Almost sunk one this weekend.

[stubbsboogie]

So this weekend we were out on the river(gorgeous weekend by the way)
A buddy of mine beached on the sand bar that we frequent, parked next to me. Probably about the 3rd or fourth time he has had his new to him boat out.

Anyway when he pulled up he beached pretty hard and his boat was at a very steep angle. There were several people on the swim platform and sundeck, quite a bit of weight. After about an hour or so we on my boat noticed that the back of his was getting lower. Upon inspection the water was about half way up his motor and all in the boat. Ski locker full bilge full.
So we got all stuff and people off the boat and pushed it out into the water to sit level. There was so much water his entire swim platform was underwater. He started enging and bilge pump, idled around for a while. The pump eventually caught up and pumped it all out. Close call though.

What we figured out (we think) is that the combination of the angle he was parked at plus the weight of all the people in the very back of the boat,put the outlet for the bilge pump under the water. It began taking in water. Then it got to some air vents on the side of the boat and just poured in from there.

So...even while beached problems can happen and it pays to pay attention. Were it not for the admiraless on my boat paying attention to theirs it would have been a whole lot worse.

Just thought I would share this story because it it something I have never seen or heard of. It might help someone else.

 

[jonesg]

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

Close call.

A boat was heading out the Merrimack river in NH last yr, completely overloaded, he started sinking as soon as he met the incoming surf.
Other boaters picked everyone up, the CG couldn't believe the boat was so overloaded and no lifejackets entering heavy surf.

One thing for sure, boating will reveal our mistakes.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

Close call.

A boat was heading out the Merrimack river in NH last yr, completely overloaded, he started sinking as soon as he met the incoming surf.
Other boaters picked everyone up, the CG couldn't believe the boat was so overloaded and no lifejackets entering heavy surf.

One thing for sure, boating will reveal our mistakes.

Yikes! that's one of the most dangerous inlets on the east coast.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

Just thought I would share this story because it it something I have never seen or heard of. It might help someone else.

This is a great example of why you want an automatic bilge pump.

 

[seaboo]

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

I don't know what type boat you buddy has but if it is an I/O have him check the bellows just to make sure. I bought a (used) boat once (trailered to the lake 3-4 times and never beached it) and the only way I discovered they were leaking was when I finally beached it for several hours and it collected water (darn near sunk that one). Just so he covers his bases if it's an I/O check them out.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

Also some boats have a built-in cooler in the swim platform that drains into the bilge. Sheer idiocy. If he had one and it submerged, there's your leak.

On this guy, too, a falling tide can do him in. I've seen many boats lost at piers where just an edge of the rubrail hangs on the pier; tide drops and boat gets cattywumpus, starts filling up at a low corner. Saw one where the water came in a vent and flooded the inner hull so it wasn't apparent.

The transom area seems to be a great source of leaks and swamps. Care for it.

 

[stubbsboogie]

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

This is a great example of why you want an automatic bilge pump.

I agree!!! after that happened I poured some water in mine just to make sure it was working!!

I stopped by his house yesterday and he was going over the boat, engine seems fine as are the bellows. But the water in places it was not ever supposed to be is causing some mildew and he is going to have to replace three speakers that went totally under and are fried.
Expensive mistake, but it could have been much worse.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

If his starter got dunked, it needs to come out.

 

[180shabah]

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

This is a great example of why you want an automatic bilge pump.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[PitchFork]

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

This is a great example of why you want an automatic bilge pump.

2nd that because I never really look in the bilge when parked at an island but I have seen water being pumped out the bilge hose on the side of the boat. My boat did not come with a Automatic bilge pump so I put one shortly after I purchased the boat because one of my first maiden voyages on my new to me boat the bilge filled up with water and I did not even know it until I happened to look into the bilge for some reason. Now if I see water being pumped out of the bilge then something is wrong like forgot to put the plug in.

But after reading this post that I think of it I need to test my pump as I cannot remember the last time the bilge pump ran. I usually only have about a quart or less of water come out when I pull the plug at the ramp after a few hour cruise around the lake.

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

That is my biggest fear.

 

[BaileysBoat]

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

Close call. Good thing the pump worked. I would install a 2nd backup pump.

Did the outlet hose have a riser loop?

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/bilge_pumps.htm

 

[rbh]

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

I just re read this, and thought I would make the comment that this is a good reason for people to anchor with the bow out.

 

[stubbsboogie]

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

I just re read this, and thought I would make the comment that this is a good reason for people to anchor with the bow out.

That will not really work on the river we boat in, Suwannee River. Only way to do it is to beach bow in.

 

[madurodave]

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

scary. I installed an auto pump tonight with an alarm. a little piece of mind goes a long way.

 

[jonesg]

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

2nd that because I never really look in the bilge when parked at an island but I have seen water being pumped out the bilge hose on the side of the boat. My boat did not come with a Automatic bilge pump so I put one shortly after I purchased the boat because one of my first maiden voyages on my new to me boat the bilge filled up with water and I did not even know it until I happened to look into the bilge for some reason. Now if I see water being pumped out of the bilge then something is wrong like forgot to put the plug in.

But after reading this post that I think of it I need to test my pump as I cannot remember the last time the bilge pump ran. I usually only have about a quart or less of water come out when I pull the plug at the ramp after a few hour cruise around the lake.

A peice of wire to pull the float on the auto bilge switch makes sense, good boating says test it every time.

 

[Fun Times]

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

Because of the potential of having all the extra weight of all the people near the swim step on a sterndrive style boat, And/Or having the bow of the boat up higher while the boat is beached is another reason why the manufactures of both the boat and the engine half to make sure the exhaust risers are at a certain hight above the water line of the boat and also making sure the exhaust water shutters are installed in the exhaust Y pipe and that they are working correctly, Because if those water shutters fail with all the extra weight at the rear of the boat, Then you run the risk of having the water backflow into the engine causing a engine hydrolock even while the engine is turned off.

To see an example of the water shutters and there general location see number 7 in the link below.
http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show...2834&bnbr=290&bdesc=Exhaust+System+Components

 

[madurodave]

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

Because of the potential of having all the extra weight of all the people near the swim step on a sterndrive style boat, And/Or having the bow of the boat up higher while the boat is beached is another reason why the manufactures of both the boat and the engine half to make sure the exhaust risers are at a certain hight above the water line of the boat and also making sure the exhaust water shutters are installed in the exhaust Y pipe and that they are working correctly, Because if those water shutters fail with all the extra weight at the rear of the boat, Then you run the risk of having the water backflow into the engine causing a engine hydrolock even while the engine is turned off.

To see an example of the water shutters and there general location see number 7 in the link below.
http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show...2834&bnbr=290&bdesc=Exhaust+System+Components

interesting!

 

[shwoop_soobie]

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

i didn't see anybody say it...

why beach so hard that your boat is on that kind of angle? your friend should have shoved off and re-beached better...
**you were on a river, so i dont know if that played into why he beached so hard

an auto bilge with buzzer sounds like the best bet...

 

[QC]

Re: Almost sunk one this weekend.

Wow, mega Deja vu Check out this thread Even the title, weird. This one had an auto bilge pump and she was going down.