[C320-list] Grounding

[Warren Updike]

Scott, we too had just returned on Saturday last after a week out and passed
through Knapp Narrows as well. 

I assume you have a wing keel as do I or the following may not have
application to you.  My experience re. a soft grounding is to reverse out
the way you came in.  The rudder seems to be slightly deeper than the keel
and so is usually the first indication, other than the alarm, that the
bottom is near.  That's why I try to avoid turning while on the bottom as
usually the boat pivots on the keel rotating the rudder into the same bottom
you're trying to leave.  Other than some lost paint, usually the only damage
is to my pride.  

The only time I've experienced any damage is when there is rock on the
bottom.  Then, it wore off the bottom of the rudder.  There is no mistaking
this condition as you can feel/hear the grinding.  In this case, I do
nothing as long as I can wait for the tide.  If there is wave action then it
is a question of whether to allow the grinding on the rocks while waiting
the tide, or call for a tow.  Tough question.  If I am with friends, I would
probably opt for a tow immediately as time on the rock with wave action is
most likely the worst option. Hope you are never in that situation.

Warren & Pattie Updike
Catalina 320, #62, "Warr De Mar"
Middle River, Chesapeake Bay

-----Original Message-----
From: Scott Thompson [mailto:surprise at thompson87.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 2:10 PM
To: Catalina320.org
Subject: [C320-list] Grounding

We got back from a week on the boat Sunday night.  On Sat afternoon my 
attention wandered as we left the West end of Knapps Narrows and next 
thing I knew I was out of the channel, hard on the bottom.  (Warning to 
other Chesapeake boaters -- stay close to marker 4 when coming through 
the West side of the Narrows this year. I wasn't very far from it.) 
Very concerning to see the depth sounder reading 4.0.

I was able to pivot the boat back towards deeper water, but could not 
get off, and called BoatUS for a tow.  They arrived in less than 30 
minutes and pulled us out a short distance into deeper water.  ($491 for 
the tow, by the way, so the BoatUS insurance paid for itself this year!) 
  During that time we were bouncing gently on the bottom in 1-2 foot 
sees.  Normally I wouldn't be too concerned except the rudder was 
aground also once I got the boat turned around, and I'm sure it was 
dragged through the bottom at least a little bit getting off.  The 
bottom was probably a mix of sand and mud -- mostly the latter.  I was 
bouncing for maybe 45 minutes total.

Afterwards I saw no signs of water coming into the boat and steering 
seemed normal.  I'm curious what others would do in this situation in 
terms of follow up.  Should I be getting the boat hauled for a survey? 
What do insurance companies want under these circumstances?  (I haven't 
called them yet.)

One other thing.  I ran the engine pretty hard trying to get off, in 
shallow water obviously, and probably sucked in some silt.  The engine 
was then left to idle while we waited for the tow and while we were 
towed off.  However, shortly after that (ahead slow, doing the 
paperwork) the engine overheated with no water coming out the exhaust. 
We shut it down and hoisted sails and I spent the rest of the afternoon 
with the engine while the crew sailed the boat.  I could find no damage 
to the impeller (but replaced it anyhow) and no blockages.  With the 
outlet hose disconnected the water pump produced copious amounts of 
water.  I took the end off the heat exchanger and confirmed that all of 
the tubes were clear by poking with the end of a straightened out coat 
hanger.  I was able to blow air through the heat exchanger easily, and 
also through the hose from heat exchanger to exhaust elbow.  Eventually 
I got water flowing through the system again by just running the engine 
hard for a few minutes.  I suspect it was a priming problem, but don't 
know why it overheated in the first place.  Any thoughts on what might 
have happened?

p.s.  I was very fortunate to have replaced the audible engine alarm 
just the day before this happened.  My old one has been failing slowly, 
and I switched from the 24v part to the 12v part as recommended by 
others on this list.  What a difference!  The new one will wake the dead.

-- 
Scott Thompson
Surprise, #653