Quarantine on listing houseboat > owner: "could sink"

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Brewgyver

Despite more than one request, you haven't adequately described the boat, and the brand "Admiralty" is not showing up in any of the usual boat data or sales sources. From the first pic, it looks to me like the kind used in rental fleets in some of the bigger lakes, basically a travel trailer constructed on two steel pontoon hulls, but they typically have outboard engines.

When I was a teenager, we rented such houseboats on Lake Shasta in California, and I don't remember them having bilge pumps, because the pontoons are closed. If it is this type of boat, and taking on water in one of the hulls, it needs to be treated as an emergency.

About 40 years ago, we rented five very large houseboats on Shasta for a major college party / water ski 3 day weekend trip. The boats were of the type you describe with two pontoons, each boat was perhaps 45 to 50 feet long. Each boat was tied together by their sides to form a wide raft. I recall one boat getting a small hole in the starboard side and it listed a bit. The pontoons are constructed with segmented walls inside so that only about a five foot section would fill and the rest of the independent pontoon hull segments stay water tight. We towed 15 ski boats behind the massive barge like rig, a floating den of iniquity. We were able to level that boat easily enough by placing the seven beer kegs kept in ice filled trash cans towards the port side. The more we drank the more list to starboard set in, but never unsettling; or perhaps we were the ones developing an alcohol induced list. It seems that one of the partiers accidently shot a hole into the pontoon, an off duty sheriff taking pot shots at a floating beer can next to the boat with his service weapon. Crazy crowd and crazy days. Long before social distancing was a thing. Fond old and foggy memory that.

[SeaScribe]

As posted, we got a masked man in from the boatyard, and emptied the bilge. I gave what information I had from the owner, whose only response to a request for information was, "get a bucket".

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by SeaScribe

As posted, we got a masked man in from the boatyard, and emptied the bilge. I gave what information I had from the owner, whose only response to a request for information was, "get a bucket".

Glad to hear you got it resolved and also stopped the leak, [until next time anyway].

As to the owner's recommendation, perhaps send the owner the lyrics to the famous song.

A Hole In the Bucket
Song by Harry Belafonte

Lyrics
There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza,
There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, a hole.
So fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, fix it.
With what should I fix it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I fix it, dear Liza, with what?
With straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, with straw.
But the straw is too long, dear Liza, dear Liza,
The straw is too long, dear Liza, too long.
So cut it dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So cut it dear Henry, dear Henry, cut it!
With what should I cut it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I cut it, dear Liza, with what?
With an axe, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With an axe, dear Henry, an axe.
But the axe is too dull, dear Liza, dear Liza,
The axe is too dull, dear Liza, too dull.
So, sharpen it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So sharpen it dear Henry, dear Henry, sharpen it!
With what should I sharpen it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I sharpen, dear Liza, with what?
Use the stone, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
Use the stone, dear Henry, dear Henry, the stone.
But the stone is too dry, dear Liza, dear Liza,
The stone is too dry, dear Liza, too dry.
So wet it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So wet it dear Henry, dear Henry, wet it.
With what should I wet it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I wet it, dear Liza, with what?
With water, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With water, dear Henry, dear Henry, water.
With what should I carry it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I carry it dear Liza, with what?
Use the bucket dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
Use the bucket, dear Henry, dear Henry, the bucket!
There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza,
There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, a hole.
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Harry Belafonte / Odetta Felious Gordon

[SeaScribe]

My grandma, Liza May, used to sing that with us I'll pass on passing it on, but thanks for the reminder.

[Time2Go]

Got nothing to add except
You landlord is a real Piece of ****

[SeaScribe]

She has made us quite aware of... her substance. This little drama was just the tip of the iceberg of her titanic negligence, odd behaviour, and vivid temper. (We arrived in a cold rain July 3 to no fuel, a dirty, mostly emptied hot tub, and bedding caked in cat hair. Luckily, I'd brought cleaning supplies and clean linens.) Had to call the RCMP on her Monday, after having filed a formal complaint days before. She sent the "might sink" note an hour or two later. Watchful neighbours, long exposed to her antics, then volunteered an apartment for us, a lovely surprise. Our shipyard saviour knew about her, as well, and came quickly. Apparently, she's a blight on the street. Not much of a welcome home for us, but redeemable, thanks to the kindness of strangers and nice new neighbours.

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by SeaScribe

Hi All. Mother and kid quarantined on an Admiralty houseboat on the Fraser River, Vancouver, Canada and feeling unsafe. Can anyone advise about draining the water? The owner sent this message, but no instructions, and we see that it is listing starboard, toward the dock. (Perhaps even a safety check by an experienced boater?) Thank you for any advice.

Message received from owner:
the boat is listing very heavily to starboard so the water needs to be emptied from there I hope you know how to do that because I won't be able to do it for you as I am not there to do it. If you don't empty the water it could possibly sink but maybe not depending on how much ends up inside the hull.

If the owner wasn't there, how the hell did he know it was listing? Seems like he could at least tell where the access points are.

[Brewgyver]

Originally Posted by Montanan

About 40 years ago, we rented five very large houseboats on Shasta (snip)

Sounds like a hellova party! My last time doing that was about 1972. Then we got a ski boat and camped on Ski Island instead of renting the pontoon RV. Lots of fun times on that lake!

[Brewgyver]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Glad to hear you got it resolved and also stopped the leak, [until next time anyway].

As to the owner's recommendation, perhaps send the owner the lyrics to the famous song.

A Hole In the Bucket
Song by Harry Belafonte
(snippage)
Songwriters: Harry Belafonte / Odetta Felious Gordon

Ha!
My grandparents sang that one with their kids in the 1930s, and I remember my Grandfather sang it when he was a kid, long before Harry Belafonte was born. Just looked it up, and apparently originally dates from Hesse some 300 years ago! Earliest printed version in from 1858.

Much like trying to credit the writer of "Blow the Man Down!"

[friz]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Glad to hear you got it resolved and also stopped the leak, [until next time anyway].

As to the owner's recommendation, perhaps send the owner the lyrics to the famous song.

A Hole In the Bucket
Song by Harry Belafonte

Lyrics
There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza,
There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, a hole.
So fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, fix it.
With what should I fix it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I fix it, dear Liza, with what?
With straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, with straw.
But the straw is too long, dear Liza, dear Liza,
The straw is too long, dear Liza, too long.
So cut it dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So cut it dear Henry, dear Henry, cut it!
With what should I cut it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I cut it, dear Liza, with what?
With an axe, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With an axe, dear Henry, an axe.
But the axe is too dull, dear Liza, dear Liza,
The axe is too dull, dear Liza, too dull.
So, sharpen it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So sharpen it dear Henry, dear Henry, sharpen it!
With what should I sharpen it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I sharpen, dear Liza, with what?
Use the stone, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
Use the stone, dear Henry, dear Henry, the stone.
But the stone is too dry, dear Liza, dear Liza,
The stone is too dry, dear Liza, too dry.
So wet it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So wet it dear Henry, dear Henry, wet it.
With what should I wet it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I wet it, dear Liza, with what?
With water, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With water, dear Henry, dear Henry, water.
With what should I carry it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I carry it dear Liza, with what?
Use the bucket dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
Use the bucket, dear Henry, dear Henry, the bucket!
There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza,
There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, a hole.
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Harry Belafonte / Odetta Felious Gordon

I love that song. After 60 years of not actually hearing HarryB sing it (I do have the LP inherited from Dad) I can go through all the lyrics by memory. It is just a logical progression of laziness. I loved Harry B's music. His politics was better kept to himself. .....but, the OP, with all due respect, may want to consider RVing.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Glad to hear you got it resolved and also stopped the leak, [until next time anyway].

As to the owner's recommendation, perhaps send the owner the lyrics to the famous song.

A Hole In the Bucket
Song by Harry Belafonte

Lyrics
There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza,
There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, a hole.
So fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, fix it.
With what should I fix it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I fix it, dear Liza, with what?
With straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, with straw.
But the straw is too long, dear Liza, dear Liza,
The straw is too long, dear Liza, too long.
So cut it dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So cut it dear Henry, dear Henry, cut it!
With what should I cut it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I cut it, dear Liza, with what?
With an axe, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With an axe, dear Henry, an axe.
But the axe is too dull, dear Liza, dear Liza,
The axe is too dull, dear Liza, too dull.
So, sharpen it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So sharpen it dear Henry, dear Henry, sharpen it!
With what should I sharpen it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I sharpen, dear Liza, with what?
Use the stone, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
Use the stone, dear Henry, dear Henry, the stone.
But the stone is too dry, dear Liza, dear Liza,
The stone is too dry, dear Liza, too dry.
So wet it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So wet it dear Henry, dear Henry, wet it.
With what should I wet it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I wet it, dear Liza, with what?
With water, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With water, dear Henry, dear Henry, water.
With what should I carry it, dear Liza, dear Liza,
With what should I carry it dear Liza, with what?
Use the bucket dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
Use the bucket, dear Henry, dear Henry, the bucket!
There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza,
There's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, a hole.
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Harry Belafonte / Odetta Felious Gordon

My favorite, Burl Ives

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psCSKJyW3bE

[Knot Fast]

Montanan,
Next time, as you empty beer kegs on port, put them under the low side on stbd as floats to raise the low side...

[Char99]

Not sure exactly where you are. I am in the area this morning Saturday and could stop by and have a look. 604 328 3297 if you want to call me.
Charlie