Sunk boat

[Terry Forshier]

Just an informational post here. I have 2 boats, my Catalina 34 and my trusty old 1973 Mako 20. Last Saturday i took my grandson fishing all morning in the Mako, arriving home about 1 pm for lunch. Now the Mako lives on davits in the back yard but since we were going out again we left it in the water at the dock. That afternoon we had typical Florida afternoon thundershowers forcast so we defered fishing until Sunday morning. As usual I went out at 11 pm just before hitting the sack and checked the lines on both boats. All was fine. Well Sunday early we went out to get on the boat and it was on the bottom. After several hours we managed to get it over to the davits and slowly lifted it out and drained out the water. (this is a saltwater canal off Naples Bay) Plug was still in the bilge but the baitwells were out as we had fished and cleaned the spare bait out of the live wells but left them open to the sea to flush and not stink of dead fish.
After a week we know that the baitwell line to the forward well had let go sometime in the night and the boat filled and sunk. (Now I am really gun shy about the thru hulls on my 34). I realize I have owned this boat for over 30 years and used it like this all that time and that this was probably something that just "happened". Still It shows how the unseen and unsuspected and unnoticed things can sink a boat.
I will not go into the details of the week with the insurance company (Progressive) but suffice it to say that when that girl in white on TV says "discount" they are really talking about how you feel when they want to settle and pay their claims.

[Ron Hill]

Terry : Guess I don't exactly know what "the baitwell line to the forward well had let go" means??

The "line " is a water line with a hose clamp??   

[mainesail]

If it is like later Mako's the bait wells are connected to thru-hulls which can fill the tanks with salt water. Some then have a circulation pump to keep the bait well circulating and airated so live bait can survive. These hoses are no different than thru-hull hoses on sailboats except Mako, during some time periods, used really sub par hose, single hose clamps and often PVC valves as seacocks. I have a 1996 MAKO I work on and some of their building techniques are down right scary. One of the two PVC ball valves split right open where it threaded to the bronze thru-hull and the deck plates in front of the motor were so poorly bedded this boat almost sank as well after the bilge pump killed the batts.....

Sorry to hear of your dealings with Progressive, that sucks.

[Terry Forshier]

To clarify,. IN the transom of the Mako there are 3 holes below the waterline. One in the lower center that takes a plug and it is open to the bilge. Then there are built in baitwells that open in the floor. 2 are parallel in the back and one forward. These are filled from the other two holes on either side of the bilge hole. They are commected to "PVC" lines. (bout 1 1/2 inch diameter) these are piped to the baitwells that have holes in the bottom of them . When you open the plugs on the transom the sea water pushes into the lines and fills the baitwells. To empty one needs to motor on with the bow up and the wells drain and you can plug them in the baitwell or at the transom. (by leaning over the side and pushing in the plugs) One of these lines let go, cracked or came loose and flooded the boat.

[Ron Hill]

Terry : Mainsail said it all.  People need to check the below water thru hulls, especially their hoses and hose clamps. 

[Terry Forshier]

There are no hoses or hose clamps in this system. Everything is hard sealed as in PVC plumbing. Only plugs are at the transom.

[mainesail]

There are no hoses or hose clamps in this system. Everything is hard sealed as in PVC plumbing. Only plugs are at the transom.

One reason some of these small fishing boats are scary. PVC, unless flexible hose specifically rated for such, should not be used below the waterline. It does not meet any applicable marine standards when used below water.. I suspect a PO did that install as Mako usually used flexible hose with clamps though they did use very sub par sched 40 PVC valves as seacocks which is in violation of ABYC requirements. They were using PVC valves as late as 1997....