Sunk Boat

[NobleRacing]

I don't know where to start. Yesterday my son and friends were on Lake Conroe in Texas. It became very windy and they couldn't make it back to the ramp and their 18' bass boat sunk. I picked them up last night and they were OK, thank God. The back half of the boat is submerged. I have a 19' Monterey and we are going to attempt to rescue the boat today. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Love the website. I will post pics of this fiasco when we are done.

Thanks, Randy

 

[boat1010]

Re: Sunk Boat

I don't know where to start either. Don't know much about where the boat is or anything. Is it close to shore? Can you get a long rope and slowly pull toward shore?

 

[kandil]

Re: Sunk Boat

The best thing is that your son is OK you can replace boats but you can not replace sons. you probably need to pump the water out some how good luck

 

[NobleRacing]

Re: Sunk Boat

The lake is bulk headed so we can't drag it ashore. It is tied to a boat dock at the moment.

 

[redone4x4]

Re: Sunk Boat

can you rig up a bilge pump with alligator clips to your battery, and pull along side it and pump most of the water out? then you could at least tow it very slowly and load it out.

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Sunk Boat

Take afew come a longs with you a sump pump and a genny . We did one last year but with a bigger boat.

Getting her up

almost there

Saved

 

[NobleRacing]

Re: Sunk Boat

We're heading out with bucks a pump and a prayer.

 

[kandil]

Re: Sunk Boat

I wonder if you can get an old large truck inter tube and some how stick it in the boat or under it and inflates it to help lifting it up good luck

 

[redone4x4]

Re: Sunk Boat

get some pics!!!

 

[Nandy]

Re: Sunk Boat

You dont have much information. Of course, you have to get whatever part of the boat that is under the water out of the water. You can use truck tubes with a compressor to get that part out or a larger boat with some winch or so. Then need to pump the water out. So take an extra pump with you. Third, you need to fix whatever made it sink unless it was just that took water from waves. Then attach a line to the bow of the sunk boat but dont attach it to your boat!! a couple of wraps around a stern cleat and someone holding the line. If you for some reason you tie it to the cleat you must have a knife ready to cut it as that boat could go under again. While you are hauling it go very slow... good luck....

 

[rockyrude]

Re: Sunk Boat

Is this fresh or salt water? First, follow all the good suggestions for raising the boat with one exception, if you cannot get the motor (I'm assuming it's an outboard) IMMEDIATELY dried out get it back in fresh water. This will stop any rusting on the internal parts until you can get it dried out. If the internals get rusted or pitted, there's a major rebuild in your future.Do a search, tashasdaddy has an excellent article on what to do with sunk engines

 

[scipper77]

Re: Sunk Boat

I've seen my local fire department do this at the launch once. And it was a bass boat in this case as well. They had the boat at the launch however. At first they tried running a pump with the back half still submerged. My brother in law saidto the fireman "you know that's never going to work right". The fireman said, "I know what I'm doing". Well of course it didn't work. What did work was when they put some inflatable air bags under the boat and raised the submerged end and then pumped.

I don't know if this in anyway can be applied to your situation but this is how I have seen it done.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Sunk Boat

Yup, air bags are the ticket. Trying to pump out a half submerged boat is an exercise in futility.

Then again, you could always pump the whole lake out and drive the trailer to the boat!

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Sunk Boat

The easiest way to do this is tow the boat gently by it's bow eye, have another boat come along side with a gas powered pump and pump it out while underway. When you tow it by the bow eye, it will naturally want to ride "upright" and as long as you stay moving forward it will be quite stable.

If you only have one boat, use the same method but you'll need a little more speed and your tow boat may not be capable of it. Enough water will flow out the back that when you stop (in calm water) it will remain upright long enough to come alongside and pump it out.

Used to do this ALL the time when I worked for Sea Tow.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Sunk Boat

Lake Conroe

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lake Conroe is a 21,000 acre lake in Montgomery County, Texas.
Water quality generally is good, fairly clear, with an average depth of 20.5 feet, and a maximum depth of 75 feet. The controlling authority of the lake is the San Jacinto River Authority. The City of Houston owns a two-thirds interest in the lake; the SJRA owns one-third. The lake extends about 21 miles (34 km) in length and covers 20,118 acres with 5,000 acres in Sam Houston National Forest. Lake Conroe is a reservoir built as an alternate water supply for the city of Houston by the City of Houston, the San Jacinto River Authority and the Texas Water Development Board in January 1970, the lake was completed January 1973 and it was filled on October 31, 1973.

Lake Conroe is one of the wealthiest areas in Texas. Residents near the lake have the highest income, education level and house values in Montgomery County. A few celebrities such as Rudy Tomjanovich, Roger Clemens, Bill Ford and among others have residencies in the Lake Conroe area.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Sunk Boat

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Sunk Boat

If you can get it to float upright but it's still partially submerged I've heard that wedging plywood sheets all around the cockpit can work. It essentially raises the sides of the of the boat above the waterline.

You need a serious pump, maybe two, like a fire pump though to overcome all the various leaks around the plywood sheeting becuase you'll never get a real good seal. But, as long as the pump can output faster than the inflow, she'll eventually rise up til her real gunwales are above the waterline. (Assuming, as stated above, the hull is seaworthy).

 

[swordfish25]

Re: Sunk Boat

Air bags is the way to go. I have picked them up with my track hoe. It has a good reach, if it is any where near shore. Rent a big gas pump and you are good to go. Good luck.

 

[fat fanny]

Re: Sunk Boat

Maybe try a couple of inflatable matresses under the rear of the transom and secure them with rope inflating them while you pump water out simultaniously. I maybe worth a shot. But it is good to hear your boy is ok that's what matters!!!!!!

 

[NobleRacing]

Re: Sunk Boat

We are home with the boat. Thanks to everyone.... I will post the limited pics and the rest of the story tomorrow.

Thanks, Randy