Boat sunk

[bugman]

Haven't got a lot of time so here's the short of it.

Fishing/diving trip out in Moreton Bay on Saturday with a planned overnighter and back in before it got nasty on Sunday.

Dived and fished Saturday. Came in behind the wrecks at Tangalooma Sat night so we could sleep in the tent.

Woke up Sunday and found my boat under the water (totally).

Everything's buggered and a lot of stuff has been lost - floating off in the night.

Got her out of the water Sunday lunch thanks to a heap of help. Redcliffe coastguard towed her back through 2 metre swell late Sunday.

Not sure of reason but got a few possibilities. Have insurance. Mechanics first impressions were that it may be a write-off.

Talk again tomorrow.

Bugman

[Fisherman02]

geeeez mate
its a wonder why u didn't float off ay!
Well mate shit happens ay, and this time its really hit the fan :'(
cheers jack

[Lucky_Phill]

:o :o :o

[webby]

:-X Wasnt it you that put that Post up "How Smart are these Animals" #:'(


Sorry to hear mate :(
regards

[jaybee]

sorry to hear brett, but how? one thing about insurance it can help with a smile, but somehow its not the same anymore :'(
regards.

[SteveCan]

Bugger Bugman, - every boaties worst nightmare. I hope you get safely back on the water soon.

All the best
Steve

[Kerry]

Not good when that happens #:'( interesting to know the reason why and why it didn't stay afloat, even partially.

Cheers, Kerry.

[craigie]

Terrible stuff Brett :'(
Glad you had Insurance though, hope they look after you well.
Make sure you claim for my custom made Roller Runner Game Rods and Tiagra reels that were stowed in your boat ;) ;D ;D

Sounds like the Coastguard did a great job getting the thing home for you.

Looks like you have the best topic for show & tell, when we all sit around the camp fire this weekend.

Did you catch any fish :-X

Cheers mate,

Craig.

[Lucky_Phill]

I have got the guff on what happened, but as Craigie says, this'll make a great story this weekend.

Stay tuned here for those folks that won't get to hear the tale of woe this weekend.................... :( :'(

[Big_Kev]

Damn I miss out on all the fun!!!

[sunrise]

BUGGER!! ..

[bugman]

Here's a bit more info.

Anchored up about 8:30pm as things started to get a bit lumpy. Dropped Nathan on the shore and went out about 10 metres to the deeper water and dropped the anchor. Jumped over and swam to sure.

Boat was about 10-15 metres from shore with the raging incoming current pushing her exactly 90 degrees to the shore and the waves. Watched her for a while then went and set up camp and slept like a baby.

Came out about 7:30am in the morning and the first thing I saw was a pile of our gear sitting on the beach. Next thing I see is the windscreen and top quarter of the boat out of the water. She was sitting on the bottom about 3 metres from shore with her arse pointing on an angle back out into the water. Anchor was still down and roughly in the same place but a bit hard to tell.

Jumped in and started rescuing stuff stuck up the front cabin and swimming around gathering other bits and pieces. Other campers had collected stuff on their early morning walks. Everything that wasn't screwed down had basically up and floated.

Tide came in further and she went down more before seeming to come closer to the edge with the breaking waves. Tied started to go out after about 10:00am. Couple of guys in a 4wd pulled up and reckon they could get her out. Snatchnstrap between the vehicles and another on the boat. Drag her up a couple of metres, enough for Nathan and I to start bailing water and digging out the 1.5 foot of sand on the bottom.

Dragged us another metre before she would go no further. Within another hour or two she was high and dry and we pulled the bungs and emptied the water as well as dug out most of the sand. Coastguard dragged us back into the water about 2:00pm with a rough and entertaining ride home watching her surf out the back of the Noosacat behind 150 metres of rope.

Initial quotes on boat/motor/electrics repair-replace are over $11,000. She's only insured for $10,000. Still got the rods and reels and tackle and diving gear to claim as well. Mind you didn't lose all of it but a bit.

REASONS:

Firstly who knows but he's my theories.

1) As the chop and wind picked up a couple of bigger waves have slapped on her side as a result of being 90 degree to the waves. She had a fair bit of gear in her so a bit of water would take her down a fair bit allowing other waves to come and she wouldn't take long to go down.

2) Ultra low .3 metre tide may have allowed her to swing around and get her arse stuck on the sand and then filled with water as tide came in.

3) Anchor moved just enough to allow number 2 to happen.

Other than that - the weight of all those big fish in her was just too much for her ;D. Well you've got to laugh now.

She's gone now - one way or the other. Either they write her off or they fix her and I sell her. she won't be much good now. Floor has sprung so who knows what damage has happened underneath. she could have been under for 10 hours for all I know.

I'll keep you informed and see some of you this weekend.

Brett

[Barrymundi]

Mate, Sorry to hear about your boat and gear.

An insurance I had on a boat, cannot remember the company, would not insure the boat on the water unless you were actually in the boat at the time of the incident. Therefore would not insure a boat at anchor and I was camping on the beach

How is your insurer with this one ?

[Lachie1]

Geewhizz mate that'd be hard to see ya pride and joy under like that :'( :'( >:(. Hope all the insurance works out for you and you can get back out there soon.

Cheers, Lachie

[Navi]

BugMan... been there done that , it was 4 years ago Around christmas time At the same Spot I was behind the Wreaks and camping 2nd spot in, put pick down swam in watched it for 15-20 mins then went had dinner came back 2 hours later shone torch on it sitting pretty, Checked it about 11pm just before bed no prob's,

5 am the ranger came to my tent Woke me up and had News that my boat was on the bottom, they gave me a rope to attach so I swam out the few meters, I put a rope on the ski hook and dragged her ass first out , bent the ski hook nearly straight, and the battery was floating with the paddles and the life jackets, lucky rods were all there just dam wet, was like that I got a can of wd40 and undid the sparkies and gave a shot of wd40 and the electrics too new can of fuel and she started, was a bit ruff but she cleared up after 5 mins or so, to this day I have not been back in my boat, and I don't intend too....


Good luck with your Claim and I hope you get every thing back in working order....

Cheers Navi.... http://www.ausfish.com.au/chat/images/smilies/cwm4.gif :D

[yockman]

:o :o :o
That's a shocker, Bugman - good luck with the insurance, how about letting us know the name of the company if they treat you exceptionally well/poorly?
A good tip i got from the water police here is that if you're anchoring overnight, then tie off through the u-bolt where your winch cable goes - just means that if things turn nasty and the boats straining on the anchor line, it's less likely to have its nose pulled under.
Cheers and good luck
Yockman

[Luke]

Hi Bugman,
Bad luck mate-I too know that sinking feeling. Lost mine up in Hinchinbrook channel towing behind a houseboat. The v-nose towed fine but the punt was snaking through a bit of a squall. Still not sure what happened exactly but heard the tow rope snap and looked around to see her on her lid.(Maybe inexperience-too short or too long a tow-don't know) Swung around and just grabbed hold of the rope to tie it off to the houseboat in time(no flotation). Ended up getting two ropes tied off and gear floating off everywhere. Not a nice feeling in your gut hey. Got worse though. One of the girls started to drive the houseboat off the anchor to recover her and went to far forward on the anchor-instead of drifting back she put it in reverse and we picked up one of the tow ropes with the left inboard. Really didn't want to go swimming there but had to get under and cut it off (spooky). Alls well that ends well and nobody got hurt. Insurance came to the partyand looked after us really well. Stephen T took the boat and put a new 30 on it. Reckons it flys now. Hope they look after you.
Cheers Luke

[stevedemon]

Hi Brett
not being heartless here ;D ;D ;D but I like the sand bar you brought back with you now my question is where's the boat ??? ??? ???
Seen it at the Mechanic's today what a mess :'( :'( :'( :'(
hope it's repaired soon so you are back on the water fishing with the rest of us if and when the weather lets us out ;D ;D ;D ;D
but one thing to be grateful for that you guy's are alright

Cheers ;D ;D
Steve :P :P

[Jeremy]

Hi Brett,

sorry to hear about your misfortune. Having just been through a similar experience myself, I know what your are going through.

My advice is to get all quotes and promises in writing.

Suncorp looked after me quite well with my boat insurance. I hope all works out well with yours.

Jeremy

[rick k]

hey Bugman,

Sad to hear your dream machine (obviously well loved) and all the gear came to grief.

Will make me think more carefully next time I anchor my much less seaworthy pointy punt facing across a few k's of freshwater in a dam.

I hope the financial side all works out ok for you, and the other pain fades. At least it happened 'in action' as it were.

A couple of years ago we were heading to the Pine. In the early morning gloom, we first saw a tinny. Sitting in the left hand lane of the Bruce Hwy, Nth bound. Then the boat trailer and tow vehicle. With a car on the boat trailer.

Rick