As a retired radio operator and watchkeeper with Marine Rescue Forster it is good to see that experienced off-shore boaties really do appreciate the work that unpaid volunteers do to ensure that they get back ashore safely.
I read about a boat that was sailing 160 miles off the coast of The Gulf of Mexico in good weather during the day, that suffered an engine failure, and couldn't raise the U.S. Coast Guard at all. A ham radio operator that's part of a global emergency radio network in Mexico picked up his signal and relayed the skipper's SOS to another ham that got in touch with the Coast Guard, who came to the rescue.
Fair play for telling the tale... a lot of people would have glossed over it and not told the whole tale... lessons to be learned for everyone.... extra checks plus belt and braces especially for a shakedown test.
I discovered your channel this weekend and have been binge watching to catchup. I have a Motor Whaleboat and had a mishap with the bilge pump while in the boat yard. The weather had been clear for weeks with no indication of approaching rain. I discovered a battery drain so disconnected everything (including the bilge pump). Naturally I didn't remove the bilge plug. Well the marina is closed on Monday & Tuesday in the winter. It started to rain Sunday night and rained solid for a full day on Monday. When I got to the boat on Wed rain water was half covering the engine, definitely over the oil dipstick. The starter & alternator were both covered as well. It all got fixed and I took that as the impetus to have the starter and alternator rewired for 12 volts from 24 volts. All's well now but I still have some upgrades I want to do. Thanks for taking the time to video your work and posting it online.
Ouch, that's a bummer. I do think it is always great to make a positive out of those types of situation and upgrade the things that need repairing. I'm glad I went 24V for my boat too.
We use heavy plastic tubing on anchor line where the bow roller is, +_ 5m long, in heavy weather you have to monitor the shaving, and mover the tube as the wave action and bow riding destroys it. Up at Madagascar we had to replace it twice in a storm lying on anchor in the bay ..... remember to make sure the rope can't jump the roller, as then it will be cut even easier. Nice vids..i enjoy your content. Johan
Hey Johan, yes, some form of chafe protection is a great thing. A friend of mine also gave me some fire hose recently that is just large enough to go over the rope.
@@DangarMarine i remember a time when we had to cut perkins 6 waterpumps belt, it seized, motor overheated a bit, we opened the cog in the stern and flooded the compartment a bit, kept the motor cool,, all that while breakers broached the stern :) and gascans on the roof clanging, hectic time , maybe thats why i'm grey bearded now .
@@DangarMarine im not big on RUclips like you, but i did upload a short vid of whales really loud sound about 500m from where we were fishing, i dont want to hi jack your channel so...you can search: Whale sounds furious i know whales a bit but this was extra ordinary :)
Poor Dave, what a shitty time of it he's had of late. Hope his leg isn't too badly burned and he's on the road to a full recovery. Glad that you're both safe. Regards from the UK.
Last Sunday i broke my finger helping a bud set up his new diesel. My van clutch blew. And my diesel tanks started leaking. All 3 in one day. A very productive day. The other upside was as I was covered in diesel fuel I noticed that the girls turned their heads as I walked by! Wrong direction but this is progress!
Thank you for sharing all your misadventures and the hows and whys of being truly prepared. The wisdom you just shared very likely will saved others from finding themselves in a dangerous situation, and probably just saved some lives as well.
Had a similar gear box situation on a 1990 SeaRay with v-drives. No apparent oil leak, but ran dry. Needed full rebuild. Only place it could have been leaking was internally, in the oil cooler. We pressure-tested both sides, no leak found. We eventually assumed there was a temperature dependent internal leak. Replaced the cooler, no further problems. The ability to cope with stacked problems is where the pro's have most in shore boaters beat. Enjoyed your posts. Stay safe.
Much respect for sharing a story that could open you (and Dave) up to some ridicule. Even the best designed, complex systems can be overwhelmed by multiple, simple failures. Lessons learned the hard way are the most valuable lessons. Good healing for Dave and fair winds for both of ya!
I have read a lot of the comments so I won't write my two cents worth. I do hope Dave recovers from those burns; nothing worse than a burn. thankfully there were two on board to share the work load. That rescue service sounds like it is top notch, very handy when you are in trouble.
Great vid Stu, very honest. A great reminder to us all that no matter how prepared we think we are, things can go wrong. Hopefully Dave will recover quickly. Catch you soon for a beer or two. Cheers PB
Good on yah for making this video. (I was humming the theme song to Gilligan's Island in my head the whole time) That beautiful cat Taywun and its balestrom boom made me think of Rossco and his "Life on the Hulls" channel.
As they say "If it can go wrong, it will go wrong". Glad you made it home safely and were able to turn a bad situation into a good learning experience. I look forward to the next chapter of your tale of owning a new boat.
Very helpful video to avoid a major disaster - matter how well prepared one is things can/will happen. Thank God you guys kept a cool head and made it back to shore
As for sea trials, always remember that everything that moves wears out. No matter how long you test something, it can (and will) fail. Be prepared. Great story and object lesson. Glad everything worked out.
Hey thanks for your honest, up front feedback on the trip. All this info can only help us all. Ouch oil burns. at least you had ice on to help reduce the burn outcome. Hope Dave is recovering well. Thanks for the video. Cheers
I put mine in a zip loc bag and then in a Tupperware container, just in case............... never had the weather bad enough to be a concern BUT u never know. Also take a spare battery which u can hook up as well.
Thanks for a really helpful video. Great that you shared all the problems for the benefit of subscribers and I founds the lessons drawn useful. Keep up the good work. Cheers from nz
Super fascinating, man. A real lesson on cascading consequences and the sort of multiplicative implications of risk in systems. A stout anchor system feels like a sine qua non at this rate, or “without which not.” Great vid.
Glad you made it back to Port in one piece. Both of you keeping a cool head with multiple system failures was most likely key to return. Lessons learned. You both will be better seaman from this experience. Sure hope Dave's leg heals up ok. The school of hard knocks is a tough teacher most of the time. Be safe my friend. 😁
Really good video. These videos are really informative and I like the way you don't leave out when things go wrong in any of your videos. Bloody bananas...
I'm not happy to hear of your troubles but, I'm glad you have spoken of them. It is a lesson to all of us. It reminds me of problems in a plane . The first rule to remember is fly the plane. I would ask about a second anchor but if your line snapped, you might not have had sufficient for the second anchor. It is great to see the progress on your boat. All the best, Hal
@@johnb4183 Part of the problem was that ubiquitous bottle of beer. Seems everything Stu does, be it servicing an outboard, rubbing down a keel, he has to have beer. If it were my vessel, there would not be alcohol on board for such a short journey. With two persons, one is always (or should be) on watch. A lot more planning, a written check list with all contingencies on it and less frivolity once under way. It is a serious business, the ocean is never forgiving and will take you in less than a minute.
@@westaussie2006 Battery switches left on - why? , trans. overheat (probably heat exchanger never checked / rebuilt / cleaned - impeller?) , Old anchor line (should be obvious) = problems ahead. Cavalier attitude doesn't work on the SEA , It will bite you.
Youdotoo It's a good job they are setup as well as they are because there's a lot of people who just have no business being on a boat ,and even less going out to sea.
@@rogerlafrance6355 Hello Roger, Yes I can confirm that Marine Rescue NSW bases routinely monitor AIS movements, and keep a listening watch for DSC alerts with MMSI identifiers, etc. Thank you for taking an interest.
A nightmare of a voyage. Dave's leg burn would have been hard to put up with. Fortune smiled on you both. You arrived at shore safely. That is a blessing. They say the sea is cruel & it is. An excellent video, Thanks for sharing it. Others may benefit from your experience & take steps to avoid similar problems.
Yeah if you ever watch any of the Air Crash Investigation shows it is never one thing that goes wrong, its always a little mistake here, an insignificant oversight there, nek minnit, in the drink....
Ditto, I worked for FAA in USA for 42 years and I flew Chalks airline often between Miami and Bimini Bahamas. Its often several factors that lead to disaster.
Next time shove the bananas in the gear box you will be surprised at how well they work. They work with leaky diff's on land so a gear box on a boat pretty much the same thing. All the bananas I've ever hauled came off a ship so don't think it was the bananas. Great sea rescue system and great video Stu!
A temperature gauge at the helm connected to the transmission would be a good way to see any problems well before any burning occurs. Cheap insurance really, and oil can be added, or other action taken as needed when when gauge rises, to avoid a bad situation at sea or expensive rebuilds - when perhaps just a new seal would fix the problem. A nice big solar panel helps to avoid unexpected flat batteries too. As always thoroughly enjoyed the video, I'm not in a position to undertake any aquatic adventures, so this and a couple of other channels are my substitutes at the moment.
What an awesome adventure (defined as someone else having a hell of a bad time thousands of miles away)! Seriously one of your best videos in my opinion... the lesson of planning for two failures is one I won't forget. I'm used to the convenience of a reliable car that doesn't drift and help a few minutes away, so the reality of trouble in a boat is a good course correction for my "some day" plans for sailing. Thanks for sharing with the landlocked!
I studied accident reports when I was learning to fly. The main lesson was exactly what you describe. It isn't the big screw ups that kill you. What gets people in trouble is the series of minor problems eroding their safety margin until the final thing, which may be quite trivial in itself, turns them into a splat mark.
Having spoken to a few people that have had boats sink with them on them at night I really appreciate the insight you have provided. You’re spot on. The Swiss cheese will get you! Or the $2 hose clamp. Glad you’re safe and thank you for sharing your experience
When I saw the bananas at the beginning of the video I gave myself a face plant, poured a drink and got comfortable. I thought: ok here we go, this will be good...
Zip-loc is not enough, but there are plenty of dry bag products available. Some of those are going to be added to my boat rehab project, in case it ever makes it to a lake!
Great video ! lot of useful informations in it not only for boaters but for anybody . The main thing is you both are ok and on hard ground. cant wait for the rest ! take care .
Probably already mentioned but the Marine Rescue app is handy, shows longitute latitude and emergency call procedures and correct radio channels for your location, log your trip etc
Love your vids over here in the US new to boating just bought my first boat 73 winner couger with a 79 johnson 70 learning as much as I can to try to get it out this year need some work but overall it's super clean thanks again
Shit gets real fast. Alone, at night, unable to stop and fighting to continue. True colors show fast in that situation. Ps watching from Cincinnati Ohio
Thanks for your update and sorry to hear about the difficulties you guys experienced. It reminds me of a trip I did from Coffs Harbor to Sydney. It was in December 1982. We wanted to visit family in Manly before Christmas. A crew member joined us in C.Harbpr as he had just bought a sailing yacht to circumnavigate Australia and wanted to gain some experience. We had a great sail with our 43 foot steel ketch. Wind from S.E. Just before midnight suddenly a big bang because of a powerful windshift. Broke my starboard Genoa blok and a wave drenched the cockpit. We lowered sails and soon found shelter behind the rocks near South West Rocks. Stayed there till daybreak as this sudden gale had abated. However our crew member was panicking and wanted a.s.a.p. to leave the yacht. So we headed for Port Macquarie so he could take a bus back to C. Harbor. In Sydney we experienced again a Southerly Buster. Before this incident we had never heard of this phenomena as we had previously arrived from New Zealand via Fiji, New Calidonia Brisbane.
Sounds like a few temp/other gauges on the drive train would be a good investment as well as a transmission cooler. There's a lot to be said for a twin screw boat.
An oil cooler is defiantly a plus. I used to maintain a carnival ride that was powered by hydraulics and it never had a oil cooler on it. One of the things I'd notice was when the oil got hot. The seal on the hydraulic pump would start to leak and I think that the same thing was happening with your gearbox as well and why you keep losing oil. When the oil get hot, it softens those seals and causes them to leak. We eventually put an oil cooler on the ride. I took a old heater core from a car and spliced it onto the return line on the hydraulic system and never had another seal leak again.
One of my old mates calls things like temperature and pressure gauges 'cheap insurance' and he is spot on! I have gone to the extent of installing a complete 'watchdog' suite on my 270Hp turbo-intercooled 3306 Cat. The system is basically mechanical in nature and monitors coolant temperature and level, oil temperature and pressure and engine revs and shuts the whole system down if any of the parameters exceed margins that can be selected by an operator.
Please keep us updated on Dave please. Glad everything worked out in the end. Great advice on keeping distance from the shore. As humans, the shore feels safe, but the shore is anything but safe for a boat.
Great video Stu - excellent reality check when one thing fails then another thing goes south you know it's time to get serious real quick . Good job of keeping your wits about you.
Stu, I was a broker in the US and in my experience you can't tell a book by the cover. It almost never failed. The boat would look great and the owner could give you chapter and verse on how well he had taken care of the boat and it had no deferred maintenance. Then the sea trial and the survey would take place and??????? Yes many issues would be found and the agreed upon price would be adjusted.
It is interesting as word around town was that the boat was quite solid and reliable. We spend quite a bit of time with a previous crew member which, as you say, doesn't count for much.
Wow, bloody hell, that was some sea trial Dave and you got right there! We hope soon recovery for Dave. Paul and the little tour was awesome, thank you for always taking the time to show us some of these goodies. Glad you take this as a learning opportunity, bloody hell, wow.
Awesome update thank you! I'm a pilot with 3,000 hours, and also a motorcyclist. I put my android in a large sandwich bag. I press all of the air out of it, seal it and I'm good to go in any rain. When i stop i can still use all of the features on the screen right through the bag without taking it out.
I learned a very valuable lesson from both you and Dave’s misfortune on this trip. Remember the five “P’s” - Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance. Thanks for a great video once again.
Excellent educational video. Sharing details of the mishaps encountered by Dave and yourself is bound to help others anticipate and avoid similar situations.
Thanks for sharing this story! Three important lessons learned... (1) never go anywhere without an adequate back-up anchor, (2) never underestimate the value of an up-to-date set of paper charts and the knowledge of how to use them, and (3) trade in the trawler for a good sailboat as soon as you are able!
Thanks for this Stu. I am close to finishing a renovation of a Colvic 20 Fishing boat and will be doing sea trials in about a month. This vid has made me consider a few things that would otherwise probably get overlooked. Simple stuff like the mounting position of the compass directly in front of the helm, obvious when you think about but often they are not. I am also definitely going to be fitting an engine and gearbox temp alarm now. Probably a few extra tools in the tool box and additional spare parts will also now be on my list. Thanks again.
It is very easy to overlook certain things until you see them go wrong. I probably wouldn't have installed a gearbox temperature gauge on my boat if it wasn't for this happening to Dave's boat.
What I took away from this - Treat the trawler as a workplace, appropriate PPE, overalls work boots gloves, first aid kit with AED, extra tools oils, spare ropes anchor, navigation equipment setup correctly, flood lights, cabin water tight and no more bananas on board..
Electronics and smart phones are aids to navigation only mate, take an old school paper chart for the sea area you are going to be operating in and mark your position every 15-20 mins, that way you are never that far from your last way mark and can use dead reckoning to navigate by, it also gives a close last known position to relay to emergency service or other vessels in radio range if a major drama strikes. Glad your both basically ok and no more Bananas ehh.
@@cdouglas1942 As long as you have a compass a ships clock and know what speed your vessel was doing, day or night you can take a bearing to shore, trust me I spent 5 years working on trawlers this size and larger. Weekend warriors get lost at sea, professional mariners know where they are all the time my friend.
@@andywilliams1160 Their compass was not at the helm, they had no "ships clock", they didn't start out to navigate this way, the new owner seems like a novice, Stu is a great mechanic I agree, (navigation skills unknown). Pro mariners may know where they are all the time but these two didn't qualify. But Stu's skills in general saved the other guys bacon.
@@cdouglas1942 I agree, It looked from Stu's presentation of the video like it was a sobering experience, the fact he didn't panic and used his head saved them for sure. He is a great marine engineer and a smart guy, he'll learn from this and I'm sure he wont make the same mistake when his boat goes out on it trials.
Great video, great honesty, thanks for sharing. Many boaties out there wouldn’t share such an eventful trip on RUclips like this, their egos wouldn’t allow it! We can all learn from this, you’ve probably already saved someone from this video.
Sorry you had to go through such a difficult time but telling us about it has to some extent fast tracked some of the things I should watch out for, thanks for sharing : )
Holy crap...you're right when you say lessons learned! Poor dave! geese, damn those bananas! $20 says they won't be on the next trip. Thanks a bunch for sharing that one, very very educational!
Glad you are safe, I learned things from your problems, like flying an airplane you always have to look for a place to land along the route, same in a boat. You did well. Marine rescue is a great asset to have available.
What a harrowing experience! Gotta admire your insight and lessons learned from the experience. Really puts things in perspective - especially regarding not trusting your boat as far as you can sail it... or maybe can only trust a boat as far as you can sail it.... At least the bananas didn't kill you. I don't know what I'd do without another Dangar Marine video 😂
Great video mate learnt a lot from this. No doubt you’ve made someone think twice before they head off and land into trouble. Well done dude keep the adventures rolling!
Great video!!! So glad you guys made it back! Lots of lessons learned on that trip, thank you for your story it was great.👍 No more banannas on the boat???
That was one hell of an adventure, I'm not surprised thou boats are temperamental, I think I would have had some way of having a 20hp outboard for a kicker for that just in case moment. It sounds like the gear box is an old velvet drive, ya they don't like being run low on fluid they get hot real quick if you had a twin disc it probably would have had a bearing failure. Not sure if there is an oil cooler on the transmission if so I bet that's where the oil was going leaking into the raw water cooling system. The scar from the oil burn on Dave's leg will be a reminder of the misadventure, its a painful burn to get ouch.
Not just flying Ken, I recently succumbed to the same mindset returning from a trip on my bike, rode almost forty miles with a nasty clonking noise in my gearbox, don't know how I even thought I might make it the two hundred miles home, you hit the nail squarely on the head..."gotta get there-itis"
Glad your both safe. Hope Dave's burns are not serious. NO MORE BANANAS that's a cardinal rule! With all the issues you kept your cool and made it in safely- very happy for that!
A fine example of shit happening by the pound, not by the ounce. By the way... how many hundreds of pounds of bananas do you recon the Titanic must've had on board?
I correct my post. It should read 'anchor line ' not anchored '. Thanks to Google for changing my sentence. Anyway 5/8" braided nylon x 600' is nice for that boat. I still think 600' is minimal length. 🤔
You're ok.. cruise ships bring boatloads of bananas on board. Between all the alchohol consumption and parties no one noticed it was a superstition. ..
This was a great video for all folks like me working on an older boat.I have checked and or replaced almost everything crucial and doubled up on some things like anchors ,three Gps units plus a phone and VHF,Water pumps for both out boards and will be installing a second new Bilge pump even though the installed one works as is.Three fire extingishers also.All on a 20 ft cuddy cabin Bayliner.I had a trusted Yard Mechanic check as much as he resonably could for any visable problems for relibility.Like rubber hoses on the interior of the outboards.If in doubt toss it out.Also found a 25 anp fuse that is absolutly crucial for gen power I had no Idea was there.Spares?And flares.Stuff Happens.Allways one more worm in the can.
It makes you realise that there is no such thing as a cheap boat. You either buy an expensive one or spend a fortune replacing everything on an old one.
No that was a good Adventure! Glad you guys both came back safe and mostly unharmed, and it's funny, I always learn from your stories and your adventures on how to do things and how not to do things even on minor stuff I work on!
Hope Daves Leg is gonna be OK. If you think about it , Setting off in a new(used) boat and pushing into the dark was second hole in the cheese.The first was not checking /replacing ground tackle(whole length). Prob most important system on the vessel. I learnt heaps from this vid , thanks for sharing .
As a retired radio operator and watchkeeper with Marine Rescue Forster it is good to see that experienced off-shore boaties really do appreciate the work that unpaid volunteers do to ensure that they get back ashore safely.
I read about a boat that was sailing 160 miles off the coast of The Gulf of Mexico in good weather during the day, that suffered an engine failure, and couldn't raise the U.S. Coast Guard at all. A ham radio operator that's part of a global emergency radio network in Mexico picked up his signal and relayed the skipper's SOS to another ham that got in touch with the Coast Guard, who came to the rescue.
Fair play for telling the tale... a lot of people would have glossed over it and not told the whole tale... lessons to be learned for everyone.... extra checks plus belt and braces especially for a shakedown test.
Problem is that someone will not learn from this lesson and one day it will get someone killed...
Glad you guys made it home safely. Very informative video, somethings I wouldn't have thought of. Thank you.
Take this opportunity to thank all the,
"marine rescue volunteers" who work around Australia especially my locals here at ocean reef Perth Australia.
Dean Robert I second that to the gentleman at Two Rocks Sea Rescue
And Northern Volunteer Coastguard (NZ) who have brought me back safely a few times!
VJ6LQ. Silver service
@Nigel Donald Yep they dragged me home once, thanks guys.
I discovered your channel this weekend and have been binge watching to catchup. I have a Motor Whaleboat and had a mishap with the bilge pump while in the boat yard. The weather had been clear for weeks with no indication of approaching rain. I discovered a battery drain so disconnected everything (including the bilge pump). Naturally I didn't remove the bilge plug. Well the marina is closed on Monday & Tuesday in the winter. It started to rain Sunday night and rained solid for a full day on Monday. When I got to the boat on Wed rain water was half covering the engine, definitely over the oil dipstick. The starter & alternator were both covered as well. It all got fixed and I took that as the impetus to have the starter and alternator rewired for 12 volts from 24 volts. All's well now but I still have some upgrades I want to do. Thanks for taking the time to video your work and posting it online.
Ouch, that's a bummer. I do think it is always great to make a positive out of those types of situation and upgrade the things that need repairing. I'm glad I went 24V for my boat too.
The main thing is you are both safe, good luck and cheers mate.
We use heavy plastic tubing on anchor line where the bow roller is, +_ 5m long, in heavy weather you have to monitor the shaving, and mover the tube as the wave action and bow riding destroys it. Up at Madagascar we had to replace it twice in a storm lying on anchor in the bay ..... remember to make sure the rope can't jump the roller, as then it will be cut even easier.
Nice vids..i enjoy your content.
Johan
Hey Johan, yes, some form of chafe protection is a great thing. A friend of mine also gave me some fire hose recently that is just large enough to go over the rope.
@@DangarMarine i remember a time when we had to cut perkins 6 waterpumps belt, it seized, motor overheated a bit, we opened the cog in the stern and flooded the compartment a bit, kept the motor cool,, all that while breakers broached the stern :) and gascans on the roof clanging, hectic time , maybe thats why i'm grey bearded now .
@@DangarMarine im not big on RUclips like you, but i did upload a short vid of whales really loud sound about 500m from where we were fishing, i dont want to hi jack your channel so...you can search: Whale sounds furious
i know whales a bit but this was extra ordinary :)
Poor Dave, what a shitty time of it he's had of late. Hope his leg isn't too badly burned and he's on the road to a full recovery. Glad that you're both safe. Regards from the UK.
And they only come in three's....that's two so far.
@Brian Port Yeah I know, that was one bad event, two was the oil burn.
@Brian Port Yep, that'll count for 3.
Last Sunday i broke my finger helping a bud set up his new diesel. My van clutch blew. And my diesel tanks started leaking. All 3 in one day. A very productive day. The other upside was as I was covered in diesel fuel I noticed that the girls turned their heads as I walked by! Wrong direction but this is progress!
Thank you for sharing all your misadventures and the hows and whys of being truly prepared. The wisdom you just shared very likely will saved others from finding themselves in a dangerous situation, and probably just saved some lives as well.
I hope others can learn from this and avoid similar situations.
I agree Mark and it really doesn't have to be a trawler either........... even a smallish boat needs backup "just in case".........
It’s good that you share all those lessons with us, thanks
So glad I found your channel Stu...seriously interesting, fascinating and educational. Well done and thanks.
Thanks Ron. :)
Seafaring has a history of tales told on a stormy night around a cup o' grog. Thanks for keeping the tradition alive
Had a similar gear box situation on a 1990 SeaRay with v-drives. No apparent oil leak, but ran dry. Needed full rebuild. Only place it could have been leaking was internally, in the oil cooler. We pressure-tested both sides, no leak found. We eventually assumed there was a temperature dependent internal leak. Replaced the cooler, no further problems.
The ability to cope with stacked problems is where the pro's have most in shore boaters beat.
Enjoyed your posts. Stay safe.
Interesting story Dean, I can't wait to see hear what the gearbox specialist says.
Heal well Dave, Like CPT Ron says, "if it's going to happen it'll happen out there." Thanks for sharing Stu, Jeff in LA USA
Much respect for sharing a story that could open you (and Dave) up to some ridicule. Even the best designed, complex systems can be overwhelmed by multiple, simple failures. Lessons learned the hard way are the most valuable lessons. Good healing for Dave and fair winds for both of ya!
I have read a lot of the comments so I won't write my two cents worth. I do hope Dave recovers from those burns; nothing worse than a burn. thankfully there were two on board to share the work load. That rescue service sounds like it is top notch, very handy when you are in trouble.
Great vid Stu, very honest. A great reminder to us all that no matter how prepared we think we are, things can go wrong. Hopefully Dave will recover quickly. Catch you soon for a beer or two. Cheers PB
Thanks Pete, catch you soon!
Good on yah for making this video. (I was humming the theme song to Gilligan's Island in my head the whole time) That beautiful cat Taywun and its balestrom boom made me think of Rossco and his "Life on the Hulls" channel.
As they say "If it can go wrong, it will go wrong". Glad you made it home safely and were able to turn a bad situation into a good learning experience. I look forward to the next chapter of your tale of owning a new boat.
Watched the video with captions on, love your work dingo sue
Very helpful video to avoid a major disaster - matter how well prepared one is things can/will happen. Thank God you guys kept a cool head and made it back to shore
thanks for been so honest ,, makes a fine food for thought film .
Dangar it’s cool to see the respect between mariners. Your vids kick ass. Keep em comin.
As for sea trials, always remember that everything that moves wears out. No matter how long you test something, it can (and will) fail. Be prepared.
Great story and object lesson. Glad everything worked out.
Hey thanks for your honest, up front feedback on the trip. All this info can only help us all.
Ouch oil burns. at least you had ice on to help reduce the burn outcome. Hope Dave is recovering well.
Thanks for the video.
Cheers
Thanks mate. Hope the experience can help you all.
Thanks for sharing. As someone else mentioned, keeping a few Ziploc bags on board for your phones can help.
Agree!
Or a phone that doesn't care if its wet....
I put mine in a zip loc bag and then in a Tupperware container, just in case............... never had the weather bad enough to be a concern BUT u never know. Also take a spare battery which u can hook up as well.
Thanks for a really helpful video. Great that you shared all the problems for the benefit of subscribers and I founds the lessons drawn useful. Keep up the good work. Cheers from nz
Excellent video! The domino effect of failures is very real. Lots of good advice. JW. USCG (ret).
Super fascinating, man. A real lesson on cascading consequences and the sort of multiplicative implications of risk in systems. A stout anchor system feels like a sine qua non at this rate, or “without which not.” Great vid.
Yes, a couple of good anchors are pretty much essential when boating.
Glad you made it back to Port in one piece. Both of you keeping a cool head with multiple system failures was most likely key to return. Lessons learned. You both will be better seaman from this experience. Sure hope Dave's leg heals up ok. The school of hard knocks is a tough teacher most of the time. Be safe my friend. 😁
Really good video. These videos are really informative and I like the way you don't leave out when things go wrong in any of your videos. Bloody bananas...
Murphy was so right , if it can go wrong, it will! Very interesting story, and glad you made it back safely.
I'm not happy to hear of your troubles but, I'm glad you have spoken of them. It is a lesson to all of us. It reminds me of problems in a plane . The first rule to remember is fly the plane. I would ask about a second anchor but if your line snapped, you might not have had sufficient for the second anchor. It is great to see the progress on your boat. All the best, Hal
Sorry to hear about the bad luck. 6 hours 12knots to find a problem and an anchor break off..wow...glad you all made it back.
Bad preparation=Bad Luck
@@johnb4183 Part of the problem was that ubiquitous bottle of beer. Seems everything Stu does, be it servicing an outboard, rubbing down a keel, he has to have beer. If it were my vessel, there would not be alcohol on board for such a short journey. With two persons, one is always (or should be) on watch. A lot more planning, a written check list with all contingencies on it and less frivolity once under way. It is a serious business, the ocean is never forgiving and will take you in less than a minute.
@@westaussie2006 Battery switches left on - why? , trans. overheat (probably heat exchanger never checked / rebuilt / cleaned - impeller?) , Old anchor line (should be obvious) = problems ahead. Cavalier attitude doesn't work on the SEA , It will bite you.
Another ripper thanks Stu. Lots of food for thought about the events that happened but really appreciate your honesty!
That's a pretty cool setup the Marnie rescue has.
Yeah, they are really well setup. I'm glad Paul took us in for a look around.
Youdotoo It's a good job they are setup as well as they are because there's a lot of people who just have no business being on a boat ,and even less going out to sea.
I would like to see a more detailed tour of their facilities. I did not notice AIS, MMSI, Radar or other systems displays there?
@@rogerlafrance6355 Hello Roger, Yes I can confirm that Marine Rescue NSW bases routinely monitor AIS movements, and keep a listening watch for DSC alerts with MMSI identifiers, etc. Thank you for taking an interest.
@@rogerlafrance6355 Yes to all, and more (radio direction finding gear, and HF radio, too).
A nightmare of a voyage. Dave's leg burn would have been hard to put up with. Fortune smiled on you both. You arrived at shore safely. That is a blessing. They say the sea is cruel & it is. An excellent video, Thanks for sharing it. Others may benefit from your experience & take steps to avoid similar problems.
Thanks mate. It is my hope that by sharing the story others will realise how things can go and prepare accordingly.
Great video Stu! We talk about the Swiss Cheese Model in Aviation as well.
Yeah if you ever watch any of the Air Crash Investigation shows it is never one thing that goes wrong, its always a little mistake here, an insignificant oversight there, nek minnit, in the drink....
Ditto, I worked for FAA in USA for 42 years and I flew Chalks airline often between Miami and Bimini Bahamas. Its often several factors that lead to disaster.
Next time shove the bananas in the gear box you will be surprised at how well they work. They work with leaky diff's on land so a gear box on a boat pretty much the same thing. All the bananas I've ever hauled came off a ship so don't think it was the bananas. Great sea rescue system and great video Stu!
A temperature gauge at the helm connected to the transmission would be a good way to see any problems well before any burning occurs. Cheap insurance really, and oil can be added, or other action taken as needed when when gauge rises, to avoid a bad situation at sea or expensive rebuilds - when perhaps just a new seal would fix the problem.
A nice big solar panel helps to avoid unexpected flat batteries too.
As always thoroughly enjoyed the video, I'm not in a position to undertake any aquatic adventures, so this and a couple of other channels are my substitutes at the moment.
What an awesome adventure (defined as someone else having a hell of a bad time thousands of miles away)!
Seriously one of your best videos in my opinion... the lesson of planning for two failures is one I won't forget.
I'm used to the convenience of a reliable car that doesn't drift and help a few minutes away, so the reality of trouble in a boat is a good course correction for my "some day" plans for sailing.
Thanks for sharing with the landlocked!
Thanks Kevin, glad you enjoyed the vid.
I studied accident reports when I was learning to fly. The main lesson was exactly what you describe. It isn't the big screw ups that kill you. What gets people in trouble is the series of minor problems eroding their safety margin until the final thing, which may be quite trivial in itself, turns them into a splat mark.
Having spoken to a few people that have had boats sink with them on them at night I really appreciate the insight you have provided. You’re spot on. The Swiss cheese will get you! Or the $2 hose clamp. Glad you’re safe and thank you for sharing your experience
A dodgy hose clamp is a great example. It's a amazing how a simple part can bring you down if it fails.
When I saw the bananas at the beginning of the video I gave myself a face plant, poured a drink and got comfortable. I thought: ok here we go, this will be good...
Great vid as always. Glad you both made it back.
Keep ZIP-LOC bags for your Phones and IPADS on board!!!
One tiny hole & your screwed! (Personal experience).
I used to kayak with my phone, on white water rivers, I used a waterproof case it was excellent.
That's spot on, plus, keep the phone/pad in the bags while on board.
Zip-loc is not enough, but there are plenty of dry bag products available. Some of those are going to be added to my boat rehab project, in case it ever makes it to a lake!
Or just buy a waterproof case.
Great video ! lot of useful informations in it not only for boaters but for anybody . The main thing is you both are ok and on hard ground. cant wait for the rest ! take care .
Probably already mentioned but the Marine Rescue app is handy, shows longitute latitude and emergency call procedures and correct radio channels for your location, log your trip etc
Love your vids over here in the US new to boating just bought my first boat 73 winner couger with a 79 johnson 70 learning as much as I can to try to get it out this year need some work but overall it's super clean thanks again
Thanks mate, enjoy your new boat!
Shit gets real fast. Alone, at night, unable to stop and fighting to continue. True colors show fast in that situation.
Ps watching from Cincinnati Ohio
Thanks for your update and sorry to hear about the difficulties you guys experienced. It reminds me of a trip I did from Coffs Harbor to Sydney. It was in December 1982. We wanted to visit family in Manly before Christmas. A crew member joined us in C.Harbpr as he had just bought a sailing yacht to circumnavigate Australia and wanted to gain some experience. We had a great sail with our 43 foot steel ketch. Wind from S.E. Just before midnight suddenly a big bang because of a powerful windshift. Broke my starboard Genoa blok and a wave drenched the cockpit. We lowered sails and soon found shelter behind the rocks near South West Rocks. Stayed there till daybreak as this sudden gale had abated. However our crew member was panicking and wanted a.s.a.p. to leave the yacht. So we headed for Port Macquarie so he could take a bus back to C. Harbor. In Sydney we experienced again a Southerly Buster. Before this incident we had never heard of this phenomena as we had previously arrived from New Zealand via Fiji, New Calidonia Brisbane.
You do get some amazing freak weather along the east coast of Australia. Obviously enough to put your passenger off boating for a while!
Sounds like a few temp/other gauges on the drive train would be a good investment as well as a transmission cooler. There's a lot to be said for a twin screw boat.
Yep, gauges would be a big plus.
An oil cooler is defiantly a plus. I used to maintain a carnival ride that was powered by hydraulics and it never had a oil cooler on it. One of the things I'd notice was when the oil got hot. The seal on the hydraulic pump would start to leak and I think that the same thing was happening with your gearbox as well and why you keep losing oil. When the oil get hot, it softens those seals and causes them to leak. We eventually put an oil cooler on the ride. I took a old heater core from a car and spliced it onto the return line on the hydraulic system and never had another seal leak again.
One of my old mates calls things like temperature and pressure gauges 'cheap insurance' and he is spot on!
I have gone to the extent of installing a complete 'watchdog' suite on my 270Hp turbo-intercooled 3306 Cat.
The system is basically mechanical in nature and monitors coolant temperature and level, oil temperature and pressure and engine revs and shuts the whole system down if any of the parameters exceed margins that can be selected by an operator.
Please keep us updated on Dave please. Glad everything worked out in the end. Great advice on keeping distance from the shore. As humans, the shore feels safe, but the shore is anything but safe for a boat.
Yes, it is a common desire to stick close to the shore, the only thing that can really hurt you.
@@DangarMarine That... and hot oil or banana's :D
"Stu, if I see you with banannas again it will be the last time - Dave" lol
Great video Stu - excellent reality check when one thing fails then another thing goes south you know it's time to get serious real quick . Good job of keeping your wits about you.
it's amazing how quickly there problems can compound.
Stu, I was a broker in the US and in my experience you can't tell a book by the cover. It almost never failed. The boat would look great and the owner could give you chapter and verse on how well he had taken care of the boat and it had no deferred maintenance. Then the sea trial and the survey would take place and??????? Yes many issues would be found and the agreed upon price would be adjusted.
It is interesting as word around town was that the boat was quite solid and reliable. We spend quite a bit of time with a previous crew member which, as you say, doesn't count for much.
Glad to hear you are both safe. Thanks for sharing and reminding me there is no substitute for preparation.
Glad that you were able to get back to port.
Wow, bloody hell, that was some sea trial Dave and you got right there! We hope soon recovery for Dave. Paul and the little tour was awesome, thank you for always taking the time to show us some of these goodies. Glad you take this as a learning opportunity, bloody hell, wow.
It was a good learning opportunity. You don't learn anything from 100 smooth trips offshore but lots from one like this.
There's the name of the boat . . . Banana Drama! ;-)
How about Banana Daiquiri ?
Awesome update thank you! I'm a pilot with 3,000 hours, and also a motorcyclist. I put my android in a large sandwich bag. I press all of the air out of it, seal it and I'm good to go in any rain. When i stop i can still use all of the features on the screen right through the bag without taking it out.
Take a look at Lifeproof cases, they are def. waterproof and not that bulky, been swimming with mine.
Agree.
Thank you for sharing. Valuable lessons to be learned.
I learned a very valuable lesson from both you and Dave’s misfortune on this trip. Remember the five “P’s” - Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance. Thanks for a great video once again.
Losing oil via the gearbox heat exchanger internal seals or matrix?
Excellent educational video. Sharing details of the mishaps encountered by Dave and yourself is bound to help others anticipate and avoid similar situations.
Ziplock bag for the phone.... works great! I put my phone in one when I go out to the hot tub.
Thanks for sharing this story! Three important lessons learned... (1) never go anywhere without an adequate back-up anchor, (2) never underestimate the value of an up-to-date set of paper charts and the knowledge of how to use them, and (3) trade in the trawler for a good sailboat as soon as you are able!
About the naming, do have to write the old name on a stone and chuck it in the sea so Poseidon can cross it off his books?
Yep, we will be doing the full ceremony in the video.
Thanks for this Stu. I am close to finishing a renovation of a Colvic 20 Fishing boat and will be doing sea trials in about a month. This vid has made me consider a few things that would otherwise probably get overlooked. Simple stuff like the mounting position of the compass directly in front of the helm, obvious when you think about but often they are not. I am also definitely going to be fitting an engine and gearbox temp alarm now. Probably a few extra tools in the tool box and additional spare parts will also now be on my list. Thanks again.
It is very easy to overlook certain things until you see them go wrong. I probably wouldn't have installed a gearbox temperature gauge on my boat if it wasn't for this happening to Dave's boat.
What I took away from this - Treat the trawler as a workplace, appropriate PPE, overalls work boots gloves, first aid kit with AED, extra tools oils, spare ropes anchor, navigation equipment setup correctly, flood lights, cabin water tight and no more bananas on board..
Yep, you really can't go wrong that way.
Dangar Marine in a pinch, you can use banana peels instead of gear oil.
😉
@@firstmkb ive heard this too, and mince meat.
Another great video Stu. Hope Dave is getting better and am glad you both are safe. What a great rescue organization
Electronics and smart phones are aids to navigation only mate, take an old school paper chart for the sea area you are going to be operating in and mark your position every 15-20 mins, that way you are never that far from your last way mark and can use dead reckoning to navigate by, it also gives a close last known position to relay to emergency service or other vessels in radio range if a major drama strikes. Glad your both basically ok and no more Bananas ehh.
Yeah, had a couple of different forms of paper charts with us. I'm a big fan of paper at sea.
Yes except they were running at night, no landmarks visible, and off shore with no aids to navigation. Chart no help in their situation.
@@cdouglas1942 As long as you have a compass a ships clock and know what speed your vessel was doing, day or night you can take a bearing to shore, trust me I spent 5 years working on trawlers this size and larger. Weekend warriors get lost at sea, professional mariners know where they are all the time my friend.
@@andywilliams1160 Their compass was not at the helm, they had no "ships clock", they didn't start out to navigate this way, the new owner seems like a novice, Stu is a great mechanic I agree, (navigation skills unknown). Pro mariners may know where they are all the time but these two didn't qualify. But Stu's skills in general saved the other guys bacon.
@@cdouglas1942 I agree, It looked from Stu's presentation of the video like it was a sobering experience, the fact he didn't panic and used his head saved them for sure. He is a great marine engineer and a smart guy, he'll learn from this and I'm sure he wont make the same mistake when his boat goes out on it trials.
Great video, great honesty, thanks for sharing. Many boaties out there wouldn’t share such an eventful trip on RUclips like this, their egos wouldn’t allow it! We can all learn from this, you’ve probably already saved someone from this video.
Hell yeah!! I'm part of the 360p only crew! Comment early, comment often! USA here.
Me too!
Sorry you had to go through such a difficult time but telling us about it has to some extent fast tracked some of the things I should watch out for, thanks for sharing : )
You’re welcome, it’s always good to learn from each other’s experiences.
When I was doing my apprenticeship many years ago a wise old instructor told me any oil is better than no oil ..... Oh no more bananas
I was told that too.
Maybe you could use the bananas as oil if you were really desperate... LOL
Holy crap...you're right when you say lessons learned! Poor dave! geese, damn those bananas! $20 says they won't be on the next trip. Thanks a bunch for sharing that one, very very educational!
The boat sounds like a bag of nails.
Tubesock full of wood screws...
Or the people working on it do not know what they are doing???
It’s easy to criticise when sitting behind a keyboard? STFU
Glad you are safe, I learned things from your problems, like flying an airplane you always have to look for a place to land along the route, same in a boat. You did well. Marine rescue is a great asset to have available.
due respect always to the ocean.
Amen !!!
What a harrowing experience! Gotta admire your insight and lessons learned from the experience. Really puts things in perspective - especially regarding not trusting your boat as far as you can sail it... or maybe can only trust a boat as far as you can sail it.... At least the bananas didn't kill you. I don't know what I'd do without another Dangar Marine video 😂
Does this give you the itch to get yours back on the water Stu?
It certainly motivates me to keep doing the boat the best I can. :)
Great video mate learnt a lot from this. No doubt you’ve made someone think twice before they head off and land into trouble. Well done dude keep the adventures rolling!
You might find that trans needs a cooling system, perhaps including raw water and a heat exchanger
At least a temperature sensor and gauge in wheelhouse.
Great video!!! So glad you guys made it back! Lots of lessons learned on that trip, thank you for your story it was great.👍 No more banannas on the boat???
That was one hell of an adventure, I'm not surprised thou boats are temperamental, I think I would have had some way of having a 20hp outboard for a kicker for that just in case moment. It sounds like the gear box is an old velvet drive, ya they don't like being run low on fluid they get hot real quick if you had a twin disc it probably would have had a bearing failure. Not sure if there is an oil cooler on the transmission if so I bet that's where the oil was going leaking into the raw water cooling system. The scar from the oil burn on Dave's leg will be a reminder of the misadventure, its a painful burn to get ouch.
Well at least you didn't have to put the bananas in the transmission! Good tale , back for the back up worth remembering! Cheers Warren
Same error with flying, it’s called “gotta get there-itis”
Not just flying Ken, I recently succumbed to the same mindset returning from a trip on my bike, rode almost forty miles with a nasty clonking noise in my gearbox, don't know how I even thought I might make it the two hundred miles home, you hit the nail squarely on the head..."gotta get there-itis"
I'm very familiar with the got to get there itis. I'm pilot so I understand what you're saying very well
gotta get there itis happened with the disaster at tenerife airport
Take offs are optional... Landings are mandatory.
its not the fall from the sky you worry about. its that sudden stop at the landing
Glad your both safe. Hope Dave's burns are not serious. NO MORE BANANAS that's a cardinal rule! With all the issues you kept your cool and made it in safely- very happy for that!
A fine example of shit happening by the pound, not by the ounce.
By the way... how many hundreds of pounds of bananas do you recon the Titanic must've had on board?
He's very lucky to have you along. He could have had a real disaster. My US Power Squadron Instructor always emphasized backups! Good Job!
600 feet anchored is about minimum anchor line don't you think . That's 182.88 meters . Not much I'd think on ocean. 😧
I correct my post.
It should read 'anchor line ' not anchored '.
Thanks to Google for changing my sentence.
Anyway 5/8" braided nylon x 600' is nice for that boat. I still think 600' is minimal length.
🤔
Good video stu under the circumstances ! Keep up the good work mate
You're ok.. cruise ships bring boatloads of bananas on board. Between all the alchohol consumption and parties no one noticed it was a superstition. ..
Those pesky banana daiquiris!
This was a great video for all folks like me working on an older boat.I have checked and or replaced almost everything crucial and doubled up on some things like anchors ,three Gps units plus a phone and VHF,Water pumps for both out boards and will be installing a second new Bilge pump even though the installed one works as is.Three fire extingishers also.All on a 20 ft cuddy cabin Bayliner.I had a trusted Yard Mechanic check as much as he resonably could for any visable problems for relibility.Like rubber hoses on the interior of the outboards.If in doubt toss it out.Also found a 25 anp fuse that is absolutly crucial for gen power I had no Idea was there.Spares?And flares.Stuff Happens.Allways one more worm in the can.
It makes you realise that there is no such thing as a cheap boat. You either buy an expensive one or spend a fortune replacing everything on an old one.
You always smell trouble first.
Then you remember it's time to go to the toilet, its also called old age.
No that was a good Adventure! Glad you guys both came back safe and mostly unharmed, and it's funny, I always learn from your stories and your adventures on how to do things and how not to do things even on minor stuff I work on!
Easy on the batteries. To be Fully discharged is really rough on their service life...
Yes, fortunately they were brand new so they bounced back but you can't do it many times at all before it takes its toll.
Hope Daves Leg is gonna be OK. If you think about it , Setting off in a new(used) boat and pushing into the dark was second hole in the cheese.The first was not checking /replacing ground tackle(whole length). Prob most important system on the vessel. I learnt heaps from this vid , thanks for sharing .