Almost lost our boat today.

[Cathy Monaghan]

Realization was launched by accident today. She was NOT ready to splash. I did not complete a launch form nor did I make a verbal request to have her launched. A very simple mistake in data entry nearly sent Realization to Davy Jones Locker.

All of her seacocks had been disassembled for maintenance and Bruce had only reinstalled 3 of them. The knotmeter wasn’t even installed. The bottom hadn’t been painted yet, nor had the prop. The house/starting batteries are not on board. Plus a few other tasks that need to be completed while she’s still on land. So she was launched with several open holes in her bottom.

Lucky for us, we received a call from the yard letting us know that she had been launched. We almost freaked out and demanded that she be hauled out immediately. They told us everything was okay as we explained she would surely sink. After she was launched, apparently she was brought directly to her slip at which time they realized she was taking on water. They worked feverishly to install the remaining seacocks (it’s a miracle that they found them) and the knotmeter. They did that while we were still driving down there. The water in the bilge nearly reached the floor boards but Bruce was able to pump it all out using the manual bilge pump. Anyway, we helped push her out of her slip (the steering wheel and the batteries haven’t been installed yet either) and they got her back over to the TraveLift and hauled her out. Phew....

[Frenchy]

Wow-whatever little confidence I had in boatyards is gone. How could they miss all those cues? It's just
amazing. Well, hopefully all your bad luck this season happened in one place and at one time. You've received
your allotment - the rest of the summer should be non-eventful. Regards, Jean

[Dean Abramson]

Lord, Cathy. Very sorry to hear that. Yikes.

Our boat also once came very close to sinking. And in our case too, because of the actions of people we were paying to take care of her. In our case, water was a few inches above the floorboards when I discovered the issue.

So I can totally feel your stress! It's awful, awful, awful. Not good for the heart and nervous system.

So glad it worked out okay. Thank heaven.

[Warren Kaplan]

GULP!!!! Any way you want to think of that word!!

Scary indeed!

[Dean Abramson]

I have learned this the hard way: Don't EVER assume someone else's competence. It's sad to be this cynical and suspicious, but the health of your boat could be at stake.

Whenever possible, ride herd on everything. Get second opinions. Do your research. Use your common sense. Try not to let "professionals" intimidate you. Be polite and diplomatic, but don't worry too much about whom you may offend.

Do not assume, as I have, way too often, that "they must know what they're doing." Three times during my time in sailing, seriously bad $#!t has been done to our boat by people in the marine industry.

IT'S YOUR BOAT, and no one will ever be remotely as careful and caring as you. No one.

(Unfortunately, even such an approach would not have prevented this off-the-wall Realization debacle.)

[DAVIDPERRY]

I always had confidence in the launching process at Robinhood Marine in which, while the vessel was still in the slings, the lead launching crewman went aboard and checked all through the bilges, lockers, etc., to be sure no water was entering. They also would not launch a boat unless all seacocks operated properly. If a seacock leaked after launching, out she would come. But all of us kept an eye on the waterlines anyway, because as Cathy knows, things still happen!
Dave Perry

[Sea Hunt Video]

Hello Cathy and Bruce:

Just some random thoughts.

1. Given your recitation of the condition of belowdecks it is almost beyond belief that anyone could consider launching her. A "data entry" mistake as the cause seems irrelevant. A pair of eyes and minimum brain power would seem more important.

2. I assume this is a marina you have used for several (perhaps many) years. They should be very familiar with your Cape Dory and you and Bruce. I assume you are present for every launch or are told IN ADVANCE of when launch day will be. Two missing owners is (should be) another "red flag" to the marina staff. especially the dock master.

3. As Mr. Perry said, how do you NOT inspect the cabin while still in the slings so that if there is a problem (seacocks, stuffing box, knot meter, etc.) it is noticed and the sailboat immediately hauled out

4. What happens to the employee(s) who engaged in this stupid exercise is up to the marina owner. However, given the emotional trauma that you and Bruce experienced, and your efforts at cleaning up after their stupidity, I would think the marina would want to extend some measure of compensation to you - a period of free dockage or free slip or other compensation for the trauma. Something to compensate for what they did. But for the fortuitous phone call to you and Bruce your baby would have sunk. But for hearing and answering the phone call from the marina your baby would have sunk.

5. It may seem harsh, but as Dean A. said and, as I assume, others concur, there are a lot of incompetent people out there. If this marina is not held responsible via compensation, it will have no incentive to improve its behavior which, appears to be, hire a guy who has his eyes closed and his brain on "OFF". In my old age I am getting more and more tired of unqualified people performing tasks far above their abilities and then when something inevitably goes wrong I end up paying the price, whether in money or otherwise.

6. I am in a very different situation than you but if I were in your boat shoes I would spend time looking for another marina and I would make sure the current marina owner (not dock master but owner ) knows what you are thinking of doing. I assume your reputation at the marina is the same as your reputation on this board. It is inconceivable to me that the marina would want to lose a loyal, honest, polite, neat, pay on time, long standing sailboat owner. But then, in this world we currently have, perhaps the owner(s) does not give a damn. If that is his/her attitude then your really do need to leave.

7. I have a curiosity question. How the 'HE double hockey sticks" did they install 3-4 seacocks with your Cape Dory in the water. I assume someone has to be in the water and under the hull to push in the thru hull and then someone has to be belowdecks screwing on the seacock to the thru hull and then somehow attaching the hose, clamps, etc. What about sealer, etc.

Like i said, just a curiosity question.

The bottom line is hopefully S/V Realization is none the worse for the marina's stupidity and you will have an exciting story to tell to friends and fellow sailors over Dark N' Stormies.

[Dean Abramson]

I assumed Cathy meant that the seacock barrels were not in the seacocks.

[Jim Walsh]

Extraordinary bad luck followed by extraordinary good luck. This incident is a conscientious owners worst nightmare.

[Cathy Monaghan]

I assumed Cathy meant that the seacock barrels were not in the seacocks.

Exactly.

Bruce was impressed with the fact that they were able to install them with water rushing in. Of course they were put in so tight, without any grease (they were in a hurry), that the handles could not be operated. But Bruce took them apart again so they can be cleaned, greased and reinstalled properly.

[Dean Abramson]

I had a frozen seacock which I serviced while the boat was in the water. I kind of had to.

It's not as big a deal as you might think, actually. If you cram a very tight fitting rag into the body, and also, if possible, have your (perhaps dubious) mate hold the palms of his/her hands over the openings, you can quickly grease the barrel and shove it back in. I doubt we took on more than a gallon of water, and it totally did the job.

But, do I recommend you do this? Uh, my lawyer would frown on that.

[Warren Kaplan]

Just following up on some of the observations others have made;

When I had SQN in Oyster Bay, I’d often see boats beings launch when I was in the yard. When the boat was in the slings BEFORE it was launched, a crew person would “examine” the underside of the boat. If all was okay on inspection another crew member would be on board, BELOW DECKS, as the boat was put into the water to check for any IMMEDIATE leaks. If none were seen, the boat then sat along side the launch dock STILL IN THE SLINGS for an additional 15 minutes or so, in case there was a slow leak. The crewman would look into the bilge, engine compartment and any lockers looking and listening for water. If still ok, they’d remove the slings and eventually get on with commissioning.

Great that they were that careful, as one year when they launched SQN they immediately discovered a faulty seacock in the engine compartment. They immediately hoisted SQN up and out of the water and put her back on jack stands until a new seacock was installed.

Being ultra careful can save much grief and expense for all involved.

[Joe Myerson]

OMG! At least the yard called you.

That reminds me of the first launch of my 25D, more than 20 years ago. The yard launched her on a Friday and left her tied to a slip, so I could check her out on Saturday morning. I proudly brought my father on board to show off the new boat. He looked into the cabin and said, "I don't think the cabin is supposed to be full of water."

A new hire at the yard had just finished servicing the head before the launch. It was Friday at five, so he left.
One small thing: He forgot to close the flush valve and seacock--and the head is below the waterline.

Well I got help from neighboring boaters, bailed the boat out and closed the seacock and flush valve.

The yard made good on the cleanup ... and they've served me well since. But..;.

Constant Vigilance--that motto applies as much to the yard as to the sea.

--Joe

[Dean Abramson]

Don't get me wrong.

I have had boat yards, etc., do hundreds of things well. I have had yards go out of the way to deal with a pressing situation. I have been the beneficiary of innovative solutions I would never have dreamt of myself. And the vast majority of personnel I have dealt with were solid, honest pros, and nice people. Right now I am dealing with a gentleman I would recommend to anyone, anytime. And will.

All I am really saying is that, nonetheless, really bad things can happen. The more the boat owner is personally involved and educated, the less chance there is for dire consequences.

[Sea Hunt Video]

Thanks to Cathy's posts and Dean A.'s posts I learned something new today. Not difficult to do; I know so very little.

I always assumed that to clean and service "seacocks" you had to remove both the "seacock" and the thru-hull. I am not sure why I always thought this but I did.

I have today learned (I think) that you can unscrew and remove the "seacock" from the thru-hull, clean the "seacock" and then separately clean the thru-hull while the thru-hull is still attached to the hull.

If the above is an accurate understanding it may make the job of servicing the "seacocks" on S/V Bali Ha'i an easier task.