Sunk Boat - Lessons Learned

[dingbat]

Re: Sunk Boat - Lessons Learned

Your first and closest support for any type of on water emergency is your fellow mariner. Circumventing the system and calling the land based 911 wasted opportunities for support from your fellow mariners and critical minutes that could have been the difference between life and death had this been a critical situation.

I?ve been involved in two recues. Both times, the call came over VHF channel 16. Both times, the people rescued by fellow mariners long before the authorities ever arrived at the scene.

 

[MPII]

Re: Sunk Boat - Lessons Learned

You can't count on the authorities to respond. When we ran out of fuel we were within eyesight of TWO DNR boats who took an hour to finally come over to see why we were waving, lighting flares, and firing 12 rounds of .38 into the air.

Wow, that's pretty bad. I always keep an eye out and have even responded to a signal flag hanging off a VHF antenna. We also spotted an SOS signal on a stern light, of course, the guy had an "auto" sos position on his light switch and didn't know it was on. To boot, he was s**t faced and couldn't drive home so he stopped along the shore and was sleeping it off.

 

[adam7]

Re: Sunk Boat - Lessons Learned

Wow, that's pretty bad. I always keep an eye out and have even responded to a signal flag hanging off a VHF antenna. We also spotted an SOS signal on a stern light, of course, the guy had an "auto" sos position on his light switch and didn't know it was on. To boot, he was s**t faced and couldn't drive home so he stopped along the shore and was sleeping it off.

I should also mention we were on channel 16 calling to them, and anyone else who would listen. They were not monitoring like they were supposed to. There weren't even any tow boats answering the call, it was like everyone quit at 6pm.

 

[Mark SF]

Re: Sunk Boat - Lessons Learned

"Keep your life preservers handy- Handy means handy, not stowed."

I keep mine handy, by wearing it.

 

[Quad82]

Re: Sunk Boat - Lessons Learned

I built a 10 foot hydroplane with a 50 horse Merc. I sank it 2 years in a row. My boss at the time had a place on Lake Fenton in Michigan. At the 1984 4th of July party, I hit a Pepsi bottle comming off a big wave. It went threw the bottom hull and just poped threw the top of the boat without breaking the bottle! While still underway. I pulled the drain plug and flew to the dock. The boat sunk at the dock while I was getting the truck and trailer. The next year, once again on the 4th of July. I came off another wave and hit a floating telephone/dock pole and crushed the hull. Again, I pulled the plug and flew back to the dock. This time I beached it on shore until I got the trailer.

I learned that foam between the hull and floor/top shell really beefs-up the strength of the boat. I also learned that it wont stop a floating piece of dock!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Sunk Boat - Lessons Learned

If you are where cell phones work onthe water, it needs to be in a ziplock in your pocket. Not on the dash or in a compartment, and not in a case on your belt.

 

[sasto]

Re: Sunk Boat - Lessons Learned

Begester, You did the right thing. Congradulations to you. I hope if this ever happens to somebody else or myself you are there.

 

[MPII]

Re: Sunk Boat - Lessons Learned

The boat may have "sunk" but I'll go out on a limb here and say that it was probably full of water and still floating.

As for pre-launch checks, I'm surprised that more people don't do it. It takes only a couple of minutes to make sure everything is in order, before and after starting the engine.

It was my understanding that Coast Guard regulations require that a boat be buoyant for several hours??? I know open bow boats are hard to sink!