Re-floating the boat

[newlazydays]

My boat sank in about eight feet of water in hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas. At the end of January I will be returning there to try and re-float the boat using airbags. I hope to get the boat upright and high enough in the water to use a large volume pump to pump her out. After that I will decide what to do next.


A friend suggested that I would need two 10 ton bags to lift her. Does anyone have any experience doing this before? And where did they get the bags from? The baot is currently leaning against a private dock and has to be moved.

[skipperpete]

These are 5 ton bags used to lift a 30 ft yacht and were the smallest manageable bags we had, too big for the job but you need 4 bags to balance the load on the way up. If your'e on a tight budget, consider using bulker bags that are used to deliver sand to construction sites, they hold about a cubic metre and are very light. Is the hull badly punctured?

[newlazydays]

I had to leave the island a couple of days after the boat sank. As far as I know the hull is intact. The ports got stove in bashing on the dock. The stern of the boat is above water at low tide. I think two bags under the bow would lift the rest of the boat high enough to start pumping her out.

[skipperpete]

Good luck with the refloat, I hope it goes well. Make sure you have a good big mesh filter on the pump intakes..... heartbreaking job though when its your own boat.

[newlazydays]

The boat is leaning against the dock and the stern is hard aground. I think if I could get her to stand on her very broad and substantial keel it would go a great way to getting her afloat.

[kev_rm]

Not sure you needs bags, you might just need pumps

[Pauls]

From your picture I don't understand why you would want to use bags. She is mostly above water now. Take out an anchor or two, set them to port, attach to her halyards and use them to pull her close to vertical. That should put your ports well above water level. Pump her out.

[malbert73]

How long will she be sunken? I would think the sooner you raise her the better? After several months can’t imagine any of interior can be salvaged?

[tkeithlu]

My wife used to do this job, which may seem odd, but her thoughts:

Lift bags are damned dangerous.

This is not a bag job. This is a pump like hell job. Close off as many "water in" sites such as your bashed ports as possible. Use a large pump. As long as water in is less than pump water out, she will float.

[gonesail]

Pump her out and try to make her level. Find the holes and plug em up. Good luck with your sad situation

[jeepers]

You can make your own air bags;
Need 3-4 Transport truck inner tubes per tote bag.
Remove the valve cores.
If you don't remove the tube's air valve cores, you wont be able to release the air to reposition etc
Using air line & fittings available from the transport parts jobbers.
Connect the tubes together with 2-3 ft lengths of tube with a 6-8 ft or longer fill line, with a fill valve at the end.
Place them side by side in heavy duty tote bag.
With the valves towards the bottom of the bag.
Run the air fill line out the fabric "valve" in the bottom of the bag.
Tie this fabric valve off with the air line through it
Tie the lifting straps together.
You can use the straps to tie ropes to. And,
To pull the bags under the hull to pull them into position and to secure the bag to the boat.
Pull the bags such that the straps are under the keel.
Tie off the ropes to the boats bollard or any stout fixture on deck.
Fill each tote equally.
Aggressively pump the boat out when filling the bags.

[Hardhead]

Originally Posted by Pauls

From your picture I don't understand why you would want to use bags. She is mostly above water now. Take out an anchor or two, set them to port, attach to her halyards and use them to pull her close to vertical. That should put your ports well above water level. Pump her out.

From the photo, it does kinda look like a situation where - if she can be straightened more vertical, by pulling the halyards, she might stand up pretty good on her keel when at the lowest tide. Good Luck!

[leftbrainstuff]

Originally Posted by Pauls

From your picture I don't understand why you would want to use bags. She is mostly above water now. Take out an anchor or two, set them to port, attach to her halyards and use them to pull her close to vertical. That should put your ports well above water level. Pump her out.

You'll tear the masts, cleats out trying to right a flooded boat. Ever completed this type of salvage? There's a reason those who are successful understand the engineering and dynamics involved.

Much simpler and much less stress to use airbags to reposition the vessel. Pumping takes time and is pointless unless you stem the inflow.

BTW you'll need at least four airbags not two.

[Sunkencat]

Hi newlazydays
I have helped salvage a couple of boats 1 was mine sitting upside down a couple hundred yards away from yours , my boat is floating engines are running I'm at Donny's boat rentals
If you like I can have a look at low tide what is possible
If there are no holes and all hatches are closed it may be possible to float her by pumping out all the water with a big pump
You can send me a email if you are interested luna_kniep15@hotmail.com
Cheers jeroen

[Mr B]

One cubic yard will lift one ton,
There maybe a lot of sand in the bilges too, Which will add weight to what your lifting,

Block off all ingress of water at extreme low tide, It may lift itself out of the water,

Good luck with it,