Off Topic Boat Sinks

GPS

GPS

Well-Known Member
R.O.C. (Radio Operator's Certificate)

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As mentioned in the interview, a marine radio likely saved the day.
 
I was onboard with Capt. Fred that day we responded to the call for help. There is no doubt that radio saved lives. And even then only 3 boats responded to a life or death situation. One smart ass actually told them they should call the Coast Guard instead of offering assistance. While he was technically correct, by that time, it would have taken to send out the CG would have been too great, and boats in the vicinity would have had to assist. (as we did)

A few things that would have helped these people sooner, maybe this info will help the next person in trouble.
1. the moment they realized they were taking on water, they should have made a Pan, Pan call on Channel 16. At least then the CG would have been made aware of a possible emergency unfolding.
Instead, (as I understood what they said), when they realized they were taking on water, they headed toward shore... which was smart, but the Pan Pan call should have been made at the same time.
2. When they realized the water was overwhelming the vessel, they should have upgraded that call to a Mayday. At this point, the general coordinates of the vessel, how many people on board and description would already be known due to the early Pan, Pan call.
3. The person on channel 68 asking for help was calm, but he was unable to give his exact position, and honestly it almost seemed like a hoax. Making a Pan Pan and Mayday call would have given the situation an urgency and credibility, I think we hesitated a moment trying to figure out if the call was for real or not... good thing we decided it didn't matter quickly as the stern of the boat went down just after the 4th person was transferred off the sinking vessel
4. A flare would have made it easier to find the sinking vessel... if they were unable to give coordinates with a flare, we would have found them faster. We found them pretty quickly, but we spent a few minutes trying to spot them...
5. I do not recall seeing anyone wearing life jackets. 4 people on a sinking boat and no one bothered to put on a life jacket...

Why did the boat sink? Well, in my experience, there is only one thing in a stern drive boat that would cause a boat to sink that fast. Without hitting something causing a hull failure/puncture.

BELLOW FAILURE!!!

I think this is one of the most underrated dangers of stern drive boats, it is why I always buy boats with outboards, if the bellows fail it's like having a hole the size of a basket ball at the heaviest point of the boat ... underwater!
It is imperative to have these inspected regularly if you own a stern drive boat.

At the end of the day, everyone was safe, because they were able to ask for assistance from nearby vessels via their VHF radio. Cell phones would not have worked this time...
I estimate from the initial call to the moment the boat sank, maybe 20 minutes passed… It feels like 5 minutes.
 
They got lucky for sure.

It sounds like they made a distress call on channel 68 instead of 16? Now I have harped on this before, it not good enough to just have a VHF radio on board, people need to take the course to know how to use it. Using 16 as distress channel, using the PAN PAN and knowing how to relay your location. And the clown responding telling them to contact CCG instead of assisting...he needs educating on the rule that all are OBLIGATED to physically assist and know about maritime law and radio use.

Lucky this wasn't worse.

I implore all to take the Canadian Power Squadron VHF radio course.
 
@Caseys Dream Yes, that is correct, they used channel 68 instead of 16. Which added to the confusion of whether this was a real call for help.

In addition, newer radios have DCS which would have saved them a lot of effort and coordinates would have been shared automatically.
 
rastam4n said:
@Caseys Dream Yes, that is correct, they used channel 68 instead of 16. Which added to the confusion of whether this was a real call for help.

In addition, newer radios have DCS which would have saved them a lot of effort and coordinates would have been shared automatically.
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Ok, going with the above.

68 instead of 16, poor radio practices, inability to identify their location, no visual signalling, none wearing life jackets, the last thing I would expect would be their radio with a properly programmed MMSI number so that DSC could work.

All in all, cudos to everyone who placed their own interests aside and rendered assistance . 🌻
 
Had the same bellows failure at the tip of Long Point (I’ve told the story before). In my case, the whole engine block shifted and opened up a hole in the boot. Here's what I did when I saw water up to the floorboards.
  • flicked on bilge
  • got out lifejackets and put them on (my buddy could not swim)
  • pointed the boat at the shallow water of Long Point
  • on Channel 16, made a PAN PAN call
  • relayed GPS position to Sarnia Coast Guard radio
  • when I could see the bilge pump was keeping up, starting heading in to port, parallel to shore, keeping Sarnia apprised of our location
  • rendezvoused with Long Point Search and Rescue somewhere around Bluff Bar and they followed us in to Booth's Harbour
  • got down on my hands and knees and kissed the ground when the boat was in the lift cradle in harbour
In hindsight, it would have been much cheaper to have let the damn thing sink in 100' plus, dog- paddled to the lighthouse and walked in along the beach.
 
@stomp
You checked all the boxes. Very well done and very well written... text book
 
Informative thread, thanks to all of the contributors. Really reinforced my distaste for stern drives.

stomp said:
In hindsight, it would have been much cheaper to have let the damn thing sink in 100' plus, dog- paddled to the lighthouse and walked in along the beach.
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Can you explain @stomp? Maybe instead of a soggy boat you'd have gotten a fat insurance cheque? Or is there some sort of charge for the pan pan call?
 
$5K in the mid 90s for a new transom at Heritage Marine @anonymoose . Not sure what the salvage liability/costs would’ve been if she went down. I assume insurance would have paid out.
 
I used to fish on a boat called the Gambler out of Oakville.

Few of us out for a day, following day it sank as far as the four mooring lines would allow.

Two days later the group was back out on it again fishing.

If I remember correctly, a muskrat or something similar chewed through the bellows while the boat was docked. 🌻
 
The person that made the comment about calling the Coast Guard and not offering to assist too bad no one knows who that was or had boat numbers as I would then report them to the Coast Guard as anyone that has taken the course knows they need to respond if they are close enough to assist and not responding etc can lead to a fine etc.
Karma is a bitch and if that guy needs assistance for any reason hope someone is willing to assist him and not say call the Coast Guard or 911.
 
It really annoy's the hell out of me the amount of so called fisherman that ignore someone in distress. I was in that position last year out of Port Glasgow and had at least a dozen boats go by me with my arms flailing over my head. They also ignored my calls on the VHF. I finally had to place a call to the Coast Guard in Sarnia. Eventually a nice fisherman named Rick came to my aid and towed in the Legend for me. After running Charters for years and years I can't remember the number of boaters I towed in. The law states that you are required to give assistance to someone in distress unless the action will endanger yourself or your vessel.
 

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Scrimmy, I am with you 110%. We are a family out there in my opinion and we need to help each other out. People who have a VHF on board should understand that not answering a call to assist can lead to fines or jail time as long as you can assist safely. Just remember everyone, you could be someone looking for assistance and how would you feel in multiple of boaters drive by without assisting.
I remember a few years back fishing out of OS during the derby and heard of a boat in distress around the point towards Meaford but I could not respond to assist due to the weather and the 4 foot waves coming in and the coast guard told me not to go and assist as I could be putting myself in further danger and a couple minutes later saw the OPP boat flying past me to offer assistance.
 
Problem really is that any sports store will sell a VHF to anyone. They now have it and use it to yak (which is fine on 68/71 etc) but have no idea what they are doing. Spring season calling for radio checks on 16...my god! Calling a buddy from Pottahawk to bring more beer on 16. Sarnia Coast gets real pissed off after a bit of this and they should. Wish they would triangulate signal and send the OPP.

Everyone with a VHF needs to take the course and understand the seriousness of using that radio. It isn't a CB for the water!!!!
 
scrimmy said:
It really annoy's the hell out of me the amount of so called fisherman that ignore someone in distress. I was in that position last year out of Port Glasgow and had at least a dozen boats go by me with my arms flailing over my head. They also ignored my calls on the VHF. I finally had to place a call to the Coast Guard in Sarnia. Eventually a nice fisherman named Rick came to my aid and towed in the Legend for me. After running Charters for years and years I can't remember the number of boaters I towed in. The law states that you are required to give assistance to someone in distress unless the action will endanger yourself or your vessel.
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@scrimmy and to whoever else is that,I just found out recently through a friend,that I don’t need flares on a boat under 19 feet in length. My boat is 18 feet 4 inches in length,and I have been buying flares for my boat since I bought it back in 2007, ( every 4 year’s), then they expire. I thought about selling these flares that I had bought last year in June,2022,but I decided to keep them,because I figured that flares should attract someones attention,( I/you hope at least anyways 🤞),while perhaps,( heaven forbid),in distress,maybe up to 15 miles or so offshore etc., or whatever else in case of emergency. I will likely still keep buying flares every 4 years,for just a piece of mind. In 3 years, I will just have to buy the cartridges,( it will be cheaper then ),for this model that I had bought last year. Be Safe to All,and See ya on the water! 🚤🎣🐟🐟👍🙂
 

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Caseys Dream said:
Problem really is that any sports store will sell a VHF to anyone. They now have it and use it to yak (which is fine on 68/71 etc) but have no idea what they are doing. Spring season calling for radio checks on 16...my god! Calling a buddy from Pottahawk to bring more beer on 16. Sarnia Coast gets real pissed off after a bit of this and they should. Wish they would triangulate signal and send the OPP.

Everyone with a VHF needs to take the course and understand the seriousness of using that radio. It isn't a CB for the water!!!!
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Caseys Dream I have no problem with stores selling VHF radios to anyone. It is better to have one out on the Great Lakes than not have one as it could save someones life. They should just learn how to use one properly. Actually the law states that you need to have a license to operate the radio and I know many do not. There excuse is they do not transmit on it they just listen to it. Although it is a legal requirement to have a license I have never heard of anybody being charged for not having a license.
 
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