Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Aluminum Boats Can Sink

Gents,

Got some bad news to share, about one of our newest members to the board, 'Master Bonzai' (MB for short.)

MB was out of town this weekend, setting up a future job in 'Paradise' Alaska (yes, the home of Big Stick) and had a bit of problems with his boat. MB had left his 19ft aluminum Hewescraft moored in it's slip while he was away, as another friend had asked to possibly use it. Normal procedure is to pull a boat out of the water when away from town.

During the last few days, we had some serious rain fall, it knocked out one foot bridge in the middle of town, and the outflow from the island was incredible.

MB called back to Sitka, asking a buddy to check on his boat, and the buddy went down to the harbor 'bright and early' the next morning. Sadly, this was the sight when he arrived...



...as the bilge pump had failed, and the rain water had collected inside the boat enough to drive the slashwell below the waterline.

Unfortunately aluminum has no inherent floatation properties, and the boat sank in it's slip. A fiberglass boat, PROPERLY built, would have faired a bit better, but not much.

Here's a couple more pictures...




...as you can see, that's a very expensive 4stroke Yamaha about 4 feet under the water. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

I got there about 9:00AM, and with the help of a couple more friends, some straps, and a 'come-along', we got the boat raised and pumped out.



This is the third boat I've help raise after sinking at the dock. We've got the system down fairly well. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> It's also not the only boat which 'sank' that night, as I saw a couple others in the same plight.

Getting the boat out of the water is only part of the battle. After getting it on the trailer, we quickly flushed the engine with hot fresh water (external), pulled the spark plugs to get all the salt water out of the cylinders, changed the oil (twice, plus it's been done a third time), sprayed oil into the cylinders, drained the carb bowls, replaced all filters, pulled all the electronical connections and sprayed them with commercial grade lubricants, and tried to run the engine within a couple hours of 'resurfacing'.

(Our group is very experienced with dealing with expensive electronics and equipment operated in a salt-water enviroment)

As of this writing, the motor still hasn't started. It's bacfkfired a couple times, but the spark plugs get fouled due to the oil we sprayed in the cylinders. These fancy 4 strokes are harder to bring back to life than the older 2 strokes.

The rest of the boat will be fine, minus the VHF and the depth finder. That is the good thing about aluminum boats! Yes, there will be wiring corrosion issues in the future, but a simple boat like this is easy to fix.

MB gave me permission to post these pictures, he may respond, but he's busy trying to get that motor going...

Brian --this happened to a friend of mine with his Bayrunner last year. Pictures looked pretty much the same. It's good that he has friends like you. This is also the reason I pay for boat insurance, and why my Hewescraft is sitting in my driveway while we're on a four-week tour of Lower America. (The mule deer hunting in Wyoming was terrific; the chukars in Nevada kicked my sorry fat behind...)

My buddy had to completely replace all the wiring in his boat, as well as rebuilt the 2-stroke main engine and the 4-stroke kicker. The good news is -- his boat insurance paid for it and the boat is better than before. A very tough and heart-dropping way to get there, though.

Give MB my sympathies and best wishes -- this is the sight we all fear on those driving-to-work-morning-boat-checks.

My 2yr old caught me opening this Thread and came running over pointing his finger,saying "Dad's boat!,Dad's boat!". He recognized the motor.

That surely sucks hard and my hopes are that someone has been mailing insurance premiums. I still insure mine,though my pards think it's a waste of loot. For the meager asking price,it is well worth the loot to me,to not fret disaster.

I didn't realize you guys got hit as hard with the weather as we did,on that last bout. It was plum crazy here.

Here's hoping the flushing party makes all well...............

I trailer to and fro,on every foray. Just don't have it in me,to leave my boat unattended and setting in the water when not in use.

'Course living a 1/4 mile from the boat ramp,ain't all bad................

To get the motor going, just attach it to another boat, put the damaged motor in gear, turn on the ignition and let the other boat tow it around. That'll spin the prop and start the engine just like towing a truck behind another truck. Let us know how it works. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Seriously, that has got to be a sickening sight, let alone expensive to fix.

A couple decades ago with were fishing opening weekend on Lake Mille Lacs in central Minnesota. This lake is a big one at over 130,000 acres. The weather turned bad on Sunday just as folks were trailering their boats for the trip home. There were about 25 boats of various sizes lined up �bumper to bumper� waiting for their turn at the campground ramp. The waves really started smashing things around and naturally Panic Ensued.

The next boat in line, a flashy 20� fiberglass number, had 3-4 guys in it and was being piloted by a rookie since the only guy in the group that knew how to back up a trailer was the owner. They had dropped him off on the dock so he could fetch the truck and trailer.

As the owner backed his trailer into to the water the wind is howling and boats are being tossed about, spectators, boat owners, and beer drinkers are all screeching directions back and forth � quite a scene. The rookie does a nice job of maneuvering into position, but then a wave slams into the stern and the boat lunges forward toward the trailer. The rookie hammers the throttle into reverse just in time to catch the next big wave which floods over the stern; half fills the boat, and kills the motor. Everyone turns silent�except for a passenger in the doomed boat that announced in an amazingly calm voice:

�Hey Henry, yer boat is sinkin�.�

The next wave washes right over and the boat is aground in about three feet of water � perfectly blocking the ramp from the other 24 really pissed off fisherman. The weather is getting worse by the minute. The owner of the campground surveys the scene and makes a dash for his big Ford 4x4. It took some doing, but he wrapped a chain around the boat and dragged that sucker right up on the rocks. Water was streaming from the flooded boat in a half-dozen places, and pieces of fiberglass were laying in a trail from the water. Henry never argued.

One by one, the other boats start getting off the lake. As we left for the day, Henry and the campground owner were trying to use a combination of the trailer winch, chains, and the 4x4 to skid the boat up onto the trailer.

OH! The pictures are breaking my heart. I worked on the engine all last night and she's going to run. My guys took incredible care of the block and electrical connectors immedietly after pulling it from the salt water. I'm bring it in to one of the best mechanics in town to get the carbs worked on. I'll let you guys know the final bill to modivate ya'll to check them boats on a daily basis! Shoot, I didn't even get any shrimp in the shrimp pots I had aboard. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I'm really thankful to BW and the rest of the guys for doing all of the work that they did while I was gone to keep it from being a total loss.

BW
Doesn't the harbormaster have a harbor patrol there??? When I look at what I pay in slip fees each year I realize I get a pretty good deal! Even though they raised my boat taxes 110% this year, I chuckle at what they do for it...

Hope the desalination works!
art

You always fear the boat getting dunked while underway, but it seems like most sinkings are at the dock. Hmm, me thinks a second bilge pump will be added in the near future <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Sitka Deer,

Yep, the harbormaster folks walk the docks all the time, making sure nobody's mooring for free. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> They don't do anything for sinking boats, except maybe notify the owner. I've heard that they'll cut your mooring lines if the weight of the boat threatens to damage the dock. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

There's 5 harbors in town, and when I walk around them I constantly see boats (skiffs, not big boats) in various stages of sinking. Some folks just don't seem to care. I can't really blame the harbor master for not getting too excited everytime he see a boat riding low in the water.

I'm sure MB's boat went down quickly during the night.

Our slip fees went up too, but it's actually quite cheap, at about $35.00 a month for a 24ft boat. As I mentioned above, the harbor master does work hard at collecting fees from everyone who uses the docks. You can't even allow a buddy (who doesn't have a slip) to use your slip while your boat is out of the water. At first I thought that was wrong, but then I realized that by charging everyone for the dock use, he was helping to keep my rates down. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Sitka ...what are you talking about boat taxes? Please explain.

Dean
Kodiak borough (county equivalent) collects personal property taxes on boats. In the past it was simply taken out of the slip fees paid and there was no direct billing. This year they started billing directly and did not drop my slip fees an equal amount... and they raised the tax 10%... added together, I see a 110% increase in real costs...

All of that whining and now I must admit the figure is steep now at $16/annum! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> for all boats, regardless of value, aux. vessels do not count...

Just to rub it in further... I pay for a 40'x13' slip and it comes in at just over $900 per year.
art

you have got to be kidding me right 40x13 for 900 you say , how does this sound 30x10 with a finger and electric is 1769 from march to december. they go up a little bit each year to cover the marinas proerty tax on the land. You got it made , most of the places around here get anywere from 65 to 95 dollars per foot.I think next season I'll put my boat on Kodiak , the money I save in slip charges could go towards the plane ticket.he he

Can you say self-bailing? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> It sure saves a lot of worry and grief if you leave a boat moored.