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I Let the Kids Talk Me Into Gunkholing

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sethp001
Mainsheet C-25 Tech Editor

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814 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/05/2012 : 19:54:50

So, here's the story. There's a very small island in our lake that my kids always want to gunkhole on. A few weekends ago (and after hearing all my friends expound upon how great it must be to have a retractable keel for gunkholing since I bought the boat), I decided to try it for the kids. This was my first time trying out the ground tackle and deliberately approaching shallows not near a dock.

I doused our sails, cranked up the keel, and eased us toward what appeared to be a sandy side of the island. As our momentum slowed and we approached 4' of water, I hopped off the bow into the water, stopped the boat completely, and manually set the anchor and tied the rode off on a bow cleat. I helped the kids and wife and dog off the boat to shallower water where they could stand and make it to the shore. Meanwhile, waves from passing motor boats pushed the boat forward into shallower water.

Minutes later when I was climbing up the ladder to board the boat and get her back into deeper water, I noticed that the bottom of the rudder was wedged between two large rocks resting on the bottom. From the water, I attempted to pull the boat back off the rocks and free the rudder, but to no avail. I had the sense that the keel was also wedged between some rocks due to lack of any motion whatsoever (but I'm not sure).

I got back into the boat, fired up the motor, put it in reverse and eased up on the throttle until it was eventually at full throttle. The rudder cracked at the lower pintle brace, and popped off of the lower pintle. After I was back into a little deeper water, I killed the motor and went back into the water to put the rudder back on properly. I realized at this point, I probably should have removed the rudder in the first place (I didn't know it was so easy).

I loosed the anchor rode, turned the boat around and tied the rode to a rear cleat. The boat now anchored well with the bow away from the island and into the wakes from the power boats.

So, that being the story, if the keel had been wedged between two large rocks, is it possible that I damaged the keel bolt, hangers, or hull where they attach? I have sailed the boat twice since then, and there are no leaks or ominous noises, but I wonder if there could be bent keel hanger hardware or stress fractures in the fiberglass.

Seth
"Outlier" 1987 Catalina 25 SR/SK/Traditional Interior #5541
"Zoo" 1977 Morgan Out Island 30
"Nomad" 1980 Prindle 16
"Lost" 1988 Catalina Capri 14.2 (sold - yay!)
"Marine Tex 1" Unknown Origin POS 8' Fiberglass Dinghy
https://whichsailboat.com/2014/07/27/catalina-25-review/

Edited by - sethp001 on 09/05/2012 19:55:58

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2012 : 19:23:20

Pretty unlikely, but you'll never know unless you pull the boat. You should set your anchor in deeper water and back to the island, then take a stern line ashore. The rudder is deeper than the retracted keel if it isn't a kick-up, so you might unship the rudder before nudging in under power. Don't fully raise the keel so that you can crank it up a few inches if you do go aground. I'm not usually a fan of stern anchors, but I suppose it would be OK to set the anchor and secure it from the stern and go in bow first on a smaller lake. You'll still need to take a line ashore from the bow and keep an eye on things. Don't set an anchor "manually". You aren't strong enough to make it set. Lower the anchor to the bottom, back down while paying out about 3 times as much rode as it took to reach the bottom. Secure the rode to a bow cleat and back down until the anchor sets, then crank up the power a bit to be sure it holds. Finally, pay out more rode until you have 5 - 7 times the length you paid out lowering the anchor. 3 times is ok if you are stopping for lunch and staying aboard in light conditions. 5 is good for what you were doing, 7 for heavier conditions, leaving the boat for longer periods, or staying aboard overnight. Set the anchor from the bow, then secure it astern if that is where you want it. A lot of bad things can happen while setting an anchor from the stern.

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2012 : 07:19:22

You needed to set the anchor as Dave described. I have a hard and fast rule on my boat: <b>Never step off a moving vessel!</b> Too many bad things can happen. Imagine if one of those "waves from passing motor boats pushed the boat forward" as you stepped off the bow. Ouch! This rule also applies to docking. Secure the boat from the safety of the boat.

I'm not clear about the rudder. Are you saying the pintle popped out of the gudgeon or the pintle broke off the rudder?

edit to add: Don't let this experience stop you from gunkholing. Hate to waste the lessons learned.

Edited by - John Russell on 09/07/2012 07:21:04

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2012 : 08:24:15

Coulda been worse... http://littleboatiris.blogspot.ca/2009/08/friday-august-21-2009-bliss-leads-to.html. Our damage was $5,000 in FG repairs and a kid with a broken leg.

I don't let it slow me down much, but its a tough way to learn.

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JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2012 : 08:34:20

It seems like a good time to have a dinghy.

It's still gunkholing if you don't beach the sailboat.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2012 : 10:02:38

Chris, fixed your link: [url="http://littleboatiris.blogspot.ca/2009/08/friday-august-21-2009-bliss-leads-to.html"]Bliss leads to calamity, disaster & abandonment[/url].

How's Chuck three years hence?

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.