dmcb
New Member
- Jan 7, 2010
- 135
- Boat Info
- 3870.
I have had 3 Sea Rays. Does that count?
- Engines
- Twin Hino diesels
A lesson story that forever changed my boating.
I boat on the Great Lakes. Mostly Lake Huron even though I now live on Lake Superior.
This happened in the mid 70's.
We left Tobermory Ontario on a course for Saginaw Bay, our dock was at Bay Port, Michigan.
We had waited for good weather as the previous year we caught rough weather and didn't want a repeat of that.
Ha, we though it was rough weather.
At that time the only weather was the Mafor which gave a broadcast every 6 hours. Miss it and wait another 6 hours.
6:00 pm forecast was 0-10 variable winds and clear.
We left at 7:00 pm.
Lake was flat as a floor.
By 9:00 it was getting rough but I thought the waters had not calmed from the previous bad weather.
Not so. It kept building and building.
The bridge of that 46' Chris was 13' off the water, the moon was out and looking up, all I could see was water.
The wind was blowing so hard it drove water off the tops of the waves in almost a solid sheet of water. Wipers were useless.
I need to mention these were Great Lakes waves. Nothing like ocean waves. They are shorter together and steep although as they built, I could actually go up and down them much like an ocean wave.
As they got larger it was actually easier to ride.
Well easy and those seas really don't go together.
We couldn't go back. The markers were floating cans that would be under water in those seas and we would never find them in the dark, even with radar.
Of course no GPS in those days. Compass only.
And the midnight Mafor was the same, 0-10 variable and clear.
I was towing a 14' McKee with a 55hp outboard. The line broke about 3:00 am.
I did manage to get it using a line we used to tie it to a dock.
It was riding well and at the time I wasn't sure of the one I was in and didn't want to lose that safety net.
Then I buried the bow going down a wave. I had a 9' Boston Whaler on the front deck and it washed it loose. but it was still there. Opened a salon door and actually got a line across the bow and in the other salon door but I knew it wasn't good.
Going on the deck was impossible.
A while later I buried the bow again and washed it off but there was still a line attached to the bow and it was being towed along side. Tied another line to it, cut the bow line and paid it back to the back and towed it also.
What I didn't know was the anchor which sat in chocks had come loose and was just laying on the deck.
If it had gone over and the line got in the props, that would have been it for us.
But somehow it just stayed there and was just laying on the deck when we got in.
It was the last time I buried the bow. Another and it surly would have gone over.
Ran auto pilot. I thought I should take the wheel but I couldn't hold it as well as the auto pilot.
I didn't even sit at the helm. It was just to rough.
Couldn't see anyway.
The 6 AM Mafor now said gale warnings. Stay off fishing piers.
When we got into Saginaw Bay something happened and both tow lines broke. The Bay gave some shelter and it wasn't as rough and we managed to reattach both boats.
I lifted the hatch to look at the engines and the bilge was full of water and the shafts were throwing water.
Now that was panic time.
I looked at the bilge pump and a dish rag was wrapped around it. Pop bottles were in the bilge. Out of the cupboards somehow.
It was the first I was able to look at the bilge.
Finally got it pumped out with the help of a large hand pump that was factory installed.
That was a darn good pump. Almost as good as wet feet and a pail.
But we made it.
The Coast Guard flew over us at daylight. Circled a few times. I waved. They left.
They closed the Mackinaw bridge that night. On of the few times it was completely closed in the 50 or so years it has been there.
In all 17 hours of this.
That night tempers my advise now. If I had not had what I thought was rough weather experience I believe things would have been different. I knew the boat, I knew myself, and it really helped.
I see posts from time to time advising a new boater in a new used boat they know nothing about to take an off shore trip, bringing it home or just making a crossing.
I know the unexpected can happen, it can be severe, and you need some experience along with a boat you can trust to cope.
I don't suggest you not go. My advise is conservative however.
I suggest you go out in not so good seas in a controlled condition. Go out and get the feel of your boat and yourself. Increase the experience but keep it close to safety.
You cannot trade that experience for anything when the day comes you need it.
And if you venture out that day will come.
Be sure you are prepared for it.
Doug
I boat on the Great Lakes. Mostly Lake Huron even though I now live on Lake Superior.
This happened in the mid 70's.
We left Tobermory Ontario on a course for Saginaw Bay, our dock was at Bay Port, Michigan.
We had waited for good weather as the previous year we caught rough weather and didn't want a repeat of that.
Ha, we though it was rough weather.
At that time the only weather was the Mafor which gave a broadcast every 6 hours. Miss it and wait another 6 hours.
6:00 pm forecast was 0-10 variable winds and clear.
We left at 7:00 pm.
Lake was flat as a floor.
By 9:00 it was getting rough but I thought the waters had not calmed from the previous bad weather.
Not so. It kept building and building.
The bridge of that 46' Chris was 13' off the water, the moon was out and looking up, all I could see was water.
The wind was blowing so hard it drove water off the tops of the waves in almost a solid sheet of water. Wipers were useless.
I need to mention these were Great Lakes waves. Nothing like ocean waves. They are shorter together and steep although as they built, I could actually go up and down them much like an ocean wave.
As they got larger it was actually easier to ride.
Well easy and those seas really don't go together.
We couldn't go back. The markers were floating cans that would be under water in those seas and we would never find them in the dark, even with radar.
Of course no GPS in those days. Compass only.
And the midnight Mafor was the same, 0-10 variable and clear.
I was towing a 14' McKee with a 55hp outboard. The line broke about 3:00 am.
I did manage to get it using a line we used to tie it to a dock.
It was riding well and at the time I wasn't sure of the one I was in and didn't want to lose that safety net.
Then I buried the bow going down a wave. I had a 9' Boston Whaler on the front deck and it washed it loose. but it was still there. Opened a salon door and actually got a line across the bow and in the other salon door but I knew it wasn't good.
Going on the deck was impossible.
A while later I buried the bow again and washed it off but there was still a line attached to the bow and it was being towed along side. Tied another line to it, cut the bow line and paid it back to the back and towed it also.
What I didn't know was the anchor which sat in chocks had come loose and was just laying on the deck.
If it had gone over and the line got in the props, that would have been it for us.
But somehow it just stayed there and was just laying on the deck when we got in.
It was the last time I buried the bow. Another and it surly would have gone over.
Ran auto pilot. I thought I should take the wheel but I couldn't hold it as well as the auto pilot.
I didn't even sit at the helm. It was just to rough.
Couldn't see anyway.
The 6 AM Mafor now said gale warnings. Stay off fishing piers.
When we got into Saginaw Bay something happened and both tow lines broke. The Bay gave some shelter and it wasn't as rough and we managed to reattach both boats.
I lifted the hatch to look at the engines and the bilge was full of water and the shafts were throwing water.
Now that was panic time.
I looked at the bilge pump and a dish rag was wrapped around it. Pop bottles were in the bilge. Out of the cupboards somehow.
It was the first I was able to look at the bilge.
Finally got it pumped out with the help of a large hand pump that was factory installed.
That was a darn good pump. Almost as good as wet feet and a pail.
But we made it.
The Coast Guard flew over us at daylight. Circled a few times. I waved. They left.
They closed the Mackinaw bridge that night. On of the few times it was completely closed in the 50 or so years it has been there.
In all 17 hours of this.
That night tempers my advise now. If I had not had what I thought was rough weather experience I believe things would have been different. I knew the boat, I knew myself, and it really helped.
I see posts from time to time advising a new boater in a new used boat they know nothing about to take an off shore trip, bringing it home or just making a crossing.
I know the unexpected can happen, it can be severe, and you need some experience along with a boat you can trust to cope.
I don't suggest you not go. My advise is conservative however.
I suggest you go out in not so good seas in a controlled condition. Go out and get the feel of your boat and yourself. Increase the experience but keep it close to safety.
You cannot trade that experience for anything when the day comes you need it.
And if you venture out that day will come.
Be sure you are prepared for it.
Doug
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