The Sinking of my Boat

[NightTrain]

Bad news.

Yesterday we crashed and sunk my boat in the river. I was letting a buddy drive my boat as we were returning from the cabin, and I was looking behind at something and for some reason - with the GPS track right in front of him - he turned and started going down the wrong channel. I saw what he'd done and told him "Wrong channel, go right!" and he panicked & chopped throttle. When you let off the throttle in a jet boat, you have no steering.

I wasn't close or fast enough to take control, and we launched over a big cottonwood at 40 MPH, coming to an abrupt stop on the other side. Jedd broke his kneecap and I may have a broken tailbone. I can barely move today.

The boat promptly filled with water about 1/3 of the hull before it rested on the bottom of the river. I think the jet unit separated from the hull, allowing all the water to rush in around the transom, especially since the stern is facing upriver against the current.

My brother was following us in his boat, and came to our aid immediately. There was nothing we could do and it was getting late, so we tied her off on the riverbank and continued downriver to the boat launch & came home.

So today I've got a company in Talkeetna going to rescue my boat to the tune of $175 / hour, which I think is very reasonable considering the specialized equipment involved. I expect it'll be no less than $2k before they get her back to the launch - if they recover her at all.

You know how you don't remember the really bad crashes? I have no recollection of the crash at all. My memory stops as I'm trying to take control of the boat prior to the initial impact and then resumes as we're parked after sailing through the air over the log and I'm yelling at him to kill the engine. I have cuts and gouges on my face, I bit my tongue something fierce, my left knee is barely functioning and the tailbone / lower / mid back combo is a real winner.

I'm just heartbroken, I love that boat. And my ass hurts.


11700904_10204552802127535_7286197545856745501_n.jpg

[jimnyc]

Ohhhh, no! So sorry, Rick, as I know just how much the "Ducky" means to you. Not to mention the method of transportation to L5.

NOW you know why I don't like cruising it and why I gave the wheel back so quickly. I have no clue about those channels and could not tell the difference when you were pointing out. You grew up with that and mastered it.

Does this mean she is totaled for sure? Engine kaput likely?

When all is said and done - you should open a gofundme for the "Ducky and L5 recovery" - and ALL of those that love the place and have memories there and would like to go again, should think about helping make that happen. I know I'm IN if it comes to that my friend, count on that.

How does insurance, if any, work for something like that?

This sucks. Sometime yesterday I saw an update about the local bears stealing your beer when you got to L5. I had no idea what was about to follow.

[NightTrain]

Yeah, it's completely my fault, 100%. It was on the easy part of the river, but I should have been monitoring him closely.

I don't know if she's totalled, it'll need to be inspected closely after we get her on the trailer. Fingers crossed.

[jimnyc]

Yeah, it's completely my fault, 100%. It was on the easy part of the river, but I should have been monitoring him closely.

I don't know if she's totalled, it'll need to be inspected closely after we get her on the trailer. Fingers crossed.

Best of luck, Rick!! I hope it works out better than it sounds. 'Git 'er done!'

[Kathianne]

So sorry. 😢

Bad news.

Yesterday we crashed and sunk my boat in the river. I was letting a buddy drive my boat as we were returning from the cabin, and I was looking behind at something and for some reason - with the GPS track right in front of him - he turned and started going down the wrong channel. I saw what he'd done and told him "Wrong channel, go right!" and he panicked & chopped throttle. When you let off the throttle in a jet boat, you have no steering.

I wasn't close or fast enough to take control, and we launched over a big cottonwood at 40 MPH, coming to an abrupt stop on the other side. Jedd broke his kneecap and I may have a broken tailbone. I can barely move today.

The boat promptly filled with water about 1/3 of the hull before it rested on the bottom of the river. I think the jet unit separated from the hull, allowing all the water to rush in around the transom, especially since the stern is facing upriver against the current.

My brother was following us in his boat, and came to our aid immediately. There was nothing we could do and it was getting late, so we tied her off on the riverbank and continued downriver to the boat launch & came home.

So today I've got a company in Talkeetna going to rescue my boat to the tune of $175 / hour, which I think is very reasonable considering the specialized equipment involved. I expect it'll be no less than $2k before they get her back to the launch - if they recover her at all.

You know how you don't remember the really bad crashes? I have no recollection of the crash at all. My memory stops as I'm trying to take control of the boat prior to the initial impact and then resumes as we're parked after sailing through the air over the log and I'm yelling at him to kill the engine. I have cuts and gouges on my face, I bit my tongue something fierce, my left knee is barely functioning and the tailbone / lower / mid back combo is a real winner.

I'm just heartbroken, I love that boat. And my ass hurts.


11700904_10204552802127535_7286197545856745501_n.jpg

[High_Plains_Drifter]

DAAAAANG... call the insurance company. I'm sure those boats aren't cheap.

[STTAB]

Man that sucks, and pretty easy to do. I sank a Catamaran once, but at least it was mine lol. We out on the lake in it, may or may not have been enjoying some adult beverages, but anyway most everyone was sitting in the forward seats catching some sun rather than under the canopy at the stern, we hit a small wake and when the nose came down from the small wave it plunged underwater and when that happened I panicked a bit and for whatever reason hit the throttle thinking I could drive out of the dive, but the opposite happened and I had no control the boat was obviously going under , everyone went over the side and swam away and we watched my $20K boat sink into the lake. You are right $175 an hour is reasonable, this was years ago and it cost me close to $5K to get that boat out of the lake.

Total loss, and no I didn't have enough boat coverage. They didn't pay for shit beyond the value of the boat itself minus my deductible.

Sorry for your loss.

[Abbey Marie]

Oh man, I’m sorry Rick. With all the hard work hours you put in, I know how much cruising in that boat means to you. I hope you get good news, and your tailbone mends soon. It can take a while, in my experience.

[darin]

God, rick...brutal. So glad you are safe

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

Sorry about your accident , injury and loss my friend. Thank God, the injuries were not more serious and no lives were lost.
My younger brother, about 25 years ago had a broken tailbone, he told me the pain was excruciating and totally unbelievable!
He ate pain pills like they were candy. I hope that yours is not that severe. God bless. --Tyr

[Elessar]

Check the center-line keel. My stepdad was sold a flat-bottom that the previous owner used to beach on the stony river beaches.

First time Larry and I took it out, it started taking on water...got it to the haul-out, trailered it, got it home. A month later
Larry died.....I inspected the hull of the boat and it was cracked clear down the centerline of the keel.

[Gunny]

Bad news.

Yesterday we crashed and sunk my boat in the river. I was letting a buddy drive my boat as we were returning from the cabin, and I was looking behind at something and for some reason - with the GPS track right in front of him - he turned and started going down the wrong channel. I saw what he'd done and told him "Wrong channel, go right!" and he panicked & chopped throttle. When you let off the throttle in a jet boat, you have no steering.

I wasn't close or fast enough to take control, and we launched over a big cottonwood at 40 MPH, coming to an abrupt stop on the other side. Jedd broke his kneecap and I may have a broken tailbone. I can barely move today.

The boat promptly filled with water about 1/3 of the hull before it rested on the bottom of the river. I think the jet unit separated from the hull, allowing all the water to rush in around the transom, especially since the stern is facing upriver against the current.

My brother was following us in his boat, and came to our aid immediately. There was nothing we could do and it was getting late, so we tied her off on the riverbank and continued downriver to the boat launch & came home.

So today I've got a company in Talkeetna going to rescue my boat to the tune of $175 / hour, which I think is very reasonable considering the specialized equipment involved. I expect it'll be no less than $2k before they get her back to the launch - if they recover her at all.

You know how you don't remember the really bad crashes? I have no recollection of the crash at all. My memory stops as I'm trying to take control of the boat prior to the initial impact and then resumes as we're parked after sailing through the air over the log and I'm yelling at him to kill the engine. I have cuts and gouges on my face, I bit my tongue something fierce, my left knee is barely functioning and the tailbone / lower / mid back combo is a real winner.

I'm just heartbroken, I love that boat. And my ass hurts.


11700904_10204552802127535_7286197545856745501_n.jpg

Glad you're okay. And people wonder why no one drives my truck but me. I don't have that good of friends

[SassyLady]

Glad you're safe Rick ... sad about your tailbone and boat.

Good luck with recovery efforts.

Right after we sold this to a friend it sank from "whaler" waves. He was on Bass Lake watching fireworks show when deep hull jet boat went by and wave came over back. Recovered but had major damage. He rebuilt and kept for a few more years.

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[Russ]

Oh my God, I am so sorry Rick. I know you loved that boat - and actually, I loved that boat. I'm sure you loved your tailbone, too, but I trust that will get better soon. Is the boat insured, I hope?

It is not all your fault, by the way, but it is good of you to say that.

Can you still get to your cabin while your boat is out of commission? God, I hope so.

[NightTrain]

Good news! The Ducky is sitting on it's trailer at the boat launch. The company I hired had her out and parked in 3 hours, which is amazingly fast.

He says I shattered the bell housing and the bow is crushed pretty badly... but these things can be fixed. Oh, and the oil is reading a quart high, so obviously took in a quart of water since I just changed the Mobil 1 synthetic in it 2 days ago... so need to drain that out asap. Or rather, have my son drain it since I'm flying to Barrow tomorrow AM.

What a huge relief.

Thanks all. Things aren't as grim as they were just a few hours ago.