A Fortunate Ending to a Soggy Pizza Lunch
Robert and Cappy Larson were enjoying a pizza lunch at Angel Island when things suddenly got a little soggy. Robert wrote us with this story.
First, thanks to KKMI for the haulout a couple of weeks ago at midnight. The encapsulated keel of our Gulfstar 37 Wanderlust was breached by a mooring chain at Angel Island (think chainsaw). Without the Coast Guard arriving in five minutes, Vessel Assist taking over 45 minutes later and towing us to Richmond, and KKMI hauling at midnight … it would have been a different story. We were lucky.
We’ve been to, and moored at, Angel Island many times. We were prepared with two Hook & Moors, at both bow and stern. Our stern line was a “temporary” floating line to help keep it out of our prop. We typically get into place and swap out the floating line for a regular three-strand line. Have done this many times.
It was one of those awful-wind, awful-current, and falling-tide days (we draw 4ft 9in). Despite the conditions, we first docked to pay our fee. That took a while (wish there were a way to pay remotely and not dock, then moor). Next, out to the moorings. It took us a couple of tries, but we finally were connected fore and aft, but could not get ourselves centered between our two mooring balls. We carry long lines and were pushed toward our starboard so far that we had the adjacent mooring ball at our side, but couldn’t budge the boat. I figured we’d wait for the conditions to settle down and the tide to rise and we’d be fine.
Apparently the chain from the ball to our side was diagonal behind our keel. We didn’t hear any untoward noises other than the ball banging on our starboard topsides. The boat was messy from a COVID year of non-use, so I figured I’d add that to the cleanup list.
We started the oven and heated a pizza, and while I took my first bite I felt rising water on my foot. Checked all thru-hulls, turned our washdown pump into an additional bilge pump, called the Coast Guard …. If the Coast Guard had not responded within five minutes, it would have ended much differently.
The repairs on the keel are made, but we’re awaiting a new starter, which apparently gave itself up to a watery death. Back to sailing in a few more days.
Glad there was a positive outcome. I’m surprised that you did not hear or feel anything while your keel (aft of the ballast -it’s a void with good acoustic resonance) was being violated.
We heard one sound once … probably when the keel was breached … but no sounds after that. We kept quiet listening, but nothing. That was quite awhile before thinking about pizza. Perhaps we were in mud and that muffled any sound.
Wow – what a story. Did you have the encapsulated keel filled with foam to ensure this can never happen again? Could happen by hitting something at sea too.
We did discuss this, and I’ve heard of others that have done so … but there were some cons to doing this. Sorry, but I don’t recall what the cons were, and I was close to having foam used, but didn’t.
Happy it all worked out
Thanks Ed. Appreciate that.
Did the coast guard bring a dewatering pump or how did they play a vital role?
The Coast Guard were vital. They arrived in five minutes and did have a VERY large pump. Gasoline powered I believe. They put it on our boat and ran the pickup hose through the lazarette and into the engine compartment. They were able to stem the water rising, and a bit more than that. Because of the hose diameter, and how far it had to lift, and that the water where it was picking up was shallow … it kept loosing it’s prime, but it did the job. Would not have been the right equipment for the rest of the job. That ended up being two pumps powered by a generator.
One aside, just before they left Wanderlust I was in the cockpit with one of the Coast Guard guys and noticed my wife down below sitting calmly with our cat in a cage. My wife, first mate, had been great, and so I called down to tell her that, and how proud I was of her. I am sure that she appreciated my comment. I appreciated the Coast Guard guy telling me we both should be proud of ourselves and our calm response to the situation.
Is there a way to seal the keel capsule from the bilge ?
As Tim Dick (above) mentioned, expanding foam is sometimes used for this purpose.
Good to hear that all worked out ok, that looks like a good size hole!
It is another boating story to add to my collection. All the best to you and Rotkat.
Somehow foam doesn’t give me a warm and fuzzy or dry feeling.
Hey Robert, that was a close call who would expect… at Angel Island! I’m glad it turned out as well as it did.
I wouldn’t have known about this except for a post in Cruisers Forum about Encapsulated keels which is what I have on my boat. Send me an email so I can tell you a story about my $$$ keel experience.