going aground

[torcano]

I took my newly owned boat out this weekend and my worst fears came true. I went aground. I was in unfamiliar waters at low tide. Fortunately, it was a sandy bottom and I was going slowly. I was able to get off fairly easily. The water temperature was 43 degrees so jumping in to push off was not an option. What is the usual case regarding which part of the boat gets stuck? Is it the hull under the bow or the outdrive (my boat has an I/O). Should I have shifted my weight towards the bow to raise the stern of vice versa. As it turned out, I was able to tilt the lower unit up and back out. It was a great lesson about the need to know exactly where you are at all times. I was only 50 yards form the channel, but not close enough.
RK

 

[fishmen111]

Re: going aground

It happens. Sounds like you came out OK grounding in the front. I would flush the motor very well since you probably picked up a little sand and inspect your prop and skeg for damage. Keep an eye on your temperature the next few times also. Should be fine though. Do you have a fish/depth finder? If not get one. You can set your alarm to warn you at a specific depth. Does not replace knowing your waters, but it helps. Be careful throttling up with the lower unit at more than normal trim angles. It is very hard on the universal joint conecting your engine to the outdrive.

 

[tnduc]

Re: going aground

A depth finder will help, but not always. Here in the Laguna Madre you can go from 15 ft to 6 inches in a matter of a couple of yards. Awfully surprising, cruising along in the channel, only to stray out a little and come to an abrupt halt...

 

[torcano]

Re: going aground

I have a depth finder as well as a Garmin GPSMAP but I was not paying enough attention to it. I can't inspect the the prop or skeg without pulling the boat out since there is a swim platform and the water is way too cold to jump in. There was no abnormal vibrations at all on plan afterwards and the temp stayed in the normal range. It is amazing how quickly one can get into trouble while boating. I plan to study the charts more carefully when traveling in unfamiliar water and pay closer attention to my GPSMAP which clearly indicated I was in the wrong place at the wrong time (low tide).

 

[Neverhome]

Re: going aground

Torcano,

Welcome to the club. Just about everyone who owns a boat manages to kiss the bottom at least once. I've got two "touchdowns" under my belt. One on a sandy bottom and one on a not so soft rock. But then I can be a s l o w learner. Sound advice listed in the prior posts. Flush the motor and watch your temp gauge. It is worth it to pull the boat and check it out rather than leave it to chance.

Neverhome

 

[torcano]

Re: going aground

What do you mean by, "flush the motor"? Are you referring to taking it out of the water and using a garden hose to cool the motor? I have a Mercruiser BravoIII that uses sea water to cool the engine. Does hooking it up to a hose flush it out better?

 

[fishmen111]

Re: going aground

I did not realize that you have a slipped boat...disregard suggestion but keep an eye on the temp. I am sure it is fine, just being safe. Sand and mud can be sucked up and sometimes compromise the cooling system. When you fully raise your lower unit, you are not able to inspect the propeller and skeg? If I had run aground even in sand, I would want to inspect the bottom and outdrive. But that's just me.

 

[torcano]

Re: going aground

I can't see the outdrive if it is just trimmed up to maximum. I have not tried to tilt it all the way up as for trailering. I understand that can stretch the bellows which are 4 years old and sitting in cold water. I could try it but I would hate to cause a bigger problem with the bellows. I plan to change them next season when the boat comes out for the winter. My boat is a 2004 240 SeaRay Sundancer. Does anyone know it the lower unit can be seen when fully tilted up? There is a 2 foot swim platform off the stern.

 

[dave11]

Re: going aground

Torcano

The old joke goes "There are two kinds of boaters, those who have run aground and those who will."

I call my boat an exploration vehicle. It has been aground more than once, and will be again. Buy some waders until the weather warms up. Enjoy!

 

[dingbat]

Re: going aground

If you look around you will see these red and green things floating around out on the water. They are there for a reason. They are not just there to provide habitat for nesting birds or to give wildlife a place to rest now and then.

Learn what those colored things mean and you will not have anymore problems running around.

 

[torcano]

Re: going aground

I actually remember reading about thse red and green things. I think they even had numbers on them!The problem was that I was coming out of a deep water river with no channel markers. I had to go from there to a marked channel. Without studying the chart there was no way to tell the water depth between the riverr and the channel. I don't plan to make that mistake again (at least not in the same location).

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: going aground

Sounding line works for me...Mark...Mark Twain.

 

[fishmen111]

Re: going aground

You're concerned enough about your bellows to not tilt the motor, but not enough to replace them on a boat stored in the water? You should not store your boat long term with the outdrive up because it will eventually rip one or both of the bellows. Short term hurts nothing unless they are shot anyway. Unless in dark water, you should be able to see enough of the lower unit to verify condition from the swim platform. BUT, if the guys there are telling you different, do what they say. Make sure your resealers are competent. We have a few "dock floaters" around this area from those who aren't. Don't worry too much about the grounding. My initial response was based on the assumption of a trailered boat and simple inspection. Most props and skegs around here have no paint at all due to "digging clams". It happens and will again. Good luck and enjoy.

 

[torcano]

Re: going aground

Thanks fishermen 111. The outdrive was stored in a shed all winter, not on the boat. The marine surveyor I used thought the bellows were servicable but reaching the end of their life since the boat is 4 years old. Even though I've been around other peoples' boats most of my life, this is the first one I've owned. If the weather breaks, I'm going to try to drive this boat from Point Pleasant, N.J. to Red Bank, N.J. which is on the Navesink River. This will require a 20 mile stretch in the ocean including a trip around SandyHook and the New York Harbor which is why I was a little leary. If the weather doesn't cooperate within the next 2 weeks, Ill have to haul it to my marina. If so, I'll check out the outdrive at that time and give it a good flush.
RK