V20 Coastguard Rescue

Ok, summary...

- Career maritime guy always wants a boat big enough to go offshore to oil platforms in Mississippi.
- Buys and restores a V20
- First trip out he goes offshore with his family of 4
- Boat has a leak
- Coastguard rescues
 
Wow, sounds like he did everything right. Wonder what let the water in? Article states only one hole in hull, so an older with saddle tanks maybe. 20 in transom was still common then, but who knows. They were on the hull upside down, so looks like they would have seen any holes or cracks.

Thanks for the post, rr
 
When I get the time, I’m going through my V to be sure it’s ready before putting into the Pacific off Oregon. This article seriously adjusted the level of preparation I’m going to be making AND I won’t be going off shore very far - mostly crab, rock fish and salmon close in and only in very good weather.

I’ll definitely have a VHF programmed to send lat/lon and my backup handheld radio.

Thanks for posting this - a great lesson. Spending a few bucks on good safety gear is CHEAP.
 
Only thing I don’t like is his maiden voyage being an overnight trip offshore with kids. Not sure what went wrong but I’ve never took any of my kids on a maiden voyage. Usually I’ll grab a buddy and put the boat through the ringer first. Wonder what size twins she had.
 
Over on the hull truth, there is a member who talked to the crew who was in on the rescue, he said it had twin 70 s.
 
3 Squids said:
Only thing I don’t like is his maiden voyage being an overnight trip offshore with kids. Not sure what went wrong but I’ve never took any of my kids on a maiden voyage. Usually I’ll grab a buddy and put the boat through the ringer first. Wonder what size twins she had.
Click to expand...

No kidding. I don't even take my dogs on a first trip back in the water.
 
Thank goodness the family was saved by our USCG. Gives me reason to revisit the ditch bag and make sure that I have the necessary gear. Might to time to investigate a PLB or EPIRB (again).
 
I'm sure we'll never know what caused her to sink. If it was just the drain plug then running the boat should have caused the water to be sucked out the drain hole. Add the bilge pump and she should have stayed dry. So whatever it was, I don't think it was the drain plug hole. :head: (I'm betting it was a thru hull fitting that he missed, but that's just a guess)

Makes a STRONG case for having at least one EPIRB on board. Flares, radio etc are all useless if no one's around to see or hear it.

Whenever I take my boat out at the start of the season I always go upstream in a river by my house for a sea trial. (That way even if the engine quits I can drift back to the dock). Once I know everything is working as it should and she's watertight then it's time for passengers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top