Panama City, Fl to Charleston, SC

The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
I would recommend finding the cause, whatever it takes, before moving it. If it sank once and the cause hasn't been remedied, it will sink again. Sinking isn't a random unexplained event but a cause and effect event.

Kudos to those at the marina and all who assisted and advised you.
 
Yes had a little insurance and it is covered. The surveyor who came out for insurance determined it was due to 3 days of heavy wind/rain, coupled with pumps overwhelmed and once some of the thru hulls went under she took on water fast. I'll buy some of that but I have other theories as well. I believe also the shore power was somehow unplugged. Anyway, I have gone thru the entire boat and plugged all non used thru hulls, I have 2 awesome bildge pumps and all new 12 v wiring and bought a 110v submersible pump that will move serious water off the generator. Since the sinking I have put 20 hours on this boat including several hours in the gulf in 4-5" seas. She's good to go. This boat is my future home......Failure is not an option!! ;-)
 
If a Marine Trader took on serious enough rain to even sink her a 1/10 of an inch....WOW!!!!


Unless it was over a 6 month period or longer.


Or unless all the windows and hatches were open and a few holes in the deck.


If not...you have some SERIOUS leaks. Even open center consoles unless overwhelmed by waves over the stern or months of neglect with no battery power don't sink that often.


I trust your judgement about good to go...but the surveyors assessment...I would have to know a lot more before I took that one to the bank. He could be right but then something else was really wrong.
 
Yes had a little insurance and it is covered. The surveyor who came out for insurance determined it was due to 3 days of heavy wind/rain, coupled with pumps overwhelmed and once some of the thru hulls went under she took on water fast. I'll buy some of that but I have other theories as well. I believe also the shore power was somehow unplugged. Anyway, I have gone thru the entire boat and plugged all non used thru hulls, I have 2 awesome bildge pumps and all new 12 v wiring and bought a 110v submersible pump that will move serious water off the generator. Since the sinking I have put 20 hours on this boat including several hours in the gulf in 4-5" seas. She's good to go. This boat is my future home......Failure is not an option!! ;-)

Just keep your eye on it. It takes a lot of rain to sink a boat.

I take back any kudos for the marina if they let that much rain water build up and didn't do something or notify you. That's one reminder I give for all. You must have someone keeping an eye on your boat if you aren't there. It needs to be observed daily.

Also, I'm a strong believer in alarms set up to notify you by text wherever you are.
 
Just keep your eye on it. It takes a lot of rain to sink a boat.

I take back any kudos for the marina if they let that much rain water build up and didn't do something or notify you. That's one reminder I give for all. You must have someone keeping an eye on your boat if you aren't there. It needs to be observed daily.

Also, I'm a strong believer in alarms set up to notify you by text wherever you are.

Agreed! This boat sank over the course of days. And there is just no reason for it. When she was refloated nothing was leaking. Due to my present situation of living at this private dock for another month I do not want to go there at this time....let's just say I will not leave her alone again here. and the surveyor didn't even climb into the engine room......but his report got me some insurance money. so since I did all the work to get her going again.......extra funds for the restoration!!! Yay me!

So. this is all a positive outcome!
 
Did you know a Marine Trader of this vintage has solid teal floors and teak floor joists? Thank goodness! They never looks better after the salt away bath they just received.
 
I need to borrow some of your positive attitude, as I sit here and fret about my silly window frame paint peeling problem.

Good for you man!
 
Last edited:
WOW, what a bummer for you. Have you checked all the anti syphon valves to make certain they are working?
 
. Anyway, I have gone thru the entire boat and plugged all non used thru hulls, I have 2 awesome bildge pumps and all new 12 v wiring and bought a 110v submersible pump that will move serious water off the generator.)

You might want to invest a very small amount of money in a device which will tell you how often your bilge pump(s) are coming on. And if it were me, which it is not, I would very seriously consider going the long route around the Big Bend of Florida, rather than cutting across. And -- stupid question -- have you checked to see if the stuffing boxes are leaking? It is usually gradual when they do (which is why I suggested the bilge pump coming on counter), but those drops do tend to accumulate. Drip . . . drip . . . drip.
 
Greetings,
Mr. ww. Great that you have such a positive attitude BUT I'm hearing alarm bells off in the distance...Surveyor didn't go into ER?

Unless your decks are sieves or you have a direct line from the scuppers to the bilge, SOMETHING is amiss. I wish you the best of success with her but would suggest you get another 3 or 4 sets of eyes to go over everything just one more time or two. The circumstances of the sinking are worrying to me.
 
I wish you the best of success with her but would suggest you get another 3 or 4 sets of eyes to go over everything just one more time or two. The circumstances of the sinking are worrying to me.

Exactly. That is so critical. You might miss something (and probably have!) that another would see. And the obverse is true too. A fresh set of eyes often identifies something.

I've done that recently on this canal. Spotted wire that had been sucked in between the coupler and the transmission (reason for ATF leak identified)

Spotted small spray of water coming from hose below waterline that after decades needed replacement

Saw belt that wobbled (my angle, near deck, looking forward it was apparent -- nearly invisible from the other end of the engine)

And too I've had stuff pointed out that I missed.
That's what boat people do.

Have your friends who helped refloat the boat go over everything. Is water still accumulating in the bilges? It should not. Perhaps you've got a scupper drain with a hose clamp that fell off. The hose no longer is attached so all that water is going straight into the bilge instead of overboard.

Run water in your scupper/ deck drains. Look over the side. You should see water coming out. If you don't it is going inside your hull most likely.

Anyway, RT is correct. Have more eyes than yours go over the boat. Knowledge is power.

All the best to you.
 
Rename her LeakyTeaky. If rain water sank your boat you have serious deck leaks. Not surprising for an old MT. They did use a lot of teak, that will be about the only thing not rotted. JME
 
Leaving at 4AM week from tomorrow...........YES!!
 
Good for you Wade. Fair winds and all that. Meanwhile, (and not wishing to seem impertinent), how satisfied are you that the cause(s) of your boat filling up with water while dockside are known and addressed? Besides being concerned for your safe passage, many of us are ever-interested in the lessons to be learned after an experience like yours.
 
Good for you Wade. Fair winds and all that. Meanwhile, (and not wishing to seem impertinent), how satisfied are you that the cause(s) of your boat filling up with water while dockside are known and addressed? Besides being concerned for your safe passage, many of us are ever-interested in the lessons to be learned after an experience like yours.


Thank you. I am very satisfied..........just don't want to go into details on a social media site. But rest assured there is not a hose, clamp sea trainer or any other critical part that is not new.......even though I will strip everything out on the refit, it will all be reutilized in the end so money and time well spent. This may actually be a cruise rather than a mission oriented deployment:flowers:
 
OMG it is blowing today in Panama City! Had a recorded gust last night at Tyndall AFB of 56MPH! That's right mother nature........get it out of your system before next week ;-)
 
OMG it is blowing today in Panama City! Had a recorded gust last night at Tyndall AFB of 56MPH! That's right mother nature........get it out of your system before next week ;-)

Yes! She definitely needs to get it out of her system before I get there so I don't have to :hide:
 
Just wanted to let everyone know we are well int0 our voyage.........passing through Daytona Beach as I type....details t0 come........YES!
 
Did you have shore water hooked up to your system? That will fill a boat fast.
 
I had to take a break on the "coming home" trip but wonderfulwade is in Georgia now, with my dad as his new first mate. Making progress!
 
We are safely in port at Charleston SC! What a life changing experience this has been! Jen will set up a platform with pics narrating the entire voyage once we get settled.......nothing left to do but 20 miles up the Cooper river to Denton's for haul out and refit.......love this old trawler and love these Ford Lehmans!
 
We probably just missed each other, we were in Charleston last week.
 
Back
Top Bottom