Nearly Sank Boat, need advice on getting it sorted

meinmelb · **Posted:** Mon Dec 29, 2014 2:55 pm

Hi Guys! Glad to be able to post here after yesterday. Long story short, checked weather forcast and went out after the predicted thunderstorms had passed. Gale force wind warnings posted after I checked the weather....

So we were about a mile off shore (Gippsland Lakes) when the gale hit. Took about 2 hourss to make it back. Lost Bimini, bow cover, wake boards knee boards and most towels and loose items in boat- all blown overboard. Also lost all our phones underwater except my Sony Experia which is waterproof...and is why I use it on the boat! Wife and kids are shaken up but ok - amazing what you learn about people in an emergency!

Bilge pumps ( both the 500gpl and 1000gpl) were running and unable to bail incoming water!!!!!!! Water filled to above seats in boat. Motor was underwater but somehow chugged us to shore. Water level on motor was up to exhaust risers. New respect for the Mercruiser!!!! Underwater, sump full of water and still got us home.

Now to the clean up. Oil in motor is full of water, power steering is also an oil/water milkshake. Battery is shot. Going to get new battery, flush oil and power steering, spray all electrics with WD40, and will spray rest of motor with lanolin oil.

Anyone have advice on what else to do to save as much of boat as possible?

ric · **Posted:** Mon Dec 29, 2014 3:04 pm

Call insurance company, you're probably in the market for a new engine.

That's one of the main reasons I own a cuddy cabin with a self bailing cockpit, the storms get insane here in FL. It's my favorite time to go out during small craft advisories and gale force winds. About 2 months ago I had waves crashing over my bow during a SCA, we were having a blast it was a great day on the water. If I was in your H190 it would have sank within minutes.

Paul I. · **Posted:** Mon Dec 29, 2014 3:19 pm

Glad you made it back!! I have been there, about 3 years ago. Check all your wiring. Would your Ins Co. cover your loss?

You cant have too many bilge pumps. I would one add at lest more. Remember, pumps are rated at zero level. So if it needs to pump up 2 feet to the thou hull. It will loose about 15 to 20%. So that 1000gph will do about 850 to 800gph.

A VHF can be a lot better than a cell phone. You can call the nearest boat for help.

Radar, you can see the storm going or coming.

Bayboater · **Joined:** Sun Jan 12, 2014 4:43 am **Posts:** 146

Bloody hell Mark. Well done getting back by the sounds of it.
My family would have been in full panic mode.

The insurance company would be the first point of contact, followed by a good boat mechanic to access the damage.

I knew a bloke from Patterson Lakes that had his Mustang 2800 tip upside down on its mooring due to some sort of problem with a bilge pump hose popping off. It ended up pumping water in instead of out........

His insurance company covered all costs to repair, however he was strongly advised to sell the boat asap, as salt water finds its way into every crevasse including electrical components, and will give you trouble in the future.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Cheers, Craig

deafwish · **Posted:** Mon Dec 29, 2014 3:50 pm

Hi Mark,

You are lucky we are not seeing this on the news, as this could've been nasty! :shock:

I have SeaBreeze saved as a favorite on my phone & always look at it before I hit the water - lakes included!

Flush 10L of new oil through it (Autobarn has Castrol GTX 20w50 for $9.95!) along with a new oil filter for the first flush.
Then take the boat for a good run to evaporate any remaining moisture.
Do another oil/ filter change (15L in total) & you should be ok.
No idea on the power steering fluid, sorry...

Bayboater · **Joined:** Sun Jan 12, 2014 4:43 am **Posts:** 146

deafwish wrote:

I have SeaBreeze saved as a favorite on my phone & always look at it before I hit the water - lakes included.

Willy Weather is another good one Mark. You can go to the exact area that you are boating in.

I have Mornington saved, as that is where we mainly launch from. I am often surprised at the difference in wind speed & direction between Mornington and Melbourne.

Cheers, Craig

ric · **Posted:** Mon Dec 29, 2014 4:09 pm

Being that I've been in some NASTY 60+mph wind storms I'm curious how you lost all that stuff. Did you not keep the bow of the boat facing the wind/waves? You can keep a fast idle with the trim up keeping the nose high to stay above the waves. The worst possible thing you can do is get sideways to the wind/waves.

alex8q4 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 29, 2014 5:23 pm

That sounds like it was a complete nightmare!

Glad to hear all is well.

On your clean up list you forgot to include adding a mild bleach solution to your next load of laundry.

LVChris · **Posted:** Mon Dec 29, 2014 5:36 pm

We're glad you all made it back!

Liquidenoir · **Posted:** Tue Dec 30, 2014 3:26 pm

Glad to see you made it Mark. My wife would never go back in the boat after that.

Doesn't surprise me with the lakes down there. On Cup weekend the waves on Lake King were like the bay on a rough day.
I always use Willy Weather for the latest local wind forecasts.

Cheers, Graham

LouC · **Posted:** Tue Dec 30, 2014 4:41 pm

Was this fresh water? If so its not as bad as if it were salt. I'd try to get all the water out of the wiring connectors, dry them out and spray with Boeshield T9. Take the starter off, dry it out, but you may wind up having to replace it. Take the access panel off that covers the gas gauge sending unit. Take out the sending unit and look into the tank with a bright LED flashlight. See if you see a layer of water on the bottom. If so then you have to pump that out.
Get the engine going and change the oil as many times as it takes to get the water out.

This is why as I've gotten older and been boating for a long time I am not really a fan of I/O powered bow riders. They are just no good in any kind of rough water. Since I rarely use my front bow seats I may ask my 'glass guy about building a removable 'glass cover for the bow area, designed so that I can access the anchor locker. Lucky that you had the bilge pumps that you had. If it was just the pitiful 500 gph one they give you it would likely have sunk.

Anytime the water is anything but flat calm I keep the bow cover on and I built a much stronger support that will not tear through the fabric if I took a wave over the bow.

Boston Whaler, or Key West, all foam filled construction, outboard power next time.

blue dragon · **Joined:** Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:01 pm **Posts:** 792

Glad you made it back to tell the story.....

I swapped augmented my 800gph pump with a 2000 gph pump after my scary incident, and the self bailing cockpit is great too.

meinmelb · **Posted:** Wed Dec 31, 2014 2:47 am

So after a bad night sleep I got to work draining the oils etc from the boat. Engine oil was like a thick milk shake. Ended up using 5L diesel in the motor to emulsify it so it could drain out. (Suction pump could not suck it out). Needed 4 oil changes and new filters each time to get the oil clear. Ran it all day today and so far so good.

Power steering pump was a little easier several flushes of ATF and it is good. Trim pump was the hardest as I have limited tool with me. I will need to pull the pump out and completely flush the system.

Every connection has been pulled appart, dried and sprayed with WD-40.

Damage so far is the Bimini(poles broken and canvas riped), bow cover,( was in place but torn off from wind/waves coming overboard) 2 wakeboards, (we found the kneeboard on shore today). The entire sound system is a write off except the tower speakers. Both our iPhones dead (using the waterproof Sony Experia now). Seems the Guage cluster for fuel/oil/temp/battery has failed and the rev counter is overreading by about 1000rpm-might be a bad earth of needing replacement.

My mechanic advised me that the starter/alternator/trim pump and various sensors will need to be replaced so insurance will pick up the tab for this and the rest!

Locals report it one of the worst winds they have ever seen. Sank a few yachts and jetski's but thankfully no deaths- many injuries though. Blew a caravan over at our campsite as well, and shredded a number of tents.

L

ric · **Posted:** Wed Dec 31, 2014 7:43 am

What was the exact time/date/location? I would love to look up the weather reports

meinmelb · **Posted:** Wed Dec 31, 2014 5:35 pm

ric wrote:

What was the exact time/date/location? I would love to look up the weather reports

Ric.
There is limited weather info out here but the closest info is the local airport - Bairnsdale Victoria Australia. Weather event was Monday 30th between 2 and 4 pm. They are about 40kms away. I went to see the local coast guard to get an incedent report and they told me wind speed blew about 70 kph with gusts over 100. The natural funnel effect of the area can make it seem worse.

We were also in about 2 meters of water in an open bay so the waves were very close and stood up steeply, and too close to ride directly I to them. Crest one wave and the second wave punched straight over the bow. I do not know the wave height but at on point we were at the base and the waves were higher than our waketower.

www.iFourWinns.com

Nearly Sank Boat, need advice on getting it sorted

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