I didn't take the advise of experience

[captbuddy]

OK, alittle update of the trip from NY to Panacea, Fl. with the boss's boat. Made it fine down to Stuart in about 5 days. Two days with seas 6' off shore. Went outside anyway. Boat El Dorado took seas fine. Boss decided to have me take the OW. He only stayed on the boat two days and went home. Was not with me in the OW. Made first lock fine. When approaching the lock to enter the lake, that's when I had a brain fart! It wouldn't hurt so bad if I was not an experience boater with a captain's license. So never say it can't happen to you. While looking over the approach to the lock I, for some reason unknow to me, I wasn't looking at the depth finder and got on the wrong side of the marker. Guess what! Starboard prop got into a rock. Ther is not a more sick feeling if this is your first time ever running aground. Then try and get help in Ft. Myers on a Friday. Could still run it but only about 8kts instead of 20kts. Finally found help at Owl Creek Marina. They first told me they could not haul me out on Friday but after about an hour overboard trying to pull prop off in the water manager said he would haul me. Pulled prop and local prop shop tried to straighten enough to get me home. Turns out these are custom props, 22X25 Kabolt, about $1000 a prop. Prop started cracking so he said it would take several days to fix it correctly. Had to leave the boat. Will return next week after I get my daughter married off this weekend. Moral to the story. Don't be afraid to take some advise and don't never say it can't happen to you. Some day I might hit another rock but I can assure you I will never hit THAT ROCK again. My buddy who was with me on the trip told me after two days of hitting the rock to quick worrying because someday we would be sitting around reminising about the experience. I told him, NO, I never wanted to hear about this event again. Will keep everyone posted on the final leg after I get it to Panacea.
captbuddy

[Rickysa]

I love the old adage....."there are two kinds of captains, those that have run aground, and those that are going to"

I did the same thing in the ICW right behind the house first time out with the boat when we got it back to NC...we usually head north, but decided to head south and got on the wrong side of a marker....KACHUNK...bent shaft/prop etc. and severely bruised ego...

Rick

[Traveler 45C]

Hmmm, been there, didn’t mangle the props though.

Sorry to hear about this. I know what you mean about someday laughing about it. But hey, chalk it up to experience, it happens. At least we can laugh at ourselves…

Good luck for the rest of the trip.

[Pascal]

sorry to hear about the mishap ! official guaranteed depth is down to 3.59 as of today... i hope you can make i thru but if you're still a the entrance, i'd go around if i were in your shoes ! you're only saving a day of running... not worth the risks...

good luck !

[thoward]

sorry to hear about the mishap ! official guaranteed depth is down to 3.59 as of today... i hope you can make i thru but if you're still a the entrance, i'd go around if i were in your shoes ! you're only saving a day of running... not worth the risks...

good luck !

Sounds like he made it across???

[captbuddy]

Yes, I have made it through. The boat is in Ft. Myers now. I'm hoping maybe two more days on the water and I'll have it in Panacea. Will proably leave next Monday to head down from Georgia. Really the Lake wasn't that bad. About 4.5 to 5.5 on the east side of Lake. West side was worst. At one time I saw 3.9 but didn't have any problems in the Lake.
Buddy

[DeeRow]

As many times as that rock has been hit, I'm surprised that it is still there! When I hit it, I bent both props, bent the strut, and cracked a shaft. Got it fixed at American Custom Yachts in Stuart to the tune of 8 boat bucks. After they revived me, I filed an insurance claim. The sad part is that the claim payment (less deductable) didn't exceed my annual insurance premium

[Passages]

I guess today was my turn.

I just splashed Passages last week and today I was taking it to my summer slip.

Half way through my trip I brought it up to WOT just to check that all systems were a go. Engines were sounding good, gauges seemed to be where they should be, GPS was reading 26.5 knots (clean bottom and a following current), glanced at the depth finder... 1.6 feet WTF - Where's that bouy?! Aww S***, Slam the throttle to idle -- and then - the unmistakable thump, thump, thump of bronze blades hitting something hard.

Port engine is fine, Stb is fine to 800 rpm, slight shimmy to 1700 and ugly after that. Fortunately I have a spare, tuned prop. Looks like diver time.

[Genesis]

There are two ranks of captains.

Those who HAVE run aground, and those who WILL.

I will leave it to you to deduce whether or not I have yet moved my marker from one box to the other

[jim rosenthal]

Been there, done that, lost the shirt as a result. Two bent wheels and the struts....not a happy time. And totally my fault. Now I get nervous in anything less than ten feet.