FREE BOAT QUESTION, FOR THINKERS!

[sailormanbigd]

not the paint job

wasn't too concerned about the paint job. more the haul out and finish the bottom scrapeing. I could only do as far as my long arm could reach all around the bottom. When the boat finally floated-at low tide it sits on the bottom, it was too dark in the water to see whats down there. Mostly the keel and prop are left to do. The weather is terrible, not looking to get in the water with wind and air temp less than 60 degrees. I have to get in to mount the outboard bracket. Gonna get going now, will update later tonight. When motor gets mounted i will test drive it in the channel behind Tampa General. If the boat moves and has fair stearage i will just go for it.  Thanks for the real deal on the haulout. I will just go to Hudson and work on the major stuff as originally planned. Patick

 

[Dan]

Rent an EPIRB

You should rent an EPIRB. And buy a good lifejacket. http://www.boatus.com/foundation/epirb/

 

[Ross]

This boat as discribed will be excessively

stressed if pushed above 4 knots. Patrick you should plan your trip with favorable weather windows and keep the wind aft of the beam. Go to the office supply store and purchase a set of dividers and some pencils. You haven't mentioned the charts that you will need. GET THEM ! A GPS will tell you where you are but you need the charts to know where "where" is. Take GALLONS of water. Take a bailing bucket, take a bag of cotton rags, they are good for many things including stuffing into leaks. You haven't made mention of your boat having a working compass, DON'T leave home without one. Check the tide current charts for the trip and for the inlets that you may enter. Go over this trip in detail several times before you untie the boat. Do a cross over with your nursing training , just as you consider with the doctors and other staff how a patient will be treated use the same approach to this trip. Good, careful planning is what make successful ventures and a lack of careful planning is what leads to calls for help.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

do I have this right?

he's about to depart on a boat he doesn't own, apparently is not registered, properly documented or titled and can't pass even an elementary safety inspection;he's unsure of the hull condition, prop condition, engine or rigging and the rudder post gland leaks but for some temp fix which means he's depending on luck to get where he's planning (which he considers dwelling on the negative);he's on a tight schedule (seemingly regardless of weather), apparently has no safety equipment other than a life vest, the wiring is suspect, needs two batteries and a bilge pump to keep it afloat and the bulkheads are either non-existent or only temporarily tabbed (althoughI recall somewhere he said he was cutting out the tabbing).I know it's always better to look at the positive but someone needs to help me find any - this could work out fine but certainly has every ingredient to not.Are people doing him any favor by being supportive?Can someone do a reality check here for me?

 

[Ross]

Don, I think that pretty well sums it up.

He did offer one concession to good sense " he won't ask anyone to go with him if there is a risk of having to swim ". This could be a small scale Ken Barnes saga.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

dreams are great but

Rossdreams are great but it sounds like some people here are combining a dream with the reality and when we lose the distinction and particularly when we encourage it, that's when problems happen. To put it another way, taking risks is part of life but this is an unnecessary, questionable and arguably illegal one. I wonder how many of us would allow our children/family to take this offshore, even within these sheltered waters?

 

[citizen]

danger to himself and others

The real issue is whether the taxpayers of this country should have to pay for the rescue of one so foolish as this. Darwin award anyone?

 

[Paul F]

Almost to much fun?

You guys are right. But, the Gulf of Mexico is not the Atlantic. On most days with the wind out of the East it is calmer than most lakes. The old Morgans are strong boats and as long as it doesn't leak - big question here - he should be alright. A good suggestion is to tow or carry a dingy and sail in the day time. The time schedule is to tight as: needs clear title, a test motor/sail and time to see if all leaks are indeed fixed. Given a good east wind and sailing window he should be alright as the trip is very do-able.

 

[Ross]

Don, When I bought Bietzpadlin the fore deck

flexed like a trampoline, the chain plates were attached to the main bulkhead and had leaked fresh water and rotted around several bolts. The deck to hull joint was suspect. I had the boat delived to my home and set to removing everything that I didn't trust. That turned out to be everything. After rebuilding the boat I can sleep through a storm at anchor knowing that everything is stronger than it needs to be. I think that Patrick could be way ahead of the game if the boat were hauled over the road to the place where he will work on it until it is seaworthy.His plan to make small repairs and sail it on occassion is poorly considered.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Paul

You are obvioulsy more familiar with the area than me but most drownings and boating accidents generally happen close to shore and not in storm conditions so statistically, I'm not sure it matters where one takes a derelict boat. It's been close to 40 years since I was doing SAR in the C.G.but this story brings back too many irrevocable memories. If for no other reason, it helps my conscience to be a nay-sayer here which may be self-serving on my part as I'd hate to see this guy come to peril after receiving lots of good advice here.

 

[Paul F]

Amen, Don

It does seem he is rushing the whole project. With Christmas week coming so close, it would be better to wait and test the sea worthiness of the boat before going off shore. All the ideas here have merit. It goes without saying safety equipment is a first priority. Towing insurance or a towing membership is another good add-on. Time is often more valuable than money. If he can wait to see what is or is not right with the boat everyone would feel better about this adventure. As I said before maybe this is to much fun?

 

[sailortonyb]

Can you cross.........

Is crosing the street blindfolded and surviving do-able? Yes of course it is. So, therefore his trip is also do-able. No test trials, no sea trials. It doesnt matter, he is NOT clueless. Ask him. I was a nay-sayer from the very beginning but ofered constructive advice given that he will take over the boat anyway. Then I started to have my doubts if this is even real. If I was giving a boat away and the new prospective owner was aware of all of the drawbacks and issues, I would have signed over the boat to him immediately. A hand wriiten note and signed is legal.Instead, the current owner is standing silently by while Patrick is messin about the boat. If anything happens, such as polution by sewage or oil/fuel or the sinking of the boat, the current owner ( the one with his name still on it) is taking full liability for any damage that the boat may cause. Make that 2 Darwin awards.IMHOTony B

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

good intentions gone wrong

This forum is my favorite simply because everyone is well-intended, knowledgeable and very forthcoming with good advice based on technical knowledge and experience and often expertise. Without hopefully sounding too judgemental, in this case, I think all that well-intended desire to help and advise him has made some lose sight of the "forrest" and the consequences of doing what he plans. I sincerely hope I'm wrong.

 

[Ross]

One of my concerns has been and is that

Patrick is cherry picking the advise that has been offered and just accepting the parts that fit his dream. I am told by Nancy that I have an Eeyore mentality. (from Winnie the pooh). I walk around thinking that Murphy was an optimist. I haven't seen anything from Patrick that would suggest that he has a hard place where he can park this boat for 2-3 years while he works on it. There is no shortage of secure storage yards that can rent space for much less than a marina.

 

[Stillraining]

Patrick

if you have room on your credit card to contemplate a haul out , have it towed to your free dock and put that on your card instead.

 

[Jim]

Re: This boat as discribed will be excessively

Ross, respectfully, sea condition will stress the boat more than speed thru the water.

 

[Ross]

Jim, I think that it will be a mistake to have

that boat out in more than 10 knots or 1 foot waves. The horsepower requirement to increase speed from 3 knots to 5 knots is almost a factor of 3. No matter where the power comes from the entire vessel bears the load. In large seas the rolling of the hull will place alternating loads on the standing rigging. So in the main you are correct the sea state will be a major factor in moving this boat.

 

[Jim]

Ross,

I have pushed my boat 8 knot in 4-6 foot seas. Sure the hull and rigging squall like a pig. That is the fun of it. Dishes pounding. Laying in the cockpit sick as a dog getting up every couple of minites to look for boats.The best thing is you get there quick!Ross, I think it is good to be concern but the Caption makes the call underway depending on conditions. He needs to check for water in the bilge. He needs to review the stress on the rigging. He does not say will Jim said I could do 5 knot but Ross says only go 3.That does not make sense at all!

 

[Grizz]

Nightly News or Coast Guard S.A.R.?

Fascinating interaction these past days (weeks?) among the site faithful, which is another reason I chose to become a 'logged on' member. Discussion, discourse, disagreement...all bundled within a civil framework that continues to command interest.That said, IF Patrick does actually (really and truly) begin his passage, which entity will have the best chance to film and report it: the local news (who surely is aware of this dream/nightmare by now) or the C.G., who may have to complete a SAR report.Oh, to have access to a transponder to track Patrick's progress in real-time!

 

[Ross]

Jersey Jim, Would you consider pushing

Patrick's boat to 8 under the conditions you discribe? I personally believe that he has a better chance of success if he takes a very conservative approach to moving this boat.