Running Aground

[Danny33]

Chuckles Is that your Gemini on the beach ?
If so where was it ? looks great!

[CalebD]

Those who have hit bottom and those who do not use their boats.
I was with 3 old sailor friends on a Hunter 25' with shoal draft heading out of the South River when we slowed up from a soft grounding. The helmsman got the tiller over, the boat owner grabbed an anchor to throw as a kedge, I backwinded the jib in order to induce heel, the heavy set one got his weight on the low side. With all of us working in unison we got right off without using the motor. Perfect!

[chucklesR]

Not mine - that one is a screen shot from www.pci.com
mine is this one (I'm looking out from the cockpit, #1 stepson on the bow)
http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/j...offthepier.jpg

[sanctuarysam]

weirdest grounding recently..in the channel leaving my marina..there is this migrating sandbar that creeps about 10 yds into the channel..i have now learned to give said marker a wide berth to avoid any additional embarrassment...local knowledge is key as the watermen in my area told me about it...after the fact
oh..and the sandbar is not on my latest updated charts (paper and electronic)

[Danny33]

Thanks for the link Chuckles ...Now I see where the " normal " pics came from.....

[LarryandSusanMacDonald]

Our 2 cents: (she has one, I have one - we share.)

We have traveled the ICW many times. Have run aground many times. Have bumped bottom many times. (The difference is if you can get back off immediately you just bumped.)

We commented after our first trip that we could find our way back by following our tracks.

Having some experience - and running aground less and less each time we travel the ICW - I can offer these tips:

1. Set your depth alarm to about one or two feet below your keel. We draw a little over 4 feet - so usually set it at six. As soon as the alarm goes off, whoever is at the helm backs off on the throttle. The other is at the chartplotter and advising the helm best course for deeper water. If we do hit bottom, we're going slower and usually can back right off. There are some areas on the ICW where 6 feet is not unusual - then we set the alarm for 5 feet - because it sounds continually and we tend to start ignoring it.
2. This has been said many, many times before - but since so many don't do it I feel it's important to repeat it: Pilot your boat down the ICW as if it were a barge. Pretend you're two hundred feet long and are required to make long shallow arcs around any mark. This technique takes a little getting used to - but it works. It really works. On our last trip north we ran aground only once and that on a sunken boat - (which we had been warned about hours before but forgot when we got to the area - oops). The reason this 'gentle rounding to avoid grounding' works is that is the way the channel is cut - not for you but for the barges. You'll notice that barges seldom run aground. Also, if there are shallower areas, the barges are tough enough to plow through and thus dredge the channel. Most barges draw several feet - as much or more than most sailboats. Follow one if you can keep up - it saves time at the bridges, as another incidental benefit. The only drawback to following is, at least with our depth sounder, the mud they stir up gives false readings.
3. Another trick is to find someone with a deeper draft and follow him.
4. Ask for local knowledge if you are approaching an area known for depth problems. Keep an eye on the state of the tides - do your best to go into these areas on a rising tide. Bridge tenders, at least some, are more than willing to help. Most tow boat operators are very good at telling you where the shallow spots are. We even had a Tow BoatUS guiding boats through a bad area near Ponce Inlet just north of New Smyrna. Cynics might think he was leading boats astray to drum up business - but he was not - and I've never seen or heard this tactic to be true.

Here's to water under your keel where it belongs - not watering down your drinks.

[Sabreman]

So many stories, so little disk space.....

Two instances:

#1: My wife and I had just become engaged and were taking a night sail on the Great Egg Harbor Bay. We left Somers Point, NJ in my father's Catalina 30 and headed east to Ocean City. We turned south, opened the 9th Street Bridge, and continued in romantic bliss toward the man-made coves at 24th street. It was about 2300 when I turned toward my intended and boasted that not many people would enter this particular cove at night under full sail. She asked why and the words weren't 3 inches from her mouth when we grounded. Hard.

Since we were going about 5 kts, we both ended up in a heap on the cockpit floor. We started the wimpy Yanmar motor and proceed to wake up the neighbors with the repeated revving of the engine. One lady turned on her lights and called out asking if we needed help. After a while, we became unstuck and turned north back toward the marina.

Moral: Know the water in which you are sailing and there is a reason why people don't do certain things.

#2: We were headed north on the Chesapeake and tried to enter Milford Haven behind Gwynn Island near the Piankatank R. from the south via "Hole In The Wall". We were following a boat about the same size, in the middle of the channel, in his wake when we hit hard. Repeated reversing of the engine got us off in a few moments. When I looked below, I saw about a foot of water in the cabin. After a panic and investigation, it turned out that the "Y" fitting for the engine exhaust and raw water outlet had separated and we were efficiently pumping the Chesapeake into the boat. For the previous few days, we'd noticed soot in the cabinet drawers near the engine. when we grounded, the torquing of the engine broke the corroded fitting.

Moral: If something seems odd (soot in the cabinets), there is a reason that needs thorough investigating

[LarryandSusanMacDonald]

Moral: If something seems odd (soot in the cabinets), there is a reason that needs thorough investigating

I agree 100% and if your wife/significant other says,"Something smells funny." (and she says it's not you) or "something sounds funny." Investigate. Investigate immediately! You may or may not find anything but if you don't investigate and there turns out to be a problem - the 'I told you so' s can be worse than the problem.

[sailingdog]

Sabreman-

I take it she didn't ask you to elaborate.

[Waymar83]

We've grounded twice.

The first time was a "soft" grounding as we tried to navigate between two islands. The charts were clear and we knew we were cutting it close. We draw 5'9" but decided to give it a try. The water was also very clear and we did see bottom and knew it was soft. We let out the sail and dropped speed to below two knots. We sail Lake Ontario /Thousand Islands and the water level varies into the season so the charts are a good indication but you have to watch the last few feet for seasonal variation.

At one point I felt it drag and we stopped. As far as I could tell this was the deepest possible passage between the two islands. We were not getting through. For some reason (horseshoes or guardian angel) I had read about how to deal with groundings a few days before. I thought to myself that this was cool and said to the worried crew " No problem, I have a plan."

We were not very stuck to begin with so all we did is start the engine and I had one of my boys hang on the boom and with all the crew on the same side we pushed out the boom, the boat heeled and we slowly backed out into open water. Everyone was impressed with my sailing skills including the wife.....

The second time we tried to get as close to an island as possible to anchor for the night. Unfortunately there were these huge "boulders" interspersed with the "soft bottom". As soon as I saw these, I depowered. We got stuck again, pretty much the same procedure. However soft bottom is one thing boulders really scare me. We grounded in the soft but we did "bounce" against one or two boulders getting out.

One funny sidebar involves my borther in law, with whom I share the boat. He also grounded. He called me on his cell in a panic for coaching or instruction. Unfortunately I was not home and he eventually got a tow from our Marina..... He did not read the same article nor was he on the boat when we had grounded the first time.

Bottom line: I swear by the charts and the depth meter. As a bonus, the water is pretty clear where we sail.