Careening Gone Wrong!

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pratkins

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Devonport, Tasmania, Australia
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The worst senario has happened! Last week I put my 31' masthead sloop on the hard to scrub the underside. The first side went fine. The next day I did the other side, but the stop-cock for the sink was not closed. The next morning, wanting to complete the job I was confronted with a boat filling up with water on a rising tide. The Yanma 2QM20 went under as did batteries etc. I have drained the sump, taken off the starter motor and alternator. Does anyone have some words of wisdom on such a predicament?
 
Firstly don't panic i'd say.

All mechanical / electrical components will need flushing with fresh water. (obviously not guages etc, just electrical connections etc which will need re-lubricating)

Starter motor will probably want taking out and cleaning up.

Engine will need flushing the oil through and then refilling and personally with the engine, i'd take the injectors out and spray a little WD40 or similar into the bores and turn the engine over. This 'll drive any remaining water out, then another flush through of oil before starting her up.

Personally i'd do all this sooner rather than later so any salty water doesn't take too much of a hold on things.

Just my 50p worth.

edit - sorry I just realised you've already taken the starter off so ignore that bit.
 
pratkins said:
The worst senario has happened! Last week I put my 31' masthead sloop on the hard to scrub the underside. The first side went fine. The next day I did the other side, but the stop-cock for the sink was not closed. The next morning, wanting to complete the job I was confronted with a boat filling up with water on a rising tide. The Yanma 2QM20 went under as did batteries etc. I have drained the sump, taken off the starter motor and alternator. Does anyone have some words of wisdom on such a predicament?
Click to expand...

Just wondering why the boat filled with water.
 
pratkins said:
The worst senario has happened! Last week I put my 31' masthead sloop on the hard to scrub the underside. The first side went fine. The next day I did the other side, but the stop-cock for the sink was not closed. The next morning, wanting to complete the job I was confronted with a boat filling up with water on a rising tide. The Yanma 2QM20 went under as did batteries etc. I have drained the sump, taken off the starter motor and alternator. Does anyone have some words of wisdom on such a predicament?
Click to expand...

As far as electrics and electronics goes, you can't do wrong by getting as much fresh water on them as possible - hose pipe, pressure washer, whatever. Anything that's going to be knackered by wet has been knackered by wet, so you're on to saving from salt those things which can be knackered by salt.

I'd get lots of WD40 or Duck Oil into the engine - it absorbs water - and then flush it out with lots of oil or diesel. Once it's running again, a couple of oil changes in quick succession would be a good idea.

Deepest sympathies of course, but though it's bound to be embarassing and is going to cost you a bit in time and money (did the upholstery escape?) there is no particular reason to fear long term ill effects. Good luck.
 
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Joey Dunlop an Irish Motorcycle Grand Prix World Champion won the Isle of Man TT after recovering his motorbike from the hold of a fishing boat which sunk just out of port on the way to the IOM.

He dismantled the whole bike and washed everything in fresh water and rebuilt.

So it can be done. I would be inclined to do some serious dismantling of the engine to prevent corrosion problems.

Best of luck.
 
BlowingOldBoots said:
Joey Dunlop an Irish Motorcycle Grand Prix World Champion won the Isle of Man TT after recovering his motorbike from the hold of a fishing boat which sunk just out of port on the way to the IOM.

He dismantled the whole bike and washed everything in fresh water and rebuilt.

So it can be done.
Click to expand...

Seagull outboards work better if you use them as an anchor from time to time.
 
More specific info. as to, Why?

Many thanks for these helpful replies and the sense that others care! I am tempted to think, why me? It is now a good case of, "Do as I say, don't do as I do".I will definitely follow the advice good given poste haste. There are some interesting facts that I will state as a sort of post mortem.
After cleaning the starboard side of the hull, when low water was at a height of 0.4m, I left the yacht overnight, with an expected high water level at 2100hrs of 0.91m. The next low water level was after midnight (0.82m). My guess is that it began to take in water when the level outside equalled the height of the sink drain inside, taking into account that the boat would rise as it floated upwards, changing this factor constantly. Just when that was, I am not sure.I went to check at 0630hrs, an hours before high water, with the expected high water maximum,being up at 1.32m: this was my first view of what had happened.
There is no question that it enterd through the drainage pipe attached to the sink. On reflection, I have noticed that when sailing with a 45 degree heel,some water came into the sink.
When the engine sump was drained 2 litres of water came out before the oil. On the electrical side,the positive leads on alternator, s/motor and battery had welded themselves off, no doubt, the water being the conductor that shorted them out.At present I am busy dismantling electrics,dealing with the engine and trying to bring order out of chaos. The matresses were found floating and everything else, bedding clothing etc. saturated.
More later.
 
sailorman said:
in that case is isnt Careening is it
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Well, apparently not. But out of the three likely meanings, I went for the third:

1. A place to play water polo at high tide.

2. A sloping surface to absorb wave energy in the harbour.

3. A place to dry your boat out.

I just don't look everything up in a dictionary. You'll be telling me next that a harbour isn't a place to pee in after an evening in the pub.
 
guernseyman said:
Well, apparently not. But out of the three likely meanings, I went for the third:

1. A place to play water polo at high tide.

2. A sloping surface to absorb wave energy in the harbour.

3. A place to dry your boat out.

I just don't look everything up in a dictionary. You'll be telling me next that a harbour isn't a place to pee in after an evening in the pub.
Click to expand...


I always thought it was Laying a boat on it's side as the tide went out.
That would make sense with the OP.
I don't usually use a dictionary but I know the difference between a verb and a noun:rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
Insurance???

You certainly have my sympathy. What happened could happen to anyone.

Have you spoken to your insurance company? Agreed it was your fault but so could be running aground and suffering damage. I am not an expert in insurance matters but reading my policy it seems I could be covered. Loss caused by negligence of any person is specifically excluded unless the craft is sunk, which is effectively what happened to you.

Policies do differ but it might be worth reading all the small print in yours in great detail.
 
I think this chap may have had a similar problem ............

ff_seacowboys_p2.jpg
 
Heres a nice example of careening.
Trawler hauld over by block and tackle, in this case a winch and a tractor.
The Trawler is still afloat.
I have seen pics of big square riggers careened like this, untill their keels are out of the water!!
That must take some doing, but 'handy' if there is little tidal range.

Bad luck on the 'dampness'. 'Keep calm and carry on'.
 
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