Any scary moments this year?

20dauntless · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 4:58 pm Post subject:

Tom,

I believe it is illegal to dissipate any oil/gas spills with detergent. Even so, I see it done fairly regularly at fuel docks when people pump too quickly or too much...

Chester · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 7:49 pm Post subject:

cemiii · Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 11:22 am Post subject:

Here's one from a local fishing site

http://www.fishsniffer.com/cgi-bin/forumsyabb/YaBB.pl?num=1226362413

Chris

breausaw · Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 2:08 pm Post subject:

Grumpy · Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 12:33 pm Post subject:

Check out the Kayakers playing in the spillway of this dam in Wales

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

Merv
The full link is here in case it gets bumped off the front page
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/canoeing/3473366/Kayakers-plunge-down-Britains-tallest-dam-spillway.html

ffheap · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:10 pm Post subject:

Hi Folks,

I had a scary moment this summer when I was out in Nantucket Harbour with my Grand Daughter. She was at the helm and kind of learning to Steer the 22' C-Dory. It was like a snake was following us. I happened to look back and saw a boat "screaming" along and coming close to our starboard side. At the same time, my Grand Daughter was turning toward him. I grabbed the wheel and turned to port. He just missed us. We were going very slow.

We do not have a license law in Massachusetts. It shows when you are out there. Nobody knows the "Rules of the Road".

Fred

Jeff Brigner · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:23 pm Post subject: Scary trailer experience

Cathy and I had a very scary trailer experience this year. I have had some health issues and as a result we have not been able to use the boat. The October gathering in Apalachicola FL was the first time Cathy and I have been able to enjoy the boat since last year. Rick from Foggy Dew helped us to pull the boat out of Lake Martin to get it ready for the trip to the coast. When we pulled the boat from the water on the trailer one of the tires went flat. The trailer had not had much use and the tread looked fine. When we hooked up the pump the tire would not hold air. We pulled the tire and found that the inside of the tire had rubbed against the trailer and was worn through on the side wall. On closer inspection we found that all 4 of the tires were worn this way on the inside. Shocked

We felt we were very lucky that this was the way we found out instead of while traveling on a curvy country road or the interstate. The thought of what could have happened to us is what is so scary. Crying or Very sad

I guess it is not safe to assume that because everything looks good on the outside that all is well. You never would have known and all tires held proper pressure until the weight of the boat was on the trailer. All four tires were replaced and the trailer is at the dealership waiting on repair. We hope to get it back soon! Check them tires !!
Regards,
Jeff & Cathy

SeaSpray · Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 1:45 am Post subject:

When we were heading from Yellowstone to Flaming Gorge this year we had a tire come apart. Less than 50 miles before this I had visually checked the tires at the gas station and they looked fine. I had also check the pressure earlier.

As we were headed up a hill with a gard rail beside us Karen saw something wrong with the tire in the mirror. As I looked the entire tread came off the right front trailer tire. It also took off the plastic fender. I stopped and ran back and the tire still had some air but was going down fast and there was no shoulder to get off on. We made it to a driveway about half a mile away where I changed the tire.

The tire was a good year Marathon and goodyear has agreed to pay for the cost of replacing the fender and the tire.

It is amazing how much damage the tread of a tire can do. It bent the half inch ubolts and brackets that held the fender on. It came within inches of hitting the side of the boat. The tread and the fender went over the guard rail never to be seen again.

It can be a little nerve wracking when these things happen but we were probably lucky this time.

Steve

Sea Wolf · Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 7:02 am Post subject:

Steve-

Glad the damage wasn't more serious than it was!

I'll bet you're glad you had a tandem trailer!

Just think how much more difficult the situation would have been without that second tire on that side of the trailer............

Besides all the other advantages of tandem trailers, this one alone makes it worth while to go ahead and go tandem rather than purchasing a single axle trailer, unless you're just limiting your towing to across town to the local launch ramp.

Joe. Teeth

thataway · Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 5:05 pm Post subject:

Back to the fuel spill. Certainly is a frightening situation, and glad that no one was injured. We always keep at least a 1/4 square of an oil absorb pad in one hand when fueling (usually held just below the tank vent) to catch any fuel.

From Environmental Protection--condensed to some degree:

Dispersing Agents
Dispersing agents, also called dispersants, are chemicals that contain surfactants and/or solvent compounds that act to break petroleum oil into small droplets. In an oil spill, these droplets disperse into the water column where they are subjected to natural processes, such as waves and currents, that help to break them down further. This helps to clear oil from the water's surface, making it less likely that the oil slick will reach the shoreline.
Heavy crude oils do not disperse as well as light to medium weight oils. Dispersants should not be used on gasoline or diesel spills for example. Dispersants are most effective when applied immediately following a spill, before the lightest materials in the oil have evaporated, however, dispersant manufacturers have claimed that the "window-of-opportunity" to apply dispersants effectively is widening.

EPA policy does not allow the use of dispersants in freshwater unless authorized by an On-Scene Coordinator to protect human health.... However, dispersants have not been used extensively in the United States because of possible long term environmental effects, difficulties with timely and effective application, disagreement among scientists and research data about their environmental effects, effectiveness, and toxicity concerns.
long term cumulative effects of dispersant use are still unknown.

It’s also illegal for marina operators or boaters to “treat” a
sheen by putting anything on it that will disperse, emulsify or
coagulate it. This includes detergents. Current USCG penalties
for spilling, or not reporting, or “treating” a sheen go up to
$32,500. Even if you are not on waters with USCG jurisdiction,
you are subject to a similar state law. If a fuel dock or marine can hold more than 1300 gallons of fuel, they are required to have a fuel spill response kit to absorb the fuel.

The detergent takes the microdrops of fuel to the bottom and it contaminates the benthos which is at the bottom of the bay floor. It does not necessarilly get rid of the risks of explosion.