sank my boat---it's gone!

[Ccook]

I anchored in the Coumbia River just below the Bonneville Dam to fish for Chinook middle of July 2010. Used anchor and float system. Had 300' of rope out but large barge passed and started to drift backward in the strong current.

Pulled in fishing rods to pull buoy and anchor and re anchor. After pulling what seemed seemed to be 300' (believed anchor had surfaced--but when approaching the bouy discovered the anchor was still hung up.)

Like an idiot, I decided to tie the rope off of the aft port cleat and try to pull up the anchor----BIG MISTAKE---the buoy went under the boat and the rope caught my kicker motor and turned my stern into the current, my partner tried to get it loose but the current forced my stern down and the water came in so fast that we had about 5 seconds before the boat---an 18' alumaweld deep V sank stern first to the bottom of the Columbia. Lucky that a boat nearby saw us go down. they pulled us from the water just in time. we both had our vests on or I probably wouldn't be posting this today.

Learned the hard way to NEVER TIE OFF AT THE STERN---ALWAYS WEAR A LIFE JACKET (BECAUSE BAD THINGS CAN HAPPEN IN SECONDS) AND ALWAYS KEEP A SHARP ROPE-CUTTING KNIFE BOTH AT THE BOW AND THE STERN FOR JUST SUCH EMERGENCIES.)

Lost everything but our lives. In less than a week, I found another 18 footer on craigs list--inboard jet with 305 Ford. Decided to get back on the horse.

I learned some very valuable lessons while almost losing my life and the life of my buddy. Please don't do anything stupid like I did---I should have just cut the damn rope----better to lose an anchor than your life....

jim

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

That was definitly a hard learned lesson and I bet you will never forget it. Glad you are OK.

 

[roscoe]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

Congrats on living to tell the story.

Great lesson to be learned, thanks for posting it for all to read and learn from.

 

[STARCRAFT16SS]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

Ever get the boat back up/recovered????...how deep there???

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

A boaters worst nightmare, sounds like your taking it well, how bout your friend, scarred for life, never go boating again?

 

[tswiczko]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

Man that sounds like a scary ordeal, just seconds till it sank, thats fast.

good to hear there were people alert enough to know you were in need of assistance. I think I'd buy them a bottle of something nice.

glad you are O.K.

 

[tuffshot]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

River currents can be very dangerous.
Glad you and friend are OK

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

Dude that sucks. But at least your here to tell us the story. Hopefully everything turns out for the good.

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

Jim, That bites !!. . Glad you and friend are still here to tell about it.
Did you have insurance ??

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

So glad that you both came out of it to tell the tale. Gives us all a jolt as a reminder just how dangerous things can get in a short space of time.
The boat is replaceable !!!

 

[Beefer]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

I used to live in Vancouver, WA, and I'm very familiar with the Columbia and Bonneville. Not a fun place to have a problem. That water is cold, and usually moving quite fast.

I'm thankful you are here and able to post this. Hopefully others will learn from your mistake.

A similar situation resulted in the deaths of 3 guys here last winter. I'm sure you all heard about it. Two were NFL players that lost their lives. I had the opportunity to read the book written by Nick Shuyler, the sole survivor, and I think every mariner should read it. Well, at least the first half. (I didn't think the book was all that great, and some of it pi$$ed me off as a boater.) They too anchored off the stern and CHOSE not to cut the line. Seems the owner (an NFL player with how much money?) had lost an anchor the weekend before, and didn't want to have to spend $200 again for another new anchor. Anyway, I digress.

Glad you're here, glad you and your friend are alive and well, and glad you're back on the water! Wave to the nekked people at Rooster Rock on your next trip for me. LOL

 

[Mark42]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

Did it have any flotation foam in it?

 

[Gromulin]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

If you've only boated in lakes, you can't grasp how powerful a river's current can be. 20 years ago me and a buddy has a POS flat bottom out on the Sacramento river when the ancient Johnson OB spun the key that connects the flywheel to the driveshaft. You find out quick that - A: you needed a much bigger paddle, B: you needed 2 of them and C: 50 feet of anchor rope and a 10 pound lake anchor don't cut it in a strong current.

We got real lucky and managed to limp it out of the main channel and drift to a god-send of a launch ramp a mile or two down from where she quit...hitch hike back upriver to get the truck and trailer....long day.

I also learned to go UP river from where you launch if you have a POS boat.

Much less hitch-hiking if you can manage to drift back to the launch your truck and trailer are parked at.

Glad you made it out safe.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

WOW! I too hope some can learn from this vs themselves making the same mistake. Expensive lesson to learn to say the least.

 

[itsaboattime]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

Wow dood. You are very lucky to be alive. River currents are nothing to mess with. I have seen whole trees get sucked under in the mississippi and I didn't see them come up.
I learned a long time ago never anchor off the stern and always play upriver from your launch.

I agree with tswiczko, a bottle of something nice is in order.

 

[Ccook]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

Thank you all for your kind responces. Yes, I did have insurance on the boat itself --about half what it cost to replace, however the new/used one has a higher transom anyway.
The DF read around 45' where I was anchored. It could be anywhere now. No there was no floatation in the hull. When I replaced the floor recently, there were a couple old pieces but threw them out---didn't think they would have been much help. I'm pretty sure my new/used one has floatation.

Found a couple bow line cutting knives for 14$ each---think they are made by some guy here in Oregon City, where I live. Tried one on a 3/8 anchor---took one swipe for that deep serrated blade to do the job. Have one mounted fore and aft.

Thanks again for your kind words.

Stay safe.


Yes, the guy that was with me said to call him when I was ready to go again I don't know whether he is crazy or is confident that I won't try to drown him again. Anyway buoy 10 (mouth of the Columbia) is now open for chinook and coho--plan to go next weekend--but won't go if I can't get someone to go with me--do believe that my former "swiming partner" will be up to the challenge.

 

[JaSla74]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

Just to to chime in I'm glad you guys are ok. Much better to hear about the loss of a boat than loss of life.

 

[j_martin]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

There was a bad one near Dresbach in may, 2007. A Hmong family in a borrowed boat tangled with river current and lost. As I remember the story at the time, the boat got caught in the back current, and a line was thrown to them and tied off wrong, sinking the boat almost instantly. They weren't wearing life jackets, but the water they got in was so violent it probably wouldn't have made any difference.

If yer gonna mess with the fast water, ya better be prepared.

http://www.winonadailynews.com/news/article_52345254-4294-5781-84b6-52487f44c1d9.html

 

[Don north]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

5 seconds is fast, not much time to respond. A lesson learned by many now.

 

[badkins50]

Re: sank my boat---it's gone!

Glad you guys are ok. Thanks for the tips and better luck next time.