Sinking Stories

[SJ Valley Dave]

Closest we ever got was at the delta with our flatbottom. We had ran through some of that green mossy junk and sucked it into our water p/u. The temp gauge started skyrocketing so we killed it while iI went to see what was up as no water was going out the discharge obviosly. Not to forget to mention we were in the main Stockton deep water channel not to far from Lost Isle. As we were sitting dead engined one of those giant ocean going ships went by and we immediately had a foot of water sweep over our deck. We were just getting ready to be hit again when my buddy fired it, through me into the dry headers to keep from going under. Got it to shore, cleaned out the pick up and cooled off the burns and we were good to go again. Only takes a few minutes to get rid of the water with those duck bill flappers but we were so close to sinking in the main channel....the only close call we've ever had at the delta with a v-drive flat.

[Boatcop]

25 years (or so) ago I was patrolling Lake Havasu, around Black Meadow. The boat was a 24' SKV Coast Goard boat, 454 V-Drive.
We had stopped a boat for bow riding, We were idling alongside while I was up toward the front writing out a "Notice of Violation" (the CG version of a ticket), while the crew was checking equipment.
I happen to look down toward the cabin, and notice there was water where it shouldn't have been. Yep! The Coast Guard Boat was Sinking!
I flipped on the bilge pump, heard it running, but no water was coming out the hull fitting. (Hose had come off)
Yanked the engine cover and found that the belt for the cooling pump had broke and the uncooled exhaust had burned through the rubber hoses to the through-hull exhaust fitting. Water was pouring in the fittings.
I stuffed a handful of rags into the holes, which slowed it down, but by then we were really low in the water. The engine had already stalled from the vibration dampner throwing water all over the place, and it wouldn't start up cause the starter was under water.
I asked the guy I stopped if he wanted to get out of the ticket, and tow us to the Landing, about 2 miles away. He readilly agreed and we gave him the line, while my crew was bailing with anything the could get their hands on.
About half way to the ramp a CG Auxiliary boat showed up. (I had radioed our problem, and had people on the way to Black Meadow with the trailer.) He tossed us an emergency bilge pump he'd rigged, and after about 10 minutes we had caught up with the flooding and were pretty much out of sinking danger. Was towed to the ramp and trailered without any more problems.
Closest I've come to sinking.
Now. How about a cheap and easy tip for that emergency bilge pump.
Buy a regular bilge pump, the more GPH the better. Wire about 20' of wire to it with clips on the end. Clamp about 10 feet of hose to the discharge of the pump. Then put it all in a pillow case or other container, and stow it under the seat, or wherever.
If you, or another boat is taking on water just drop the pump in the bilge, hook the clips to the battery (yours or theirs) and sling the hose over the side.
For about 20 bucks, you'll have a cheap insurance policy and the forever gratitude of anyone near you that's taking on water.

[GASHGAZER]

Never sank anything, but I was at the ramp in the marina (Havasu) about 5 years ago and a guys wife decided to back a trailer down, well, she backed it down to about 1 ft behind the front tires, so along come the husband, opens the door, in comes the water...so know he's fuming pissed. Fires up the truck and punched it, worked for about 6 inches forward, then went straight back into the drink... sad but kinda funny cus the truck actually floated for a sec while he grabed a few things, then he swam out the window.... to top it off, a pontoon boat with a rookie driver grazes the shell and bounces onto the trailer. Funny at the time....

[HCS]

Originally posted by Boatcop
25 years (or so) ago I was patrolling Lake Havasu, around Black Meadow. The boat was a 24' SKV Coast Goard boat, 454 V-Drive.
We had stopped a boat for bow riding, We were idling alongside while I was up toward the front writing out a "Notice of Violation" (the CG version of a ticket), while the crew was checking equipment.
I happen to look down toward the cabin, and notice there was water where it shouldn't have been. Yep! The Coast Guard Boat was Sinking!
I flipped on the bilge pump, heard it running, but no water was coming out the hull fitting. (Hose had come off)
Yanked the engine cover and found that the belt for the cooling pump had broke and the uncooled exhaust had burned through the rubber hoses to the through-hull exhaust fitting. Water was pouring in the fittings.
I stuffed a handful of rags into the holes, which slowed it down, but by then we were really low in the water. The engine had already stalled from the vibration dampner throwing water all over the place, and it wouldn't start up cause the starter was under water.
I asked the guy I stopped if he wanted to get out of the ticket, and tow us to the Landing, about 2 miles away. He readilly agreed and we gave him the line, while my crew was bailing with anything the could get their hands on.
About half way to the ramp a CG Auxiliary boat showed up. (I had radioed our problem, and had people on the way to Black Meadow with the trailer.) He tossed us an emergency bilge pump he'd rigged, and after about 10 minutes we had caught up with the flooding and were pretty much out of sinking danger. Was towed to the ramp and trailered without any more problems.
Closest I've come to sinking.
Now. How about a cheap and easy tip for that emergency bilge pump.
Buy a regular bilge pump, the more GPH the better. Wire about 20' of wire to it with clips on the end. Clamp about 10 feet of hose to the discharge of the pump. Then put it all in a pillow case or other container, and stow it under the seat, or wherever.
If you, or another boat is taking on water just drop the pump in the bilge, hook the clips to the battery (yours or theirs) and sling the hose over the side.
For about 20 bucks, you'll have a cheap insurance policy and the forever gratitude of anyone near you that's taking on water.
lol I'm one that carries extra goodies. I have one those hand
held jumper boxes with me at all times. I can't tell you how many
thank you's I've gotten for having that. The extra bildge pump
is a good idea. We go boat in camping for a week or two every
year. Iv'e seen sunkin boats a couple of times over the years.
People bailing out their boats with buckets. If they only had that
pump.

[Phat Matt]

Originally posted by SoCalHD
Matt, was that boat a 19 foot Commander jet that probably looked late 80's early 90's Blue/light gray/ w/some green????
It could have been. Let me see if I have any pictures. I was there next to The EduKATor if that helps any.

[Phat Matt]

Here are the pics I could find. It was last 4th of July. These pics are what's left of the boat.
Ski locker...
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/...C03010-med.jpg
A seat cusion...
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/...C03011-med.jpg
And the boats it WAS tied up to...
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/...C03013-med.jpg
Everyone who was floating in the water had to get out because their skin started to burn. Gas was floating to the surface and the cops on sea doos had to pull us out.
Good times.

[Sportin' Wood]

About five years ago my inlaws had planned a big trip to mead on a house boat with there friends. They Blew up the motor in there boat a week before the trip so I told them to take our boat and have fun ( sucker).
They got caught in a storm and beached the boat ( smart move) Too bad for them it rained so hard that the pump could not keep up and our boat sank on the beach from the rain!
They were so worried that they would scratch the damn thing beaching it they ripped the astro turf off the deck off the house boat and laid it down before beaching it. They must have been a wreck when they came out and saw it full of water. It made for great pics of waterfalls coming off the cliffs.

[lynden]

This wasn't me, but my dad. He has a bass boat, and fishes quite a few tournaments. Well I got a call one morning to come down to the lake(an hour away) and find his truck and bring the trailor to another ramp. He noticed when he got to his fishin hole, that he had a lot more water on board than he should have, so he tried the bilge, but it didnt work, so he headed to the ramp, about 5 miles from the ramp he started going down fast, so he beached it. When we pulled him out of the water at the other ramp there was a section of fiberglass 16' x 3' that was missing from the hull of the boat. The damn thing had delaminated and came apart while he was crossing the lake. Skeeter fixed that one for free by giving him a brand new hull!!

[jerry billet]

Couple of years ago, we went out from Half Moon Bay for Tuna that was 45 milers off shore. When we slowed down to rig up, we noticed water coming out of the engine compartment and onto the floor, about 2' of engine well. When we lifted the engine cover, we could see daylight from under the engine. Shoved life jackets under the oiul pan to try and cover the hole. Bilge and two people bailing kepy us afloat untill the coast gaurd showed up. An auxilary pump and a whole bunch more packing under the engine kept us afloat. Seems there was a thin spot in the hull. 38" crack.
Manufacture put a whole new lower section in . Would not feel safe with a patch.
Jerry

[SoCalHD]

Matt, Last 4th of July was when my next door neighbor's Commander went down there. That looks like his ski locker and one of his back seat cushions!! I just called him and emailed him the link to this thread. That was his worst day boating in his 25+ years of goiing to the river :-(