Another Keel Lost; Another Capsize

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Polux

A Columbia 28 from 1969. They restored the old boat. I wonder if they put the keel down and substitute all the bolts. Ona boat with that age all metal parts need to be replaced.

that is not a good omen for the start of their voyages.
Also another vote for designs like my columbia 29 defender. Long keel fully encapsulated and tough as nails .

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

No sympathy for a couple of irresponsible idiots. The tax payers now have to pay to clean up their mess. It's people like this that give cruisers a bad name in Florida.

A tad harsh but true. It wasn't the boat. It was them.

[Fore and Aft]

Newhaul I am pretty sure the Titanic had a long keel and was tough as nails!
But seriously this raises an interesting issue regarding keel bolts and their age? Just what is the lifespan of keel bolts and how can you easily tell their condition? As a surveyor I look for obvious signs like cracking in the keel hull join and the condition of the nuts and washers on the inside. But as for what is buried inside structural members it is anyone's guess. I can only imagine there will be more keel failures as our sailing fleet ages.
Cheers

[willpower1]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Keels are not meant to hit rocks, sometimes severe damage occurs. Tough luck for this young couple.

Doubt they hit rocks it was a sand bar.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Had a look at the drawings... the keel design is not a terribly vulnerable one, with a deep stub keel in the hull. Should have been pretty sturdy, so I'd agree that the keel bolts were likely badly compromised. I'd be astonished if fiscally challenged newbies would have gone to the trouble and cost of renewing them, or if they even knew that they should.

Sad for them, but as someone else noted, may have saved their lives.

Jim

Yeah they had a good rep, those 28s, but it is an old boat so the bolts should have been replaced.
But I am curious about the "lost everything" .. and the "no savings, no job..." what were they panning to live off of?

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

No sympathy for a couple of irresponsible idiots. The tax payers now have to pay to clean up their mess. It's people like this that give cruisers a bad name in Florida.

Curmudgeon.

I'd give $10,000 to feel so confident of the benign nature of my fellow man and the world at large to be optimistic enough to sail of into the wild blue with only $70 in my pocket.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

Curmudgeon.

I'd give $10,000 to feel so confident of the benign nature of my fellow man and the world at large to be optimistic enough to sail of into the wild blue with only $70 in my pocket.

Amazing isn't it, makes me wonder if I am doing it right driving a desk all day so I have a house to retire in.

They do have some assets, the Pug is probably worth $1000.

The press article says this:

Waves rolled the sailboat. It dipped from side-to-side, almost going under. Broadwell realized the keel had been ripped off the bottom.

Water started to leak into the cabin.......Walsh dialed Sea Tow,

"They said they would be there in 40 minutes. I thought ‘That is a long time to spend out here.’"

Walsh ran into the flooded cabin and grabbed what little she could. The crash had thrown their things onto the floor. Now their stuff was floating.

I think the keel is still attached to the boat.

Pete

[Olly75]

Just musing here, but wouldn't this situation merit a mayday call rather than a call to sea tow?

[mikedefieslife]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

It sounds like they had seen one too many YoRube! videos showing how easy it was to rehab a boat and sail away, learning it all as you go. Holly Golightly.

Or read one too many of the sailing books that often get mentioned on these forums.

[Seabeau]

Originally Posted by frozenhawaiian

I'd be surprised if they even knew to replace them. stories like this really make me grateful that my keelbolts are bronze

It really makes me grateful that I don't have any keelbolts or keel for that matter.

[406Columbia]

Originally Posted by newhaul

that is not a good omen for the start of their voyages.
Also another vote for designs like my columbia 29 defender. Long keel fully encapsulated and tough as nails .

Newhaul,

Your right on the money here and my feelings as well! Stories like this make me glad that the Wayfarer Bahama 24 we purchased as our second boat as well as our current (third boat) Columbia 29 are all solid incorporated modified long keels (cutaway forefoot) with encapsulated ballast and THICK fiberglass hulls.

It requires no inspection or concerns about keel bolts and things falling off. While these stories aren't coming to light everyday its still to often for my comfort level. I will take a bit more time since the wetted surface is increased with a full keel, doesn't maneuver as well, etc.

BUT........its strongly built and its sailing, I'm not generally in a rush. That's the beauty of it, if I wanted everything fast and modern I would get rid of my vinyl records, my Dutch and French ovens, my 1962 sailboat, my diesel trucks, my automatic Swiss watch, etc. lol

Anyway, all the cost cutting construction methods and speed based modifications aren't for me. I sure am glad most people don't feel as I do though, sure keeps the prices low when your shopping for a new (used) boat!

[danielamartindm]

"The red and green buoys seemed out of place."

Indeed, at the mouth of the pass, they are. After some shoaling issues, some markers were replaced or moved, leading to one "green right returning" marker in the approach to the pass. This never should have been attempted in the dark. The couple was lucky, and if they don't already share that perspective, I hope they visit the memorial in John's Pass Village to the long list of sailors who've lost their lives in these waters. They have their lives, and they have each other; boats can be replaced, or remembered.

[OldManMirage]

Originally Posted by frozenhawaiian

I'd be surprised if they even knew to replace them. stories like this really make me grateful that my keelbolts are bronze

Makes me even glad-er that mine is encapsulated within a good think full keel hull.

But it is sad to read of these things. Makes you wish you had been around in the yard or something and had a chance to mention it to them.

[Van Der Beek]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

No sympathy for a couple of irresponsible idiots. The tax payers now have to pay to clean up their mess. It's people like this that give cruisers a bad name in Florida.

As tax payers we pay for idiots all the time, especially for those in government who like to steal our output, and I'm more sympathetic to this couple than I am to them. Not to forget that chances are this couple will actually learn something from this, government never learns. Ever. Then again they don't have to do they, since we tax payers pay for everything there is never any financial consequence for their ***ups because they never run out of money.

Note.
That's not to say this couple aren't "idiots" or anything, but at least they are honest benevolent idiots.

[danielamartindm]

Originally Posted by willpower1

Doubt they hit rocks it was a sand bar.

If it happened on the north side of the pass, yes. There is shoaling and there are breakers there, but the bottom is sandy. I suspect that the keel on that old boat was just ready to depart.