Sad Story, hope he had Travelers

richcatch22 · Post by **richcatch22** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 4:04 pm

What do you think? Denfinetly something to think about. My fishing friends seem to thing this was no accident........ FROM BOATDIESEL.COM : Section: General Diesel: General By: Tim Martin [email] Level 1 Member Topic: Boat burned and sank today. News at 11 Subject: Well guys, after 21 years of boat ownership with n Date: February 10, 2007 10:41 PM Viewed: 892 times Well guys, after 21 years of boat ownership with no real problems, today was my day. Left my dock at 4:20 AM to go wahoo fishing in a tournament. At 7:10 AM, noticed a little black smoke from the stbd engine. Knew something was immediately wrong, something more than a little engine problem. Brought it down to idle and crew came out of the cabin telling me smoke was coming through the floorboards. After a very brief, seconds long discussion, decided to open the hatch and investigate. There was still a flame in the engine room that we immediately put out with extinguishers. Cabin was filled with smoke but it was clearing. We noticed oil in the bilge and on the stbd engine. No idea which engine that oil came from. Due to the smoke, did not have very good vision. Have no idea what the cause of the problem was. Tried to shut down the engines(3208TA's) and could not. Closed the fuel shutoff and the port engine finally died. Stbd continued to run at very low rpm, not sure how long it continued because I cleared everyone out of the cabin. The port engine began trying to start itself and would not stop. I had no way of removing power, the battery switches are in the engine room and there was no way I was going to risk myself or anyone else going down there. When it began doing that, the smoke started increasing again and I felt we were at risk of re-ignition so we closed all hatches and I ordered the raft deployed and everyone abandon ship. 4 of the 6 crewmen were in the raft with myself and 1 other in the cockpit when it reignited. Flames were shooting out from under the gunnel. They were within 1-2 feet of burning us. We immediately exited the boat to the raft taking our ditch bag with us. Drifted away from the boat and watched LIT UP burn to the waterline and sink. 30 miles offshore, 66 degree water temp. From the start of the problem to the boat disappearing beneath the waves was 40 minutes. All crew safe, no injuries and back with our families tonight. My 35' Viking Convertible is gone. Before the boat leaves the dock on every trip, I conduct a safety tour pointing out the raft and how to deploy it, where the vests are and where the ditch bag(and what it contains) and the location of all fire extinguishers. I beleive that due to my diligence and preparation, all aboard are safe tonight. Certainly, the boats that arrived on the scene were a Godsend and the USCG sent a 47' lifeboat to get us. Point of note, I activated my Epirb at 7:20 AM. At 7:24 AM, they called my home and got no answer. At 7:30AM, they called my wifes cell phone and reached her. That was very good to hear although in the end, it was boaters on the scene who relayed all info to the Coast Guard. This post is intended only to show that preparation is important as is having the right gear and a crew who knew how to put the plan into action. I lost my boat today but I did not lose any friends. Capt Rich Catch 22 1989 33 FBC

Sean B · Post by **Sean B** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 6:50 pm

Ouch. Haven't been around for a while, and I log on to read that. Good to hear that the guy had his safety equipment in order. The story certainly has me thinking about mine (and some lack thereof- epirb YES, raft NO). I wonder if he didn't dump his coolant water in a big hurry. I have heard or read that it can happen with the 3208, such that the overheat sensor never goes off, because it doesn't work when there is no water directly on it. So if you loose your coolant before it gets hot, the sensor becomes useless. One time I was running with low coolant, due to a small and unknown leak, and the engine was just beginning to run on the hot side of normal. My gear oil temp alarm let me know about it before the temp gauge or the coolant temp alarm did anything. Truth is, how many of us are running around staring at our temp gauges constantly? I try to remember to scan them often, but I think we all rely on the alarms to some extent. Only reason I was warned early was because I've got freshwater cooled gears which I've since learned is rare, which have temp alarms on them from the factory which is also rare. Now I wonder how hot the engine would have gotten, had that gear oil temp alarm not have gone off. Scary. I also think Bertram put more alarms on the boats than some of the other manufacturers did, but Vikings are not known for being crappy boats either. quote:Originally posted by richcatch22 What do you think? Denfinetly something to think about. My fishing friends seem to thing this was no accident........ I'm curious as to why your buddies would think that? Besides an overheat, only other thing that comes to mind would be if someone pumped gasoline into the tank. That will melt down any diesel. He said he was running for a few hours before it happened so that seems unlikely though. Someting got that engine really HOT, probably never know what for sure. The thought about a turbo oil leak is certainly possible but the 3208's are not known for doing that, such as Detroits are. And what he described did not sound like a runaway diesel/turbo oil-fed engine, which would keep going into the upper RPM's and be uncontrolable. Sean Burlingham "Island Time" 1987 Bertram 33 SF Melbourne, FL SBurlingham@cfl.rr.com [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... d_Time.jpg[/img]

IRGuy · Post by **IRGuy** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 2:24 am

I may be repeating myself here I believe, because I might have mentioned most of this before, but with the subject of this string as important as it is, please indulge me... Several years ago I was at the helm of a 44' sailboat returning to MA from Bermuda.. Three and a half days into what was usually a 5 1/2 day trip. Moderate seas, 6-8 foot swells with some minor chop on top.. about 5:30 AM, wind was about 20 knots.. brisk sailing, common conditions for an ocean passage... certainly not severe conditions, and a very strong boat. Without boring you with more details we were dismasted. The mast, boom and both main and jib sails went overboard. Lost all antennas, but had emmergency radio capabilities we could rig if necessary. With a small diesel we had power, but not enough fuel to get to shore. After 4 of us cleared the deck of lines, trashed lifelines, wire rigging, broken mast and boom, sails, etc, etc. the owner set off our 406 EPIRB. Believe me.. they work! We were about 180 miles south of Nantucket..as far as we can tell, about 5 minutes after we set off the EPIRB the Coast Guard was on the phone talking to the owner's wife in Manchester, MA, asking her if she knew where the boat was (she had a good idea where, since we had talked with her the night before via SSB radio), and did she think we might be sending a false alarm (she assured them we weren't a bunch of flakes who would do that). They scrambled a Coast Guard C 130 rescue plane from Cape Cod.. two hours they were overhead and talking with us via one of our hand held VHF radios. IMHO a 406 EPIRB should be mandatory equipment aboard any vessel that goes out of VHF radio range off shore. We could have lost the boat, been in the water, been in the life raft, whetever.. luckily we weren't in that severe a situation.. but nevertheless.. having help in the middle of the ocean within three hours of having an accident was worth the tax money you and I all paid last year.. and more. When the plane went off to contact a USCG cutter about 80 miles away I announced to the other three crew I will never again complain about paying my taxes! An EPIRB should be an integral part of your ditch bag.. and possibly for extra safety you should have a second one that automatically releases if your boat goes down and you can't get the bag into your life raft (assuming you have that piece of necessary equipment as well!). A cheap investment if you ever have to use it.. great peace of mind if you don't! Frank B - IRGuy@aol.com "Phoenix" 1983 FBC Wilmington, NC

BECCA ROSE · Post by **BECCA ROSE** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 3:49 am

Very good points Frank, that's a hell of a story. I hope to get an EPIRB in the near future myself. Bill 1988 33 FBC Ipswich, Ma. > ~------- [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... a_Rose.jpg[/img]

BECCA ROSE · Post by **BECCA ROSE** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 3:55 am

There's pictures of the guys in the life raft getting rescued on boatdiesel, if you saw how small that raft was, and how many guys were in it, you might think twice about it being staged. Bill 1988 33 FBC Ipswich, Ma. > ~------- [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... a_Rose.jpg[/img]

Post by **dougl33** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 4:41 am

Bill, This is the guy that gave me all of the info when we looked at the 35 Viking in RI back in Dec. His name is Tim Martin. He was very helpful. I emailed him when I first heard about it on Sat. Not that I have ever met him face to face, but he loved his boat. Im my mind this was definately an accident. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

Post by **Admin** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:42 am

Maybe this is a crazy side point, but the possibility for diesels to do what his did is one reason why I feel good about having gas engines.

BECCA ROSE · Post by **BECCA ROSE** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 10:09 am

Doug, That's interesting, I remember his name, small world! Dave, As long as YOU feel good, that's all that matters![:D] Bill 1988 33 FBC Ipswich, Ma. > ~------- [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... a_Rose.jpg[/img]

Post by **Admin** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 12:42 pm

Bill, when you going to send me pics of the new boat?

BECCA ROSE · Post by **BECCA ROSE** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 4:56 pm

Soon, I don't really have any good ones yet. I do have a few, I'll check if any are worth sending. Bill 1988 33 FBC Ipswich, Ma. > ~------- [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... a_Rose.jpg[/img]

franklyprice · Post by **franklyprice** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:22 pm

Well, If the 35 Viking we looked at in RI is any indication of them and it was my boat, I'd be inclined to watch it burn also.[:D]

Post by **dougl33** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 6:42 pm

Ouch! Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

BECCA ROSE · Post by **BECCA ROSE** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 1:46 am

LMAO[:D] Bill 1988 33 FBC Ipswich, Ma. > ~------- [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... a_Rose.jpg[/img]

Rissa · Post by **Rissa** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 7:42 am

This is a sad story indeed. Just what a noob sea dog needs to read, and hopefully take away some sage advice. I can't help notice the boat name however. Since I am superstitious it says something to me.

Sean B · Post by **Sean B** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 3:45 pm

quote:Originally posted by Rissa I can't help notice the boat name however. Since I am superstitious it says something to me. Being supersticious will cause you to have bad luck

Sean Burlingham "Island Time" 1987 Bertram 33 SF Melbourne, FL SBurlingham@cfl.rr.com [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... d_Time.jpg[/img]