ReFloating A Boat Advice needed ASAP!!

[rednut00]

Hey
Myself and a few friends bought a small speed boat (14ft) a few weeks ago and we had it moored at a local pier. We got a call this morning to say that some bad weather had come and the boat had sunk! Upon inspection the boat is still attached to the pier at the front but the stern broke free, So it is in the water like a traffic cone. There is a 60hp Mariner engine at the bottom.

Im looking for advice on how to raise her again first of all, and also how to treat the engine when we do get her back on dry land.

Any usefull advise would be greatly appreciated and abviously the sooner the better

Thanks

 

[Mark42]

Re: ReFloating A Boat Advice needed ASAP!!

Search the forums. There are a lot of posts on starting a sunk motor.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: ReFloating A Boat Advice needed ASAP!!

this refers to all sunk motors.

 

[fishon13]

Re: ReFloating A Boat Advice needed ASAP!!

To raise the boat there is a couple of suggestions, if you have access to docks on both sides use you anchor rope and secure to dock on one side on the other attach a come-a-long then attach come-a-long to the rope under the stern. Use a strap to hold the rope in place. The key is to get the boats gunwhales above the surface so you can pump or bail the water out so the boat will float it self. Make sure you keep the bow up while your raisind her. Once you get the gunwhales at or above the water line bail or pump the rest of the water to minimize the stress on the hull. The second way to raise the newly named titanic is with floats. Some cheap ones would be inner tubes for trucks. Four should do the trick, secure them while deflated to the boat as close to under the hull. Use a compressor to inflate the tubes a small amount of air in each one, it will take some time, ie don't rush. Once you get the inner tubes to the surface you may have to adjust them on the hull so have lots of straps and strong rope on hand. Bail baby bail Sorry to hear about your boat hope all works out. I will talk about engine in next post. GOOD LUCK

 

[MikDee]

Re: ReFloating A Boat Advice needed ASAP!!

You've gotta pull the back up with a rope, and try to get the gunwales (the deck) above water, then tie it fast (good) to the pier, and bail fast, & hard with a large hand bilge pump, till you can get it to float just enough to get in it, then bail hard, & fast with a bucket, and or a pump, till it begins to float on it's own,,, then you can slow down, and finish bailing it out. When you get the motor off, take the spark plugs out, & lay it on it's back to get some of the water out, then stand it up, put it in a barrel (if you can) and take out the carb drain screws, and let the water drain out, then spray oil liberally into the carbs, and into the spark plug holes, and crank it over by hand (with a rope preferably) to get it lubed good, then get everything under the engine cover dried with a hair dryer (not too hot), if you have a compressor, you can try to blow dry everything first. Next, spray everything down with WD-40, and make sure you have a gas tank with no water in it, and finally try, & get it running as soon as possible, using double the recommended oil to gas ratio.

 

[fishon13]

Re: ReFloating A Boat Advice needed ASAP!!

Don't try and start your motor or turn over. I'm assuming that your in fresh water. Pull the spark plugs fog the motor with mystery oil hand turn motor to coat cylinder walls. Pull your carbs off careful not to disturb linkage, remove carb bowls drain and spray with carb cleaner let dry. while the carbs are off blow out fuel lines. Get rid of gas in tank, or replace tank altogether, new gas proper mixture. Spray entire motor with electrical dryer/ lubricant, pay special attention to your electrical componants. change the oil in your lower unit, new spark plugs. Be sure motor is dry. Blow the starter out and spray w/ electrical cleaner. Flush gas lines with fresh gas reinstall spark plugs, carbs and fire her up. Time is of the essense you have to do the motor as soon as youraise the boat if you let the motor sit after boat is out of the water it will cost you. If there is cracks in any electrical componants replace them. BTY welcome aboard

 

[rednut00]

Re: ReFloating A Boat Advice needed ASAP!!

Thanks for the advise so far everybody.

The weather doesent look too bad for this evening so i think were going to go for it then.

fishon13: were in salt water in an estury in donegal Ireland.

Trying to get in contact with the boat mechanic but no luck so far.

Any other advise is still very welcome
Thanks again ill let you know how we go

 

[southtexas]

Re: ReFloating A Boat Advice needed ASAP!!

Sorry, haven't had to raise a sunk boat before. However, if you need advice on how to raise a Nissan Pathfinder 4X4 out of a saltwater channel, I'm your man.

Good luck with it, take some pics, and give us the details when you get it out...

 

[Chris1956]

Re: ReFloating A Boat Advice needed ASAP!!

It will not be too difficult to raise the boat. You can use a block and tackle, jet ski winch or maybe a couple of strong friends and some rope. Pull it off the bottom and drag it to the surface until the gunwales are just a bit above the surface. Toss a pump into the boat and wait for it to pump out. Don't be shocked if it has a hole in the side from banging the dock.

The motor must be serviced immediately. if you cannot service it immediately, let it stay underwater. Normally you would disassemble the block and scrub the cylinders with soap and water and oil them up. Rinse all pistons and bearings with fresh water and oil them up. The same goes for all electronics, carbs, starter etc., using wd-40 as the lubricant. You will want fresh fuel as well. Some of the electrical components may have rotted out from the electricity and salt.

 

[Splat]

Re: ReFloating A Boat Advice needed ASAP!!

Sorry, haven't had to raise a sunk boat before. However, if you need advice on how to raise a Nissan Pathfinder 4X4 out of a saltwater channel, I'm your man.

Good luck with it, take some pics, and give us the details when you get it out...

There has to be a good story that goes with that statement......

Bill

 

[rednut00]

Re: ReFloating A Boat Advice needed ASAP!!

Just after getting anothger call. I was very woried!
Some very nice people pulled it into the shore with a rope at high tide and tied it off. We are heading down shortly to start the rescue process. The battery was disconnected when she went down so the connections may not have rotted, probably just very corroded. I Dont know which is worse.

The engine sounds like its not going to be fun to fix especially on a friday evening and i still havnt been able to et a hold of the mechanic!!

Thanks very much to everybody again and ill let you know how i get on.

Please feel free to leave any other advise about the engine repair as we will surely need it