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Check this one out from this week.
First boat I ever worked on was a very well equipped 26 Mako with two brand new motors on the back. We ran charters with it and did local tournaments. We really pushed the limits with that boat when we fun fished. We were often by far the smallest boat in the canyons and even overnighted 80 miles off chasing a tuna bite. On a Saturday we ran the boat 50+ miles southeast of its home port to fish for Mako Sharks in a tournament. Got home without incident. Two days later someone at the marina noticed the boat sitting a little low in the slip. Within 10 minutes the boat rolled over in the slip. Totaled.So.......a couple of weeks ago my son in law's dad buys a nice used fishing boat. He was sick so my son in law asked me if I wanted to join the maiden voyage. We launch the boat and go to the gas station, and while filling up, a kayak with two people runs into the boat. Paddles right into it. We are like WTF? Bad juju.
Gassed up we head out into heavy fog. Can't see sh!t. But no matter the boat has electronics. We cruise around for about four hours, drop a few lines but really just enjoying the boat, talking about all the great times that are going to be had on this awesome boat.
Son in law decides to head back, and a few minutes later says we are taking on water. Tells his buddy to hit the bilge pump, but it doesn't work. We start bailing. Turn the boat to the beach, maybe a mile away. Now the cabin is flooding. We get just outside the surf, and hope to use the trolling motor to beach it, but the motor, now flooded, dies. Six foot wave hits the back of the boat, but we hold on. Rocked. Second one, not as big, we hold on. Third wave hits and we have to bail. Boat flips, and we are in the drink. I'm in a rip, but close to shore. Trying to let the waves push me in, but the rip says no. It's a whole lot different with no board, no suit, and in your clothes. A random booger, the only guy out, asks if I need help, and I say come on over. I grabbed the edge of his board, and I'm on the sand. I imagine it looked a lot like that vid where the Aussie guy says "It's a complete yard sale"
The boat is upside down on the beach. Heard it flipped three times. Surreal. Over the next half hour, random stuff from the boat washes up. A shoe, a few beers, a bag of chips. Then we hear the bilge pump start.......and it runs and runs, mocking us.
Coast guard shows cause people on the beach called. If my son in law hadn't seen it when he did, it could have been a whole lot worse. If I'd had to jump in a few miles offshore in the fog, I'd probably not be writing this. No way the boat sank because of the faulty bilge pump. There was a bit of swell but no water coming in over the side all day. Waiting for an inspector to determine the cause. I never felt in peril, but the next day realized I was. One minute the three of us were having a great time, a few minutes later we were standing on the beach. It happened fast.
Why did the boat need a copy machine?First boat I ever worked on was a very well equipped 26 Mako with two brand new motors on the back. We ran charters with it and did local tournaments. We really pushed the limits with that boat when we fun fished. We were often by far the smallest boat in the canyons and even overnighted 80 miles off chasing a tuna bite. On a Saturday we ran the boat 50+ miles southeast of its home port to fish for Mako Sharks in a tournament. Got home without incident. Two days later someone at the marina noticed the boat sitting a little low in the slip. Within 10 minutes the boat rolled over in the slip. Totaled.
The culprit.......a bronze through hull for the live well that had corroded from the inside. Looking at it from the bilge the fitting looked fine. You would have never known it would have failed to look at it from inside the boat. Possibly stray electrical current or just time ate it away.
We often talked about the what ifs had that fitting failed while we were shark fishing more than 30 miles from shore. On the one hand we might have died but then on the other hand had it failed while we were on board there is a strong possibility we would have quickly figured out why we were taking on water and plugged it. Having a boat sink in a slip is a sad way for a boat to die.
Cell phone was in my pocket when I bailed. No pics. Interesting take on the fitting-I think it's got to be something like that-very slow leak.Glad it turned out OK. Sorry to hear about the boat.
Just my guess, that sounds like there was a loose hull fitting or hull failure (like the boat that went down off Washington coast last years when the engine bracket separated from the hull). Any pics of the boat?
Hahaha! I just saw that one too. All time!