Panacea 10-24

[BIG]

I'm not quite sure if this should be another forum because as Weavens posted not much was happening yesterday offshore, but sucker fish for all us suckers out on the water!

Took off work early to go 11 miles out with a couple of friends whom I never fished with offshore. I should have taken the first clue the day was going to be tough when they showed up an hour late at the pickup spot.

Met Weavens and jumped aboard to go to the "sweet - spot" to get some grouper. Upon gettting in the channel, the overheat alarm sang like a canary looking for a mate. Discovered that the water pump was sporadically working. Unveiled the motor and realized the fuel filter was detached. Fixed it an proceeded for the 30 minute jaunt to the spot.

Got to the spot. No immediatie action, but the suckers. Not even the first grunt. We repeatedly moved from spot to spot like a dog looking for the perfect spot to relieve itself. Nothing but sucker fish from 3 pm until 6:30 pm. Weather was perfect, seas were less than a ft. I could have taken my hassle free bass boat out there.

Attempted to head to one last spot before going in. Engine continued to turn off before it could be put in gear. After repeated attempts and subsequently draining the battery, a decision was made to turn on the radio and call for help.

Looking to the south we see our knight in shining armor and lit two flares indicating our desperation. They towed us back to Bayside Marina. After the two hour plus tow I just wanted to get off the boat and recroup from the trip from Hell. I kept thinking I should have been at the flats in St. Marks in my own operable boat.

Learned several huge lessons:
1. Don't go offshore with novices
2. You can't be too prepared on the water
3. Review protocol and procedures for soliciting help from other boaters
4. If the boat is not working properly from the beginning don't expect it to
fix itself. Go back and get the boat properly serviced and count your
blessings!

[EddieJoe]

Big:

Your list of lessons is a good one. Unfortunately it took a breakdown to work on it, but you got back safely, and that is what counts in the end.

I have been lucky or planned enough never to have broken down in my own boat, but I have twice in other boats. Neither time could have been foreseen, so only the fact that we had a good radio and battery power helped us. So, it can happen even if everything works well up to the final moment something big breaks.

I do now carry two of nearly everything: a fixed mount GPS and a handheld; a fixed mount VHF and a handheld; two anchors with spare rode; lots of flares; a signal mirror; a space blanket; an extra gallon of 2 cycle oil; a cell phone; and some tools.

I also have an EPIRB with an internal GPS. Flip that switch, and the guys will start warming up the chopper.

Also, leave a float plan with a trusted relative or friend, and take a Small Boat Handling Course with the USPS or USCG Aux.

Luck,

EJ

[BIG]

Thanks for the response. I concur. I have taken the USPS course. I need to strongly suggest my friends take it.

As I thought more about, I learned that a set of two-way radios would have been nice to communicate with the kind souls that towed us. Also, some basic boat engine mechanical knowledge is a must. Anybody know of any good books or resources?

[wevans]

MAAAAN, I hate that things went so bad for you guys! It was some pretty weather, just wish the fish would have bit, that would have saved the day just a little bit for ya Both Seloc and Clymer have some excelent books on outboard repair look forward ta wettin a line with ya some day

[EddieJoe]

Big:

On the radios, you can carry some of those FRS radios (I have a couple for the woods), but it probably isn't worth it for the situation. You can just use your fixed mount VHF radio or a handheld on low power setting - this works real well for close work.

Again, glad you made it back. I have been on a boat that was towed in twice, once from K-tower to Carrabelle, and it makes for a real, real, long day. After that, every time we came in from offshore someone had to say: "Well, we cheated death, again!".

EJ