I ended up in the mud!

[Steve91T]

My first time in a year of owning the boat. We are moving the boat from Myrtle Beach to Willmington and planned the trip with two nights on the hook. We found a really cool anchorage near little creek inlet. It’s a huge, wide open space and as we got close to the anchorage, I dropped my guard and stopped looking at Aqua Maps on my phone. There was a sailboat anchored and I figured I’d just go in behind him, which was a great plan except I cut the corner. All of a sudden my alarm went off and we were in less than 2’ of water. I immediately went to neutral and the wind started taking us right strait towards the grass. I could feel us on the bottom. I didn’t want to risk any damage so I just killed the engines and called Boat Us. Thank god I signed up for towing! 30 minutes later sea tow showed up and a super nice jet skier ran the line over to me. I still can’t beliefs I did that. But, we didn’t hurt anything, waisted only about 45 minutes of our night and I learned a pretty valuable lesson.

But man what a crappy feeling that is!

 

[Steve91T]

Forgot one.

 

[hmason]

Mud is so much better than rock.

 

[psneeld]

Glad all is well.

Which anchorage? Looking for a good one there too.

For new guys.....make sure you call the right towing service, calling the wrong one can be expensive. (Both names used in OP)

They arent the same and dont reciprocate usually. Sounds silly but it happens a lot and its doest usually go well.

 

[GregBrannon]

psneeld raises a good point. Could you elaborate on the towing service(s) you belong to, which you called, which showed up, hull insurance towing coverage, final bill, etc.? Thanks.

 

[smitty477]

Great to hear you are OK.
As soon as reasonably possible please check your sea strainer baskets for blockages and your props for dings. Please carefully watch your temp gages for the immediate future.

 

[psneeld]

psneeld raises a good point. Could you elaborate on the towing service(s) you belong to, which you called, which showed up, hull insurance towing coverage, final bill, etc.? Thanks.

If I wasn't clear, I meant calling yellow boat when you are a member of red boat....or vice versa.

Have been there done that, dozens of times where I handed a bill to a guy for $500 bucks or so because they called the wrong towing service (not my option, the bill was generated by the franchise owner).

And please, all the chuckleheads that want to say that such a deal is stupid and unfair, the same hapoens in many other forms of business for all kinds of stupid and unfair things. People get billed for services they didnt want or need because they made a mistake. Just because towing companies are on the water, calling all of them pirates is small minded.

Heck I never liked handing anyone a towing bill after a previous career saving people in big, scary operations that were never billed and the overhead was enormous.

 

[Ski in NC]

Yep, in my area red and yellow boats compete aggressively, although I think red boat is more prevalent now.

It was common for a flustered boater to put out a radio call and get his towing co respond on the radio and say they were like an hour out. Competitor heard the call and turned out to be closer. Approached the stuck boat and offered a tow (verbally, kept radio quiet). Stuck boat accepted not realizing that it was the wrong color boat!! Boat unstuck oh and here's a big bill!!! Much unhappiness ensues...

Just know the difference between the red and yellow boats and which you have a contract with.

 

[FF]

In FL and on the AICW which color boat has the better service?


Its hard to sell a work boat in FL where so many are retired ,


so will be put putting to the NE to sell LUCY next spring.

 

[menzies]

If you drifted onto the mud (rather than run on at cruise) in all probability you would have been able to get her off yourself - did you try?

And remember, there are two kinds of boaters, those who have been aground and those who will be aground!

Enjoy your boat, nice to see your daughter"s reaction!

 

[FlyWright]

There are two types of boaters...

Those who have run aground and those who will run aground.

Welcome to the club of achievers!

 

[Fletcher500]

If you drifted onto the mud (rather than run on at cruise) in all probability you would have been able to get her off yourself - did you try?

Never run aground, but have been close - knock wood. If you have a membership, and the tow boat service you pay an annual fee to are relatively close, why do it yourself and potentially risk damage? Personally, I would have done the same thing. Killed the engines, and make the call.

 

[menzies]

Well, a couple of things.

In my case my running gear is a couple of feet above the keel. Not only does this make me more confident in attempting to get off myself it also makes me more confident inching closer to shore when anchoring or slowly motoring through shallows - depending on bottom.

Secondly, ICW mud really is soft, and if I was blown aground by a breeze, then it would not take mch to reverse back in the same direction I entered the mud. This is especially true on an outgoing tide where the tow is going to take some time getting there.

Now, if I anchor somewhere and wake up aground, well that may mean a tow! Ask me how i know!

 

[High Wire]

Well, a couple of things.

In my case my running gear is a couple of feet above the keel. Not only does this make me more confident in attempting to get off myself it also makes me more confident inching closer to shore when anchoring or slowly motoring through shallows - depending on bottom.

Secondly, ICW mud really is soft, and if I was blown aground by a breeze, then it would not take mch to reverse back in the same direction I entered the mud. This is especially true on an outgoing tide where the tow is going to take some time getting there.

Now, if I anchor somewhere and wake up aground, well that may mean a tow! Ask me how i know!

If you have twins you might back off. With a single and prop walk, depending on which side is aground, you might back right off or go nowhere fast.

 

[JDCAVE]

...I dropped my guard and stopped looking at Aqua Maps on my phone...



But man what a crappy feeling that is!

Sorry about your experience...I ran aground twice in my sailing days, both times using paper charts. But you mention navigating with an iPhone. And that’s the problem with a hand held device. Sometimes you put it down. I think you should seriously consider a heads up display for a chart plotter.

Jim

 

[OldDan1943]

Single engine, bow stuck in the mud, back down, swing the rudder hard port, hard starboard to break the bow suction in the mud.

 

[timb]

Single engine, bow stuck in the mud, back down, swing the rudder hard port, hard starboard to break the bow suction in the mud.

i think he quit in fear of smacking the prop on a oyster bed . could have got expensive .

 

[OldDan1943]

i think he quit in fear of smacking the prop on a oyster bed . could have got expensive .

Yup, common sense rules. Take a few minutes to evaluation your situation before making a decision.

Oyster beds in the ATICW? Hmmm, I think I am missing out.

 

[Ski in NC]

Take a pole of some sort and stab around the transom to gauge depth. And gauge hardness of bottom. Sometimes boat is stuck but still some water under one or both wheels. More than once when stuck I was able to work it off with zero prop damage, aside from a little shine!!

 

[FoxtrotCharlie]

Red boat, yellow boat - heck, the insurance is cheap - buy both!

 

[dhays]

If you drifted onto the mud (rather than run on at cruise) in all probability you would have been able to get her off yourself - did you try?

And remember, there are two kinds of boaters, those who have been aground and those who will be aground!

Enjoy your boat, nice to see your daughter"s reaction!

Yup, after a enough years, if you have never touched bottom, you just aren’t trying hard enough.

 

[Benthic2]

If you have a spare anchor ( ie: no chain ) you can sometimes walk that out to deeper water and pull yourself free. Obviously carrying an anchor in the water takes some planning.....depending on size you can tie it to a large fender, or put it in a cooler to float it out so it doesn't drown you.

 

[menzies]

i think he quit in fear of smacking the prop on a oyster bed . could have got expensive .

I thought he said mud?

 

[timb]

Red boat, yellow boat - heck, the insurance is cheap - buy both!

my progressive insurance has worry free towing .I am not sure if that counts as a claim it you use it .so I have boat us towing also . the thought was use the red boat if possible . if not available I hope the progressive will cover my butt.

"I thought he said mud?"

you never know what is in the mud. I know from the skiff it can go from mud to oysters fast. I plowed mud twice bring the boat home . the only way I could tell the boat slowing and brown water. plus I'm hard headed I'll probably buy a prop because of it.


"If you have a spare anchor ( ie: no chain ) you can sometimes walk that out to deeper water and pull yourself free. Obviously carrying an anchor in the water takes some planning.....depending on size you can tie it to a large fender, or put it in a cooler to float it out so it doesn't drown you."



that sounds like a great idea. the lightest thing I have is a 21 pound fortress .

 

[Ski in NC]

Some waterways in the Carolinas have no well defined "bottom". Just progressively worsening visibility. AKA, "eel snot".

 

[timb]

Some waterways in the Carolinas have no well defined "bottom". Just progressively worsening visibility. AKA, "eel snot".

my dockmaster told me if I every get in or fall in don't even try to stand up swim to the ladder . when we bought the slip it was very hard to tell where the water ended and the mud began with the realtors measuring stick .

 

[psneeld]

Single engine, bow stuck in the mud, back down, swing the rudder hard port, hard starboard to break the bow suction in the mud.

OK as long you are sure your bow is the only thing stuck and there is plenty of deep water behind you.

If not, I strongly advise keeping the rudder amidships.

I have seen way too many bent rudders on boats trying to maneuver in shallows....including a few of my own.

I learned the hard way to free myself from being aground. And I have been aground hundreds of times as an assistance tower and have pulled hundreds off.

When grounded....relax a second, panic or frantic is usually not helpful.

Center the rudder, put the boat in reverse, throttle up a few hundred rpm and sit back and relax.

After a few minutes if nothing seems to be happening, throttle up a few hundred more. Have people walk around the boat to see if it will rock.

If still no movement, you have to make a serious call. Are you in a situation where if the tide goes out, will you tip far enough that it is dangerous or you will flood through vents before you float off?

If so call the pros because you are covered or willing to pay.

If you feel safe enough, the you make the call of putting out an anchor if it looks like the wind or rising tide will just put you in shallows as you begin to float. Before doing that, a couple hundred rpm increase might do the trick if you have slowly been digging a trench along your vee or keel.

 

[johnma]

I was only towed once in 40 year of boating (very lucky). Had Tow boat US insurance and called them. They were an hour away. Strangely enough, A Seatow boat was driving by and he yelled over to me. We settled on a price and he towed me 5 miles home. I now have insurance with both companies.
John

 

[markpierce]

Went aground six times in the last 55 years. Four times one night leaving San Rafael one night in the 1960s, transiting the long, narrow, poorly marked channel. The other two times was in shallow Suisun Bay in the 1980s. Fortunately, these events occurred on rising tides. The last time had crew walk out an anchor to prevent winds from driving the boat closer to shallower waters. No tows required. Nevertheless, have towing insurance presently if outside help is needed.

 

[FF]

One EZ off technique is an assist from another boat.

Call them on the VHF and ask them to pass by at the speed that creates their biggest wake.

Most are happy to oblige as it is no effort or risk to ther bateau.