CD25 Swamped in Cook Inlet

Luna C · Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 11:55 am Post subject:

Had to check to see if the stories were true (at age 10 or so). Yep, it does flow up stream! Goes throug a "rubber" bike tire too. Hope I am wiser with my older age now. As for anchoring, I think I'll go back and review some of the anchoring threads on this site.

True Story · Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 1:30 pm Post subject:

Thought I would chip in here and share my two cents.

I agree with Tyboo in respect to the safe use of a windlass. Most of our windlasses are strong enough to pull the boat under most circumstances without the aid of motor power. The windlass may grunt a bit and slow down but reasonably charged batteries with main (out of gear) pumping out a few amps has more than sufficed for me. One thing every boater should keep ready is a sharp knife located aft. It would definitely be a challenge to cut a line fouled around the prop in time to prevent a disaster but if recognized early enough, certainly possible. Another good reason to wear a PFD.

In regards to filling the splash well, I agree with Mark and Mike. I'm not sure any filler would circumvent sinking a boat in the apparent conditions faced by the unlucky souls up north, but it's sure nice for the occasional steep waves I've run into while drifting around. My solution was to install my cooler in this space which reduces water in the cockpit by at least 90%. Tim

tpbrady · Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 2:48 pm Post subject:

In the Cook Inlet the reason most charter operators use bouy's for pulling anchors even if they have a windlass is wear and tear. They are generally anchoring in 150' plus of water with tides running up to 5 knots. Two 200 hp motors pull an anchor off the bottom faster than a windlass. When you are doing that twice a day, a windlass would see a lifetime of work in a very short time. They also have teen age deck hands to do the rope pulling.

I have already filled in the splash well of my 22 not so much to keep water out, but as part of a work table, rod holder, bait cutting station. It also cut the motor noise down substantially. The added benefit of that is keeping big waves out of the cockpit.

Sundog · Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 10:54 pm Post subject:

I have to say that adding the cutting table to my stern area made me feel a lot better, not only is it a good work area and fillet table but I really like how it keeps the water out. You can see my design at: http://www.alaskaphotography.com/2005trips/silvers2/pages/IMG_2475.html I am pretty tall, so I made it tall.

My 2 cents, I guess it sure makes sense to avoid being anchored in such large seas, especially with such a tremendous tide as cook inlet.

Joe

tpbrady · Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 1:41 am Post subject:

I had dinner tonight with another friend visiting from Pennsylvania who was going out halibut fishing on a charter the same day (32 foot Almar) and heard the distress calls on the radio. After the charter cancelled due to wind and waves, they decided to go to Homer and ran into the boat's owner that afternoon on the Kachemak Bay Overlook on top of the hill outside Homer. They (the five that were on the boat) were still a little bit shakey after their ordeal and thankful they all got out ok.

dogon dory · Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 2:58 am Post subject:

Sorry, Folks - Post Deleted By Author

digger · Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 11:22 am Post subject: Board off front of splashwell

On Snoopy-C, I've placed a board in the front of the splash well. Stops anything from coming in from aft to gunnel level. I use the area to secure pliers, filleting knife and such. It is a small security measure

Butch · Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 11:38 pm Post subject: Help me out here...

Guy's, I have read the thread and I do not understand what the real issue is here. I do all of my boating in the upper Chesapeake Bay in shallow water and currents nothing like you all experience over there. By the way, shallow water over here in the Bay is <60' in almost all cases. I am really interested in what you all are involved with and would like to learn something from your experiences. How about teaching an old geezer from your experiences? I love the water and the more I learn... the more I know I do not know.

Be thankful you can tell of those close calls and enlighten others as to avoid such risks if possible. Butch

dogon dory · Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 2:49 am Post subject:

Sorry, Folks - Post Deleted By Author

ffheap · Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 9:45 am Post subject:

Hi Folks,

One of the first things I did when I purchased my 83, 22 C-dory Angler was to fill in the sides of the Motor well with storage lockers. I then made a splash board to bring the hight of the forward part of the motor well up to the hight of the storage lockers, which about 2" below the deck. (Got this idea from Magoo a few years ago.) The board is held on by four slide bolts.

I have a bulge pump on a removable board so it sits in the indentation by the drain plug. To this day, I don't know how it works, because I have never had enough water in the boat.

On my trip from New Bedford to Nantucket in 25 to 35 knot winds, I had no problem, but I was always thinking about a poop wave.

As for an electric anchor hoist, that is in the works for next year. while out anchored in Nantucket Harbor, the wind piped up. the tide turned creating the problem of tide and wind going the same way. It took some doing to get the anchor in, so I decided that Bill Ferio is right. An anchor windless beats a chiroproctor's bill.

It takes stories like the CD swamping to wake us up and rethink things. The 22' C-dory is a great boat, but it does not have the self-bailing cockpit. We have to watch our weather, but for that we get great economy and versitility. I was on a 22' Glacier Bay twin hull, with twin 150's the other day. Great stability and speed, but at one gallon per nautical mile. We get about five nautical miles per gallon on my 75, four stroke Yahama. You can not beat that.

Before going out on patrol yesterday with the USCGAux, we had to make out a GAR Form. This form is a risk assessment for taking in the boat, crew, leadership (me), the weather conditions, the area, and the difficulty of the patrol. (Towing exercise is more difficult than showing the flag.) I made it out without getting feedback from the crew, and got called down for it. After the Senior Chief explained it and its use, I relaxed that it is something all of us should use when going out. The process makes us think about what we are doing, and how dangerous it may be, or could get to be, because it reminds us of what we are doing.

GAR stands for Green, Amber, and Red. We add up the numbers, and if it is under, say 22, it is a good (green), if it is over, say 30, then we review it to see if it is a go or no-go. Over,say, 30, we stay ashore. This GAR came about after a Coast Guard Boat was lost on the Niagara River. If the Risk Assessment was done, they would not have gone.

If I had done a GAR Report before leaving New Bedford, I would never have left. (Oh, but what a great experience.)

As for PFCs. When we teach safe boating classes in the Auxiliary, we can not emphasize enough the importance of wearing a PFC. When I do the lecture on Boating Equiptment at the BS&S Course, I wear tan inflatable PFC that I wear all season long. I tell the students that if it is comfortable, you will wear it. It works.

Thank you for letting me share.

Fred Heap

starcrafttom · Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 2:11 pm Post subject:

tyboo a quick word on tieing off to the rear cleat. DONT DO IT!!!!!!!!
heres what happen a few years back it my buddy cliff and why I have never meet his dad. cliff and father love to sturgen fish the upper c in a big way. they have the boat for it. a 24ft alumanim thunderjet sled with hard top and a 454 . So One day they go to pull the anchor with a big red float and his dad ties it off on a cleat while cliff motors up stream to pull the anchor. the engine stalls and they drift down stream with the anchor half way up. the anchor snaggs bottom as thet drift over shallow water and sets. in 3 seconds the boat swaps ends and is now pointing down stream. dad gets thrown out and tangled in rope. the boat is pulled under and flooded so fast that cliff is pushed thru the front window which broke from his weight. he gets to his dad just in time to pull the rope off his head but not off his foot , rope goes tight and no more dad. they never got the boat or dad back. if they had not tied to the cleat then the boat would have just pointed up stream and been re-anchored.

to pull a anchor with a bouy on the river. drive the boat far around the bouy until you are above it and to the side 20 ft. this way you can see the rope from the helm the whole time and it is never under the boat. do not tie the rope off anywhere but the bow. ( spell cheek will not work right now soory)

dogon dory · Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 2:36 pm Post subject:

Sorry, Folks - Post Deleted By Author

starcrafttom · Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:42 am Post subject:

Good that you are using a smaller line. a tied off line to the rear or middle of the boat is a big no no. I did not know what you meant by a bully line. I did not mean to jump on you for that ,but i do not want others to get the wrong advice on some thing so important.

TyBoo · Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:58 am Post subject:

Byrdman · Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 11:27 am Post subject:

Great talk and education. ...but who was it and are they OK?

We use to simply raise the motors to where the rope could not tangle when the boat, or several boats are swinging in circles in the wind and current...?

Starcraft Tom: Grin... OK...so maybe you heard me scream from AL down here... Just remember that once a round leaves the chamber, you can not call it back...fence or not. Enjoyed our time together in Blakely!

Byrdman