Crunch

[Pineapple Girl]

We got a phone call Saturday morning that the boat behind us had backed into our boat.* The report was "there is a scrape at the back and something fell off".*

The swim step edge*has a crunched spot and*one of the old*weaver dinghy davit bits was knocked askew--three of the bolt heads sheared off.* We don't have the Weaver system, they were an artifact from a prior owner and they were too bent to be usuable.* We'll see if we can get the other one removed as well and all the holes filled in as part of the insurance claim.

So the guy behind us was backing his 38 foot sailboat out of his slip and as he was shifting into neutral the gear lever came off in his hand.* At that point he was backing towards the rocks on the berm and was trying to spin it around to be aiming out the fairway but only made it to where he was aiming towards us.* He jumped off the back of the boat to fend off and went through the board next to the cement piling.* That left him knee deep in water, stuck at the upper thighs in the hole where the board has been.* When we spoke to him later Saturday he said he was ok and not in pain.* I am not 100% clear on whether he was in reverse or neutral when he hit us and at what point he turned off the motor, but it sounded like he ended*up standing on the dock holding his boat at the back of our slip until the marina staff brought their whaler over and put him back in his slip.*

A boat hook might have helped with fending off but he did not have one handy.* His wife was on board but wasn't able to do much but watch helplessly.*

If anyone had any thoughts on*what they'd have done in a similar situation it*might make an interesting discussion.* His boat is a 2000 Catalina 380 that looks to be well maintained.* He uses it frequently.

 

[Marin]

Monday morning quarterbacking is easy, but aside from the fact that we have two engines so it is unlikely that both shifters would come off or both engines or transmissions would quit together, I like to think I would have the presence of mind to grab our two huge "Bertha" fenders and scamper to the back (another benefit of a full walkaround deck) so I could position them between us and whatever we were drifting into.

Whether or not I would have the presence of mind to do this is another matter entirely.

 

[markpierce]

Anyone have a panic button?

My first reaction would probably be to first turn off the engine and then attempt to fend off or attempt to steer using the existing motion.* But I wasn't there.

 

[Pineapple Girl]

markpierce wrote:
Anyone have a panic button?

My first reaction would probably be to first turn off the engine and then attempt to fend off or attempt to steer using the existing motion.* But I wasn't there.

Pretty much everyone we talked to said "why didn't he turn the motor off".* But the whole thing happened in less than ten seconds.* So like Marin said, he'd hope he'd think to do...* It is easy in hindsight to say what this guy should have done, but I'm thinking of this as more*a good opportunity to reflect on "what ifs" and think of some kind of general panic plan--shut off the motor? (we also have two so hopefully we'd never lose control of both at once, but we might need to shut off one) grab a boat hook to try and fend off? grab fenders?* what's going to be the fastest thing, most likely to help?** I don't think I'd have tried to jump on the dock--I'd feel that was putting myself in danger.* Fiberglass is fixable.*

This reminds me, a friend was in a mooring field and as the boat in front of her's was leaving, it somehow got its dinghy that was flipped up on the swim platform tangled with my friend's bow mooring line.* As the other boat was trying to leave it was getting pulled into my friend's boat.* she tried to grab fenders but couldn't get to the bow in time to prevent contact.* Sometimes things just happend TOO FAST and crunch happens.*

 

[skipperdude]

I've got insurance.

I don't think I would be jumping in the way of several thousand pound of moving boat.

A fellow could get hurt that way.

SD

*

 

[Codger2]

No Monday morning quarterbacking here.

Years ago I had a 54' Mediterranean Sport Fisher (Hull #1) with 2- 760 hp 8V92s in it. The electronic controls were acting up so the Detroit tech and I took her for a spin. He had his mini computer hooked up in the engineroom to monitor the DDec's electronic system. After collecting a lot of data we headed back to the slip. While approaching my 90 degree left turn to my fairway, I noticed I had lost control of the shifters & throttles on the bridge. As we headed for some very expensive boats at about 3-4 knots, I tried the switch that transfers control to the bridge without success. Knowing that I probably had control at the lower station but no time to get there, I layed the joy stick of the bow thruster hard to port. The Vetus kicked in immediately & the bow started to swing. Just before hitting the finger docks on both sides of an almost new Hatteras, my boat was perpendicular to the finger docks and my hull absorbed the rather hard "bump".* Luckily, the Hatteras did not extend beyond the length of the fingers and I missed hitting it by about 10".

After inspecting my underwear for futher damage, I descended to the salon & sure enough, I had shifter & throttle control there.

Lessons learned? Now I always check my shifter, throttle* & bow thruster before entering a confined space in the marina.

*

"Bank Shot"

54, Mediterranean

 

[Pineapple Girl]

SeaHorse II wrote:
No Monday morning quarterbacking here.

Years ago I had a 54' Mediterranean Sport Fisher (Hull #1) with 2- 760 hp 8V92s in it. The electronic controls were acting up so the Detroit tech and I took her for a spin. He had his mini computer hooked up in the engineroom to monitor the DDec's electronic system. After collecting a lot of data we headed back to the slip. While approaching my 90 degree left turn to my fairway, I noticed I had lost control of the shifters & throttles on the bridge. As we headed for some very expensive boats at about 3-4 knots, I tried the switch that transfers control to the bridge without success. Knowing that I probably had control at the lower station but no time to get there, I layed the joy stick of the bow thruster hard to port. The Vetus kicked in immediately & the bow started to swing. Just before hitting the finger docks on both sides of an almost new Hatteras, my boat was perpendicular to the finger docks and my hull absorbed the rather hard "bump".* Luckily, the Hatteras did not extend beyond the length of the fingers and I missed hitting it by about 10".

After inspecting my underwear for futher damage, I descended to the salon & sure enough, I had shifter & throttle control there.

Lessons learned? Now I always check my shifter, throttle* & bow thruster before entering a confined space in the marina.

*"Bank Shot"

54, Mediterranean

*HOLY COW.* Kudos to you for grace under pressue.*

 

[Pineapple Girl]

just found out that due to environmenta regs, the boat must be hauled out for the fiberglass work to be done... so, a new bottom is in store.* Well... I guess we'll see what else needs doing while she is on the hard.* sigh.* We've been meaning to get the hull waxed so seems like a good time for that.**If we*had planned the haul out I'd*be prepared with a list!!* I have a couple weeks to think about it before we can get to the*yard.* It's is kind of nice that insurance will pay for the bottom.* Hate to be without my baby though.*

*

 

[rwidman]

skipperdude wrote:
I've got insurance.

I don't think I would be jumping in the way of several thousand pound of moving boat.

A fellow could get hurt that way.

SD

Smart man.* From my slip I can watcgh the nearby public boat ramp.* Boaters come to the dock with their (often bare) feet out to fend off a several thousanf pound boat.* We call them "foot fenders".

It's a great way to break (or lose) an arm or leg.* If it's going to hit, let it hit.* If there's damage, deal with it.

*

 

[skipperdude]

rwidman wrote:
* From my slip I can watcgh the nearby public boat ramp.* Boaters come to the dock with their (often bare) feet out to fend off a several thousanf pound boat.* We call them "foot fenders".

*

*It's great sport to sit and watch the trailer boats at the ramp.

It's almost an event.

I don't know how many people forget to put the plug in.

SD

 

[swampu]

In my experience with blow boats lots of stuff falls off at the worst*times. Hatches during storms causing lots of water being taken on, rotten lines and no spares. Hell i've read about keels falling off, but the shifter? Thats a new one. Sometime the metal of the man is tested in burst as well as over the long haul. Good luck haul out.

 

[markpierce]

While racing off San Francisco in the 1960s, the tiller broke off at the rudder post of my dad's 29-foot sloop.* Used a crescent wrench to steer to home berth in Oakland.* Replaced the original bronze fitting with heavy straps of stainless steel.