Bumped a rock: advice required

[Norman_E]

Mask, snorkel and flippers:- go over the side and take a look for yourself. Alternatively, get somebody else to do it for you with the promise of a couple of pints.

As the boat has bilge keels I would just take the ground for a tide and have a look.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

I think that is salesman’s talk. Yes many Scandinavian built boats have designed and built in features to reduce the consequences of hitting a rock. But hitting solid rock at 6 knots does a lot more than just cosmetic damage - people get hurt, engines can move / break mountings etc. Even our Swedish surveyor had to lift his folkboat for repair after “kissing a rock” at less than 6 knots.
But I am sure the Malo will suffer less damage than most if hit a rock gently at 2-3 knots.

Yes dont rush towards sunken rising cills in dodgy harbours or overtopped weirs either. I have seen a few big bangs from imprudent speed in the upper bristol channel.

6kt gives 9 times as much collision energy as 2kt

 

[Stemar]

Boats should be designed to take a hit on the keel without damage, but some, especially the sportier ones aren't. I had a friend with a Dufour 385 - deepish keel with a big lump on the bottom. AFAIK, the only time he ran aground properly was missing one one of the buoys turning to leave Chichester Harbour, so sand, not rock, and not at great speed, but a pre-sale survey revealed something like £12K of damage to the structure. No, it wasn't a buyer's surveyor exaggerating.

 

[dunedin]

Boats should be designed to take a hit on the keel without damage, but some, especially the sportier ones aren't. I had a friend with a Dufour 385 - deepish keel with a big lump on the bottom. AFAIK, the only time he ran aground properly was missing one one of the buoys turning to leave Chichester Harbour, so sand, not rock, and not at great speed, but a pre-sale survey revealed something like £12K of damage to the structure. No, it wasn't a buyer's surveyor exaggerating.

No boat can take a full on hit on granite without some damage. Apart from anything else, unless boat has some crash absorbtion, the contents - ie people, engine mounts etc - would get seriously damaged. Hence shy many Scandinavian boats have crumple zones at front of keel.
Very different in East Coast mud.

 

[PhillM]

I would advise your insurers and as them what they want you to do.

 

[Bandit]

Advise your insurers ASAP that you have had an incident, time, place description etc. Do so in writing by email. tell them at this point you are not making a claim but this is notice of an incident.

Fully inspect keel bolts and all you can see inside boat for cracks, water ingress etc.

Insurer will normally cover hoist out for an inspection by a boatyard, possibly check tension on keel bolts?

A hoist is better than a slipway or drying as you can see while keel is hanging from the boat if there is any movement.

 

[goeasy123]

The Swedes reckon that if you don’t hit a rock at least once every couple of years you aren’t trying hard enough. Personally, I am happy enough to hit mud but not rocks. With a Sadler 29 I would be one of the ‘just keep an eye on it’ camp. If there is no sign around the keel bolts and the boat looks ok next time she’s hauled out I would sleep soundly, but I am just a boat owner, not an engineer. With an encapsulated keel it might be different.

If you hit an Ardglass rock in a Swedish boat you might be advised to visit the harbour master and say you're very sorry for any damage you might have done to the rock.

 

[Bristolfashion]

Thanks for all the advice - lifted today - no significant damage / flexing evident, just a chip out of the epoxy/ antifoul on the bottom of the keel

As with many, 40 year old bilge keelers, the bottom of the cast iron keels is far from smooth!

Touched up and good to go.

 

[capnsensible]

Thanks for all the advice - lifted today - no significant damage / flexing evident, just a chip out of the epoxy/ antifoul on the bottom of the keel

As with many, 40 year old bilge keelers, the bottom of the cast iron keels is far from smooth!

Touched up and good to go.

Excellent. For me that was 100% the right thing. There was 'probably' nothing to worry about. Now you know there is definitely nothing to worry about. Big difference.

I have done something similar in the past.