Mike H
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2020
- Messages
- 56
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Losada
- Vessel Make
- Californian 48 CPMY
Ok, so I don’t quite know what to file this under: Anchoring among lobster pots in Maine; Lessons learned; What could go wrong, will go wrong; or whatever. In any event, here is a summary of what happened this past weekend. And, please don’t hold me accountable to the sequence of events – things were happening so fast that I remember what happened (I think), but not when it happened. And, things are a bit condensed so as not to put everyone to sleep.
As for those not familiar with lobster gear, there is a trap on the bottom, with a line leading to a surface buoy. From that, it leads on another line to a smaller surface buoy. When they haul, the lobster boat hooks the winch to a point in between the two surface buoys and haul away. It only works if everything is connected, hence lines all over place but in a prescribed manner.
Our boat: 1988 Californian 48 CPMY, twin screws, and I doubt the two previous owners knew how to anchor. It came with a wimpy Danforth which we have upgraded. Our early experience in boating was with a 35-foot sailboat primarily in Alaska, so we tend to overkill. Have retrofitted by installing bow/stern thrusters, larger windlass, larger anchor, and all new electronics (but missing a couple as the story unfolds).
So, last weekend, the Admiral and I spent a wonderful two days at a secluded cove in Maine. Friday morning, time to head off to the next venue. Uh, oh. The two buoys for a trap are on either side of the boat, and the connecting line is hung up on somewhere underneath. It’s a nice morning, but it is Maine. I slip off my pants and drop into the water (think shrinkage) When the water hits my chest, I immediately pop up and say enough of that poop and where is the knife. I cut the line, bring one buoy on board and start the starboard engine. I take a wild guess and pop it quickly into reverse, and the other line comes out. So, now we have the two surface buoys and a line heading to the bottom. We think it might be better to keep all on board for now, and we pull anchor.
But when pulling anchor, we have shifted, and the line to the trap is now hung up on things under the boat. I try to get the line free with the boat hook, but it gets hung up on the trap. All the while, the wind is gently pushing us toward shore, and the Admiral says time to move. I run up to thruster us away from shore, but I use a bit of engine power to help.
For whatever reason (I can’t remember but maybe battery power low on the thrusters) I run down to the engine room. Two of the lower floor boards are floating! Now, that will get your attention.
I check the shafts thinking the lobster trap put too much strain on the shaft when moving. No leaks. I run to the aft lazarette and see water. I hop down and see where there use to be a vertical shaft for the port rudder there is a lot of water gushing up. Lobster trap has pulled off the rudder. I immediately put my palm over it, and all is well (except for how to “permanently” seal it, and we have a lot of water in the bilge). Admiral comes down and puts her palm over it, and I run back to the engine room. Bilge pumps are not keeping up, and the manual bilge pump has a 8 kW generator in the way for use. Now there is a good design.
I have extra raw water intake hose, and I disconnect one from the engine and connect the extra with one end in the bilge. Start up the engine, and soon we have a relatively dry bilge. One and a half steps completed (plug leak temporarily and empty bilge). While getting the plugs, I stick a sock in the leak, and all holds. Don’t ask me what brand of sock. Who would have thunk?
Since the trap has pulled the rudder shaft out and I have no idea what it is still connected to, I need to get that trap off. After muscling it around (they are heavy and I still have bruises and sore back) and using the second boat hook to get it to the surface, I cut the line and haul it on board. (Ok, for the obvious question, only one lobster.) I call a marina about 5 miles away, explain the situation, and they are waiting to haul us when we come in. They are now fabricating two new rudder/shafts commensurate with the shaft size. The original rudders were, in my mind, a bit undersized.
Lessons learned:
1. Never anchor near lobster traps. Yeah, right, this is Maine, and that isn’t going to happen. They do have to make a living, but I have seen buoys so close that I’m sure the first one there will haul several traps at once.
2. Get a wet suit. Going down this week to buy a complete suit with hood, goggles, etc.
3. Install a high water alarm. I hate to think if we had learned of the leak while under way and the engine room awash instead of just a few inches. And, no wireless. My cameras are always blinking out for short periods.
4. Set up a see-through tote in plain site (ceiling of engine room on quick release) with plugs, etc. In it, there will be at least three cans of spray foam that we will replace annually. I have personally seen one boat and heard of another where the spray foam saved the day.
5. Get that manual bilge working in proper order. Maybe it was only the thru hull was closed, but I didn’t have time to think about that. If that is the case, a written note by the pump handle is required. Funny how you remember things at certain times but not when time is of the essence.
6. Buy a replacement boat hook.
It could have ended better, it could have ended worse. We’ll end up with a safer boat.
As for those not familiar with lobster gear, there is a trap on the bottom, with a line leading to a surface buoy. From that, it leads on another line to a smaller surface buoy. When they haul, the lobster boat hooks the winch to a point in between the two surface buoys and haul away. It only works if everything is connected, hence lines all over place but in a prescribed manner.
Our boat: 1988 Californian 48 CPMY, twin screws, and I doubt the two previous owners knew how to anchor. It came with a wimpy Danforth which we have upgraded. Our early experience in boating was with a 35-foot sailboat primarily in Alaska, so we tend to overkill. Have retrofitted by installing bow/stern thrusters, larger windlass, larger anchor, and all new electronics (but missing a couple as the story unfolds).
So, last weekend, the Admiral and I spent a wonderful two days at a secluded cove in Maine. Friday morning, time to head off to the next venue. Uh, oh. The two buoys for a trap are on either side of the boat, and the connecting line is hung up on somewhere underneath. It’s a nice morning, but it is Maine. I slip off my pants and drop into the water (think shrinkage) When the water hits my chest, I immediately pop up and say enough of that poop and where is the knife. I cut the line, bring one buoy on board and start the starboard engine. I take a wild guess and pop it quickly into reverse, and the other line comes out. So, now we have the two surface buoys and a line heading to the bottom. We think it might be better to keep all on board for now, and we pull anchor.
But when pulling anchor, we have shifted, and the line to the trap is now hung up on things under the boat. I try to get the line free with the boat hook, but it gets hung up on the trap. All the while, the wind is gently pushing us toward shore, and the Admiral says time to move. I run up to thruster us away from shore, but I use a bit of engine power to help.
For whatever reason (I can’t remember but maybe battery power low on the thrusters) I run down to the engine room. Two of the lower floor boards are floating! Now, that will get your attention.
I check the shafts thinking the lobster trap put too much strain on the shaft when moving. No leaks. I run to the aft lazarette and see water. I hop down and see where there use to be a vertical shaft for the port rudder there is a lot of water gushing up. Lobster trap has pulled off the rudder. I immediately put my palm over it, and all is well (except for how to “permanently” seal it, and we have a lot of water in the bilge). Admiral comes down and puts her palm over it, and I run back to the engine room. Bilge pumps are not keeping up, and the manual bilge pump has a 8 kW generator in the way for use. Now there is a good design.
I have extra raw water intake hose, and I disconnect one from the engine and connect the extra with one end in the bilge. Start up the engine, and soon we have a relatively dry bilge. One and a half steps completed (plug leak temporarily and empty bilge). While getting the plugs, I stick a sock in the leak, and all holds. Don’t ask me what brand of sock. Who would have thunk?
Since the trap has pulled the rudder shaft out and I have no idea what it is still connected to, I need to get that trap off. After muscling it around (they are heavy and I still have bruises and sore back) and using the second boat hook to get it to the surface, I cut the line and haul it on board. (Ok, for the obvious question, only one lobster.) I call a marina about 5 miles away, explain the situation, and they are waiting to haul us when we come in. They are now fabricating two new rudder/shafts commensurate with the shaft size. The original rudders were, in my mind, a bit undersized.
Lessons learned:
1. Never anchor near lobster traps. Yeah, right, this is Maine, and that isn’t going to happen. They do have to make a living, but I have seen buoys so close that I’m sure the first one there will haul several traps at once.
2. Get a wet suit. Going down this week to buy a complete suit with hood, goggles, etc.
3. Install a high water alarm. I hate to think if we had learned of the leak while under way and the engine room awash instead of just a few inches. And, no wireless. My cameras are always blinking out for short periods.
4. Set up a see-through tote in plain site (ceiling of engine room on quick release) with plugs, etc. In it, there will be at least three cans of spray foam that we will replace annually. I have personally seen one boat and heard of another where the spray foam saved the day.
5. Get that manual bilge working in proper order. Maybe it was only the thru hull was closed, but I didn’t have time to think about that. If that is the case, a written note by the pump handle is required. Funny how you remember things at certain times but not when time is of the essence.
6. Buy a replacement boat hook.
It could have ended better, it could have ended worse. We’ll end up with a safer boat.