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Old 02-11-2013, 17:08   #1
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One more reason to raise the dinghy each night....

So we were just a Cape Lookout for a few nights and on one morning we awoke to a sad and deflated dinghy. Luckily, we were just a few days away from being hauled out at Jarrett's, so we made do with pumping and quickly getting to shore. Once hauled, I discovered 4 very small holes and set about patching them. Pumping it up for a test, I was dismayed to see it slowly loose pressure still. Squirting more soapy water, I located a 5th puncture... but this one had a small sharp object in it. Removing it, I realized it was a fish tooth! Then it all clicked into place: the night the dingy deflated there was a period of about 2 hours where a school of Atlantic Cutlass fish were splashing all around the boat, hunting minnows. They were so intent on their prey that they were causing a ruckus banging into the hull of the big boat. They obviously didn't watch out for the dingy either. Cutlassfish are a weird critter: long and eel like with a spiky, toothy mouth... and apparently a taste for hypalon.

So anyway, y'all have been warned....
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Old 02-11-2013, 17:31   #2
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Re: One more reason to raise the dinghy each night....

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Originally Posted by teneicm View Post
So we were just a Cape Lookout for a few nights and on one morning we awoke to a sad and deflated dinghy. Luckily, we were just a few days away from being hauled out at Jarrett's, so we made do with pumping and quickly getting to shore. Once hauled, I discovered 4 very small holes and set about patching them. Pumping it up for a test, I was dismayed to see it slowly loose pressure still. Squirting more soapy water, I located a 5th puncture... but this one had a small sharp object in it. Removing it, I realized it was a fish tooth! Then it all clicked into place: the night the dingy deflated there was a period of about 2 hours where a school of Atlantic Cutlass fish were splashing all around the boat, hunting minnows. They were so intent on their prey that they were causing a ruckus banging into the hull of the big boat. They obviously didn't watch out for the dingy either. Cutlassfish are a weird critter: long and eel like with a spiky, toothy mouth... and apparently a taste for hypalon.

So anyway, y'all have been warned....
Actually, we've had two other sources of hypalon dinghy problems: once, a turtle bit a hole in one of the tubes, and (shame on us) twice, cookie cutter sharks bit holes in the floor. So, now they've been warned even more!

Cheers,

Ann
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Old 03-11-2013, 12:39   #3
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Re: One more reason to raise the dinghy each night....

You are too late - we were warned way back in 1975

Mark
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Old 03-11-2013, 12:47   #4
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Re: One more reason to raise the dinghy each night....

Hey, Colemj,

Didn't do that dinghy too much good, did it! Great pic.

Ann
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Old 03-11-2013, 12:56   #5
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Re: One more reason to raise the dinghy each night....

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Actually, we've had two other sources of hypalon dinghy problems: once, a turtle bit a hole in one of the tubes, and (shame on us) twice, cookie cutter sharks bit holes in the floor. So, now they've been warned even more!
Yikes! After that and Mark's pic--we're never putting our dinghy in the water again. We'll just swim! Oh wait...
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Old 03-11-2013, 15:39   #6
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Re: One more reason to raise the dinghy each night....

I guess it's only fair to explain: the turtle was fishing a shoal of fish that were hiding by the dinghy. The cookie cutter shark was just doing what they do, make round holes in whales, large fish, even submarine anechoic coatings. Big nuisances, IMO. Still, we shouldn't have let it happen a second time.

Ann
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Old 03-11-2013, 17:01   #7
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Re: One more reason to raise the dinghy each night....

I once speared a stingray (the wings make great scallops) and the bugger got even with me on the way back to the boat. I thought it was dead, and its last flop put the stinger through my Achilies. I guess Karma got me that time. ____Grant.
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Old 03-11-2013, 17:26   #8
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Re: One more reason to raise the dinghy each night....

Twelve years ago someone left a small RIB next to the dumpster (Trash bin) per "Dumpster ediquette" with a small fracture in the fiberglass bottom. Being a thrifty and handy person I felt it responsable to take it home and repair it.
An hour or so later the bottom was fixed and the tubes inflated. A year later it was still inflated!

Seven years ago we began cruising every winter to the Bahamas and decided to take the fixed RIB along expecting it to last a season at best. Seven years later it is still with us!

Please send your shark, rock or other pointy object our way. I want a new RIB and this one will not give up!
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Old 03-11-2013, 17:35   #9
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Re: One more reason to raise the dinghy each night....

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I once speared a stingray (the wings make great scallops) and the bugger got even with me on the way back to the boat. I thought it was dead, and its last flop put the stinger through my Achilies. I guess Karma got me that time. ____Grant.
Sheesh, Grant, smile at your good luck... coulda been through your Achilles tendon rather than your Achilles dinghy!

Having known a few unfortunate yotties who suffered sting ray wounds, they are not to be scoffed at.

Cheers,

Jim
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Old 04-11-2013, 20:50   #10
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Re: One more reason to raise the dinghy each night....

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Sheesh, Grant, smile at your good luck... coulda been through your Achilles tendon rather than your Achilles dinghy!

Having known a few unfortunate yotties who suffered sting ray wounds, they are not to be scoffed at.

Cheers,

Jim
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