Cruisers yacht stuck on Gulfport beach in 4 feet of sand

[DeniseO30]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

Please read the whole thread.................

Thought i did................

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by DeniseO30

Seems to be another hapless chap Like Michael Calabrese RIP.

Do these coastal cities routinely play tough guy the unfortunate?

The city is not playing rough, they are simply following their own laws, nothing would be better for the city if he got the boat off of the public swimming beach unassisted by the city.


Because he looks like a bum?

He looks like most other people I've met out cruising (with the exception of the goofy captains hat.

Because his boat doesn't look like a Million dollar yacht?

INothing to do with the current problem

How does one boat sitting on the beach ruin a city's Labor Day?



So.. no compassion for this guy either?

Plenty of people have offered to help, but looking at the pictures and reading first hand accounts he isn't helping himself.

His boat doesn't seem to be very far from the drop off in the sand going by the photos.

Why's can't a big boat pull his masts over at high tide? Err slowly as the sand yields?

That would leave still 4 feet of keel in the sand (based on his information) there are some laws of physics that you just cant break

11111

[goldiphlox]

Originally Posted by Rocketman

Goldiphlox you sound very sweet indeed, with all the best intentions in the world and I think you are a great lover of everything that moves, but maybe a little nieve. Sometimes helping others that either do not ask for it or desirve it, can be the worst thing that you can do for them. Somertimes tough love is needed, I would just like to know before I dedicate time, money, resorces to a person, that they are likely to learn and develop from it. There are lost causes, and there are people that make a living from lost causes. Anyone can be a victim, but taking advantage of peoples kindness IMHO is worse than anything.

Well thank you....and although you are right about my sweetness.. i am really not nieve...i know first hand what it is like to try and help someone that didnt ask for help....but still...i had to try...and yet her children still became wards of the state ....so sad.....some people you can't help....but if you knew their life story....you would try

[smackdaddy]

Originally Posted by knothead

I first saw the boat on the beach when we anchored for the fourth of July fireworks. Gulfport puts on a great show. A boat on the beach after a blow isn't an unusual sight around here but it was the first one I've seen on the swimming beach.
I didn't think much about it after that until I read the newspaper story. I've been debating since then as to whether or not to get involved.
Well, today, after reading this thread at the shop. I stopped by on my way home from work and waded out to the boat. I got the hem of my shorts wet, but was able to walk up to the side and knock.
As soon as I rapped on the topsides, voices from shore started yelling "he's not aboard". A moment later a head popped up in the companionway.
I said. "you're not Jay". He said he was Dave. Or maybe Dan. I can't remember now. Jay was off on an errand and I had just missed him it seems.
Anyway. I introduced myself and told Dave that I wanted to ascertain what the make of boat the 'Promise' is. He didn't know. So I asked for permission to come aboard to check a few things out. Dave said that was fine. I still don't know what make that boat is. But I'm pretty sure it's a full keel, cutaway forefoot boat. I'm still a little skeptical about the seven foot draft but who knows.
There wasn't anything on the transom that id'ed the boat.
Has it been mentioned anywhere? I haven't seen it if so.

When I first stepped aboard, carefully avoiding the piles of dog poop, I noticed that the cockpit. Which is quite large was filled with stuff. There was indeed a washing machine and two generators on deck. One was running. The deck is fairly covered with dog **** and the boat is terribly neglected.
The rigging is suspect, but heavy. The mast seems solid but takes a sharp bend port above the spreaders. I believe this could be corrected with a little tuning.
There were two anchors deployed. Both rodes were slack. The boat was standing as vertical as if she were floating.
The dog was below. Barking.
Good dog.

I told Dave, as I handed him my business card, to please tell "Capt'n Jay" That he wasn't doing himself any favors. I told him to say that sailors will come to the aid of other sailors willingly. But are a little less enthusiastic about helping a lubber with no sense of seamanship.
I told him to tell Jay that it was inexcusable to have a cockpit full of garbage, dogs and generators and crap all over a boat that should be lightened and laying on it's side with as many lines and anchors as he could beg borrow or steal kedging with all their might.

I told Dave to tell Jay that if he wanted my help, I would get his boat off. According to Dave, the deadline is August 8.
I told him that the only way I would help him is if he would listen to me and let me do things my way.

I doubt that Jay is going to call me. But if he does, I'll help him. I have a lot of tackle myself and I have some contacts in the area. I think it's very doable. It's too bad that the effort hasn't been underway since the grounding. But that's what a real sailor would have done. Jay isn't a sailor. I don't give a damn if he has a piece of paper saying he is. One look at his boat will tell you all you need to know.

I'm a little torn, but the way I look at it is this. Jay has to live somewhere. Is it serving society to chop up his boat and put him on the street? Or is it better to get his boat off the beach and let him get on with his life with a roof over his head. Gulfport will have to foot the bill for the demolition and hauling. They would probably be money ahead to lend some equipment and hands to help get the boat off.

I don't fool myself that I'm helping a fellow sailor. Just seems to be "the lesser of two evils kind of thing".
The boat is nearly a derelict. Perhaps Jay is too. Not for me to judge. But if you get Jay and his boat off the water, there will be another around the corner.
The way the economy is these days, I keep thinking "There but for the grace of God go I".

If he does call, I'll be counting on you guys that can to lend a hand.

And Cup, pm me here or on the other site about your visit to Tampa if you haven't lined up a sail yet.

God bless you knot.

[Rakuflames]

"His boat doesn't seem to be very far from the drop off in the sand going by the photos. "

THERE IS NO "DROP OFF" IN THE SAND. It is an extremely shallow bay and an extremely shallow beach. That's one of the problems. The suggestions to blast the sand out would leave a deep hole in a shallow area where small children play every day. There are no lifeguards on that beach.

Gulfport is a blue collar town. No one cares whether a boat is a million dollar boat and about the only time you see them is people traveling through.

[DeniseO30]

please read my entire post...............

"His boat doesn't seem to be very far from the drop off in the sand going by the photos. "

[DeniseO30]

Originally Posted by smackdaddy

God bless you knot.

Ditto Knot!

smack! ltns!

[smackdaddy]

Originally Posted by DeniseO30

Ditto Knot!

smack! ltns!

Just slummin'. Heh-heh.

This thread kind of reminds me of Capn Jay's deck. Jeez.

[Rocketman]

Photos? What are you talking about? How can you tell how far the drop off is by photos? This guy has a 7ft draft by his own omition. There does appear to be other sailboats anchored off not too far from his, but I doubt that they have a 7 ft draft. Photos are missleading. I would take it from those that are there what the facts are.

[DeniseO30]

wow.. I'm being scolded like a child! yes photos are misleading

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by DeniseO30

please read my entire post...............

"His boat doesn't seem to be very far from the drop off in the sand going by the photos. "

But Denise, at least two people here have seen the boat physically, and I have posted numerous times that it's a very shallow area and that in fact Boca Ciega Bay is quite shallow. It's my back yard. I know it very, very well.

Even if a prop could flush out enough sand safely (and by that I mean leaving the beach safe for small children) I don't know how a boat big enough to do it could safely approach it. When I was down there it was mid-tide for that day and there was literally less than 1' of water around here. 2' tides? That's a lot of tide here. Lots of times the difference is only 1 1/2'.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Rocketman

Photos? What are you talking about? How can you tell how far the drop off is by photos? This guy has a 7ft draft by his own omition. There does appear to be other sailboats anchored off not too far from his, but I doubt that they have a 7 ft draft. Photos are missleading. I would take it from those that are there what the facts are.

If you walk up to the boat you can see that there is indeed some kind of fin-type keel (don't know how far it extends along the hull), as well as rudder, stuck in the sand. No one's brought out ultrasound equipment, so we can only judge from what the guy says. He said not 7' but 7' - 7 1/2'. Given how heavily laden his boat appears to be ...

The other boats in the area are shallow draft boats. I'm glad they survived without damage. Shallow bay and big waves means that a lot of water could have been sucked out from under them on occasion, but I haven't heard of other damage to boats off the beach.

[DeniseO30]

It's all good Raku, I just said a few things I was thinking!

The mere fact that this thread is in the seamanship forum kinda set it up for all the holier then thou to have a field day with it. Yes, I see compassion in quite a few comments, but others... well they ARE entitled to say so also....I've no idea how Knot and others will help get him off the sand. I really hope it's a better ending thne RIP M. Calabrese's boat had!

Children playing on a beach with no lifeguard? <faint>

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by DeniseO30

It's all good Raku, I just said a few things I was thinking!

The mere fact that this thread is in the seamanship forum kinda set it up for all the holier then thou to have a field day with it. Yes, I see compassion in quite a few comments, but others... well they ARE entitled to say so also....I've no idea how Knot and others will help get him off the sand. I really hope it's a better ending thne RIP M. Calabrese's boat had!

Children playing on a beach with no lifeguard? <faint>

Well, there are these things called "parents..."

It's extremely common to not have lifeguards on beaches, Denise, and if you were familiar with the area you would see the point at this beach. Remember I said the water smells stale at low tide? That means no current there. That, combined with the fact that it's very shallow -- I've never heard of anyone having an emergency at that beach.

The beaches at Fort DeSoto don't always have lifeguards, and there can be a lot of current there.

[DeniseO30]

oh my!