Important lesson

[jleonard]

Taken from a "trawler forum" thread.
An important lesson for all of us.


Thankful, and lucky to be here today. Reply Quote

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Have you ever thought this is it! I'm going to die right now. I did on Monday afternoon, and when I think about, I realize how close I came.

My wife and I were enjoying an absolutely beautiful day anchored in what locally is known as the Leclaire Canal. It is a beautiful backwater slough above the Lock and Dam 14 auxillary lock. on the Mississippi River. There is no current here and many boats anchor and party on weekends. My wife went for a swim and warned me to be carefull pulling out because she felt what she thought was a tree limb next to us in the water. I went in about a half hour later to check what I thought seemed like bad noises coming from my port prop or shaft when I shut it down. When I was on the part side I kicked a rope or something that I realized was wrapped around the port prop. This is what my wife kicked. I managed to pull some of it to the surface and discovered it was three strands of rope attached to something very heavy on the bottom. My wife had climbed back aboard, and I asked her to hand me out a life jacket while I dealt with it. Better be safe, I thought. She also handed me a pair of side cut wire cutters. When I realized that the wire cutters could hardly cut the rope I knew I had trouble. On my boat I can touch the rudders but not quite the props with the trim tabs in the way. I eventualy got the rope cut with three long ends hanging off the prop. I tried to feel with my feet which way they were wrapped around the prop to try to get them off. No luck. I could almost reach the prop so I thought if I could dive under for a few seconds maybe I could figure out how to unwrap them. I went under about a foot and needed to come back up for a breath. Thats when panic set in. There was a screw holding the zincs to the tab that extended about a half inch below the lower zinc. It caught on my life jacket and wouldn't let go. My face was about 6 inces below the surface and I was stuck. My wife wasn't around. I tried to unhook the straps but they were tight and couldn't get them to release. I was panicky. I gave it one hell for stout jank and tore part of the jacket. That got my mouth at the water surface but I couldn't get a breath between the waves. I gave another yank and thankfully I tore the jacket more and got my head out from under the water. I shook for a long time after that realizing how close I came to drowning, and how I never even saw the potential danger. Really makes you think.

After that near disaster, I hose clamped a serrated steak knife on the end of a scrub brush handle, and after about an hour of trying, got most of the rope off the shaft. I managed to pull the couple hundred pound cylinder of concrete the rope was attached to, to the surface where my wife cut the rope and let it sink. The ropes were about 50 feet long and floated in about eight feet of water. I don'tkow if they were left there by a careless moron or left there as a trap. I wonder if the moron would even give a damn that he nearly killed me.

You just never know.

[jcollins]

Very important lesson. You never know...

[whwells]

jleonard: What a scary story and thank goodness a good and safe ending. Glad you posted. I'm sure we will all think about your experience when the need to get over board and check for ropes. I have had crap pots ropes caught in the props that required diving. Always gave me a fear of "what am I doing here" We are indeed happy you are reporting and not someone else passing bad news.
whwells "howard'
"Nibbles" 35te conv. 2006

[jleonard]

we will all think about your experience when the need to get over board and check for ropes.

Like I said this is not my experience. I posted from another forum.

[whwells]

Opps, speed reading can get you in trouble. Still it is a timely and good posting. Thank you for doing so.
whwells

[Pitou]

Scarey story ... it took my breath away just while reading it.

The first time I changed out anodes on trim tabs I had the same 1/2 in plus of extra bolt exposed downward. In fear of someone cutting their noggin I took a hack saw and cut them flush and have ever since. The same practice is done on the rudder anode. This has been a better practice than I ever knew. Thanks for posting. Everyone should be cutting that entra length off.

[RobS]

Or re-use the stainless bolts rather than having to get them. I do this when I remember not to toss them..

As a divemaster I know a quality knife (and cutters) is a diver's best friend. If you don't need it to cut yourself free or something else free it surely can be a life saver when you see that shark so you can stab your buddy and get the heck out of there. Sorry Matt

[jcollins]

it surely can be a life saver when you see that shark so you can stab your buddy and get the heck out of there. Sorry Matt

Remind me not to go diving with you guys.

[poillon1]

How very, very frightening... thank you for sharing that and we are all glad you are alive! I was shocked to see the amount to debris in the rivers while driving my car from Long Island to Central Vermont last week. I think we'll stay pretty close to home for the balance of the boating season!
Vermont certainly got the worst of Irene's flooding.
John and Nannette McCoy, Reel McCoy, 28 TE - Mt Sinai NY

[zinbaad]

Frightening story,, I hope I can always keep it up front when I go below to check rudders and props....and I sure will be careful if I ever get the chance to dive with Rob & Matt, lol

[kathylsails]

Wow, that is scary, especially since at one time or another all of us have (or will) get caught on something.