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Old 06-27-2020, 05:11 PM   #1
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Careless in every way

A neighbor of a relative just lost a Hunter sailboat because of careless storing of a spear gun.
One of this guys kids, a teenager, was stretching the band back with a spear on it, lost control of the device, sending it right into the hull.
The sailboat sunk like a brick, so I was told, right at the dock.
All I could think of was... geese Louise, good thing that spear gun wasn't pointing out the hatchway, or worse at someone inside the boat.
It cost the guy a bundle to get the boat up and out for repairs.
Has anyone experience something like this?
Just curious. I thought devices like this weren't loaded/charged, until the
diver was in the water and away from the vessel.
I know mistakes are mistakes, but a "oops" just doesn't cut from where I sit.
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Old 06-27-2020, 05:16 PM   #2
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It wasn't carelessness, it was outright stupidity. Same as dicking around with a loaded gun. Darwin award potential!
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Old 06-27-2020, 05:20 PM   #3
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I do a lot of diving with a spear gun. The shafts are only 6-8 mm diameter and not enough force to "blow a hole" bigger than that. I doubt a shaft would even pass completely through the hull.

However, some folks, especially in sharky waters, like to have " power heads". Which are a shotgun blank on the end of the shaft. These should, of course, be treated like fire arms, and I could see this causing a large hole if mis handled.
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Old 06-27-2020, 06:55 PM   #4
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Even if the spear went all the way through the hull, it would only cause a small hole that you could stick your finger in to stop the water... Maybe more to the story. Had the boat been up for sale...
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Old 06-27-2020, 07:21 PM   #5
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Yes, this story sounds fishy. Really doubt a spear shaft is going to penetrate a hull. If it did, hard to imagine it making a sizable hole or shattering a section of the hull. No bilge pumps? Sounds like an insurance scam that was denied by the insurance company.

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Old 06-27-2020, 08:11 PM   #6
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That says as much about Hunter hulls as teenagers.
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Old 06-27-2020, 08:18 PM   #7
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That says as much about Hunter hulls as teenagers.
Good one...
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Old 06-27-2020, 08:40 PM   #8
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Had to have been a powerhead. I thought they were mostly on pole spears though, right? Like a bang stick?
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Old 06-27-2020, 10:34 PM   #9
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Do those use the rubber band?
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Old 06-27-2020, 11:14 PM   #10
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Maybe it’s a Blowboater preparing to coming to the ‘Dark Side’
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Old 06-28-2020, 05:44 AM   #11
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I don't own a sailboat, nor do I own or know anything about spear guns. We were at a family cookout and I listened to a conversation between the parties involved. It seems that the kid was by himself, screwing around with the thing. In any event, couldn't say much beyond was has been mentioned here. Not being there myself or understanding all the particulars, I'm not one to judge, I just listened politely and passed on the experience so those here on this forum could chime in and give opinions. Thanks for the insight.
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Old 06-28-2020, 06:09 AM   #12
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That says as much about Hunter hulls as teenagers.
As far as I know, all the Luhrs Group hulls were solid fiberglass, about an inch and a half or maybe 2" thick...

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Old 06-28-2020, 07:08 AM   #13
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Not one to judge? .......might reread the thread title and the first post's last sentence.
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Old 06-28-2020, 07:44 AM   #14
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I doubt it.

There are a number of reasons this story sounds fake. Especially "Sunk like a stone".

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Old 06-28-2020, 09:11 AM   #15
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That says as much about Hunter hulls as teenagers.
Nothing wrong with Hunters. Yes, they are production boats, but they offer good value for the money. Like most other boats, Hunters have solid hulls.

Regardless, short of running a boat onto the rocks, how many sailboats (or power boats) sink because of hull failures?

On the few sailboats with cored hulls, blistering can sometimes be a problem.

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Old 06-28-2020, 09:19 AM   #16
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I doubt it.

There are a number of reasons this story sounds fake. Especially "Sunk like a stone".

pete

I have doubts about the story as well. There are very few parts of a boat where the bare inner hull is exposed.

Jim
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Old 06-28-2020, 11:26 AM   #17
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As far as I know, all the Luhrs Group hulls were solid fiberglass, about an inch and a half or maybe 2" thick...

-Chris
Well, that's provably incorrect. If they were 2" thick you wouldn't have to punch a hole in them to sink, the weight alone would be enough. In the hull sides, 1/2" is a LOT of glass - and I'd think would still stop any speargun.

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Nothing wrong with Hunters. Yes, they are production boats, but they offer good value for the money. Like most other boats, Hunters have solid hulls.
Hunters, like Beneteau and Catalina, are considered 'value brands' by the sailboat crowd. A lot of boat for the money, but not without quality and construction issues. The saying is, "cheap, strong, or light - pick any two".
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Old 06-28-2020, 11:30 AM   #18
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Quote:
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As far as I know, all the Luhrs Group hulls were solid fiberglass, about an inch and a half or maybe 2" thick...

-Chris
2" of solid FG? That'll be the day.
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Old 06-28-2020, 11:39 AM   #19
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Ok - Here's a "Careless in Every Way" situation that I saw with my own eyes. This houseboat is (er..was) right down the street from where I live. The renter(!) living in the houseboat held a party for a lot of people. Rented party tent & BAR on the top deck. Too many people were on top when a strong gust of wind came along. Sad story, but amazingly, no lives were lost in the mishap.
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Old 06-28-2020, 12:08 PM   #20
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A neighbor of a relative just lost a Hunter sailboat because of careless storing of a spear gun.
How would one "non carelessly" store a spear gun on a (sail)boat? I never sailed with teenagers, but it's not like we could have had a tall gun safe onboard (ours was a "Hawaiian Sling" so around 5' long).

Or was it some type of spear gun that is actually a firearm and should be stored as such? Maybe so given the thread title (?) (OTOH you said it had a [rubber] "band" (ours did also). A true firearm style wouldn't need a [rubber] band would it?
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