Well it happened

[iSaint]

Not a fun trip. Picked up this 322 I’d been looking at west of Ft Myers a couple of weeks ago. Paid for survey, clean boat, engine cranks on first try every time. Needs bottom job and a few little repairs as any old boat would. Surveyor deemed her a good boat and nothing major. I even told him that I decided to sail her back to Mississippi to work on her and no one batted an eye.

Long story short we get to Longboat Key and anchor in Buttonwood. Depth is fine. Must have been blown to shallow water during storm because she sat on the bottom the second night there and slowly fell over on her side in three feet of water. Water fills the boat, I climb up on the side and call Sea Tow then State Farm to get a claim going.

Sea Tow recovers her, the keel falls off as they’re trying to lift her. Bolts and everything just pull right out.

So it’s on a yard as you can see. I can’t imagine it being repairable given the value of the boat. To top it off my crew disappeared (my 21 yr old son) the night of the sinking to party with some guy he met. Whole ‘nother issue there. Certainly didn’t make the trip a fun one. And honestly, I had an uncomfortable feeling the entire time.

It wouldn’t be my life if it weren’t so exciting.

Please, no abuse or questioning my decisions.The yard and the Sea Tow guys said “I’ve never seen that happen before!” I’ve heard that phrase many times my life.

Fortunately I was near a friend who put me up in an empty condo and kept me fed for a few days. Now home waiting to hear from State Farm.

 

[jviss]

Is there a question?

I imagine it would be totaled. I hope your insurance coverage is good.

 

[jon hansen]

my condolences

 

[JRT]

Bummer, glad you are alright, stuff can be replaced. I always liked the 322, but seem to hear about keel issues.

 

[Rick D]

Wow; sorry for this experience(s). This is what the insurance is for. At least there shouldn't be any valuation issue.

 

[Roland5048]

Was this a wing keel? A couple of decades or so ago, the charter company I worked for had a 27 O'Day with a wing keel that went aground. I wasn't on board at the time but from what I was told by the person captaining her, that when she started to heel as the tide went out the keel snapped completely off taking a part of the bottom of the hull with it. Being as that she was already aground she didn't sink very far. I'm not sure of the outcome but she never came back to the fleet.
Hoping your outcome is a good one.

 

[David in Sandusky]

This is under the heading of horrendous bad luck!

So sorry you have to deal with it.

 

[IASailor]

That is a terrible situation. It's good that you are ok. Best of luck to you.

 

[iSaint]

Sounds like the same thing happened to me!

Was this a wing keel? A couple of decades or so ago, the charter company I worked for had a 27 O'Day with a wing keel that went aground. I wasn't on board at the time but from what I was told by the person captaining her, that when she started to heel as the tide went out the keel snapped completely off taking a part of the bottom of the hull with it. Being as that she was already aground she didn't sink very far. I'm not sure of the outcome but she never came back to the fleet.
Hoping your outcome is a good one.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Look at this as the best possible outcome of a bad condition. If the keel had dropped away in deep water, who knows where, and in bad weather, the outcome would have been much, much worse.

 

[iSaint]

Thank you!

my condolences

 

[iSaint]

Exactly! The day prior we blew up the dinghy. We set off to shore and had water coming in. Couldn’t figure out how, until the bottom completely fell out. Fifty yards from shore, fortunately.
Unfortunate series of events. Much of my life, it seems. :/

Look at this as the best possible outcome of a bad condition. If the keel had dropped away in deep water, who knows where, and in bad weather, the outcome would have been much, much worse.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Unfortunate series of events. Much of my life, it seems. :/

C'mon, laws of probability say it's highly unlikely this will be repeated again in the near future.

Time to get out there .................... buy a few lottery tickets and start looking for a new boat .

 

[iSaint]

Maybe a smaller boat. And Mississippi is selling lottery tickets. I never know how to play that stuff.

C'mon, laws of probability say it's highly unlikely this will be repeated again in the near future.

Time to get out there .................... buy a few lottery tickets and start looking for a new boat .

 

[dmax]

I had a 1988 O'Day 302, same thing happened, soft groundng, receding tide. The design called for 6 layers of glass in the keel stub and the builder (out-sourced) only used two. Mine was repaired and I sailed her for many years afterwards.

 

[Ted]

Sorry for your "excitement." The good news is nobody was injured. It's a known problem that the "3" series O'Days have lost their keels because of insuffieicent fiberglass layup. I'm surprised your surveyor didn't know that or didn't share that information with you. Glad to hear you have insurance.

 

[bawlmer]

Unlucky it happened. Lucky it happened in shallow water. To make you feel better, there are similar posts on this forum where the owner had no insurance.

 

[jviss]

It's a known problem that the "3" series O'Days have lost their keels because of insuffieicent fiberglass layup.

Holy Cow!

 

[jviss]

O'Day 302 Loses Keel - Check Yours!! Maine Sail Jul 7, 2009

 

[tfox2069]

Glad you’re fine. You’ve got a sea story that’ll be pretty tough to beat at the bar!