Careless in every way

[john-o]

A neighbor of a relative just lost a Hunter sailboat because of careless storing of a spear gun.
One of this guys kids, a teenager, was stretching the band back with a spear on it, lost control of the device, sending it right into the hull.
The sailboat sunk like a brick, so I was told, right at the dock.
All I could think of was... geese Louise, good thing that spear gun wasn't pointing out the hatchway, or worse at someone inside the boat.
It cost the guy a bundle to get the boat up and out for repairs.
Has anyone experience something like this?
Just curious. I thought devices like this weren't loaded/charged, until the
diver was in the water and away from the vessel.
I know mistakes are mistakes, but a "oops" just doesn't cut from where I sit.

 

[78puget-trawler]

It wasn't carelessness, it was outright stupidity. Same as dicking around with a loaded gun. Darwin award potential!

 

[Gabe n Em]

I do a lot of diving with a spear gun. The shafts are only 6-8 mm diameter and not enough force to "blow a hole" bigger than that. I doubt a shaft would even pass completely through the hull.

However, some folks, especially in sharky waters, like to have " power heads". Which are a shotgun blank on the end of the shaft. These should, of course, be treated like fire arms, and I could see this causing a large hole if mis handled.

 

[Comodave]

Even if the spear went all the way through the hull, it would only cause a small hole that you could stick your finger in to stop the water... Maybe more to the story. Had the boat been up for sale...

 

[O C Diver]

Yes, this story sounds fishy. Really doubt a spear shaft is going to penetrate a hull. If it did, hard to imagine it making a sizable hole or shattering a section of the hull. No bilge pumps? Sounds like an insurance scam that was denied by the insurance company.

Ted

 

[DDW]

That says as much about Hunter hulls as teenagers.

 

[Comodave]

That says as much about Hunter hulls as teenagers.

Good one...

 

[Dougcole]

Had to have been a powerhead. I thought they were mostly on pole spears though, right? Like a bang stick?

 

[Comodave]

Do those use the rubber band?

 

[Arc]

Maybe it’s a Blowboater preparing to coming to the ‘Dark Side’

 

[john-o]

I don't own a sailboat, nor do I own or know anything about spear guns. We were at a family cookout and I listened to a conversation between the parties involved. It seems that the kid was by himself, screwing around with the thing. In any event, couldn't say much beyond was has been mentioned here. Not being there myself or understanding all the particulars, I'm not one to judge, I just listened politely and passed on the experience so those here on this forum could chime in and give opinions. Thanks for the insight.

 

[ranger58sb]

That says as much about Hunter hulls as teenagers.

As far as I know, all the Luhrs Group hulls were solid fiberglass, about an inch and a half or maybe 2" thick...

-Chris

 

[psneeld]

Not one to judge? .......might reread the thread title and the first post's last sentence.

 

[PM]

I doubt it.

There are a number of reasons this story sounds fake. Especially "Sunk like a stone".

pete

 

[JLD]

That says as much about Hunter hulls as teenagers.

Nothing wrong with Hunters. Yes, they are production boats, but they offer good value for the money. Like most other boats, Hunters have solid hulls.

Regardless, short of running a boat onto the rocks, how many sailboats (or power boats) sink because of hull failures?

On the few sailboats with cored hulls, blistering can sometimes be a problem.

Jim

 

[JLD]

I doubt it.

There are a number of reasons this story sounds fake. Especially "Sunk like a stone".

pete

I have doubts about the story as well. There are very few parts of a boat where the bare inner hull is exposed.

Jim

 

[DDW]

As far as I know, all the Luhrs Group hulls were solid fiberglass, about an inch and a half or maybe 2" thick...

-Chris

Well, that's provably incorrect. If they were 2" thick you wouldn't have to punch a hole in them to sink, the weight alone would be enough. In the hull sides, 1/2" is a LOT of glass - and I'd think would still stop any speargun.

Nothing wrong with Hunters. Yes, they are production boats, but they offer good value for the money. Like most other boats, Hunters have solid hulls.

Hunters, like Beneteau and Catalina, are considered 'value brands' by the sailboat crowd. A lot of boat for the money, but not without quality and construction issues. The saying is, "cheap, strong, or light - pick any two".

 

[78puget-trawler]

As far as I know, all the Luhrs Group hulls were solid fiberglass, about an inch and a half or maybe 2" thick...

-Chris

2" of solid FG? That'll be the day.

 

[ScottC]

Ok - Here's a "Careless in Every Way" situation that I saw with my own eyes. This houseboat is (er..was) right down the street from where I live. The renter(!) living in the houseboat held a party for a lot of people. Rented party tent & BAR on the top deck. Too many people were on top when a strong gust of wind came along. Sad story, but amazingly, no lives were lost in the mishap.

 

[Frosty]

A neighbor of a relative just lost a Hunter sailboat because of careless storing of a spear gun.

How would one "non carelessly" store a spear gun on a (sail)boat? I never sailed with teenagers, but it's not like we could have had a tall gun safe onboard (ours was a "Hawaiian Sling" so around 5' long).

Or was it some type of spear gun that is actually a firearm and should be stored as such? Maybe so given the thread title (?) (OTOH you said it had a [rubber] "band" (ours did also). A true firearm style wouldn't need a [rubber] band would it?

 

[ranger58sb]

2" of solid FG? That'll be the day.

Yeah, probably. It was just a guess.

I remember drilling a hole for a flag holder through the transom covering board of our Wellcraft, and I remember it was one thick hummer. But I can't remember if it was 1½, 1¾, or 2" and I can't find the plug just now. Would have thought hulls would be thicker than covering boards?

Anyway, it seems to me guys drilling Luhrs hulls for depth transducers have described them as equally thick.

Hunters, like Beneteau and Catalina, are considered 'value brands' by the sailboat crowd. A lot of boat for the money, but not without quality and construction issues. The saying is, "cheap, strong, or light - pick any two".

True enough, but I've not ever noticed the sailors describing Hunters as "light".


-Chris

 

[john-o]

I was very clear about my lack of experience with both sailboats and spearguns.I was also clear on being an observer, listening to those exchanging their experiences, as a guest of someone's hospitality.Whether someone's claims are true or not, I don't know. I'll let others with far more knowledge on the subject(s) make their case. And making it here, on many sides of reason and reasons, was well done.As far as changing the title, I was giving reason to a kid fooling around with a speargun. Beyond that, to the total that I listened to as a guest of someone's hospitality, THAT I can not judge. I don't have the experience that many of you have.here.* Playing around with a speargun ...* The title that I posted, stands.

 

[ScottC]

I’m trying to interpret your last response, john-o. If I read between the lines, you sound offended. Please don’t be! You asked for opinions...and you got them...on all sides of the issue, and then some. My response was totally irrelevant, but I was focused specifically on the thread title. I haven’t been on this forum long, but have seen some ”tough-to-digest” comments in some of the threads. You just have to try to not get hung up on these, otherwise you risk losing out on the great value of this forum!

 

[psneeld]

There was a statement about not being judgemental....words seem to say differently even with the plea of not knowing anything about spearguns and the overall flavor of the post.

The rest is what is repeated is a totally third party conversation and includes the flavor of careless IN EVERY WAY when it should have gone by as a chuckle at a party.

Isn't this how shi* starts over nothing? None of the rest of us know or should care till it's the bottom line of some accredited accident report.

Unless you are here for entertainment over substance.

 

[JLD]

Hunters, like Beneteau and Catalina, are considered 'value brands' by the sailboat crowd. A lot of boat for the money, but not without quality and construction issues. The saying is, "cheap, strong, or light - pick any two".

I disagree about your quality statement. Quality is the standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind. Yes, the production boats may not be built like a bluewater sailboat, but they are about 1/2 the price.

One would expect the 'fit and finish' of a more expensive boat to be higher than a production boat. That said, both categories of boats could be 'quality' boats for their owners.

Regarding weight, sometimes one actually prefers a lighter boat depending on the sailing conditions they actually sail the boat.

Jim

 

[hollywood8118]

Ok - Here's a "Careless in Every Way" situation that I saw with my own eyes. This houseboat is (er..was) right down the street from where I live. The renter(!) living in the houseboat held a party for a lot of people. Rented party tent & BAR on the top deck. Too many people were on top when a strong gust of wind came along. Sad story, but amazingly, no lives were lost in the mishap.

Let me guess..


Somebody had a bunch of nuts and bolts left over after the construction of that thing!.


If the entire houseboat and hull had turned turtle it could be blamed on the guy having the party.. that looks like the builders problem!
HOLLYWOOD

 

[ScottC]

You have good eyes, Hollywood8118! And you are right. Is it a houseboat or a floating house? Do marine construction standards apply or home building standards apply? Local building permit required and subsequent inspection? Marine inspection upon completion? Is marine insurance relevant or homeowner's insurance? Seems the main problem is that it was neither a house nor a houseboat and therefore none of the existing standards and requirements directly applied to its construction. The litigation went on for nearly two years. Local construction regulations and enforcement had to be revised. Insurance disputes, bankruptcies, etc. It was ugly.

 

[denverd0n]

It wasn't carelessness, it was outright stupidity. Same as dicking around with a loaded gun. Darwin award potential!

Except that he will probably end up killing someone ELSE, instead of himself!

Even if the spear went all the way through the hull, it would only cause a small hole that you could stick your finger in to stop the water... Maybe more to the story. Had the boat been up for sale...

Yeah, I'm guessing there is a whole lot more to this story. Just like with stories of a negligent discharge of a firearm. It is always "I didn't even touch the trigger; the gun just went off!"


Um... Yeah. Sure. Whatever you say.

 

[KnotYet]

I have fired spearguns out of the water and their power is more than sufficient to
penetrate a typical sailboat hull. The points are sharp and the mass is high, also.

 

[Shrew]

I'm a little unclear on the thread title and initial post. Careless in EVERY way?? Are we saying that the speargun should have been locked? That the darts should have been stored separately? Or that the teen shouldn't have been fooling around with them inside of the cabin?

Also, in the event of a discharge, either the dart completely went through the hull leaving an approximately 1/2" hole, or it got lodged in the hull, effectively blocking it with a trickle. What actually occurred and transpired that lead to the boat "Sinking like a stone"??