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Dude that's crazy Glad that you made it back!!!

Glad everyone is OK. Like Wevans said.....Live to fish another day!

I live in Perry, and as I watched the flag snapping in the wind yesterday I watched the boats headed down to Keaton, only thankful that I wasn't one of 'em.

Dang CC, That is some close stuff. There is no bettter teacher the expirence. Hope you never expirence that type of trip again. I feel for the other boat that turned over and glad all got out safely.

Remember it's only fishing.

Did I mention I got an engine in my 1967 VW westy bus yesterday?

I guess that flats boat isn't self bailing? Just wondering.

Much rather shed water with a self bailing boat and 90-115 horses than a 12vDC bilge pump.

Atticus wrote:

I guess that flats boat isn't self bailing? Just wondering.

Much rather shed water with a self bailing boat and 90-115 horses than a 12vDC bilge pump.

I believe the issue would be, after taking one over the bow, that a self bailing hull would not be able to drain fast enough nor would you be able to get on plane or run fast enough to drain 25-30 gal of water (or more) before taking ANOTHER wave over the bow, side, or transom. If you've still got power to the bilge pump and for the sake of discussion you have a 500 GPH unit, it would take 3-5 minutes to evacuate that amount of water while hopefully NOT taking another wave. While the hull may have flotation and in no danger of sinking, if it's full of water, and more on the way, your still going to be in a dangerous situation, especially if your in the main channel entrance at the light house. If your boat capsizes (which seems to have happened to both of the unfortunate rigs this weekend), then your really in a mess with one option and that is just hang on till somebody gets to you. That place is always the roughest spot around. If its rough on the flats, you'd better be prepared for some real nasty stuff at the light house entrance. Glad ya made it in Casey

This is why when I redid the old pro, I made it a solid transom with the motor on the motor on a bracket.

SR summed it up nicely...good luck getting your flats boat up on plane in 4-5 ft waves so that the self-bailers could work.

The weather is why you could see me in my TRUCK on shore. Keep it dry Casey. Where you were at, I don't think you could have sank to the bottom and have the water go over the gunnels. We watched the water cover up the dirt right before you got there.

So is your boat self bailing or not? Im just wondering how your '17 foot flats boat' swamped out...

It's not self-bailing, the boat is a 17 ft. Triton aluminum flats boat. Water entering the boat over the bow combined with the bilge not being able to pump it out fast enough equals a boat that is "swamped". Maybe my terminology was wrong, the motor never went fully underwater, but the boat was riding in a 45 degree angle up with the stern at or below the water line and water in the bottom of the boat to the center console...

You'll know what to do next time Casey. Glad ya'll made it in.

Casey,
1. change out your bilge pump to a 1000-1250 gph model.(install 2)
2. when in that situation you have to keep your hand on the throttle and gun and release as necessary to keep your bow up.(ride the back side of the wave)if you start to break over it,back off,then gun it to ride the back side of the wave.
3.be ever mindful of the wave behind you.
4.refer to #2,KEEP YOUR HAND ON THE THROTTLE and USE IT TO CONTROL YOUR BOAT.

Jumptrout51 wrote:Casey,
1. change out your bilge pump to a 1000-1250 gph model.(install 2)

Thats good advice. I swapped my 500 for a 1200 gph