Emergency procedures when sinking

[BubbleheadMd]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

I would also suggest, start the engine while you still can. Diesels are happy to run until the air intake is submerged but starter motors less likely.

Starting the engine also ensures full voltage for your radio (best range) and any pumps or lights you may need.

That was item #3 on the list.

[Omatako]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Doing so on rockier or debris strewn bottom will still give you more options, but may also result in more damage to the hull, so is not as useful an approach.

Unless your motive is abandoning the vessel in the interest of human survival, I would strongly recommend against going anywhere near rocky terrain . This boat lay on a rock surface that was smooth enough to comfortably walk on without shoes. The time from going aground to this state was about 12 hours and the water conditions were calm and benign (zero surf).



The boat was a total loss (I guess that's obvious)

[sailingdog]

Again, it depends on a lot of variables. A gravel or seashell bottom, while not as forgiving as a sand or mud bottom, might be a better option than trying to keep the boat afloat. A granite boulder bottom is obviously not a workable choice.

Also, what works for a wing keel or twin keel boat may not work for a fin or full keel boat. The boat in your photo looks like a fin keel or full keel, and had to lay over on its side and was damaged because of that. A twin keel or wing keel may not have been as badly damaged in the same circumstances.

Likewise, what may work for a multihull may not be feasible for a monohull, and what may work for a monohull may damage a multihull.

Originally Posted by Omatako

Unless your motive is abandoning the vessel in the interest of human survival, I would strongly recommend against going anywhere near rocky terrain . This boat lay on a rock surface that was smooth enough to comfortably walk on without shoes. The time from going aground to this state was about 12 hours and the water conditions were calm and benign (zero surf).



The boat was a total loss (I guess that's obvious)

[paul323]

Hmm..the mud in the Bay is pervasive, but very thick and sticky (did you know it is mainly runoff from the gold rush? Apparently the waters were clear before then!). I often wondered, in a similar situation, whether my baby would ever recover from such a careening - either purposeful or accidental.

There's an old joke that there are two types of sailors in the Bay - those who have grounded, and those who have lied about it!

Getting stuck in the mud at high tide would be a nightmare....

[RedtheBear]

My two cents worth I agree with all the above. expressly stop the boat and if possible heel the leak as high up as possible. Every inch up reduces the presure on the leak. Start the engine particularly inboards, extra power for the pump(s) and radio, and if you can get the time after doing the best you can to stop or slow the leak add on spare or extra pumps, most pumps are inadiquate for really fighting a bad leak or holing. As for belly bands, a rubber sheet like is used for childern with bed wetting problems is very handy and can be justifed for many other uses.

[paulk]

We had a friend who was motoring on the CT river near Essex once, when he looked into the cabin and saw his floorboards... under water. Immediately suspecting a sprunk plank, he deftly turned the ketch towards the shore. The boat ran firmly aground in the soft mud well before arriving anywhere near the riverbank. His wife flipped on the electric bilge pump and began frantically heaving on the manual pump as well. Five minutes later: dry bilge and six hours to find the leak before the tide might refloat them, if they were lucky. A thorough search found no sprung planks. No leaking seacocks or backsiphoning exhaust. There was, however, a worn hose on the now empty fresh water tank.