Visit our Popular Forums

Stillraining · 27-11-2009, 15:09

Smacky will want that one in the BFS thread..

nowbythebay · 06-12-2009, 05:45

I guys...I found you this morning discussing my boat Lazy Jack. She was surveyed by the top Guy in Puerto Rico, before purchase. Passed with "flying colors" I have the facts and answers to any questions you may have. crew of 5 . 3 Professionals and myself -Susan & a friend who came with me to Puerto Rico to see the boat. I am a novice sailor and my friend has more experience. We had been limping along since about 400 miles off Puerto Rico, mostly motoring for 900 miles due to a blown throu hull. We also discovered the thru hull blew due to a compromised chain plate pulling away from the hull. We found a 1 inch deep crack in the fiberglass hull.
It was an amazing journey which ended heartbreakingly close to our safe port in Beaufort. I am the one who jumped into the arms of the diver. Everyelse stayed behind to help with the trash pump to save my boat. It never primed so it could not be used.
Oh...and I am a blonde, not a redhead. Hahaaaaa

Blue Stocking · 06-12-2009, 06:10

.
Oh...and I am a blonde, not a redhead. Hahaaaaa[/QUOTE]

My apology if I offended you. My comment was directed to the "flights of fancy" of some of my fellow posters.

Being a Cheoy Lee owner (Rhodes Reliant 41ft, 1965, hull # 1583) I couldn't let them get away clean after that comment about CL's avoiding that area.

Really sorry to hear of the loss of the boat. We have lost 3, I think, North of Bermuda in the last month. Sad!!

Vasco · 06-12-2009, 06:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by nowbythebay

. We had been limping along since about 400 miles off Puerto Rico, mostly motoring for 900 miles due to a blown throu hull. We also discovered the thru hull blew due to a compromised chain plate pulling away from the hull. We found a 1 inch deep crack in the fiberglass hull.

Sorry about the loss of your boat. Could you please explain a bit more about the above? I don't understand what motoring has to do with a "blown through hull" or what you mean by "blown through hull". Or how a chain plate is related to the through hull. A crack in the hull I can understand, where was the crack and when did this develop? Members here are always interested in failures at sea so that we can learn and hopefully avoid similar problems.

nowbythebay · 06-12-2009, 06:52

Hi, Again.
I am a novice. But it was explained to me. This way. The bronze fitting of the thru hull blew on the starboard side. As an investigation was started as the why this may have happened, (weather was balmy and seas quiet) they foung the chain plate was pulled from the hull...just slightly.. It was the mounting piece , where the chain plate was attached to near or at the "knee" elbow ??...Anyway my crew fixed the thru hull from the outside and stopped the water...arriving in gallons. We sailed to keep this starboard repair above the water line as best we could. If the wind shifted, we motored ...trying to protect the repair.
We finally ran out of Deisel and had to call the coast guard for a rescue of sorts. We brought more than double the amount of fuel for a journey like this...assuming we would sail at least 1/2 the way. But with the injury, it was not enough. We worried about stress on the Main Mast, with the chainplate problem. They rigged some extra supports for the mast.

The coast guard intially declined our request, but as they realized we would be dead in the water...without the ability to sail or motor, they came. MY HEROS!

Not sure if I helped you understand the problem. My technical expertise is not great. This was the 2nd thru hull which had blown and was fixed in route!

Both repairs held for another 900 miles!

Every thru hull was searched and checked at the final disaster moments. the 3 men could not find the water source. Engine was swamped & Floor boards were almost starting to float as the final problem discovered. Remember it was noisy, dark and we were in an intense (unpredicted) storm for 8 hours plus.

My my first Atlantic voyage, it was really something! Lazy Jack was my gorgeous dream come true. I am soooo very sad! Susan

Blue Stocking · 06-12-2009, 07:09

Would love to see that survey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think I would need to talk to a third party.

(Now I am on a "flight of Fancy")

**James S** · 06-12-2009, 07:26

Hey Susan welcome to the forum...I am so sorry to about the lose of your boat.
I guess I still don’t understand what a "blown" thru hull really is...Sounds like a thru hull failed like breaking off or leaking.
Its so very unusual to have this happen once let alone twice.
I wonder if it was the hose connecting to the thru hull?

Anyway...I'm happy you are all safe and hope the insurance goods are looking down on you.

**GordMay** · 06-12-2009, 07:31

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, nowbythebay (Susan).
Thanks for sharing that (painful, we’re sure) first-hand information about the loss of your boat & rescue.
Best of luck, going forward.

nowbythebay · 06-12-2009, 07:50

Hi, Thanks for all your support guys! I actually joined this forum in anticipation of learning from all of you...before I bought Lazy Jack.

The first water problem was just a hose that came loose...quickly address but of course...by first night at sea...water coming. I was mortified. After the repair was done I relaized. this kind of thing happens. No biggy.

But the secong thru hull problem was much more serious. The Bronze cap ? on the outside boat surface which swivals was just gone!
We changed tack to hold the boat damage above the water line...best we could.
A brave PR kid..21 years old) actually. one of my crew. Went down, lowered with the botswans (SP?) to do a repair with the wood plug ..piece of rope..to fill the extra space and Marine tex.. Thank god the skys were sunny and sea calm at the time.
Susan

PS....Again I am a novice. and need to be careful here as my expertise is limited and insurance claim still pending. So anyway...I sure appreciate your condolances and knowledge. I never thought when I registered back in october...that I would have ANY story to tell for very long time.

**James S** · 06-12-2009, 08:22

Not just any story to tell...a really good one!

sailvayu · 06-12-2009, 15:59

Ok I have to ask why sail 900 miles with all these problems? Could you have not found a closer port?

As a surveyor myself I have to wonder if this was the best surveyor in the area I would hate to see the worst. I know surveyors cannot find everything but this sounds a bit much to miss.

I am sincerely sorry you lost your boat as a boat owner I know this had to be hard. But it does sound like way too many mistakes were made with this one from the surveyor to the captain. The good thing is no one was hurt but the scary thing is how easily it could have ended a lot worse. Let other learn from this.

Wayne Canning, AMS
projectboatzen.com

nowbythebay · 06-12-2009, 16:18

From the point where the problem was discovered. Tha closest nautical miles was our original destination Beaufort NC. Believe me. We looked at that.
Thanks for your comments. Susan

witzgall · 07-12-2009, 06:25

Hi Nowbythe by;

Sorry for your loss, I bet it was a very amazing and difficult ordeal.

One of the things we all try to do as sailors, is when something bad happens, we try and think of what we might have done differently to effect a different outcome. This is sort of what the Coast Guard does with every major incident, but it applies to just about everything we do as sailors. Sometimes, it is a little thing, like secure the BBQ cover, because once the wind and waves, pick up, it will blow around on it's leash (something I learned last big trip out on the Pamlico). Other times, it is a much bigger problem, like what you just faced.

I am sure that you have had some thougths along these lines. When you are ready to share, we here would love to work with you through that process, in a respectful way.

Chris