Whaler Central - Boston Whaler Boat Information and Photos

Posted by duf on 04/13/14 - 8:55 AM

Well, its been sometime since I had a real adventure, and I had a whopper about 2 weeks ago. My family came down for our annual rendezvous for fishing, golfing, great eating (yes I made my baked beans one night) and general good times.

Wind was blowing and the surf was up as I checked daily the beach, Packery Channel and conditions for going offshore. Wasn't good, so I enlisted the help of a friend of mine who routinely fishes in the intercostal with a 21 ft shallow draft boat. We hatched a plan to use my boat, and fish the "skinny waters" for some red fish, which can grow quite large. We took my Whaler as his was too small for all my brothers, nephew and Jim and I.

Started off well, down the intercostal and I turned the helm over to my friend Jim. He took us into the shallows which I had no idea how to navigate, knowing exactly where the markers were and we arrived at the fishing area. A good northerly was blowing so the muddied waters weren't great for fishing, but I wanted to get my family out at least once.

All went well, till we headed back home. Somehow the Pilot got confused when we reached the intercostal, and of course being beside him at the helm, said, isn't this the intercostal coming up? He said, no, its just beyond those two islands. We were doing about 35 knots, no where near full speed, and as my brain registered what he was saying, I had just enough time to think to myself, self, there are no buildings like that on the intercostal.

About the time I was actually reaching for the throttles to pull them back, we crossed the intercostal (its pretty narrow) and hit, driving the Whaler about 200 to 200 ft inland.

I checked to make sure everyone was ok, and hopped overboard into water that was half way up my calve. I thought, we are so screwed.

I had everyone get off the boat, and on one side of the bow. I had a quick talk, and said, if we don't get the bow turned around, we're done. We were able to rotate the boat (engines up of course), headed towards the intercostal. I then sent out several of the guys, and we walked to the intercostal in different directions, to find the deepest water, and realigned the boat once again, a few degrees from where we were.

the first attempt to move the boat ended in failure, not an inch. I regrouped the family, got everyone on the stern (all six of us), gave it the ole 1, 2 , 3 and we got 6 inches. We went again, 6 inches, again 6 inches, rest. We repeated this several times instill, we got a foot, then another foot, then 2 feet and so on. An hour after we started, we reached deep water, and I cranked up the engines, watching for water circulation. One motor had none, so we motored home with one engine. Once home and on the lift, and flushed both motors, and dropped the one with no water circulating, back in the water, and it worked fine.

Needless to say, the day ended with a happy ending, this story will be told for years, and Jims new name is Magellan, for his exploring new worlds and very shallow water.

Needless to say, I will never take my boat in shallow water again, if I'm not confident, and not at the helm.

Duf

Edited by Tom W Clark on 04/13/14 - 9:03 AM

Posted by Tom W Clark on 04/13/14 - 9:06 AM

Wow! I'm glad everyone was OK.

How did the hull fare?

Posted by Joe Kriz on 04/13/14 - 2:20 PM

Ouch duf.
Definitely glad everyone was OK.

Let us know if there was any damage to your 25'.

Posted by sraab928 on 04/13/14 - 3:19 PM

Duf - Glad everyone is ok.

Quick question - how are you liking the new Mercury 150's? They are on my shortlist for my 21 Ribside repower.

Posted by duf on 04/14/14 - 10:54 AM

Yes, absolutely no damage to the hull, and everyone was fine. I had actually throttled back the motors just as we hit, and the 200 - 250 feet was just the momentum of the boat going though the muck on either bank. Its extremely soft, and you can easily sink up to your knees in it in places. Talk about laughing, we all jumped in, different places, and one of my brothers hopped overboard into a 5ft hole. He had hearing aids in (500 bucks worth) that almost went kaput. We laughed our butts off. But no, the hull was fine, motors same, except they were spotless, and now I have to touch them up, as I'm missing a bit of paint on the lower units (skegs).

All in all, it turned out well, and via e-mail, they are still yaking about it.

Merc 150's 4 Strokes are great, flushed out the one and it P like a racehorse. With the twins I have, have gotten on plane with 2 guys and a half tank of fuel, and reached about 49 MPH. However, with 6 guys and a little over a half a tank, could not get on plane, although I didn't really try hard, like pulling a donut, and hitting my own wake. Was happy to cruise home at 12 knots or so and get back to the boat lift and revive the one motor.

Bottom is fine, again it was soft mud, but I did clean my props!

duf

Posted by sraab928 on 04/14/14 - 11:08 AM

Thanks for the update Duf - 49mph is quite respectable - shows they are strong 150's -If memory serves you were running 50 with twin 200 2 strokes.

Posted by duf on 04/14/14 - 1:53 PM

Dang Scott, wrote you an answer and it didn't take for some reason, anyways, here it is again. 150's are super strong, even Tom didn't think they would turn my 19 inch props off the 200 hp Yams. But they did, to the tune of 5600 rpms. So, so far so good, temp alarm didn't go off when we went aground, and got in deep water and cranked, but I shut the one off pretty quick, when I didn't see the water circulating. Will put out an occasional update on them if you'd like as I rack up some hours. Going to have the first maintenance done shortly, and if you like will pass on the findings.

Duf

Posted by sraab928 on 04/14/14 - 4:01 PM

I would love that Duf - Thank you! I contacted my dealer for a quote today.

Posted by Sjoconnor on 04/14/14 - 5:44 PM

I put a 150 mercury 150 on my 1989 outrage last year. Could not be more impressed. Strong, quiet and fast.

I would encourage anyone to select this engine.

Posted by whalerman on 04/15/14 - 4:54 PM

#10

Hey Duf, glad the grounding didn't do any harm to anyone or the rig! Hope your surgery comes out ok and you're back to Whalering again soon, it's also part of the therapy! Texas is like Florida, lot's of skinny water to get into trouble. Good luck!

Edited by whalerman on 04/15/14 - 4:54 PM

Posted by Silentpardner on 04/15/14 - 5:17 PM

#11

Actually sounds like you had a great time on your adventure, excitement included! These Whalers are tough enuff :)

One thing I was curious about, were you able to snag any reds on the outing? Sounds like you were in a great place for 'em! I have threatened more than once to family members that I was going to start hitting 'em with the boat if they didn't start catchin' 'em with a hook and line pretty soon! :)

Seriously, glad everyone was unhurt, those groundings can be dramatic, and at that speed can certainly lead to injuries. I take it your still speaking to the helmsman at the time of grounding....at least by email :)

Posted by huckelberry145 on 04/15/14 - 5:59 PM

#12

I spent the night with some friends aboard a boat because, after saying and then shouting stop, the idiot at the helm looked at me like I was stupid and actually throttled up before running the 20' boat fifty yards into the marsh. The tide was high and had just turned so we had to wait all night, until about six in the morning for enough water to get the boat out. I swam, in the dark, with the bitter end of the anchor rope out into the Ashley river and hailed down a passing boat, the first one we'd seen all night. I couldn't see the look on their faces because they had a spotlight pointed at me but I bet they were shocked to see someone in the river at that time of night. They pull up along side of me bobbing fifty yards off the bank holding a rope and I ask, can you pull us out? We pushed the stern while they pulled with their boat and got us out. Unfortunately for me, the story doesn't end there, but for the purpose of Duf's thread, it ends here.

Glad everyone was ok Duf.

Posted by gchuba on 04/15/14 - 6:15 PM

#13

No reflective past stories I just feel good for Duff with no injuries, a good laugh with family, and no damage to boat (exactly in that order). I feel I am compulsive about safety so no one hurt the best news. For Duf, my mother had the cuf surgery, she listened and did not overdue the prescribed therapy, that ended up being her stronger arm. Good luck and listen to the doctors.
gchuba

Posted by duf on 04/16/14 - 7:31 AM

#14

Silentpard, yes, we're still talking, but I have to say, he's having a tough time looking me in the eyes. He's a proud sort, and thought he knew the skinny waters like the back of his hand. I enjoyed reminding him, he did great in the skinny water, only got into trouble when wee made it out, into the intercostals deep water........, and out again!

One of the great things about this area, like others, is you really have to hunt to find a rock. Unlike where are grew up near Long Island, they were everywhere, and some were huge. My Dad had us out in our 18' Thompson, when we found Katoom (sp) rocks. Put a nice hole in the side. We made it back by putting everyone in the back and bringing the bow up, but as a 12 year old, scared the heck out of me.

Duf

Posted by duf on 04/16/14 - 3:11 PM

#15

sorry, didn't answer some questions, Silentpard, no didn't catch any fish, a norther, which I'm sure you were feeling came in, and the waters were muddy as hell, but we still had a great time!

On the shoulder, yeah really bad, but (this is crazy) looking forward to the surgery to make it right, and get full usage again. If it ends up being stronger then my right, then I get my right done, and its stronger then my left, might have to try out for superman 6!

Duf