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multimediasmith
Joined: 23 Aug 2021 Posts: 53 City/Region: New Orleans' Northshore
State or Province: LA
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Marinaut
Photos: ENDEAVOR
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Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2025 2:26 pm Post subject: HIGHWAY CRASH BRINGS BIG CHANGES... |
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Firstly and most important is that nobody was injured everyone but me was able to drive away.
My brothers and I were supposed to go on the upper Tennessee adventure with Colby and his group. They were leaving Oct 2 from Chattanooga to Guntersville and then back through Chattanooga to Knoxville and beyond. We were going to pick up with them in Chattanooga after the Southern leg around Oct 10th.
As we all know, there was an Epic Hurricane which uncharacteristically destroyed an area in Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina. My brothers and I were having Katrina/Ida PTSD watching the post storm coverage and decided to bail on that trip. As a consolation prize, we were going to Lake Ouachita in Arkansas... peak fall color time. We planned to caravan in two vehicles, but they changed their route at the last minute and were checking in with me along the way... I allowed myself to be distracted and take total responsibility for the crash.
At any rate what followed was a nightmare scenario with the wrecker yard not letting me take anything from the boat or truck until he was sure he was being paid. I sold the Sequoia to CoPart salvage and Fed Exed the title but they did not pick it up from the wrecker after I had paid him in full. As a result, he began to charge storage as I had warned them and the scenario built for weeks. In the meantime, the boat was in a field for a month of limbo as when I went back to Arkansas to meet with the adjuster the plan was to have him take it to a local fiberglass repair. Since he could not get the boat lifted to inspect the bottom, it languished there until it was moved to the main salvage yard in Arkansas. My brother and I went there to retrieve our camping gear and personal items and inspect the damage since it was now elevated onto tires. There was a lot of exposed balsa coring and since it was to sit outside for another 4-6 weeks, I decided that it would have been too far gone to resurrect. In addition to the balsa core issue, there was also evidence of tremendous forces having acted on the hull. The bow ring was severely bent from ripping the crank strap from the trailer and the hold down straps had pulled the eye points from the rear of the trailer. The fire extinguisher had broken out of its holder and the seat of the head had broken off, the motor had taken most of the weight from the skid and I felt that I would never be able to trust the transom with my family offshore.
So began the hunt for a proper replacement. After three years, I realized that Liz was not going to spend the summers on the boat with me, so we really didn't need the RV aspects as much. Immediately I thought a CD-22 would be the ideal choice for mostly single handing and solo travels. Then I discovered the Marinaut... Ben Toland (designer of the 22) had developed a fresh take on the CD-22... it totally spoke to me. I was fortunate enough to snag a mint condition single owner garage kept recently repowered iteration.
The custom work that the PO had ordered replaced the galley with seating fitting our use more closely.
So this story really didn't have any resolution until last week when I drove to Florida in the new diesel tow vehicle to bring it back to the empty boatshed.
This week I took it out twice to Lake Ponchartrain and I can say that it definitely pounds less in chop... it's really nice and fits our use more closely.
The draft is less than the 25 but closer to the 22 at 9" with the motor up.
It's about a third less weight making it easier to launch and retrieve single handed and the new truck gets 18mpg towing as opposed to only 8mpg with the old rig. So overall it turned out more than OK.
I plan to bring the little Marinaut to our future gatherings, so I hope y'all will welcome it into the family (since it was the original designer's interpretation).
Anyway, I made two Photo albums to help tell the story... they are:
End of ENDEAVOR:
http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_albumName=Marinaut215A&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php
My New MARINAUT:
http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album2904&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php
It's said that all's well that ends well, but it's all about how one recovers...
Hope to see y'all soon.
Best
Dale |
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Molly Brown
Joined: 02 Nov 2003 Posts: 414 City/Region: Punta Gorda
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2003
C-Dory Model: 24 Tomcat
Vessel Name: MOLLY BROWN
Photos: Molly Brown
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Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2025 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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Jeez Dale!
Your boat was pristine and you were customizing it nicely. Sounds like a good resolution to a bad situation. Congrats on the new boat, and yes, I've no doubt the boat will be welcome at any gathering. Hontoon is coming up......
James _________________
James, Betty, Luna cat and Moki dog on the TomCat Molly Brown
Started the Great American Loop 03/2024
Completed 01/2025 |
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colbysmith
Joined: 02 Oct 2011 Posts: 4852 City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
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Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2025 5:09 pm Post subject: |
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Wow Dale, what a trip! Sorry to hear about your boat and truck, but glad you came out of it ok. I do hope to see you somewhere on the water again! Once a Brat, always a Brat, they say! Colby |
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thataway
Joined: 02 Nov 2003 Posts: 21207 City/Region: Pensacola
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: thataway
Photos: Thataway
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Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2025 10:00 pm Post subject: |
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Wow, what an accident. No matter what, having that type of an accident has a lasting effect. I have never had a serious accident-but several times were very close--and it affected the way I drove in the future. Actually the boat looks pretty good in comparison to the trailer.... Glad that you were not injured, and are back on the water.
Can you share the dynamics of the crash--was it a sudden stop,, or last minute maneuver? Was there tie downs on the stern or a strap over the cockpit? What could be done to prevent this happening so someone else in the future?
Did your insurance fully cover the loss? Did they offer to sell the boat back to you?
The Marinaut is an excellent boat and you are out on the water again! _________________ Bob Austin
Thataway
Thataway (Ex Seaweed) 2007 25 C Dory May 2018 to Oct. 2021
Thisaway 2006 22' CDory November 2011 to May 2018
Caracal 18 140 Suzuki 2007 to present
Thataway TomCat 255 150 Suzukis June 2006 thru August 2011
C Pelican; 1992, 22 Cruiser, 2002 thru 2006
Frequent Sea; 2003 C D 25, 2007 thru 2009
KA6PKB
Home port: Pensacola FL |
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multimediasmith
Joined: 23 Aug 2021 Posts: 53 City/Region: New Orleans' Northshore
State or Province: LA
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Marinaut
Photos: ENDEAVOR
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Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2025 8:12 pm Post subject: |
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Something like this will definitely get your attention. I rode motorcycles for years and they really make you into a super defensive driver... it's been years but I'm back to that mindset and definitely bringing more to the party concentrationwise. As far as preventing this from happening again or to anyone else? sure... one answer... ATTENTION!
Mainly, I'm grateful nobody was hurt.
the Dynamics -
I was about an hour from our destination when my brothers called for an update. I was driving about 15mph west late afternoon into the sun approaching an intersection. As I looked up to read the hwy sign, with the sun in my eyes I sensed some motion in my left peripheral field and hit the brakes. The very tip of the driver's side front fender was struck rotating the truck clockwise... this caused a reverse pitch on the trailer. The inertia of the boat pulled the trailer over as it spilled off and started its slide. I had tie down straps on both stern rings and you can see in the photo with motor supporting the stern, the galvanized trailer eye is still attached to the port tie down strap. On the bow ring was the strap hook, safety chain, and a tie down strap looped under the trailer tongue. In the photo with the policeman you can see the trailer winch post laying in front of the boat where I had taken it off the bent bow ring. The forces involved in ripping these fittings from the trailer give one pause.
Had I not hit the brakes I could have been T-boned in the driver's side door. The front and side air bags did deploy, so they must have helped.
Buying the Boat back - The original idea was that the top and sides looked fine... we were going to attend the auction and start a long painful restoration process which might yield a boat we really couldn't place confidence in that would also have a salvage title. After seeing the damage and exposed balsa and knowing it would be sitting for at least another month the collaborative decision was made to let it go. For a while, I was thinking that chapter had in my life had closed and it might be time to give up the keys... but "Naah! I still have some miles left in me!
So glad to have moved on... Love the new boat and am thinking of minor projects... planning to have a better ratio of enjoying the boat balanced with maintenance and improvements. I don't regret any of the work I put into ENDEAVOR... all work is good for you... solving little engineering challenges keep the circuits firing and the shelves dusted in the old grey.
Insurance - Once the insurance adjuster and my agent had made the decision to total the boat, they sent me a check for the initial purchase price immediately. So the new boat is also with USAA/Progressive... my agent was so nice during the entire process, she made it OK.
I am grateful every day for so many things...
I can thank this site for even finding out about the Marinaut as well as finding the very one. Thanks also for the warm response... the folks on this site are terrific. Looking forward to seeing y'all out on the water.
Best
Dale |
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JamesTXSD
Joined: 01 Mar 2005 Posts: 7474 City/Region: from island boy to desert dweller
State or Province: AZ
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: "Wild Blue" (sold 9/14)
Photos: Wild Blue
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Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2025 9:21 pm Post subject: |
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Dale, your description made my hind end pucker. Glad no one was injured and that your insurance company made you whole again. Boatwise, it sounds like you made a smart decision for the way you intend to use this new boat. You have made the best of the situation.
Enjoy the new boat and travel safe. |
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