Boat porthole blows out causing engine fire. God is on board "every step of the way" but USCG saves crew.

[Christian Williams]

Or something like that.

Terrible reporting, no editors these days.

Something happened, though. Later accounts no doubt will be more useful.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/11/21/dog-rescue-sailboat-florida/

 

[Loren Beach]

After reading it over, I am not sure what happened, at all. Any... later account is bound to be more useful...

 

[peaman]

From the article:

The couple had honed their skills over nine months of sailing, setting off from their home near Tampa for occasional trips. But after their ordeal over the weekend, Cook said they are done.

Nine months of experience?

Lots of senseless emergencies very recently: Sailboat beached in Florida near St. Augustine, Sailboat beached south of Oregon Inlet on Outer Banks, Sailboat abandoned after serious incident on way to Bahamas (as posted here).

I frequent the r/sailing and r/SailboatCruising subreddits on reddit.com where so many users with zero sailing background have decided that they must buy a boat to sail the seas for adventure, or to live aboard and sail at will, ideally with an excellent Internet connection. I worry about those people who watch the YouTube videos where every boat has skinny, happy female crew (not that there's anything wrong with that), and life is easy, except for the occasional excitement of a near-collision or a small fire onboard. But no injury, no foul, right?

While I hesitate to discourage anyone from taking up sailing, I just hope they do so with a sense of the hazards to match their enthusiasm. I guess this is a side effect of being able to get a measure of expertise in anything at all with just a bit of Googling.

 

[southofvictor]

I saw this yesterday too and was frustrated by the WP reporting. Couldn't even tell what sort of boat they were on. Reminded me of the cat that lost the seal on one or two of its escape hatches just recently. Wondered if was a cat too or a mono with a blown hatch and heavy seas. Still - seems like one should be able to stop water ingress through a blown hatch no?

 

[bigd14]

Good grief!

Porthole = thru-hull? Engine died from being submerged and smoke was from shorted wiring or electronics?

 

[N.A.]

I interpreted the issue as being one of those flush portholes along the topsides that one sees sometimes, and that the seas were rough enough that they (presumably) knocked it open and splashed up against it often enough to fill the boat. I came to this conclusion from the following in the article:
"Cook [nb: owner] said Peer [USCG Rescue Swimmer] helped them bail, even thinking to plug the gaping hole in the vessel with pillows, and things were improving because the seas had calmed."
A pillow is too big for a throughhull, but about right for an actual porthole. Further, the boat did not sink after the helicopter left, since they are apparently coordinating salvage for the vessel, which would suggest that whatever the rescue swimmer did in plugging the hole, plus possibly calmer seas, was enough, making me suspect the opening was above the waterline:

Coast Guard rescues 2 people, dog 90 miles off Florida's Gulf Coast

CLEARWATER, Fla. — A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew rescued two people and their dog, Saturday, about 90 miles off Hernando Beach after their sailboat became

www.news.uscg.mil

The thing I noticed most, though, was that these two people had been bailing nonstop for a long time, to the point one looked like they were having "a heart attack", and they would have eventually sunk if the USCG had not shown up... and they never thought to plug the hole with a pillow or something? While they were on the way to sinking!? How is that sequence even possible?

Which brings me to @peaman 's comment, which I heartily agree with -- these people had no training. I remember when I was _taught_ what to do if water was coming in, and it included, after finding the source, "plugging the hole" (along with notifying USCG of course). A sock was suggested as about right to jam in a broken throughhull, and I distinctly remember thinking that I might not have come up with that under pressure -- I could have sat there stupidly wishing I had a spare fitting or something. It sounds silly, but especially in stressful situations, having already been pointed in the right direction can help. Which brings me back to 'training.' Having encountered in real life people like Peaman describes, I am always surprised at how resistant otherwise intelligent and educated people can be to the suggestion that training is a good idea (and usually cheaper than learning the hard way).

In the spirit of learning something from this, though:
If the water is rising, and the electronics shorting (I also agree with Peaman there), what is the best policy? The battery switch (as the water gets high enough), I assume -- it's what I would have reached for -- but my boat would still be easily afloat with even the battery terminals themselves underwater... at only 12V, I would think submerging the batteries would not be an issue -- at worst, you heat water, of which you already have plenty aboard. Am I missing something one should know to do?

 

[Loren Beach]

Which brings me to @peaman 's comment, which I heartily agree with -- these people had no training. I remember when I was _taught_ what to do if water was coming in, and it included, after finding the source, "plugging the hole" (along with notifying USCG of course).

No personal experience (i.e. schooling) but a friend of mine went thru the whole "damage control" school when he was in the USCG, and they really trained in a controlled flooding compartment with all sorts of "available" materials to stop an ingress of water. This was in addition to the usual fire fighting training. They were up to their elbows in inrushing water...
Building a structure for training how to stop flooding is beyond most of our little group affiliations (like our yacht clubs,) but our club does arrange for interested members to attend a day of "fire extinguisher training" at the local airport fire dept. (PDX) I would advocate this refresher course - including hands-on putting out a live fire -- for all boaters.

 

[Mblace]

Having spent 30 years in the USCG, a good part of which was at sea or managing coastal SAR operations, I could see this in my mind's eye as something we dealt with many times. First all CG (and USN) members go through basic damage control training at whatever accession path they follow. At Cape May (where I was training staff as a young LT) every recruit spent a week learning about shipboard emergencies - including a full day in the DC trainer learning how to patch ruptured pipes, secure watertight fittings, and patch small to medium-sized holes in the hull. This included shoring, plugging and patching with everything from wood plugs to mattresses. It was intense, requiring specialized equipment and close supervision (you can imagine how working in a dark, smoky flooding compartment could go bad quickly). Then they spent a day at the fire school learning how to extinguish fires (a ship's worst enemy) ranging from smoking rags to a full compartment fire, including wearing emergency O2 equipment and fighting a very hot fuel fire with water and foam. Not something an average citizen would ever be able to experience.

I agree that knowing your boat and having basic repair equipment and knowledge is important, but other than larger commercial fishing boats I wouldn't expect a crew to be able to save a seriously damaged, sinking boat. In fact our doctrine prohibited Coast Guard members from entering closed compartments below decks on flooding, burning or unstable vessels (if you saw the movie "The Guardian" it was loosely based on a true story where we lost a crewman in that exact scenario), so I'd never advise a boat owner to attempt this unless the situation was fairly benign. Blown porthole, minimal flooding, no electrocution danger, moderate seas, OK. But anything worse not so much. It's much more important to make a distress call with a good position and situation report (establish 2-way comms...) and get your PFDs on and survival gear on deck THEN try to effect repairs. In the case reported on here I'd have to read the after-action case report to know what the damage was or what the source of flooding was, but I assume the rescue swimmer would have tried to stop the flooding if it was safely possible.

I saw vessels sink many times after hitting things (deadheads, partially submerged tanks, even partially submerged shipping containers), grounding, collisions, explosions, and busted fittings below the waterline - even a lost prop and shaft. In every case survival odds were improved when the crew followed the basic rules: Timely and clear emergency communication; accurate position reporting; preparing safety and survival gear and making yourself visible when search units arrive. My most basic advice - do everything you can to ensure the safety of yourself and your crew before you ever consider trying to save the boat. I dreaded the prospect of having to call a widow explaining that her husband died trying to save the boat, despite our crew finding unused survival equipment onboard - it happened more than once during my career.

 

[Christian Williams]

Unfortunately the story at hand is a joke--no idea what actually happened and the report doesn't make sense.

But sailboats sink for uncomplicated reasons. The predictable sources of water entry are the thruhull fittings and any other opening in a fiberglass hull, such as an anchor locker drain or a dripless shaft seal.

Owners must know and understand such openings, and be prepared and competent to locate and inspect them in the event of a mysteriously overflowing bilge. And do that before any distress call.

In the case of storm damage or collision or grounding, issues are more varied and can defy solution. Heroic measures are however often successful. and the literature is full of self-rescue against enormous odds. MIles and Beryl Smeeton did it twice, rolled en route Cape Horn. Every other voyager has saved his own skin at least once, often in parts of the world with no rescue, or before modern communication. They had no choice. Neither may any of us.

Calling for help is not a first resort, but a last resort. It doesn't do any good to tell the world you're sinking if you'll be sunk before anybody can get there.

In an emergency the immediate onus is on us, not the Coast Guard. Many boats are lost within sight of land because the first thing the crew did was get on the radio, and when rescued in life jackets had no idea what happened.

Better to be aware of what can happen and prepare for it. It is why bicyclists wear helmets, and sailors expect the unexpected.

 

[Alan Gomes]

Having spent 30 years in the USCG, a good part of which was at sea or managing coastal SAR operations, I could see this in my mind's eye as something we dealt with many times. First all CG (and USN) members go through basic damage control training at whatever accession path they follow. At Cape May (where I was training staff as a young LT) every recruit spent a week learning about shipboard emergencies - including a full day in the DC trainer learning how to patch ruptured pipes, secure watertight fittings, and patch small to medium-sized holes in the hull. This included shoring, plugging and patching with everything from wood plugs to mattresses. It was intense, requiring specialized equipment and close supervision (you can imagine how working in a dark, smoky flooding compartment could go bad quickly). Then they spent a day at the fire school learning how to extinguish fires (a ship's worst enemy) ranging from smoking rags to a full compartment fire, including wearing emergency O2 equipment and fighting a very hot fuel fire with water and foam. Not something an average citizen would ever be able to experience.

I agree that knowing your boat and having basic repair equipment and knowledge is important, but other than larger commercial fishing boats I wouldn't expect a crew to be able to save a seriously damaged, sinking boat. In fact our doctrine prohibited Coast Guard members from entering closed compartments below decks on flooding, burning or unstable vessels (if you saw the movie "The Guardian" it was loosely based on a true story where we lost a crewman in that exact scenario), so I'd never advise a boat owner to attempt this unless the situation was fairly benign. Blown porthole, minimal flooding, no electrocution danger, moderate seas, OK. But anything worse not so much. It's much more important to make a distress call with a good position and situation report (establish 2-way comms...) and get your PFDs on and survival gear on deck THEN try to effect repairs. In the case reported on here I'd have to read the after-action case report to know what the damage was or what the source of flooding was, but I assume the rescue swimmer would have tried to stop the flooding if it was safely possible.

I saw vessels sink many times after hitting things (deadheads, partially submerged tanks, even partially submerged shipping containers), grounding, collisions, explosions, and busted fittings below the waterline - even a lost prop and shaft. In every case survival odds were improved when the crew followed the basic rules: Timely and clear emergency communication; accurate position reporting; preparing safety and survival gear and making yourself visible when search units arrive. My most basic advice - do everything you can to ensure the safety of yourself and your crew before you ever consider trying to save the boat. I dreaded the prospect of having to call a widow explaining that her husband died trying to save the boat, despite our crew finding unused survival equipment onboard - it happened more than once during my career.

Thank you for this, Mark. While you're not one of the most prolific posters on this forum, all of your contributions have been well worth the serious contemplation they deserve. It would be great to get you back for one of those EYO Zoom sessions for an encore. That talk you gave back in January of 2002 was excellent, and I think there is a great deal more we could all learn from you.

 

[Mblace]

Unfortunately the story at hand is a joke--no idea what actually happened and the report doesn't make sense.

But sailboats sink for uncomplicated reasons. The predictable sources of water entry are the thruhull fittings and any other opening in a fiberglass hull, such as an anchor locker drain or a dripless shaft seal.

Owners must know and understand such openings, and be prepared and competent to locate and inspect them in the event of a mysteriously overflowing bilge. And do that before any distress call.

In the case of storm damage or collision or grounding, issues are more varied and can defy solution. Heroic measures are however often successful. and the literature is full of self-rescue against enormous odds. MIles and Beryl Smeeton did it twice, rolled en route Cape Horn. Every other voyager has saved his own skin at least once, often in parts of the world with no rescue, or before modern communication. They had no choice. Neither may any of us.

Calling for help is not a first resort, but a last resort. It doesn't do any good to tell the world you're sinking if you'll be sunk before anybody can get there.

In an emergency the immediate onus is on us, not the Coast Guard. Many boats are lost within sight of land because the first thing the crew did was get on the radio, and when rescued in life jackets had no idea what happened.

Better to be aware of what can happen and prepare for it. It is why bicyclists wear helmets, and sailors expect the unexpected.

I agree with most of what you said - an owner should know his/her boat and be prepared to take immediate action in the event of a problem, including fire, flooding or any number of other mishaps or emergencies, especially if out of comms range or far from rescue resources or if the problem can safely and easily be rectified. My point was that in the event of an emergency where you are thinking that it's a possibility that you could lose the boat, or if someone is injured, there's no shame in letting someone (like the Coast Guard) know early on that you're having a problem and may need assistance - even if you don't need rescue units dispatched ASAP they will establish a comms schedule, upgrade unit readiness in case they need to go, or divert a nearby cutter or aircraft to check on you and establish your position and/or offer help with repairs. Calling the Coast Guard is NOT the "last resort" - it is a prudent part of handling an emergency. By the time you're in a lifeboat/raft or treading water is not the time to finally realize you should have called for assistance before the poop hit the fan. Nobody at any of the units that worked for me (and any other USCG unit) would ever ridicule you for erring on the side of safety - I'd much rather send you on your way with a handshake and "problem resolved" case report rather than searching at night in a storm or calling your widow. We got a paycheck either way, and the gas we burned is already paid for. Boats can be replaced, people cannot.

 

[Christian Williams]

My point was that in the event of an emergency where you are thinking that it's a possibility that you could lose the boat, or if someone is injured, there's no shame in letting someone (like the Coast Guard) know early on that you're having a problem and may need assistance - even if you don't need rescue units dispatched ASAP

Yep, absolutely.

 

[Alan Gomes]

That talk you gave back in January of 2002 was excellent,

2022

 

[Bepi]

"We got a paycheck either way, and the gas we burned is already paid for. Boats can be replaced, people cannot." Does fear of a large bill from being rescued play a role in hesitancy to call in an emergency? The official policy is that the coast guard dies not charge for resucues, are there exceptions? Or fines that come after the free rescue? Certainly those who cant cast away treasure at need are lost, but an assurance you wont lose your shirt might help folks make the call quicker.

 

[Mblace]

During my career from 1979 to 2005 the Coast Guard never charged for rescue or assistance operations. As far as I know the same is true today. We did have Congress try to impose a "AAA" tow fee a couple times for non-emergency towing of disabled rec vessels. The compromise was the Coast Guard adopting a "non-emergent towing policy", which meant we treated out-of-gas, mechanical problems, etc. calls as lower priority than emergent SAR, which spawned the creation of subscription towing companies (like sea tow and Boat US). We saw this as a positive because rec boaters in congested areas got much better and more timely service and our workload went down. A topic for another day...

NO mariner in the US should ever fear being charged for Coast Guard assistance - nor should they be concerned that Coast Guard people will not make an effort to save a damaged or disabled boat if circumstances allow. I recall many cases where our crews made sure the crew of a boat being assisted were safe and went aboard with pumps then took it alongside or astern for a tow back to port. In collisions or other cases of negligent operation or serious injury (particularly operator intoxication) there may be an investigation and follow-up law enforcement or legal action, but safety and rescue is still the #1 priority.

A key part of our boating safety emphasis was having the Auxiliary teach boating safety courses (along with state and local agencies) and conduct courtesy inspections, encouraging marinas and boat dealers to offer packages of required CG approved safety gear, and of course a vigorous Coast Guard safety inspection/boarding program (along with state and local agencies). Our goal was to reduce deaths and injuries from boating-related activities to zero. A substantial part of my time as a Group Commander was spent on safety outreach. Bear in mind I'm speaking of the Coast Guard - only on navigable waters of the US. State and local agencies on sole state waters and with overlapping jurisdiction on coastal waters may have different policies. It's always a good idea to check if state laws and regs differ - they generally adopt federal standards (by law cannot relax federal standards) but may be more restrictive. Insurance companies may also have certain training or equipment requirements.