Boat sunk in Glacier Bay

[Fletcher500]

This can’t be right, didn’t you see the Poseidon Adventure?

Copy, or Leonardo DeCaprio in the Titanic.

 

[HeadMistress]

The boat was 25 yrs old...if the hoses were still original, I'd bet money that a hose attached to an open thru-hull split.

The average working life of any hose is +/- 10 years because rubber and plastics dry out over time, becoming hard, brittle and prone to cracking and splitting. According to BOAT/US, that's one of the most common reasons boats sink in their slips when no one is aboard...or in this case maybe, aboard but paying -0- attention to any change in normal sounds...like the sound of running water below decks when no one is below.

--Peggie

 

[markpierce]

Whenever I see discussions of forward looking sonar, I usually see some comments that it is a gimmick, you don't really need one. Others say the forward looking sonar is only good at 8 knots or less, what good is that?.

In the world of recreational trawlers, who here travels at more than 7 knots?

 

[Airstream345]

I think I was on this boat at one of the Seattle boat shows a few years back. Certainly would like to know what actually happened.

 

[rsn48]

In the world of recreational trawlers, who here travels at more than 7 knots?

There are more than just trawlers on the forum, my boat is capable of 26 knots, others have faster boats. And if I was in Florida, my boat would be a slow poke at 26 knots and only one engine....lol.

In the Pacific North West, especially going beyound Desolation, I think having forward looking sonar is a good idea. I know how flakey some charts can be.

 

[rslifkin]

In the world of recreational trawlers, who here travels at more than 7 knots?

Plenty. 6.5 - 7 kts is our typical cruise, but the boat is capable of cruising at 17 kts if desired.

 

[RedRascal]

Spooky to see a boat laying on its side like that and troubling to see that a person needed to be carried on the beach. Not a good day for those folks but glad they got to land.

As for avoiding charted rocks it only matters if someone is locking at the charts. Here are a couple examples from last season of boaters finding charted rocks.

https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s59/sinking-norwester-57514.html

https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s3/its-happened-again-boat-meets-rock-prevost-57731.html

 

[markpierce]

Plenty. 6.5 - 7 kts is our typical cruise, but the boat is capable of cruising at 17 kts if desired.

Go faster at greater risk.

 

[soin2la]

a person needed to be carried on the beach.

Bare feet don't do well on barnacles.

 

[rslifkin]

Go faster at greater risk.

There's a time and place for everything. On the occasions I don't mind the extra fuel, there are times and places where going faster is appropriate and others (like at night or if there's lots of debris in the water from recent storms) where it's just too risky.

 

[ak-guy]

This is the area where the boat sank. Described as "near McBride Glacier". The shallow area at the mouth of McBride Inlet is not well surveyed. While most of Muir Inlet is deep with steep shorelines this area is not. They had attempted to enter McBride Inlet. I have taken my own boat into McBride Inlet. The entrance is shallow and narrow with strong currents and ice bergs. It is an incredible place and the glacier is much further back than what is shown on this chart. I was employed as a captain by Glacier Bay National Park for 25 years

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

This is the area where the boat sank. Described as "near McBride Glacier". The shallow area at the mouth of McBride Inlet is not well surveyed. While most of Muir Inlet is deep with steep shorelines this area is not. They had attempted to enter McBride Inlet. I have taken my own boat into McBride Inlet. The entrance is narrow with strong currents and ice bergs. It is an incredible place and the glacier is much further back than what is shown on this chart. I was employed as a captain by Glacier Bay National Park for 25 years

Thanks for the post. Always better when a "local" has the knowledge.

 

[marcs]

low tide...

I have no idea what happened, but there are definitely uncharted rocks in there and you can't see anything through the silt. Based on the time in the press release, 12:04PM on July 1st, it was right after a -1.1ft low tide. I was always nervous moving around at low tide there, I figure rocks visible at a low tide are much more likely to be charted.

When I was up there ten years ago a tour boat hit a rock a few miles from Muir Inlet and flooded an engine room: https://www.adn.com/.../glacier-bay-tour-boat.../2012/08/20/ I don't recall if that rock was charted or not.

 

[bowball]

This is the area where the boat sank. Described as "near McBride Glacier". The shallow area at the mouth of McBride Inlet is not well surveyed. While most of Muir Inlet is deep with steep shorelines this area is not. They had attempted to enter McBride Inlet. I have taken my own boat into McBride Inlet. The entrance is shallow and narrow with strong currents and ice bergs. It is an incredible place and the glacier is much further back than what is shown on this chart. I was employed as a captain by Glacier Bay National Park for 25 years

That’s really useful and you obviously have impressive experience!

How close could one comfortably get, with let’s say a 5’ draft vessel, lacking the local knowledge?

Is it feasible to anchor out,and come in by tender? Or does the ice provide too much risk?

Or is it just a location to be avoided for prudence sake?

 

[Retriever]

Sad, but glad all aboard were rescued.

I think this was the same boat that struck a rock and took on water in Foggy Bay back in 2006. https://www.passagemaker.com/lifestyle/summing-it-all-up

 

[twistedtree]

This is the area where the boat sank. Described as "near McBride Glacier". The shallow area at the mouth of McBride Inlet is not well surveyed. While most of Muir Inlet is deep with steep shorelines this area is not. They had attempted to enter McBride Inlet. I have taken my own boat into McBride Inlet. The entrance is shallow and narrow with strong currents and ice bergs. It is an incredible place and the glacier is much further back than what is shown on this chart. I was employed as a captain by Glacier Bay National Park for 25 years

Great info, thanks. As charted, definitely not a place I'd attempt to enter.

 

[bowball]

Great info, thanks. As charted, definitely not a place I'd attempt to enter.

Agreed. If it was that little inlet going to the glacier. Is that what it was?

 

[twistedtree]

I'm pretty sure this is looking up into McBride. Lots of ice constantly coming out.

 

[twistedtree]

Here's a better one from 2017.

 

[ak-guy]

Here is what it looks like now. I heard they entered soon after low tide. When I have gone in I did it over the high tide which is scary because you are going with the current. So you and a river of ice bergs. Watch out for the ones that aren't moving, they are grounded. My boat just draws 3'. Once you get into the inlet a ways it is all deep water but the shallows at the entrance are sketchy.

 

[SeaDogAK]

I wonder if they hit an ice berg.

 

[Endeavor GB 32]

This is from the Puget Sound Grand Banks Owners Asso. facebook page:

"Dear friends of Cats ‘N Dawgs,

It’s with great sadness that we share that our Grand Banks is now resting at the bottom of Glacier Bay. We are grateful to report all crew members are safe and healthy.

On July 1st CND was headed up Muir inlet to explore the beauty of Glacier Bay. While setting anchor, an unexpected 6 knot current pushed CND into the rocks. The crew made a valiant effort to secure the boat with both a front and rear anchor, but Mother Nature was too strong and the rocks breached a hole in the bottom of the hull by tearing off starboard stabilizer. Fortunately there was a coast guard helicopter training in the area and they were able to get our crew back to Juneau.

We are sure you all have questions and want to have more details but we’d like to ask for some time as we recover privately. We are still in shock and are trying to come to terms with what happened.

We have so many fond memories on our second home, CND, and she will be missed. We appreciate your love and support and will reach out again soon.

Rest in love CND!

The Padgett and McMahan Families"


Regards,
Scott

 

[twistedtree]

Here is what it looks like now. I heard they entered soon after low tide. When I have gone in I did it over the high tide which is scary because you are going with the current. So you and a river of ice bergs. Watch out for the ones that aren't moving, they are grounded. My boat just draws 3'. Once you get into the inlet a ways it is all deep water but the shallows at the entrance are sketchy.

What chart is that? I "think" I have the most recent NOAA charts, but they don't show the pool beyond the bar.

 

[marcs]

What chart is that? I "think" I have the most recent NOAA charts, but they don't show the pool beyond the bar.

The latest NOAA ENC (vector) chart does, raster charts are no longer updated. The thing I haven't found and would love to know is how to figure out when/how the soundings were done for an ENC, with good old raster charts they are listed in the corner somewhere, like the attached example.

 

[Sababa]

Fins again? Rethinking stabilization options on my next boat.

 

[Old Sea Dog]

I suspected the white object on the port side of the exposed hull was a stabilizer. Not a fan of them. Basically a rudder on the side of your hull with no skeg to protect it. The stress on that part of the hull, especially a wood hull....

Sent from my SM-G715U1 using Trawler Forum mobile app

 

[twistedtree]

The latest NOAA ENC (vector) chart does, raster charts are no longer updated. The thing I haven't found and would love to know is how to figure out when/how the soundings were done for an ENC, with good old raster charts they are listed in the corner somewhere, like the attached example.

Thanks. I guess I don't have the most recent charts. I'll need to update again. With that larger pool charted, I could see the temptation to go in.

 

[bowball]

I suspected the white object on the port side of the exposed hull was a stabilizer. Not a fan of them. Basically a rudder on the side of your hull with no skeg to protect it. The stress on that part of the hull, especially a wood hull....

Sent from my SM-G715U1 using Trawler Forum mobile app

Were the stabilizers factory installed on this Grand Banks?
And a solid core hull?

There doesn’t seem to be much recourse if you sheer one off and it opens a big hole. I’d like to think factory installed and reinforced fins aren’t as prone to this.

Any improvements in survivability of stabilizers since this boat was outfitted?

 

[twistedtree]

Were the stabilizers factory installed on this Grand Banks?
And a solid core hull?

There doesn’t seem to be much recourse if you sheer one off and it opens a big hole. I’d like to think factory installed and reinforced fins aren’t as prone to this.

Any improvements in survivability of stabilizers since this boat was outfitted?

Let's just be clear that there is nothing to suggest stabilizers had anything to do with the sinking.


And to put minds at ease, in a strange sort of way, a friend got out of place in a narrow entrance earlier this summer and struck and grounded on a rock, then backed of as the tide rose.


The impact scratched up the bottom and broke off the fiberglass shell of one fin, leaving behind the shaft and stainless core of the fin. No other damage other than to the rock. He continued on and is still cruising without interruption.

 

[Sababa]

Let's just be clear that there is nothing to suggest stabilizers had anything to do with the sinking.

The owner wrote: “The crew made a valiant effort to secure the boat with both a front and rear anchor, but Mother Nature was too strong and the rocks breached a hole in the bottom of the hull by tearing off starboard stabilizer.”