Suz Posted August 22, 2004 Share Posted August 22, 2004 Group of four headed out of Portsmouth this morning for an early launch at 9:00. Warm rain, gray and drizzly - a perfect day on the water, right? We headed south along the coast hoping to find the predicted swells. Nothing much happening and the air was still. So we just played among the rocks. Couldn't see far in front which means when you are playing in the rocks, you can't really see the waves coming until they are right there. Sometimes they pick you up and put you in MUCH higher places than you were minutes before. Nice thing about a rising tide is that more water keeps coming in and takes you right back down from those higher places. Lots of fun exploring amongst the rocks. Even found a whole family with their buckets picking periwinkles off the rocks. Boy you would have to collect an awful lot to make dinner. After a quick stop for a snack, we continued south right along the coast so that we had a hand hold to follow in the fog. Well, one of those interesting waves picked me up and rolled me over and pulled my brand new $9.00 fog horn from the deck. Well after I rolled up and collected my hat, I decided to collect the fog horn (I did have it tethered but the tether stayed on my deck lines and the horn ended up in the water). So, in two feet of water, a couple of us kept trying to pick up the fog horn which as soon as you got to it, it would get washed under the boat. Finally I decided to roll for it and first attempt had my hat fill with water and nearly choke me... the second attempt between the breaking waves was nearly successful, I grabbed the fog horn but one of the pieces came off in my hand and the other remained on the bottom. SOOOooo I was really annoyed now and decided to just get out of the darn boat and stand up and pick it up. In the meantime, someone else had circled around me and ended up down wave of me. I pulled the skirt and came out of the boat. As I look out to sea, I see a bigger wave coming in, just about to break... I grabbed the boat but the wave pulled it right out of my hand and into the other boat. Did I mention that the fog horn was only $9... I heard the quick pop and the boat continued on towards the beach. I cringed as I headed over to it and rolled it over. Yes, it was holed. Round about two fists worth of surface area punched in. The fiberglass ripped through, right about where my feet are in the cockpit. The repair kit came out, duct tape and socks - the socks to dry the boat to be able to apply the tape. Couple of layers later, we were good to go. We were about 1.5 miles from Rye so we started to continue south. Figured that I could just wait there for one of the others to come back with a car. Winds started to pick up so we decided to re-think the situation. We did the unheard of - we decided to split up - two head back to the launch site in Portsmouth, two head to Rye to wait for the ride. Keys were passed and they headed out. It was 12:15 when we split. After a short paddle to Rye, Paula and I practiced strokes and sculling and then took a break for lunch. The others joined us at 2:15. So we ended up cutting the day short stopping MUCH earlier than normal. Once we got on the road after going back to get the other car and then moving boats back and forth, we were on the road when the skies opened up. I haven't seen that much lightning for a long time. I really think that if I hadn't holed the boat, we would have been on the water when the storm came. So, as I said, things happen for a reason. Did I mention that I never did go pick up the other half of the horn. Next time you are up in Portland, pick one up for me- they are only $9! Suzanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Gwynn Posted August 22, 2004 Share Posted August 22, 2004 Sorry to hear about your unfortunate incident. I know you had recently done some gel coat repair work. Are you going to try your hand at fiberglass repair work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eneumeier Posted August 22, 2004 Share Posted August 22, 2004 Suzanne, You really have to stop getting out of your boat for cheap gear. Remember the $20 chart? I'm glad you folks got off the water. If finally occurred to me that being in my yard with a steel shovel was not the smartest thing, and I went inside. Liz N. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joan_H Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 I;m very thankful you are all in one piece and the Sea Gods were with you this time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted August 23, 2004 Author Share Posted August 23, 2004 Boat will be OK, a friend is starting the work on it. No, not Rick S... all he had to offer was a bunch of stickers. Suz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Nystrom Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 If you've got the time, I've got the glass, epoxy and gelcoat... ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Leonard Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 Congratulations.... Welcome to the very small and elite group that can claim that they have actually broken a boat! It must have been patching the scratches that did it. The boat knows that you are trying to make it look less used and will fight back. At least that is the theory I am sticking too. Unofficial NDK motto: That which does not kill us, only makes us heavier! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted August 23, 2004 Author Share Posted August 23, 2004 Ha ha! You always make me laugh. Still can't get the picture out of my mind with you suspended above the rocks by the bow and stern and nothing supporting the middle and almost HEARING the cracks form. Don't think this will be any heavier at the end of it as the punched in part will be cut out and replaced - net weight gain zero?? No matter, it is a heavy one anyway - what's a few more pounds:)Better that the boat gains them than me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick stoehrer Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 small? the list is growing every day....stickers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 Stickers add a softness to the belly of a boat, more oneness with your environment and a close, almost zen like feel of the water. Stickers rule, and besides it will make it easier to retrieve stuff through the hull rather than around it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted August 24, 2004 Author Share Posted August 24, 2004 Retrieving through the hull! Just what I needed. I will tell the doctor to just put a flap on the boat so that I can open and close the hole! (PS this one was too big and too holey for stickers) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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