challenge: adrift, no anchor, no power, flat calm water

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

Would like to hear more about the true situation. It seems unlikely, but an engine could stop running at just the wrong moment, for 2 minutes I could easily see one desperately trying to get it started again, no time for any other action.

Originally Posted by perchance

Does the radio work?

I can't really give that many details because I don't want to get the boat name involved or the area, but it's late at night in a foreign port. Any vessel that could hear was tied to a slip behind the breakwater (if they had their VHF on at all), the one "near by" fishing boat is doing 35 knots with it's radio off headed in, and the nearest English speaking pleasure boats not tied to slips are miles away in an anchorage.

No chance of quick-reaction assistance towing or anything of that sort.

[atoll]

note to self.......in future when going to sea buy anchor and rode

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

No details, but let's just say this or something just like it occurred before.

So you're getting near shoaling water making way, aiming for a hole in the breakwater. The engine packs in, you've got zero anchors onboard, and flat calm waters.

Any ideas?

1 - crap pants
2 - cry
3 - turn boat out to the open (what is tide and wind?)
4 - put on life vests
5 - make radio mayday announcement
6 - make signals and/or fire off flares to try to get attention of any other boat in area for help
7 - look for the best "soft" place go aground and steer for it while you still are making way if the tide and wind are driving you back in
8 - consider the dinghy to save the boat, of at least to save yourself
9 - consider abandoning the boat if it is going to go on the rocks in a place that is going result you going down with it
10 - cry some more
11 - check engine fuel filter, try to restart engine
12- engine restarts
13- look around to see if anyone noticed
14 - cancel mayday
15-dock the boat
16- change pants and clean up
17- pop open a cold beer while you look in the cabinet for something stronger
18-buy an anchor
19- post experience on CF
20- write a magazine article about how you are so good a boater that you overcame

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Don L

1 - crap pants
2 - cry
3 - turn boat out to the open (what is tide and wind?)
4 - put on life vests
5 - make radio mayday announcement
6 - make signals and/or fire off flares to try to get attention of any other boat in area for help
7 - look for the best "soft" place go aground and steer for it while you still are making way if the tide and wind are driving you back in
8 - consider the dinghy to save the boat, of at least to save yourself
9 - consider abandoning the boat if it is going to go on the rocks in a place that is going result you going down with it
10 - cry some more
11 - check engine fuel filter, try to restart engine
12- engine restarts
13- look around to see if anyone noticed
14 - cancel mayday
15-dock the boat
16- change pants and clean up
17- pop open a cold beer while you look in the cabinet for something stronger
18-buy an anchor
19- post experience on CF
20- write a magazine article about how you are so good a boater that you overcame

don you forgot one important point......... 21-check Darwin Awards subscription is paid up

[SURV69]

Maybe it's time for a magic ring.

Seriously . . . we know the engine is dead, we know there are no anchors.

Maybe it's time for someone to say what is on the boat.

Is there a secondary source of propulsion?
Is there a dinghy with a motor on it?
Is there a sail on this powerboat?
Are there . . . are there . . . are there.

I'm assuming there is nothing but a wind blowing the boat to shore and no equipment of any kind on board the boat to stop it.

No one has said what is available................

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by atoll

don you forgot one important point......... 21-check Darwin Awards subscription is paid up

some people just shouldn't be in the reproduction gene pool

[Autumns Wind]

Regardless of who or where, having a 40 ton boat with no anchor! Huh... I know people with bass boats that float in 6" of water and they have an anchor. Not having an anchor is like leaving the dock with no beer...
Though I must say, I have forgoten a lot of things and later said, OHH CRAP... Which im sure is what he said when he beach his boat.
Hopefully at the end of it all the people were safe.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Autumns Wind

Regardless of who or where, having a 40 ton boat with no anchor! Huh... I know people with bass boats that float in 6" of water and they have an anchor. Not having an anchor is like leaving the dock with no beer...
Though I must say, I have forgoten a lot of things and later said, OHH CRAP... Which im sure is what he said when he beach his boat.
Hopefully at the end of it all the people were safe.

+1

he might also look at getting some crew with similar experince........
i hear there are a few us navy officers now looking for jobs,just back from the philipines

[tbodine88]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

No details, but let's just say this or something just like it occurred before.

So you're getting near shoaling water making way, aiming for a hole in the breakwater. The engine packs in, you've got zero anchors onboard, and flat calm waters.

Any ideas?

OK, I'm a little different, I sail a potter. This happened to me. A cold front had come through, the winds were Flukey.First they came from behind me, now they were blowing fitfully from just to port of where I wanted to go. But usually they didn't blow.

We dropped all sail and broke out the paddles and rowed into the marina.
I had an anchor, but water was too deep. I'll admit my rode is too short.

[JPA Cate]

Hi guys,

Rebel Heart wrote, "I can't really give that many details because I don't want to get the boat name involved or the area, but it's late at night in a foreign port. Any vessel that could hear was tied to a slip behind the breakwater (if they had their VHF on at all), the one "near by" fishing boat is doing 35 knots with it's radio off headed in, and the nearest English speaking pleasure boats not tied to slips are miles away in an anchorage. "

We have an experienced yachtsman friend who always keeps 16 on at night. His reasoning is that it is only we cruisers who are likely to catch a call for help from another cruiser, and also be in a situation where we could respond. If there is no call, one's sleep wouldn't be disturbed. And we all like to help others. It is to me an interesting point of view at the very least.

But, back to the original problem, two minutes is a very short time, and it's not a sin to sit on the putty and then either try to get yourself out of the condition or call for help. Much harder at night.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Hi guys,

......But, back to the original problem, two minutes is a very short time, and it's not a sin to sit on the putty and then either try to get yourself out of the condition or call for help. Much harder at night.

Agree Ann, no need to panic.
I think it is a given that if you can’t give yourself enough time by using last of steerage way to do a 180… you will eventually drift aground.

If that is happening, most power boats will naturally go more or less…stern to wind…
To make sure that happens and you do not ground prop first, tie a bucket and line off the stern as a sea anchor

[Suijin]

I think without details it's pretty hard to float solutions. Every circumstance is different and the key to making good decisions is a quick and accurate calculation of risks and a sound assessment of possible solutions. Both rely on a variety of facts that we don't have at our disposal.

I'm going to assume that if you're in a 40 ton vessel with no anchor that you don't have a dinghy either. I'm going to also assume that if it's flat water that means there is no wind at all, and little if any current. It's the middle of the night and requesting help is not a feasible solution because no one answers your radio call. The issue is, will the boat sustain damage, and will anyone be in danger before it is possible to secure assistance? Stay with the boat as long as you can without risking life and limb in the hopes that you can hail someone.

[justlearnin]

Call the coast guard for rescue and abandon it ...

[sww914]

The USCG won't come unless there are lives in danger. The Mexican Navy says "We save lives, not boats".
Maybe the Canadian Coast Guard is different?

[ozskipper]

Ooching,
Rolling the boat side to side.


Or um sail perhaps?