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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

"You either HAVE or WILL run aground..."

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Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/20/2005 : 10:24:30

In order to help out my fellow boaters and make the ICW near Ft. Myers, FL. more navigable, yesterday I selflessly removed the top two or three inches of a mound that exists just outside the channel at marker 84A. No need to thank me, it was the least I could do.

What wasn't churned up by my wing keel as I was turning in circles trying to float off the darn thing, was effectively beaten down by my rudder's constant smashing every time the stern fell off the choppy waves. Finally had to pull the pin and remove the rudder for fear of doing more damage to the boat. I had just hailed Boat/US when I felt her float free on the wake of a passing sport-fisherman. The only time I've ever not cursed a SF for their huge wake.

Ever try to line up top and bottom pintle/gudgeon pins on a floating rudder on a bouncing boat in a fast current? It can't be done. New Olympic sport maybe? Anyhow, I used the outboard to steer the boat back to the marina which is a whole different experience itself.

I've sailed over that mound at least fifty times with no problem. But, up until yesterday, I had never tried to do it at low-low tide. Ooops.

There's those that have run aground and those that will. I have now joined the former. Somehow, I feel like a more "seasoned" sailor now.

Steve

Steve Madden
'87 WK #5668 "Lorica"
Fort Myers, FL

Edited by - Lightnup on 11/20/2005 10:27:02

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3324 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2005 : 12:22:44

Welcome to the club, Steve! I ran aground for the first time about a month ago in our Moonlight Regatta...the lake sure looks different at night!
Derek

Edited by - on

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2005 : 12:50:45

Anyone who has sailed in Florida for more than a day without running aground is way overdue!

The reason our waters appear such a beautiful pale blue-grean with shades of tan in tourist postcards is that most of it is no more than knee deep!

-- Leon Sisson

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2005 : 14:03:48

You're lucky the govt wasn't there to charge you for disturbing the mud.

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2005 : 14:48:41

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">There's those that have run aground and those that will.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

And those that will run aground again......

(One one of them).

The first time I entered Rock Hall harbor was in a rented Beneteau 35f5....draft 7 feet.

As you can see the channel is narrow, and outside its SHALLOW.....

I entered the channel to the right and then proceeded to the end, but not far enough. I missed the last marker and cut inside to the right......BOOM.

Cheers went up from the waterfront happy hour crowd at Waterman's crab house. I swear I saw money acccumulating in piles on the tables....(He'll get off, no he wont!). After fifteen minutes of roaring and shifting and ruddering I got it turned around and zooom....launched off back into the channel.....more cheers from Watermans.....Fortunately our destination was further down, where people did not see, or had the class to pretend they didn't.

Edited by - Oscar on 11/20/2005 14:51:24

At Ease
Admiral

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672 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2005 : 18:27:05

One thing I discovered about running aground...a fin is much easier to get off than a wing. That big flat wing goes aground, and you are stuck.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2005 : 19:04:57

"a fin is much easier to get off than a wing."

It's where a swinger really shines... a few turns of the crank and off you go. Think of it as a 6' curb feeler... (or crab crusher).

Edited by - on

cathluk
Admiral

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USA
513 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2005 : 22:08:05

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by At Ease
 One thing I discovered about running aground...a fin is much easier to get off than a wing. That big flat wing goes aground, and you are stuck.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yup, we call it our "Danforth Keel". At least in the Chesapeake you can't really hurt much on the soft, sticky mud.

Edited by - on

PamC
Navigator

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171 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2005 : 22:19:55

I'm sure the sailors of Florida appreciate your sacrifice Steve!
I have to concur with ClamBeach about the swing keel. It's saved our hides and egos more than once in our short sailing career. But as Eric Stone says "If you ain't been aground, you ain't been around". Not that a lady wants to admit to that

They have a similar saying for coming off a horse, whether it be falling off, being bucked off, etc. I've done all of those too. Running aground seems to be easier on the body. Welcome to the club!

Edited by - on

Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2005 : 22:42:54

"a fin is easier to get off than a wing..."

I'd been warned about the wing keel being just like a big anchor when grounding so immediately dropped the canvas to keep from being blown deeper and harder into the bottom...although we were moving with the current when we hit. It was pretty breezy and had it been a fin keel, I would have kept the sails up to try and heel us over and get off.

My trusty 8hp 4-stroke Honda was able to turn the boat in a full 360 but until that sportfisher's wake lifted us, I couldn't get it to move backward or forward enough to get off the "bump."

As for the swinger, it would have been nice in this situation but, having had both, I prefer the benefits of the wing for the 99.5% of my sailing time that isn't spent dredging.

Steve

Edited by - on

Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2005 : 23:07:15

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Running aground seems to be easier on the body.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Funny you should mention that Pam. The rudder was slamming on the river bottom (and thus forced hard upward into the gudgeons) each time the stern dropped off the choppy waves. As I was hanging over the stern rail trying to pull the cotter pin from the lower pintle so I could remove the rudder, I either bruised or cracked a rib during one of the more violent drops. It hurt then, hurts worse now.

I guess sailing ain't for sissies.

Steve

Edited by - on

John P
Captain

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USA
324 Posts

Response Posted - 11/21/2005 : 09:35:26

Ran aground my first time sailing my boat. Funny thing is that my GF was on the helm and I was reading the chart and directing her. I canll it inexperience on my part with my depthsounder. 3' on the display is not from the bottom of keel to the bottom lake! It is from the transducer to the bottom! in other words, it is zero clearance. I had to jump ship and walk it off the reef, then as the boat towed me, slip around the stern and climb aboard via the swim ladder.

Lessons learned.....

Edited by - on

SailormanCGA72
1st Mate

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77 Posts

Response Posted - 11/21/2005 : 13:00:03

The first time I ever ran aground was in Key West, directly across from the Coast Guard Station. Do you know how embarrassing it is for a Coast Guard Commander to be in that unenviable position? My wife was laughing at my discomfort, I was yelling, and the kids were diving for cover. That was the first and last time I have ever raised my voice in anger to my bride of almost 33 years. Unfortunately, it was not the last time I ran aground. But as long as I keep exploring I suppose I'll keep running aground once in a while. And yes, the wing keel is much harder to dislodge than the pre-conversion swing keel was.

Edited by - on

MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 11/21/2005 : 14:32:28

I ran aground for the first time this last year. Before having the fin keel I had a santana 21, a swinger. With that boat I'd just crank it up, but the rudder was almost as deep as the keel so I had to be very carefull with that too.

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Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 11/21/2005 : 14:58:28

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">That was the first and last time I have ever raised my voice in anger to my bride of almost 33 years. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Wow. Prepare for a call from Ripley's.

I know many sailing couples and can't think of one that hasn't confessed to having some "spirited" exchanges during anchoring or docking maneuvers.

Steve

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Ben - FL
Admiral

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880 Posts

Response Posted - 11/21/2005 : 16:50:16

As I am fond of saying, there are only two kinds of sailors. Those that have run around and those that lie about it!

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tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 11/22/2005 : 12:30:18

And the inportant things to check after running aground are the rudder,pintles and gudgeons, in most cases they take the brunt of the episode.

Val on the hard DAGNABIT

Edited by - on

Rich G
Navigator

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226 Posts

Response Posted - 11/22/2005 : 20:47:49

Been that, done there.

I ran soft aground in the Hudson this summer. I can't tell you how happy I was to have a more seasoned sailor along with me that day. I was also glad that the Hudson River bottom is soft, sludgy mud. I was able to power off with the motor and didn't have to get out and push.

I was also extremely happy that the 79th Street Boat Basin where we kept the boat last summer has a bar/bistro; I NEEDED A DRINK!

Edited by - on

PamC
Navigator

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171 Posts

Response Posted - 11/23/2005 : 13:17:40

Steve,

Ouch on the rib incident. There's not a lot you can do for a chest injury either. I incurred a similar injury the first time I hooked the mooring line onto the bow eye. Since then I've found a better angle of attack. But I battled mine for a couple of months, since I'm not so good at giving things a chance to heal. Good luck with your recuperation and use the holidays to let it rest. As long as you've got one good side to tip some holiday cheer!

Edited by - on

cch
Navigator

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202 Posts

Response Posted - 11/24/2005 : 09:01:39

[quote]
As for the swinger, it would have been nice in this situation but, having had both, I prefer the benefits of the wing for the 99.5% of my sailing time that isn't spent dredging.
[quote]

Steve I agree having had both. My current wing draws less than the swing did when fully retracted. I have been aground less with the wing than with the swing in these shallow Florida waters. I really enjoy not having to crank and most of all bone dry bilge.

Edited by - on

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