Pan-pan 2 weeks in to the season...

jcwads

jcwads

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Well, 2 weeks into the season and 9 months into owning my first boat, I didn't expect to be calling a pan-pan this soon..

Heading towards Yarmouth and about half a mile off the entrance to the harbour I hear a loud clunk and the engine fails. Can't get her restarted and drifting with a speedy tide, so I took the decision to pan-pan given that we were not a huge distance from the shore and better to be safe than sorry!

Solent Coastguard were great, and we got a tow from a mobo that was just coming out the harbour - owe the skipper a few beers. Rested on a mooring buoy and awaited sea start (thank god I took out membership a few weeks ago).

The diagnosis is it appears that I must have hit something. Scary given I was not in any shallow water. The engineer got the gears back to neutral as it was stuck in gear. The engine fired back up but there is no drive at all, forward or reverse. Without a working boat we ended up getting a tow all the way back to Hamble. Gutted as we had a nice overnight stay planned in Yarmouth.

Likely reality is she needs to come out the water for the outdrive to be looked at and repaired. Have Volvo Paul taking a look to confirm in the week, but I think it's a given that she has to come out.

So disappointing, and an expense I really could do without.

I blame it on the fact we renamed the boat and didn't do the necessary ceremony!! Think I will be doing it when she is back running again and pleading for Neptunes forgiveness!!

I can say I've had some good experience, just didn't expect to have such rotten luck.
 
nowt wrong with asking for help smartly before you are on the beach - well done -nearly always others are only to happy to help. Who amongst us hasn`t smashed up the odd prop?
 
jcwads said:
Can't get her restarted and drifting with a speedy tide, so I took the decision to pan-pan given that we were not a huge distance from the shore and better to be safe than sorry!
Click to expand...

Not a criticism at all, as I actually had a very similar experience off Yarmouth with my first boat and did pretty much the same as you. But if you find yourself without propulsion it's always worth remembering that you have an anchor with which to stabilise the situation. Nowadays that would be among the first options I'd consider.

It's not just for lunch stops :)

Pete
 
+1 for the anchor subject to depth. Your anchor chain is guaranteed to be longer than your draft :)

When issuing a Pan Pan you are essentially asking for help from other people on the water though in the Solent we tend to assume it's the coastguard. By issuing the Pan Pan you let people know there's a problem. You don't need to be on fire, sinking or worse. You did the right thing and the situation was nipped in the bud.

The naming is a different story and one we my be able to help with. I have it on good authority that if you buy a round for everyone here you will have seasons of enjoyment and good luck. Hey, I don't make the rules :)

Henry :)
 
jcwads said:
Well, 2 weeks into the season and 9 months into owning my first boat, I didn't expect to be calling a pan-pan this soon..

Heading towards Yarmouth and about half a mile off the entrance to the harbour I hear a loud clunk and the engine fails. Can't get her restarted and drifting with a speedy tide, so I took the decision to pan-pan given that we were not a huge distance from the shore and better to be safe than sorry!

Solent Coastguard were great, and we got a tow from a mobo that was just coming out the harbour - owe the skipper a few beers. Rested on a mooring buoy and awaited sea start (thank god I took out membership a few weeks ago).

The diagnosis is it appears that I must have hit something. Scary given I was not in any shallow water. The engineer got the gears back to neutral as it was stuck in gear. The engine fired back up but there is no drive at all, forward or reverse. Without a working boat we ended up getting a tow all the way back to Hamble. Gutted as we had a nice overnight stay planned in Yarmouth.

Likely reality is she needs to come out the water for the outdrive to be looked at and repaired. Have Volvo Paul taking a look to confirm in the week, but I think it's a given that she has to come out.

So disappointing, and an expense I really could do without.

I blame it on the fact we renamed the boat and didn't do the necessary ceremony!! Think I will be doing it when she is back running again and pleading for Neptunes forgiveness!!

I can say I've had some good experience, just didn't expect to have such rotten luck.
Click to expand...

Nasty - did you actually call a pan pan using the correct protocol or call the solent coastguard and described what had happened longhand?
Either way a successful outcome and +1 again for the passing mobo and Seastart
 
RIN said:
Nasty - did you actually call a pan pan using the correct protocol or call the solent coastguard and described what had happened longhand?
Either way a successful outcome and +1 again for the passing mobo and Seastart
Click to expand...

Thanks for your comments all.

This was a good learning experience for me. I called the pan pan using the correct protocol but didn't do two things

1 - In my adrenaline rush I didn't think to deploy the anchor. That should have been an immediate action. I will defo remember that for the future...

2 - I didn't broadcast a DSC urgency alert which should have been done before I called on the VHF.

Either way, we are safe and I guess that is what matters most!

On another note my outdrive is completely f***** and is a write off! Whatever I hit has completely mangled the gears, so I am faced with a huge estimate for a new drive.. The insurance surveyor is finishing up his work and I will find out next week if I am covered. I sincerely hope so or it's a season of no boat for me and possibly even end of boating for now!
 
You should be covered for underwater impact, I had a claim with GJW no problems when I hit of all things a bloody washing machine! (under boston town bridge)
My first sea trip resulted in a pan-pan on the way back and I too forgot to put the anchor out in my panic as newbies do so nothing to be ashamed of, I didn't have DSC at the time so couldn't miss that bit, I found out one steering arm had snapped when the other engine stopped from fuel contamination and the domestic started about which way we were going, could have gone around in circles all night if I wanted but no-where useful.
As it was skegness lifeboat were out on exercises and hadn't had a proper shout for 6 months so were happy to come and tow us into kings lynn, I ended up giving the cox £50 with strict instruction it was for crew beer after the shift and made a £100 donation online when we got home, worth every penny I recon.
Good luck with the insurance, with GJW I had mine back in the water and cheque on it's way within 3 weeks, as it was only about £2.5k they didn't bother with surveyor just relied on the report and photos.
 
jcwads said:
On another note my outdrive is completely f***** and is a write off! Whatever I hit has completely mangled the gears, so I am faced with a huge estimate for a new drive.. The insurance surveyor is finishing up his work and I will find out next week if I am covered. I sincerely hope so or it's a season of no boat for me and possibly even end of boating for now!
Click to expand...

I don't see why you wouldn't be covered by insurance: a newish DP-H drive wouldn't just break up like that on it's own: the gears inside are very chunky: the same drive is used on 400hp engines. But yes, the replacement costs are quite scary. £10k+ for a new drive.

.
 
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If you have to have an expensive repair to your Outdrive Leg would it be worth considering getting a Reconditioned Unit. I only put this as a couple of years ago I was looking at a boat for sale in Plymouth and the outdrive leg needed repair, when I asked the Volvo agent about getting it repaired they were so busy they could not touch it for a month (to strip and repair) but could find the time to do a leg swap. Just a thought
 
I did this last year hitting a shifted channel that had yet to be adjusted (buoys that is) early in the season. Not only were the drives hammered but the props too. Insurance paid out no qualms, however it was for recon units. They were a little picky with the idea of brand new units. Fair play, the units weren't new when I hammered them. Now as for recon units... there is another story. Be very wary and from whom you get them from. Do a forum background search on any feedback before you just buy whats currently available on the net. Wish I had.
 
BruceK said:
I did this last year hitting a shifted channel that had yet to be adjusted (buoys that is) early in the season. Not only were the drives hammered but the props too. Insurance paid out no qualms, however it was for recon units. They were a little picky with the idea of brand new units. Fair play, the units weren't new when I hammered them. Now as for recon units... there is another story. Be very wary and from whom you get them from. Do a forum background search on any feedback before you just buy whats currently available on the net. Wish I had.
Click to expand...

You mean don't get taken for a ride by a firm based on the coast:)
 
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