OI Lucky to be alive on 4/25

[Billy]

Here's the short story. While heading to my numbers we saw a couple of Sails free jumping, circled around and tried to catch one, no luck, went to continue our route to my numbers and THE alarm goes off. Check the gauges - nothing unusual - HOLY CRAP! It's the OTHER alarm! Lift the seat lid on the engine box to look in the bilge and see what's going on - water is over the stringers and the shaft coupler is slinging water all over the place. Call the Coast Guard so they are prepared and start looking to find the leak. At first, we thought it was coming from the live well hose that drains out through the transome. No big deal, we can plug that and continue on our journey. Get that plugged and see that water is still coming in from somewhere. Checked the forward bilge and it is up over the stringers - HOLY $&!%!!!! the forward pump is not working! I start to think we are going down. Call the CG back and give update. Bob looks around in the forward section through a hatch and finds that a PLASTIC coupler that connects to the drain hose for the holding tank had broken and water was pushing up through the thruhull. He closes the valve and we use the emergency bilge pump to pump it out. After that, we head back for the dock. I was really shaken up by the ordeal. We make it back to the dock by 11 and go over everything with the CG guys and do the inspection thing. Everything was good. I decided to buy all the crew lunch so we head to Dirty Dicks and had the best scallops I have ever had.

Well, didn't catch anything today but a flooded bilge, but we're still alive!

By the way, the CG did an excellent job. Thanks guys!!

[paddywagon]

That is the scary part about a boat. Be it 1 mile or 100 miles out there are countless things that could go wrong and spoil a good day.
I almost lost my boat under the CBBT in 3 foot seas with a stiff 20 knot north wind all due to one 10 cent fuse. Worst day of my life.

[TerpHeels]

FWIW, I carry a 4' section of hose that I can connect 2 my engine raw water pump that could be used in an emergency as a high powered pump.

[Billy]

Yeah, I hear ya Paddywagon.

Why o' why would ANY boat builder put a piece of cheap plastic, or platic at all, between a thruhull that's in the BOTTOM of the boat and a pump or anything else????

[Billy]

Terp, I thought about doing that and still want to, but that's as far as I got with it. I will be working on that one soon though.

[yardbird]

Tough issue, but still a good report! Good job troubleshooting!

[the memory maker]

billy, i hear you loud and clear, im removing all the plastic valves on my boat at the moment... boat manufactueres do this to save$$$ glad you and your crew are safe.. you will get them next time.

[ReelCommocean]

had a similar thing happen a couple years ago... were fishing down from OI to HI and hooked a nice blue early in the morning. fighting it for a while then the alarms start going off, look under the hatch and holy ****. cut the line and after a while of searching we find the port engine water intake hose clamp had come off. talk about a big leak.. at one point the in-deck fish boxes were floating up. finally found the leak headed back to the docks and cleaned her up. very next day went 4 for 4 on whites, 1 for 1 on sails, and pulled off a blue at the end of the day. so close to the slam but whatever just happy yo have saved the boat the day before and have a good day fishing

[surfperch1]

Great you made it back. Never stop looking or trying to figure out the situtation.

:bigangel:

[surferbill]

Great googly moogly!! That's scary.

I think I'll have all my fittings on the boat checked out.

Great job on calling the Coast Guard, finding the leak, and saving the boat. :thumbup:

[foxwind]

Billy, glad you guys made it back to the dock ok. I heard you guys communicating with the USCG, but did not know it was you. We were a long way south or I would have tried to help out. You really did not miss much, gaffers and false albies for us. The yellers were tough to find, the water just was not there. Hopefully it will get better, I was wondering what happened to you guys, I tried calling you a few times throughout the day. Ben


DEVIOUS

[Billy]

Thanks, guys.
Ya know, I think I had really good numbers too! It was a convergence of three temp breaks right at the 50fa to 100fa line that ran SW into 250fa and changed to a nice blend - 56 to 63to 73.5 and my stating point was the 56 to 73.5 temp break. I think I saw another decent report that was close, but a little south of my numbers. :censored:

Ben, I tried calling you a couple of times before the "incident", but I think you were too far away. We got a semi-late start. Everything seemed to be taking forever - getting there, getting loaded and launched.... maybe it was a sign. My heart was in my throat when I looked in that bilge.... First for the crew, then my boat and gear. ;-) These Shamrock 270's do not have foam or anything for floatation. She will sink like a shamROCK if the water gets too high. Thank god for the high water alarm!!!:bigangel: AND Bob finding the busted fitting in the forward bilge.

:censored: PLASTIC FITTING!

Public Service Anouncement: CHECK AND REPLACE YOUR PLASTIC FITTINGS THAT CONNECT TO ANY UNDERSIDE THRUHULL GUYS!

Almost forgot... To the asswipe that hit my trailer while I was out and bent the fender.... I hope your s&!t falls apart. Leaving a note would have been the decent and right thing to do.

[PlaynHooky]

Glad everyone is ok........have to wonder just how much money is saved by the manufacturers by using the plastic vs the metal thru hulls......I am sure MOST would pay the extra!!!

[jfish]

Several years ago I too fell victim to plastic fittings. We almost lost one at Pirates Cove last July due to a plastic component on a raw water line. If any of you guys have those Perko flush kits on your raw water lines you may want to reconsider them.. Had one fail where the hose clamps on the intake side and the rest was history. According to the Insurance man a warning went out about them a few years ago. https://www.firstchoicemarine.com/images/Product/medium/2-2820455C.jpg

High water alarms are great but installing a bilge pump indicator light on the dash can save the day. A small LED on the dash that comes one everytime the main bilge pump kicks on is a good early warning that somethings wrong. Often times by the time the high water alarm starts it may be too late.

PS.. A can of Great Stuff Foam (sets under water),a Nerf football or swim noodle make for pretty good plugs in a pinch.