Death by Dory?

Tony · Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 1:35 pm Post subject: Death by Dory?

After being called away to the hurricanes last year my c-dory sat in its slip unused for 5 1/2 months. With fear of freezing water my first priority was to my boat second was to see the wife (don't tell her that). So I drove 21 hours straight to the island straight to the marina. There she was still floating, still tied just as I left her in the spring. I had gotten only one short day trip all year and now time to pull the boat for the winter. No way! So I planed a 4 day trip out in the back yard ( Apostle Islands ) I would have 2 days to winterize the cabin and outfit the boat for the trip. The plan was for Kara my wife to drive up friday after work and I would pick her up on the mainland around 9pm. Come hell or high water I was going to spend some time on board before the ice. Well hell and high water was just what I got. 4-6 foot waves, 28 temp, Rain snow mix and fog. But I could not let go of this last chance to spend time on the boat. Crossing north channel was slow going but not a big deal Kara was late due to the Rain/snow. 10:30pm we pulled out to find a calm spot for the night. Some how by the grace of god and alot of help from radar/CP we pulled into a calm dock on an outer island. It was cold and we had no heat so I closed up the boat and we went to bed. As I said I had not seen my boat or my wife in 5 1/2 months so we said our formal hello and drifted off to sleep. 5am I woke abruptly thinking some one was running on the dock, jumped up and no one was there just icicles on the bow rale. But now I was awake so I thought I would make so eggs so I grabbed the lighter and tried to light the stove but the lighter would not light. No big deal we keep a small propane torch on board for lighting camp fires. It won't light either....... I don't know why but with a bic lighter in one hand I cracked the door extended out my arm and the lighter lit as I pulled it into the cabin it went out. #*&^%! Get up a yelled to kara! We sat on the dock for a hour in shock. Then the headache lasting for two days and my last trip of the year cut short. I new my c-dory was well built but I didn't think she was air tight. I hope that from sharing this story I might save some one a headache or worse!

Captains Cat · Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 1:51 pm Post subject:

Wow! Glad you and Kara are OK Tony. Hard to believe it's airtight for me too but I guess with a lot of heavy breathing, you could use up a lot of oxygen. Embarassed

If you ever figure out what happened (with the air), let us all know...

Again, glad you're OK!!

Charlie

Cutty Sark · Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 2:06 pm Post subject:

I wonder if the rain, snow, and freezing temps could have been a factor? Maybe the boat was iced up on the outside a bit, and that contributed to sealing it airtight. Has anyone else had that type of experience? Do most people crack a window on overnight trips? And on a side note how many leave the wallas on all night? Glad you woke up, could have been really bad.

Sark

Sea Wolf · Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 6:05 pm Post subject:

Tony-

Glad you're OK!!!

Sark-

I think your explanation of the ice sealing up the seams that ordinarily provide air exchange is 100% correct.

Behoves al of us to remember to crack a window a bit, expecially in freezing weather!

A note to this effect should be in the Owner's Manual if it isn't already.

Joe.

rogerbum · Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 8:46 pm Post subject:

You didn't happen to have a cooler with dry ice inside the cabin did you? That would also displace the air from the bottom up. If not, it's truly scary that the boat was sealed up so tight. Probably something to think about if you ever have a desire to sleep in a car on a cold day too...

Captains Cat · Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 8:57 pm Post subject:

Roger good thinking but why in the world would someone in below freezing weather have dry ice on board... Shocked

Think about it. Could happen though, I guess... Crook

Charile

Larry H · Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:19 pm Post subject:

Hi all,

Scarry story!!

We sleep with the front hatch open on the first 'click'( where the latches lock into the first groove).

We also leave the side windows open 1/4 to 1/2 inch or so, unless there is heavy rain.

I haven't slept on the boat without heat in those freezing conditions, though.

starcrafttom · Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:48 pm Post subject:

I would say the ice and freezing rain was the killer on that night. we always leave the front hatch open a little. I hate sleeping with out a lillte fresh air, even old air. glad you made it.

SeaSpray · Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 10:00 pm Post subject:

Glad you are Okay!

This is a very scary story. We have slept in our boat many nights in the rain in upper 40s lower 50s and had everything closed. The only opening being the hole were the wires come into the cabin from the cockpit.

I am wondering if a CO alarm would be any good in this situation?

Steve

rogerbum · Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 10:08 pm Post subject:

AstoriaDave · Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 11:01 pm Post subject:

Two aspects of this story puzzle me:

1. When the CO2 level in the air you breathe rises, it induces a fierce "I gotta breathe" reaction in a person. They apparently did not experience that. It is the rise in CO2 within your blood that makes you feel like you need to breathe when you swim a long ways underwater. You actually have quite a bit of O2 within your tissues, to sustain the cells -- one reason it is possible to survive near drowning without any brain damage if ventilation is begun promptly after the near-drowner is pulled from the water.

2. The total volume of the space they were in has a lot of O2 in it, such that it would take a very long time for them to deplete it to dangerous levels. Unless they were drugged or drunk, they should wake up from apnea or something similar long before the O2 level would get so low that a butane lighter would not operate. I've slept overnight at 11,000 feet many times, and I notice some apnea (funny breathing), but have never had any trouble getting a lighter to work.

I don't have an explanation for their story at all, but I am puzzled why their story does not jive with what I know about O2-depleted breathing situations. Maybe somebody with better knowledge can fill us in.

416rigby · Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 11:14 pm Post subject:

Glad you guys are ok! Note to self...keep a window cracked at all times when sleeping on the boat.

Dora~Jean · Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 11:45 pm Post subject:

Interesting reading, serious possibly. Within the first 2 months of bringing home my CD-25 over 3 yrs ago I cut a 2 1/2 - 3" hole in my roof and installed a fixed vent the type I used to have on my sailboats that sheds water but ventilates ...and I hate holes in roofs and hulls. I felt the cabin was too airtight, might make a mistake with the stove or something. Half-jokingly I've looked at that vent and wondered what possessed me to do it, now I guess I have a reason...

Steve

Chris Bulovsky · Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2006 12:08 am Post subject:

That could have been very ugly. Its a good story....and not just the "formal hello" bit. Laughing

Hope to see ya on the water this summer.

Stay safe

Christopher Bulovsky
Washburn Wi

Tony · Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2006 8:51 am Post subject:

Thanks for all the "glad you are oks" folks! I do not know if it was to little O2 or too much CO2 or CO....... I know two things to be fact. #1 butane and propane lighters would not light. #2 I had a vary bad headache for two full days and Kara's hung on for almost 4 days.
I now have two solar 24 hr 3" vents one in the front hatch and one in the roof of the cabin.
We are hoping to not have any repeat overnights this summer.