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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Beached Boat - Sad Pics

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Unsinkable2
Captain

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USA
273 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/03/2008 : 20:14:19

This posting came across Great Salt Lake Yacht Club's mail server today. I almost feel bad posting it, because it makes me really sad for the owner. Almost like some things should be private. But it reminded me that danger is not too far away, which is good to keep in mind.

I don't have any additional information, but will post if I find out more (these aren't my photos)

There was a storm surge of 1-2 feet on Great Salt Lake this past Sun/Mon, and this boat was caught in it.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Abraxas67134/GSLBoatOnBeach#

--Skipper of the Unsinkable2
http://blog.unsinkable2.com
1977 Catalina 25 SK/SR #246 "Unsinkable 2"
1964 Lido 14 #1878 "Tomato Sloop"

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2008 : 20:53:29

The world is full of Darwin candidates.

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2008 : 22:56:16

That guy's gonna need a bigger shovel for a lake that size.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2008 : 23:12:59

He might not need the shovel now... Looks like the keel is toast, which means she might not float. Sad.

Edited by - on

Unsinkable2
Captain

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USA
273 Posts

Response Posted - 09/04/2008 : 08:13:05

The harbormaster sent out an email about it with a simple quote, "What do those pretty red flags with the black squares mean?"

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 09/04/2008 : 08:24:19

Weather induced water level fluctuations are virtually a daily event here on my end of Lake Erie which are usually in the 1' sometimes 2' range, but every so often the water level changes significantly more than that...

Here's a pic of my boat during drop in water level. Note that the dock is even with the bimini.

Edited by - dlucier on 09/04/2008 08:30:32

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 09/04/2008 : 10:01:45

I'm missing something - did the boat float away from wherever it was due to the surge, or is this a really low tide situation?

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piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 09/04/2008 : 13:16:38

Mike, you are right. It is sad the see this happen to a fellow sailor even if there was a flag out. I think I feel sadder for the boat than the owner, however.
Don, looks like water level down more than 1 or 2 feet. is this recent photo? Did you have any damage and were you forced to take boat out?
Steve A

Edited by - on

farrison
Navigator

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USA
166 Posts

Response Posted - 09/04/2008 : 17:27:30

I was out at the lake and watched this unfortunate event. This fellow was a trailer sailor, and may not have been familiar with the GSL and what a storm can do to it. He had gone out earlier in the morning, with 80 degree temps, slightly overcast skies and blustery, shifting winds. He and his friends had sailed way out, and didn't get back to marina before the front hit.

As the storm front moved in, the winds kicked up to 40-50mph, with driving rain. The temps dropped from the 80's to the 60's in about 45 minutes and the waves quickly built to about 2 ft, with the wind driven storm surge another two feet, at least. This guy was motoring in through the deep channel markers, with his sails stowed, and rounded the last marker, turning almost into the wind for the last 500 yards to the marina mouth, paralleling the beach. He looked like he might make it, and then apparently lost a rudder pintle or gudgeon, which in turn swung over and took out his prop/motor. With the wind on his starboard bow, it didn't take long for the wind to push him into the sand. After trying in vain to free his boat and get going again, he and his friends jumped in and waded to shore. We watched helplessly from the marina as the boat was pushed further and deeper into the sand. The pictures above show the boat the next day, after the storm surge receded.

Was this guy a Darwin candidate? Maybe, but we have all seen the weather change quickly.

Was this an unfortunate string of events? Definitely.

Paul

Edited by - on

Unsinkable2
Captain

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USA
273 Posts

Response Posted - 09/04/2008 : 21:34:12

Paul - when did the keel break off? I imagine it either happened during the storm when the keep became embedded in the mud and the storm kept pounding the hull?
That mud near the shore is like quicksand.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2008 : 09:57:12

After reading Paul's first hand account, I don't think the Darwin tag applies, any of us could have gotten into this situation although I'm a little unclear as to when the flags were hoisted to indicate storm conditions. If he went out when the flags were already up, then that was probably a foolhardy idea, if the flags went up after he was out, that's a different story and a good case for having a weather radio on board. Having your rudder break off in 40-50 MPH winds while trying to navigate inside a channel would test anybody. I'd have wanted to try to kedge the boat off the sand while there was still water to float the boat if that was possible, but maybe it wasn't, or they didn't have the tackle, or didn't know how, or were too frightened to, or had kids that they needed to protect.

As it is, I'd say the boat's a write off, it'd probably cost more than it's worth to get the keel out of the sand and reattached properly to make it seaworthy. It sounds like no one got hurt in the process, and given the situation, that's at least one bright spot.

Edited by - on

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.