Fortunately, most of us will never have the moment of panic when we discover water rising above the cabin sole. Could be a hull breach, a busted through-hull, a disconnected hose, maybe even a port left open on a close-hauled tack.
But if you
have experienced flooding, what did you do? Tell us your tale and the aftermath.
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I have experienced, flooding, and
that, is unforgettable. It's an old story heard many times so I won't bore with the details.
I'd go under Phil's 'hull breach' as hitting a submerged ledge gave us a hole below the cabin sole about the size of a size 7 shoe. Water was above the sole in a minute or two. But that's the hard part to remember, the time frame we experienced.
I can still vividly remember the feeling: Time speeding up all around me. My family shocked (but not overly panicked), the water rising so fast down below, drifting free after the impact (we bounced over the submerged ledge), tic-toc-tic-toc-tic-toc,... There was simply no time to think, to plan. I felt like I mentally couldn't keep up with the situation speeding ahead of me.
Fear, panic, shock, maybe all the above, I think we just reacted. We were all fairly calm, amazingly (shock I think, especially our young kids), but had no control over the situation. There simply wasn't enough time.
I started the engine (we were under sail) and headed for the nearest land, an island about 1/4-1/2 mile away.
Alls well that ends well. We saved Xmas (Cruising World 2004), patched her up and floated off at the next high tide. With a coast guard cutter following close behind, we got the boat into slings of the nearest travel lift, and we all finally exhaled...
Here's my take away: In the event of a hull breach, a sheared thru hull or popped hose on a large diameter hose, except for pretty minor flooding events (head left on, cracked hose,...), there isn't a bilge pump or 'save your boat' article that is much help. They go down too fast!