of the hood. The inside/shell could be damaged. If it has a fold or cease on the inner structure/shell it might not be repairable. ---
**Author:** ![jchin346](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@jchin346](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jchin346)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 5:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/7 "2015-09-11T05:13:56Z")
Oh I guess i worded that a little confusing I’m sorry. I hit the rotor of the boat and it made that inwards indent in my car. I was just wondering if anyone could give me a ballpark range of how much it would take to get it fixed without insurance? ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 5:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/8 "2015-09-11T05:21:34Z")
That rotor may actually be a propeller and why the reluctance to use your insurance? Chances are the repair will more than your deductible. And once again there is absolutely no way to even guess the cost by a picture on a screen. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 5:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/9 "2015-09-11T05:25:46Z")
I think the OP means their car hit the boat’s propeller. I have no idea how much it will cost to fix this problem. An educated guess then? hmm … well, $500 minimum, possibly up to $5000 if the entire hood needs to be replaced. On average? hmm… well, I’d guess around $2000 if you want the paint to match. ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 5:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/10 "2015-09-11T05:39:10Z")
A body shop will probably give you a free estimate. Then you can decide what you’re doing once you have that information. My guess is that you’re looking at around $1,000. Please get more rest before driving. Studies are showing that driving tired is just about as dangerous as driving drunk. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 5:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/11 "2015-09-11T05:54:37Z")
That’s not how you rear end a boat! THIS is how you rear end a boat: [https://youtube.com/watch?feature=player\_detailpage&v=jDkmkD48zE8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=jDkmkD48zE8) ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 6:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/12 "2015-09-11T06:01:04Z")
You’re damned lucky you didn’t hit a child, or an innocent family. I hope you have a damned good reason to be driving after only three hours sleep. I don’t care about your pretty little red “see how rich I am” car, but you had no business on the road. ---
**Author:** ![meanjoe75fan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meanjoe75fan/32/552_2.png) [@meanjoe75fan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meanjoe75fan)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 6:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/13 "2015-09-11T06:59:50Z")
^Yes. Why is it that drunk drivers are regarded as pariahs, but if you knowingly drive impaired by lack of sleep, it’s assumed you get a free pass? Also, what, exactly does OP mean he ran into the “rotor?” Boats don’t have rotors; cars (and boat trailers) do. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 8:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/14 "2015-09-11T08:05:40Z")
Impossible to tell from that dark picture how bad the damage is. The MSRP for a hood is $1,080, add $1,000 for paint and labor. Pocket change for a Mercedes owner. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 8:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/15 "2015-09-11T08:07:13Z")
I wouldn’t be too hard on the OP. It’s a minor accident that is fixable although the “Benz” badge may run the price up a bit… :-)\ Granted, lack of sleep carrying over into driving can be dangerous but so can a dozen other activities pre-taking the wheel or during. For a long time I commuted 160-180 miles a day round trip to work and there’s times I was struggling to keep it on the straight and narrow even with the aid of a large mug of coffee. As to that video from texases; wow. What if that boat had whipped a bit to the left before he rammed it. It’s sadly pathetic that many people want a few seconds of video fame so badly that they will endanger themselves or others to accomplish it. Sometimes I think the entire world has become a Jackass movie… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 1:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/16 "2015-09-11T13:44:18Z")
Of course this is repairable. The only question is the cost. I don’t know why unique circumstances come into play about whether this can be repaired or not. If you can’t afford it right now, wait. It’s really that simple. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 3:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/17 "2015-09-11T15:57:35Z")
Try a paintless dent repair near you, Maybe $150! ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 4:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/18 "2015-09-11T16:06:26Z")
Assuming that this thread wasn’t created in a bad attempt at humor, all I can say is to take the car to a body shop for an estimate on repairing this obviously repairable damage. Via cyberspace, nobody could give you the type of accurate estimate that a body shop can provide. Just understand that body work almost always costs more than people think that it should, and when the body work involves a Benz it is even more pricey. Additionally, I hope that the OP is prepared to compensate (or have his insurance company compensate) the owner of the boat that was almost surely damaged by the OP’s negligence. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 5:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/19 "2015-09-11T17:16:17Z")
> **You're damned lucky you didn't hit a child, or an innocent family. I hope you have a damned good reason to be driving after only three hours sleep. I don't care about your pretty little red "see how rich I am" car, but you had no business on the road.** I agree…driving with little or no sleep is as dangerous as DUI. > **[Drowsy driving](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep-deprived_driving)** > > Sleep-deprived driving (commonly known as tired driving, drowsy driving, or fatigued driving) is the operation of a motor vehicle while being cognitively impaired by a lack of sleep. Sleep deprivation is a major cause of motor vehicle accidents, and it can impair the human brain as much as inebriation can. According to a 1998 survey, 23% of adults have fallen asleep while driving. According to the United States Department of Transportation, male drivers admit to have fallen asleep while dri In th... ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139/20 "2015-09-11T17:42:52Z")
It very well could be that the boat will cost more to fix than your Benz. If it was an outboard motor you hit and you cracked the outdrive housing, that could be $10,000. An inboard-outboard drive can exceed that! Boat is actually an acronym - **B** ust **O** ut **A** nother **T** housand I doubt if paintless dent removal can fix the Benz. $2000 easy to replace and paint the hood. You might find a used hood in the right color from a wrecked car, IF you are very, lucky that can be a direct replacement with no paint. $500 - 700 may cover that. Still peanuts compared to the boat. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-rear-ended-a-boat/91139.md?page=2)