And a river runs through it

[Nice N Easy]

You should

The very first thing to do is what not to do, and that is don't panic. Any boat, unless it has a monstrous hole in it is going to float for a while. It ain't going to sink like the proverbial rock. One thing that has been touched on, but has not been specifically addressed is this. KNOW WHERE THE DAMN THRU HULLS ARE. ALL OF THEM. When water is coming into the boat is not the time to try to find out where they are located. And have a good working knowledge of the plumbing system and it's components. Particularly the toilet. My first thought would be to close all the thru hulls. This is the most likely place for water to enter, unless of course you heard a loud thump before you noticed the water. Getting PFD's on everyone is high on the list. After this it is kind of a how fast is the water coming in deal. Get someone going on the manual bilge pump, Grounding the boat is an option, unless your offshore. I personally would not get on the radio and start calling for help, or start running for a shoal, until I had accessed the situation, and figured out how fast the water was coming in, and did all I could to stop it.

 

[wr]

tennis balls

tennis balls into thru hulls

 

[Red]

Is 3" of seawater high or low for your boat?

First things first, call for "All hands" and let everyone know we are now in damage control mode. Depending on the number of bodies available, the "on watch" should change course and make for shallower water with considerations of beaching the boat or getting closer to aid, while the navigator confirms an exact position and someone gets on the radio to set up a radio watch pending further developments. The engine should also be started as part of the procedure, since full power for the pumps, radio, and lights may be of use.Meanwhile the off watch should be conducting the damage control inspection, looking for the source of the water even while it is being pumped. If the water keeps rising, you ready the raft, place a distress call or alert that one may be placed. If the water gets lower...you keep looking for the leak. If you can find it, you fix it, stand down the alert and keep sailing. If you can't find it, you change course and plan for assistance, either in port or at sea.No big deal either way, all routine and the odds are if you didn't hear a big "WHACK!" on the hull, it can be contained.

 

[Ray]

BLOW UP THE BOAT!

Fred has the right idea. Make the coffee first. Also do not forget to secure the liquor in the dinghy. Otherwise, carry an ample supply of aerosol spray foam. This will make any boat unsinkable. Then address the leak issue.

 

[higgs]

True story

This happened to friend of mine in the middle of Lake Michigan - 30 miles from land. I was not there, but he had a crew of 3 or 4 on his First 29. They bailed like hell, scared to death, while he looked for the leak. After a few minutes someone said, "Wait a minute, this water is warm." It was his hot water tank.

 

[jimq26]

Lake Michigan and 30 miles from land?

I thought I knew the Great Lakes. Where on Lake Michigan would you be that far from land?

 

[Ross]

Jimq Check this link

http://205.156.4.52/cgi-bin/EyeSpy.dll?launchpad&D:/EyeSpy/images/Online_Chart_Viewer/14901.axs&wsx=750&wsy=550&bgcolor=ffffff&aligX=1&aligY=1If that link won't work try this and go to chart number 14901.http://ocsdata.ncd.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/GreatLakesViewerTable.htm

 

[higgs]

The Great Lakes are bigger than most realize

jimq26: The answer to your question: In the middle of the lake. Sorry, I could not resist a smart a** response. I hope you will forgive me. Inclusive of all ports, from Port Washinton, WI south to Waukegan, IL, the shortest shot across the lake is over 60 nautical miles - closer to 70. It is a big friggin' lake.

 

[Ross]

If you get a map of the USA and overlay

some of the states with the great lakes you begin to get a sense of their size. Even Lake Powell in the grand canyon is bigger than the chesapeake bay.

 

[David10790]

Ross is right

As usual, Ross gets it right. Lake Ontario is about 7,500 sq. miles, about the same size as New Jersey, slightly smaller than Mass. and bigger than Conn. You could put Delaware in Lake Ontario and have a hard time finding it. Lake Ontario is the smallest in area of the five great lakes.

 

[higgs]

Chesapeake

Reading the major sailing mags, one gets the impression that the Chesapeake is the penultimate sailing area - and it may be. Ross touches on an excellent point - which really is that the Ches is well protected and most Ches sailors, staying in the bay, will not experience conditions one commonly sees on the Great Lakes. This should draw some responses - I am already hiding under my desk.

 

[jimq26]

Live and learn eh?

I never realized that Lake Michigan was that far across. We think nothing of saying Youngstown or Rochester is just across the lake from us here on the north shore of Lake Ontario. Even Olcott is just "over there". Thanks fellows.

 

[Ross]

Higgs, I have not sailed in the open ocean

but friends that have tell me that they would rather encounter twenty-five knots well off shore then in the bay. We are quite shallow and the wind kicks up a very short chop rather than long, well defined waves.

 

[higgs]

Bronte

jimq26Where is Bronte? Being new to the lake I am not familiar with a lot of the ports around here. I hope that to change over the summer. Also, I am looking for info and recommendations from guys like you who know the lake.

 

[John24107]

Big Lakes, Little Lakes

I grew up on the shores of Lake Erie. When I moved away I was often amazed when people would talk about "the big lake" in their area. (Canyon Lake in Texas comes to mind) I always thought that if you could see the other side it was just a pond.

 

[higgs]

John in sandusky

Old saying from a famous person whose name I have forgotten:When shown the view from the California coastline overlooking the Pacific, the comment on the Pacific was, " I thought it would be bigger". The same could be said about any of our Great Lakes.

 

[Scott B]

Huron is even wider

Lake Huron is even wider than Michigan. There are a lot of freighters on the bottom of Huron along the East shore from the past 100 years due to the waves that build from the narrow lakes compared to the ocean. In Goderich Harbour is a small marine museum with the history of the various wrecks in the Great Lakes incl. Edmund Fitzgerald in Superior. In 1913 19 ships went down and 19 others destroyed with 250 lives lost. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Lakes_Storm_of_1913It gives you a whole new respect for the "inland oceans" called the Great Lakes,

 

[Scott B]

Bronte

Higgs, Bronte is in Oakville, half way between Toronto and Hamilton.

 

[jimq26]

Higgs - get a copy of Lake Ontario Ports

This publication gives great nav aids and pics of every port on the lake (both sides and ends).You are just across the lake from me. Sail on over this summer. (don't forget your passport eh?)

 

[Bill]

1. Shout "All hands on deck! Water in the cabin!"

Because misery loves company and it looks like the boat is sinking.2. Start the bilge pump(and I hope it's the 2000gph model). Yeah, I know that donning life preservers is important, but in most boats this action takes only a second or two, where donning life preservers takes a minute or two (depending where they are) and in this type of situation seconds can count (before the battery shorts out).3. Don life preservers(and pray to God that you don't need them).Because a) You don't know how fast the water is coming in and b) one large swell on a partially swamped boat can drive it under.4. A. Order course change towards shore. Because it makes for less distance to swim and The Coast Guard is going to ask for your course and speed.  B. Plot position and call the Coast Guard(before the battery shorts out).Because a) You don't know how fast the water is coming in and b)the Coast Guard hates it when you call them in an emergency and don't know where you are. 5. Start the engine and man the backup(manual?) pump(s). Because a) The engine charges the battery that runs the bilge pump. b) If the near shore is in the eye of the wind tacking is a poor option. c) Keeping this boat afloat is the priority and beats any alternative.6. Look for the leak. It's probably at or below the waterline, and if noone heard/felt the boat strike anything, I'd start by checking the thru-the-hull fittings.7. A. Prepare liferaft/dingy for launch. Unless you like to swim. B. Break out the survival pack (handheld radio/GPS, compass, flares, signal mirror, emergency food & water, first aid kit, sunscreen, fishing gear, space blankets, deck of cards...) and get it in the raft/dingy.Because you might not have time later.8. Fix the leak (IF you can find it, IF you have the gear). I keep a correctly sized wooden dowell plug tied to each TTH fitting hose plus several huge old beach towells that I could stuff in a larger hole. 9. If you can't fix it, a) launch the liferaft/dingy and b) grab warm clothes and blankets, c) stay on the pumps as long as you can because the Coast Guard has some really impressive portable pumps, if they can get to you in time.A lot of these actions can be done simultaniously by trained crewmembers with just a few words from the skipper.