former member needs help

[67hat34c]

I talked to the bird today. he is now saying he has to move Freebird from Palmeto fl(tampa area) to TN, his insurance co will now insure it in fl. the marina where it is gave him until sunday to get the boat out. No all of you know what the problems are. He has one engine that has not been checked out very well, the boat needs to be made safe for the trip and also needs crew to volunteer. I cant go but am willing to go over this weekend to help.

I think he needs some of you seasoned vets to help him out, some of you may not like him or agree with him but he is a good guy and I sure do not want to see him get in any more trouble with this thing or get hurt etc.

I think he needs one of you that know these detroits to give him a hand making the one engine seaworthy, maybe someone can lend him a life raft for the trip, go through safety stuff and at least travel with him from palmetto to tarpon springs for the shake down part of the trip.

anyone interested can call me or if you know how to call the bird call him . I dont want to post his cell # here but have no problem posting mine. so lets give a brother a helping hand.


Thanks

Steve Hierholzer
407 928 5173

By the way Randy did not ask me to do this nor did I tell him. He may be proud but he also knows how to eat crow.

[Boatsb]

I was there with him last night helping remove a stubborn AC pump so he can get a replacement. He had a mechanic by earlier and I assumed he checked the boat out for Randy. I found out today he looked around and did nothing.

The motor starts. The impeller should be changed but he cant find anyone to do that yet. The boat is mostly ready to go except for the Air conditioner pump and comforts.

If I knew the mechanic did nothing I would have stayed longer and tried to do it my self but thats hindsight.

Randy can not make Alabama in time for his insurance so I am recommending he move it further north to a slip he may have access to a few hours away. That should provide a good shake down for the vessel and those on board. I can not help until next week but he has to be moving before then. If anyone can help with the trip Saturday or Sunday it would really be a good thing.

[Passages]

Could a professional captain be hired for part of the trip? The typical per diem is $150-250 plus expenses.

The other option is to put the boat on land - if insurance will allow it.

I hate to say it, but this is exactly the scenario which leads to damage and injury on the water. Folks compelled to take to the sea in boats in less than seaworthy condition (1 engine out), short handed, limited familarity with the waters and the cumulative stress on the skipper.

It's a dangerous mix and I really don't want to see anyone get hurt.

[Boatsb]

already looked at putting her on the hard. No go with the insurance company. Only $580/week Yes per week from the yard.

Hiring a captain or even crew is an option but try to find a willing crew. Not easy for this voyage.

I think we need to convince him it is safer to leave the boat at a safe dock while the engine is repaired than attempt to run her home on one wing. Either way he will be without insurance in a few days so why not be uninsured tied to a dock not out at sea.

[nor'easter]

already looked at putting her on the hard. No go with the insurance company. Only $580/week Yes per week from the yard.

Hiring a captain or even crew is an option but try to find a willing crew. Not easy for this voyage.

I think we need to convince him it is safer to leave the boat at a safe dock while the engine is repaired than attempt to run her home on one wing. Either way he will be without insurance in a few days so why not be uninsured tied to a dock not out at sea.

I think that is a sound idea!
Having a main down in a boat you know that is otherwise mechanically reliable is one thing. This sounds like a different thing and would go the conservative path.

[Genesis]

I'll tell you what I'd do in this situation.

I'd get in the damn thing and get outta there. Right now.

He's gotta go through at Marathon because if I'm right the lake level is too low to go through, besides, you don't want to do that alone.

Now with that said, I'd make sure I have an EPIRB on board at a bare minimum, and a nice Type 1 vest sitting next to me the whole way. And I'd go through whatever I can to insure that the pumps work and that the working engine is ok.

We're talking displacement speeds here with only one engine up, and you have to lock the other shaft. But - there's nothing particularly wrong with running a boat with one engine - an awful lot of very long-range cruising boats only have one engine.

Docking is going to be fun but not something that can't be handled.

How's 'yer seamanship and boat-handling?

All the options suck. This one appears to suck the least. You got a decent weather window right now as there is no tropical activity going on at present; a situation which probably will not persist. With one engine you're running at 8-9kts max, so if you DO get trapped, you're screwed.

So get the hell out of there while the risk is within reasonable boundaries. The trick here is to get out of the SE side of the state as "first risk" is on that side of the state, at least right now.

The only other option IMHO is to go up on the hard; if that has been eliminated you do nothing good via delay.

[nor'easter]

My comments were based on my perception of the seaworthiness/readiness of the other main engine. Is the fuel tank a mess, as i remember this boat having a thread about its maiden voyage and fuel issues?
The other issue is running the boat on one engine, and the skipper's experience doing that. Open water, no problem. But close quarters and possibly once in the river system might be tough, depending on currents, etc(never been there, don't know). Add to that a short handed crew unfamiliar with the boat, and the need to rush along, and I would get uncomfortable.
I am lucky to not have the hurricane concern here in So Cal, so it might be hard for me to grasp the gravity of the situation. Going NOW may still be the right thing. Just my .02

[67hat34c]

I talked to randy tonight, the prop is comming off of the dead shaft so it will not need to locked. I am going to help him move it from palmetto tomorrow or sunday, we are only going 20miles and headed to a private dock for an unknown length of stay. i believe at that point the boat will be made seaworthy for the trip on one motor or it will be sold. there are some tire kickers out there.

we will be running the icw so i believe she will be safe for that short trip. I will give it a going over before we go out not that i am any kind of expert or even know what i am looking at but will look for hose fittings, hose condition. pumps shaft logs etc etc.

Fuel tanks are low but fuel is very old. guessing we will need to add some biocide and have plenty of filters. will make sure that those are available.

I know absulutely nothing about the detroit 1271 n's that are in there. Randy and scott got the working engine started but that is all I know. believe we are going to run this trip on the existing water pump impellor but it will be changed before the big trip.


Will mention to him regarding renting an Epirb for the crossing if and when he does it. also if someone could lend a life or survival raft that would be good also.

[Jaxfishgyd]

This has all the makings of beating his "Trip from Hell" write up.

Hopefully this trip will go better for him. Can't wait for the details.

We could start a pool on different things that can/will go wrong !

[SKYCHENEY]

Why has the engine not been repaired yet? This problem was reported here months ago. I can't see anyone buying it or moving it without that engine being made operable. I sounds like a big problem to me that has been brewing for a long time. Just fix it correctly and then the options are greatly improved as is the safety of all involved. Don't take any unnecessary risks.