Russell Clifton
Guru
This past Sunday afternoon a 42' trawler came into Jones Island State Park and tied up to the last buoy available. They had just finished the first day of a four month Alaska cruise and it had been a very long days run from Gig Harbor. When they awoke Monday morning something did not seem right and when he got out of bed the bow of the boat was lower than the stearn. This was not going to be good.
Sometime during a calm night the buoy broke loose from it's anchor and the boat drifted onto a very rocky beach. He got on the phone and called Tow Boat US. After a short conversation, they told him to lighten the load a little and pump out the 400 gallons of water that was on board. Two of their boats from Friday Harbor arrived a short time later.
Not knowing what was in store for them when the water level dropped to a lower level, they dove down for a look. There was a rather large rock under the aft port corner that was going to take most of the weight of the boat when it settled so they found some drift wood on the beach, put that on the rock, then inflated a air blatter and put that between the wood and the boat. Thinking that it might possibility tip over on it's starboard side as the tide went out, they ran about six lines from the port side to various trees on the beach. All they could do now is wait and see. They tide and several more hours to run out.
They got a break and the boat settled as good as could be expected. The props and shafts were safe but it looked like the port rudder could possibly and a slight bend in it. A crew from Tow Boat US stood by the entire day to monitor the situation and were prepared to plug the fuel tank vents if needed as tide continued to go out. All four fuel tanks were nearly full.
The tide was going to be high at 1:00am but they thought it might float off about 10:00 pm. The only problem was no one new what stage of the out going tide they went aground, and the next high tide was almost the same level as the night before.
About 7:30 pm several more Tow Boat US boats returned with more crew. The plan was to tie a tow line to the bow and stearn, and as the tide rose, they would gently apply and slight tug on the lines and pull it off side ways.
This entire time the women in charge of this entire operation was keeping the owners informed about every thing that was happening, explaining what they thought was happening and what was expected to happen based on their experience, and why they were doing what they were doing. That turned out to be a huge help in keeping the stress level down for the owners.
At about 9:00 pm they put the owners back on board (they had been with us on all day on our boat), attached the tow lines, and started applying at slight pull. At 10:15 it was pulled free, the engines were started, and they were escorted back to Friday Harbor under their own power.. Tow Boat US arranged for them to be pulled out for a inspection in Anacortes on Tuesday (yesterday).
It turned out that a pin had fallen out of a shackle that held the buoy to it's anchor. Maybe it was not wired in? The chain and rope was all intact. No one expects the buoy they are tied to to break loose. Maybe everyone should start pulling back a little on the buoy when you tie on?
Everybody in the peanut gallery here on the dock agreed that they will keep renewing their Tow Boat US insurance or else buy a policy when they get home. I have not heard how the inspection turned out. Attached is a few pictures.
Sometime during a calm night the buoy broke loose from it's anchor and the boat drifted onto a very rocky beach. He got on the phone and called Tow Boat US. After a short conversation, they told him to lighten the load a little and pump out the 400 gallons of water that was on board. Two of their boats from Friday Harbor arrived a short time later.
Not knowing what was in store for them when the water level dropped to a lower level, they dove down for a look. There was a rather large rock under the aft port corner that was going to take most of the weight of the boat when it settled so they found some drift wood on the beach, put that on the rock, then inflated a air blatter and put that between the wood and the boat. Thinking that it might possibility tip over on it's starboard side as the tide went out, they ran about six lines from the port side to various trees on the beach. All they could do now is wait and see. They tide and several more hours to run out.
They got a break and the boat settled as good as could be expected. The props and shafts were safe but it looked like the port rudder could possibly and a slight bend in it. A crew from Tow Boat US stood by the entire day to monitor the situation and were prepared to plug the fuel tank vents if needed as tide continued to go out. All four fuel tanks were nearly full.
The tide was going to be high at 1:00am but they thought it might float off about 10:00 pm. The only problem was no one new what stage of the out going tide they went aground, and the next high tide was almost the same level as the night before.
About 7:30 pm several more Tow Boat US boats returned with more crew. The plan was to tie a tow line to the bow and stearn, and as the tide rose, they would gently apply and slight tug on the lines and pull it off side ways.
This entire time the women in charge of this entire operation was keeping the owners informed about every thing that was happening, explaining what they thought was happening and what was expected to happen based on their experience, and why they were doing what they were doing. That turned out to be a huge help in keeping the stress level down for the owners.
At about 9:00 pm they put the owners back on board (they had been with us on all day on our boat), attached the tow lines, and started applying at slight pull. At 10:15 it was pulled free, the engines were started, and they were escorted back to Friday Harbor under their own power.. Tow Boat US arranged for them to be pulled out for a inspection in Anacortes on Tuesday (yesterday).
It turned out that a pin had fallen out of a shackle that held the buoy to it's anchor. Maybe it was not wired in? The chain and rope was all intact. No one expects the buoy they are tied to to break loose. Maybe everyone should start pulling back a little on the buoy when you tie on?
Everybody in the peanut gallery here on the dock agreed that they will keep renewing their Tow Boat US insurance or else buy a policy when they get home. I have not heard how the inspection turned out. Attached is a few pictures.
