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  1. #1

    Boat Sink Veterans

    Are there any forum members who have survived sinking their boat and are willing to share the story?

    What went wrong?

    How did it play out financially?

    Are you still a boat owner?

    I have no sunk boats to my credit but my wife earned her U-Boat Commander status sinking her BMW in a Tampa rain storm a few years back.

    Bruce
    Freestyle
    1986 62 CPMY (54 MY with ext.)
    Tampa

  2. #2

    Re: Boat Sink Veterans

    Dan sunk his prior Hatteras. Maybe he can give you the full story. To his credit his hasn't sunk his latest Hatteras
    Looking for a 80 plus foot yacht
    Hatteras of Cheoy Lee

  3. #3

    Re: Boat Sink Veterans

    Sunk a 30' inboard former US Navy personnel boat when I was 14. I was on the last leg of my qualifications as small boat captain at sea camp. We (I) hit a partially submerged log probably doing 15 knots that holed the port bow. Go fast and fill the boat up fast; stop and fill the boat up fast. Was accompanied by another training boat that came alongside and took us (8 I recall) aboard. We tied a line on with a life jacket to mark the spot about a half mile offshore on the Neuse River in about 20' of water.

    About a week later, they dragged the boat ashore with a dozer and a long cable. That old wood boat went down like an anvil holding an anvil. You could easily recognize the boat thereafter. It was the one with 18" square patch on the hull.

    Made my qualification and received a "Ship Wrecked Crewman" certificate--still have it. No financial penalties. You give a 14 year old command of a boat and ... And in those days, there was no report to the CG or any worries about the gas and oil in the water.

    I've been doing much better lately.
    Semper Siesta
    Robert Clarkson
    ASLAN, 1983 55C #343
    Charleston, SC

  4. #4

    Re: Boat Sink Veterans

    When in my early teens, Dad owned a twin engine boat that he raced. After a day of testing, had my brother and I (early teens), tie and wash boat while he went inside to shower. Later that night... he pulls us out of bed to help retrieve boat that sunk at dock (caught by rising tide). Threw us both into bay (in our underwear, in winter), to secure lines and start re- floating the boat. By following morning had fuel tanks cleared, both engines running and running it like we stole it to dry everything.

    Skip forward almost 40 years. Rounding a hard shore in a RIB in rough seas (with daughter and four of her sorority sisters), and the engine literally flys off the transom. Daughter and I quickly put on fins and proceeded to swim dinghy away from rocks and back to Hatt. Since the girls had enough “fun” for that day we left outboard where it fell in about 15-20’ of water. Returned two days later when weather layed down a bit. After dragging daughter for about 15 minutes we located our migratory outboard (two others were in same area, although quite a bit older), ‘‘tied a line and eventually get it back on board. after flushing with fresh water, had it running in under two hours. Ran great for rest of my ownership (five years).

    It was determined that on the night before of our fateful adventure, someone had attempted to steal the outboard (Yamaha) off of our dingy. In process had engine “ready to go” when something scared them away. Part of my “preflight” now involves verifying the engine is indeed attached to hull...

    Amazing the things one learns from Dad.
    Last edited by GCSI; 11-05-2019 at 07:42 PM.

  5. #5

    Re: Boat Sink Veterans

    I owned a 34 ft. Wood planked Down Easter lobster yacht.
    Had 7 guests onboard for a birthday cruise on the Gulf of Mexico.
    While heading out the group decided to sit on the bow to catch more breeze.
    Now the hull from the waterline down was tight with no leaks. Unknown to me a few planks higher were not sealed tight, and they were now below water due to the added weight on the bow. It only took about 20 minutes when I glanced into the lower cabin and saw the floorboards floating around.
    This was about 2 ft. of water from bow to stern in the boat and the bilge pumps failed due to batteries being submerged.
    A quick u turn and I headed towards the nearest shallow area I knew (about 4 miles).
    Boat continued to ride lower and lower and wallow side to side. The old Perkins kept on chugging while 1/2 submerged. We got to about 100 yards from shore and grounded in about 3 ft of water.
    I swam to shore and borrowed a friends pontoon and retrieved the rest of the group that was now continuing their party.
    Unfortunately a major low tide ensued and the boat rolled onto her side on the mud flat before I could get to her with a gas powered crash pump. I did refloat her the next day and she floated fine when emptied out of water.
    No fuel leaked and quick response with a mechanic got the engine flushed out.
    An unforgettable Birthday for my sister-in law !

  6. #6

    Re: Boat Sink Veterans

    An October Sunday that changed five peoples lives forever when myself, my son, my best friend(Danny) his son(Drew) and my best friends dad(Joe) were just outside bogue inlet in my 22'cc on their first king fishing trip. My son caught his first king, 12 Lb, on a naked cigar prop line, boy was he proud. We knew the weather was gonna get sloppy around 1300 so we planned to head in and fish inshore around 1130. As we headed back in the weather went to s*&t REAL fast as we got closer to the emerald isle pointe. We were soaked and cold but we were making headway around 8 knots. It was tough staying the course as each wave sent the bow to a 45+ degree rise, one after the other, then......
    acutely without a minute hint of a problem the motor just shut off. I tried to restart it twice and got nothing. Just as quickly as the motor shut off there was water coming over the transom so I directed the boys and Joe to the bow and I followed while Danny was already on the radio calling the coast guard. As I reached the front, just that quick, I felt my heels start to rise and my instinct said,"we're rolling over". I grabbed my son and Drew and yelled "jump" pulling them with me as I felt the roll of the boat. As my head came above water I saw our 54g cooler next to me so I grabbed it and pulled it to my son and told him not to let go. I turned to look for the others and they were all together hanging to the starboard bow. I pushed my son and the cooler to them and instructed my son to hold whatever he could. I quickly realized the bow rail was with in reach so I instructed my son and Drew to wrap one leg around it so it was behind their knee while Danny was assisting his dad to hold on. The only other thing I knew to do was try to encourage the boys. There was a navy vessel a short distance from where we were fishing so I assured them they would be to us soon. Danny's dad was struggling bad. He had some health problems and at 69yo I knew it would be rough for him. After about 20 minutes Joe went unresponsive despite every effort to fight. Danny struggled to hold onto his dads now limp body. He gave it his all until he couldn't give anymore. I took hold of Joe and told Danny to hold onto the boys. I held him in a rescue hold until I felt my grip on the bow rail starting to slip. I then tried to find something to secure him to the boat but couldn't find anything. I looked at Danny and said, "I'm losing my grip." Danny said, "let him go, I love you dad". I made sure Joe was face up and I let him go. I have NEVER felt so helpless as I did at that moment. 3 minutes later my son yells, "they're here, there's a boat", pointing to the coasties just off the transom. I directed them to Joe, it had gotten so rough it took them 6 attempts, 4-5 minutes to pull Joe aboard. As this was happening, a Sea Tow vessel appears from the same direction as the coasties. He threw Danny a rescue line he tied to the bow rail. We sent the boys up the rope while the coasties capt threw Danny another rescue line pulling him to their vessel. As my son was pulled aboard Capt. Jay's Sea Tow boat I made my way up the same line. The coasties wanted us on their vessel but despite 2 attempts it was too rough. The coasties took Joe and Danny and myself and the boys went with Jay. Joe fought hard but was pronounced dead the next morning at 1120. Preliminary testing shows Joe experienced some cardiac event vs drowning, he had no water in his lungs.
    This incident has been the driving factor for my sons post high school pathway


    Attached Images
    '88 55'C hull 394 ​BEATs Therapy
    12-71 TA's ZF BW190 1.5:1 gears

  7. #7

    Re: Boat Sink Veterans

    Back in my two man open sailboat racing days we pushed hard and flipped it, quite a few times. It was fitted with air bags and self bailers and with considerable effort you could right it where the sides would JUST be above the water and if the waves weren't too brutal sail it dry heading down wind after which you shivered your way back to shore. Not a real emergency for us due to training, but still, every time that water came over the edge you puckered.... Broached a few large boats over the years but never swamped one.... still when that water starts coming in over the decks and sloshing against the windows.....

    On edit..... Posted this before I saw Ageless' post above. Sorry you had to live through that. Yes, like you said, it can all turn to sh1t in a heartbeat....
    Last edited by oscarvan; 11-06-2019 at 12:07 PM.
    1978 53' Motor Yacht "LADY KAY V"
    Hull number 524
    Chesapeake Bay

  8. #8

    Re: Boat Sink Veterans

    Ageless, I’m very sorry you had to experience that, but I’m glad it wasn’t worse. I’ve had a couple experiences I’ll share later, but nothing like yours.
    Randy Register - Kingston, TN
    www.yachtrelocation.com
    www.Safes4Guns.com
    aka Freebird aka Sparky1
    1965 41DC #93

  9. #9

    Re: Boat Sink Veterans

    No total loss but have taken on water. It was with a Trojan F30 while on holidays in the Trent Severn Canal. One of the bolts holding the shaft strut fell out and water was pouring in from a 3/8" hole. A single engine run to the nearest dock to wait for a haul out. Im sure some people wondered how me and my then wife could be so calm sitting there drinking wine in such a dire situation. Truth was I needed the cork to stuff in the hole while we waited.


    One important thing I have learned is DONT PANIC!

    Walt Hoover

  10. #10

    Re: Boat Sink Veterans

    I too express my sympathies to you, Ageless, for the loss and for the everlasting memories. Robert
    Semper Siesta
    Robert Clarkson
    ASLAN, 1983 55C #343
    Charleston, SC

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