Another story that some have probably seen from me before.
I get a phone call Friday afternoon. Its skipper and he has this pending
delivery job on a brand-new 35-foot sport fisher. He been waiting for two
weeks for the bare bones boat to be ready to transport to the boat show. But
they are now under the gun so he is going to try and squeeze the run in on
Sunday. Should take 5 or so hours to make the run. He asks if I be
interested in going along keep him some company. Well we have done these runs hundreds of times, no big deal got not much going on. But first I ask? bare bones has it a head at least, cause the last time you did this the boat did not. He says yup its got a galley and head etc just no electronics, heater
etc. Ok I am in, when we leaving. Skip says he will pick me up at 6.00 AM
Sunday morning as long as the weather is good.
Sunday morn I wait with some stuff I have placed in a bag. Hand held GPS,
VHF, couple of charts flashlight etc. Wife made some snacks, a great lunch
for the trip. As usual all ready to go in a small cooler. Its March so this trip
is going to be a bit cool out there. I put on my big winter coat and grab my
cruiser suit.
Just after 6.00 AM I hear skip pull up in his Cummins powered Dodge pick up.
I head out the door toss the bag in the back of the truck and jump in. With
the cruiser suit under my arm.
We arrive at the dock, skip has the keys for the boat so we just head on
down. Yup brand new out of the box. But she is going to a boat show so they
keep em as bare as possible. The not yet owner will probably outfit her from
all the boat show specials he is going to buy < grin>
So we jump on board, I stow the bags and cooler in the cabin. Take a look around
make sure there is a head just like Skip promised and yup even a fridge not
that I am going to turn it on and use.
Skip fires up the engines twin diesel shaft drive deal on V-drives. We check
under the hatches take a quick look at electrical panels make sure theres
fuel all that kinda stuff. Power sounds real nice deep thump to the exhaust.
All is good so I jump off untying the lines so we can get under way. We
settle in to the new digs with coffee in hand as we start getting the GPS
and VHF set up charts at the ready. Both have our cruiser suits but they are
down in the cabin with the bags.
Our run is up the coast about 50 miles but we want to get out four or so
miles and avoid the banana as I call it. Shallow water area that will
produce a confused sea in the NE winds. This is to be a pleasure cruise so
might as well enjoy the ride. As expected there is a 15-knot or so wind from
the NE producing a two plus foot chop along with a 3 to 4 foot low easterly
roll. Very pleasant conditions for this boat for sure. She is nice and light
feels very nimble just like a new boat should.
Skip brings her up on plane at about 18 knots, sets the throttle and trims her with
a bit of a bow up attitude. Perfect for the conditions nice easy pace
providing very comfortable ride for us.
At about ten AM or so I get to check out the new head and off the bridge I
go down the ladder. Get into the cabin sit down for the tinkle. Just as I am
about to get up off the throne the port side engine shuts down. What the
hell as I fumble around pulling my pants up. As she comes off step she
waddles a bit, she just feels wrong! I get out of the head the engine alarm
sounds , ya like I already figured the engine has shut down. Skip screams out
take a look under the hatch. I open the hatch and she is full of water like
way up the engines. Skip looks down and pulls back on the starboard engine
throttle.
As we slow down and come off the plane we take one of them slow rollers on
our beam. She leans over and water starts to come out over the aft deck from
the engine compartment. It takes my feet out from under me. But she goes
over a bit more and gulps water through the transom gate. The F in gate lock
is gone! She comes up-rite again but we are full of water. I am trying to
get some footing on an engine or something while I am still hanging on to
the gunnels. Both engines are now shut down the engine alarms are going off
this sucks !!!!! . I get to my feet and go for the gate but we lean over
again and the engine hatch is in my way. She starts to gulp lots more F---
water there is a river going into the cabin. She holds this position as the
stern falls away from under me. I see Skip running over the bow as she slips
into the water.
As I grasp for air and start getting that ice cream head ache I know the
boots, winter coat etc have to come off. I make it to the surface for a
breath and start undoing my boots. Get the first one off and struggle up for
another breath. Down I go again and go for the other boot. No way I struggle
to come up for more air. I start to take off my coat but I get my arm stuck
in the sleeve. Man this coat is getting heavy and this F in shoe. I come up
again struggling for another shot of air as I get an arm loose. I take a big
gulp of water and down I go again. I struggle to unload the coat and get
back up for another shot of air. My feet are kicking I start to think of my
wife making me that lunch. The surface is rite there.
Gulp
Some might recognize this fictional post from a decade or so ago. But my motivation for posting is the same. Might actually bring on more thought to a subject. Thought that could help some one at some point.
I contribute to the forum simply to try and assist others. We may not always sea , see from the same stars so to speak but what a great place to find and share with other's that have the same passion.
Thanks Doug and Baker for such an outstanding platform. I learn , share, listen. provide as best I can from where I sit.
Arild is gone, like too many , but we are still kicking.
My point , anchoring, twins, galley up, galley down, Lehman, dock lines, navigation, cruising areas are always worth sharing experiences. IMO.
No fun if there is an absolute
(I still love it though!)
