We dropped a part overboard this weekend. It's a stainless bracket that holds one of the wooden steps on the swim ladder. It's not metalic, so magnet recovery isn't possible. It's in about 10' to 12' of murky, 55 degree water off the transom of the boat. Any great ideas for recovery? Thanks!
Oops - Part Overboard
- Thread starter Sherry
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Sherry, I would do that while on the hard
Sorry, sometimes I don't think to nice. My next thought is to wait till summer and go after it. You won't be using the swim ladder till then anyway... Ok, I am gone. r.w.landau
Sorry, sometimes I don't think to nice. My next thought is to wait till summer and go after it. You won't be using the swim ladder till then anyway... Ok, I am gone. r.w.landau
Grappling Hook
If you can find one in your area, what is called a sand spider on the Texas coast makes a pretty good grappling hook. It is a about a six once lead sinker with some heave copper wires made into it. Kind of looks like a little grapple. Made for surf fishing in a lot of current. That or something similar might be able to snag it and haul it up without having to get into the water.
If you can find one in your area, what is called a sand spider on the Texas coast makes a pretty good grappling hook. It is a about a six once lead sinker with some heave copper wires made into it. Kind of looks like a little grapple. Made for surf fishing in a lot of current. That or something similar might be able to snag it and haul it up without having to get into the water.
Great opportunity
Now you have that excuse to go buy a full length wet suit and scuba tanks. ;-) I mean after all that is the only way to be sure and recover that $15 dollar part. Since my admaral didn't buy that line I had to resort to "well we are at the dock now, what if I need to go overboard to cut a line wrapped around the porpshaft or fix the rudder? while we are out on the water" And briefed that way I almost believed it myself! There are two groups of boaters, those that have dropped something overboard and those that lie about never dropping anything overboard. But seriously, I consider the plunge into the 50 deg water and the following "shiver fest" as the "cost of boating." But then I'm an old fart and don't feel much of anything anymore so this may not be an option for you youngins.
Now you have that excuse to go buy a full length wet suit and scuba tanks. ;-) I mean after all that is the only way to be sure and recover that $15 dollar part. Since my admaral didn't buy that line I had to resort to "well we are at the dock now, what if I need to go overboard to cut a line wrapped around the porpshaft or fix the rudder? while we are out on the water" And briefed that way I almost believed it myself! There are two groups of boaters, those that have dropped something overboard and those that lie about never dropping anything overboard. But seriously, I consider the plunge into the 50 deg water and the following "shiver fest" as the "cost of boating." But then I'm an old fart and don't feel much of anything anymore so this may not be an option for you youngins.
Replacement?
Send me a photo of the remaining bracket, and the manufacturer info on the ladder. I may have one, or the ability to find one. Larry Wilson
Send me a photo of the remaining bracket, and the manufacturer info on the ladder. I may have one, or the ability to find one. Larry Wilson
Dropped Keys
One morning my wife dropped the keys to the boat in about 20' of 65 degree water. I marked the spot by dropping a weighted line and then just jumped in and swam down the line to get the keys. They were right beside the weight on the line. I was in the water for about a minute. Pickwick lake isn't 55 degrees now. We saw people swimming at Wheeler lake less than two weeks ago and Pickwick is relatively clear. Be sure and mark the spot as most boat docks move around some as the lakes are raised and lowered. I found this out one night trying to recover a part. I searched a good 15-20 minutes and finally asked if the dock had been moved. The manager said that it had been moved about 30' DUH it then took less than 5 minutes to find the part. Almost any snorkler should be able to recover a part from 10-12 feet.
One morning my wife dropped the keys to the boat in about 20' of 65 degree water. I marked the spot by dropping a weighted line and then just jumped in and swam down the line to get the keys. They were right beside the weight on the line. I was in the water for about a minute. Pickwick lake isn't 55 degrees now. We saw people swimming at Wheeler lake less than two weeks ago and Pickwick is relatively clear. Be sure and mark the spot as most boat docks move around some as the lakes are raised and lowered. I found this out one night trying to recover a part. I searched a good 15-20 minutes and finally asked if the dock had been moved. The manager said that it had been moved about 30' DUH it then took less than 5 minutes to find the part. Almost any snorkler should be able to recover a part from 10-12 feet.
Diving might not help much.....
I've tried that same recovery mission, for a slipmate who lost an aluminum bracket overboard. Put on my full scuba gear, took my largest dive lights, went down and could barely find the bottom, much less a small metal part. If the bottom is muddy and/or silty, the part will probably be covered in a few days, and it's likely that it fell at an angle, so it won't be right where you think it should be. On top of that, you're going to stir up the bottom just by going down there, which will further cut into visibility and cover the little bracket even more. Another problem is that the water is murky because of suspended particles, and a flashlight - no matter how powerful - is going to be of limited use. Sorry, I'm not trying to be gloomy, just realistic. On the other hand.... if you're looking for a reason to buy scuba gear and get into diving, go for it! In decent locations (I dunno about Tennessee), it is fabulous. ;D Looking at the bright side: at least you didn't drop BOTH brackets overboard, so at least you have a template in case you need to get one made. Cheers, Bob s/v X SAIL R 8
I've tried that same recovery mission, for a slipmate who lost an aluminum bracket overboard. Put on my full scuba gear, took my largest dive lights, went down and could barely find the bottom, much less a small metal part. If the bottom is muddy and/or silty, the part will probably be covered in a few days, and it's likely that it fell at an angle, so it won't be right where you think it should be. On top of that, you're going to stir up the bottom just by going down there, which will further cut into visibility and cover the little bracket even more. Another problem is that the water is murky because of suspended particles, and a flashlight - no matter how powerful - is going to be of limited use. Sorry, I'm not trying to be gloomy, just realistic. On the other hand.... if you're looking for a reason to buy scuba gear and get into diving, go for it! In decent locations (I dunno about Tennessee), it is fabulous. ;D Looking at the bright side: at least you didn't drop BOTH brackets overboard, so at least you have a template in case you need to get one made.
Cheers, Bob s/v X SAIL R 8Diving Skill is Important
Pickwick lake is fairly clean with a hard bottom in many places. We were there last week. But skill in diving is important. My wife is a basic diver who stirs up a lot of mud whenever she gets near the bottom. A good diver adjusts their bouyancy and can swim around close to the bottom without stirring up a lot of mud. If the bottom is really soft mud the part may have sank out of sight. But having dove in lakes a lot my experience is that lake bottoms are generally pretty firm. I have never dove in Pickwick but my anchor came up with sandy clay and the shoreline appeared to be generally rocky. In low visabilty conditions most of the searching is done by feel. If you drop a weighted line from the spot where the item was dropped the weight on the line should be near the item. When I recovered my keys I didn't have a mask I just went down the line and felt around a little to find the keys.
Pickwick lake is fairly clean with a hard bottom in many places. We were there last week. But skill in diving is important. My wife is a basic diver who stirs up a lot of mud whenever she gets near the bottom. A good diver adjusts their bouyancy and can swim around close to the bottom without stirring up a lot of mud. If the bottom is really soft mud the part may have sank out of sight. But having dove in lakes a lot my experience is that lake bottoms are generally pretty firm. I have never dove in Pickwick but my anchor came up with sandy clay and the shoreline appeared to be generally rocky. In low visabilty conditions most of the searching is done by feel. If you drop a weighted line from the spot where the item was dropped the weight on the line should be near the item. When I recovered my keys I didn't have a mask I just went down the line and felt around a little to find the keys.
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