Saved another Parker

[HM5]

Yesterdays storm was demonstrated that when things go wrong, the $&#t goes downhill in a hurry.

We got a distress call and jumped in our Parker to respond to a vessel taking on water. It was a '87 Sou'wester. Evidently, the commercial shell-fisherman got a pot line wrapped around the prop and it pulled the stern down to the point that it started shipping water over the transom. Bilge pump was not wired correctly, (twist the wires together when it was needed ), it was no help.

When we got there he had managed to get the boat close to shore in the shallows, and borrowed a dingy to try to bail it :roll: . It was listing to starboard and the gunnel was completely swamped. I started taking pictures when the situation was stabilized. Sorry the pics don't show our boat as it was at a nearby dock so the compressor and pumps could be offloaded. Luckily, the motor did not go under, but he will have a serious bill to strain the water out of the starboard fuel tank.

 

[mildew2]

That Captain has a hell of a mess to clean up.It will take time to make it useable again. And such a classy boat(PARKER)

 

[grouperjim]

a mess but but she'll be up and running in no time i am sure.

talking about crab traps, the Otherline and i were fishing out of Tarpon Spgs last Tues. on the way in we had to go through a lengthy maze of traps in 10 ft of water. the only problem was the pots had 30 ft strings on them and the wind was blowing pretty good. cruising at about 30 mph, i collected one. because i had the motor tucked in, the line rode up the forward edge of motor foot until it hit the first splash plate. the float screamed in towards the foot and the line out the other side going to the trap went aft and on top of the Permatrim. because of the Permatrim, the line never fouled the prop. pure luck i guess.

 

[Megabyte]

Bilge pump was not wired correctly, (twist the wires together when it was needed), it was no help.

Safety systems need to be maintained, and 'twisting the wires together' just isn't good enough.
Hopefully the Cap will take the time to get his gear in order after this near miss incident.

Good to see you were there to help save a classic. :wink:

 

[B-Faithful]

glad they saved the Honda too :shock: 8)

 

[Megabyte]

glad they saved the Honda too :shock: 8)

Maybe it's the angle of the photo, but doesn't that look like a short-shaft motor?

 

[HM5]

Oh yeah, the Honda was saved. Against our advice, the guy started the engine, and within 3 min it started to alarm. Probably fuel/water sensor. We towed him back to his dock and put him in his slip. Wind against the tide, rain squals, gusts to 25. The tow was covered under his membership, the dewatering is not. It is generally calculated on the degree of peril the boat is in. Check your policies.

 

[TheOtherLine]

Evidently, the commercial shell-fisherman got a pot line wrapped around the prop and it pulled the stern down to the point that it started shipping water over the transom.

Sorry to hear about his boat but, this story got me thinking about what I would do if I knew my prop got snagged. I am just not understanding how that event could lead to it's conclusion.

If your prop got fouled on line, wouldn't you know it immediately? Wouldn't the motor stop or at least, wouldn't the skipper turn it off? As soon as you knew the line fouled the prop, couldn't you just cut the line to avoid it from pulling the stern under? Was it just the weather conditions that prevented the Capt. from taking action that could have prevented this or am I being overly optimistic about me response skills?

 

[HM5]

As I envision it from the Capt's story he was working the boat "beam to" the wind with the crane and hauler, when the wind and waves turned the boat such that the line wrapped up in the prop changed the angle of the line pulling the stern down and then started shipping water.

My guess is that the bilge was already full as the pump only worked when it was manually connected. :?

Now this is where I might make some offhand comment regarding the seamanship quality of the personel in this industry, but I won't as it is but a few who go out on a wing and a prayer. :roll:

 

[Megabyte]

this is where I might make some offhand comment regarding the seamanship quality of the personel in this industry, but I won't as it is but a few who go out on a wing and a prayer. :roll:

In my observations of the commercial guys around here, I believe you are correct.
Going out on a 'wing and a prayer' seems to be standard operating procedure.

 

[grouperjim]

Larry:

usually it depends on the speed of the boat as to how the float/trap and boat interact.

when running fast the trap float is usually pushed to one side if the string is close to being the correct length......swing and a miss. if the string does come in contact with the prop then it usually gets quickly cut and may or may not damage the prop.

when running slow, if the line fouls the prop. the prop acts as a crab pot puller on overdrive, and the line will quickly wrap up on the prop in front of the blades. if it is a long line, then when the ball of line line gets too big it begins to cut a groove in the back of the skeg between the skeg and prop. all the while the trap is being lifted from the bottom and comes crashing into the prop/motor foot making a mess of scratched metal and destroyed trap. if for some reason the trap is very heavy or somehow fouled on the bottom, then indeed, there is enough torque to pull down the stern of the boat. that is why i avoid them like the plague.......no AP for me.