Not what they meant by "on the rocks"
 

I know words already gotten around about this wreck near Black Cat Island. For those who haven't seen yet, here's what everyone (and by everyone I mean a few people) is talking about.

https://i.imgsafe.org/c0dfae2ade.jpg

https://i.imgsafe.org/c0dfc1f8f0.jpg

Ok.....probably a stupid question, but why aren't rocks marked? When I was a kid, we marked all the rocks with Clorox bottles......

They are marked. Look on a chart, and you will see the markers. People, unfortunately, tend to go on the wrong side of the markers.

I live here... I am always Upthesaukee.

Anybody know the approximate grid coordinates (Googlemaps)? Was there anyone hurt?

Atleast they dropped anchor :laugh:

Dropped Pin
near Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire
https://goo.gl/maps/XSJYVGTaudH2

This is what happens when you cheat on your boating exam...SW?NE? If there's anything to make sure you understand, it's the direction you're going that counts....use a compass, too! :cool:

So....
 

So...you're to blame. You missed marking this one

This goes way beyond knowing where to navigate or even markers. This was a daytime accident. Those rocks are sticking out of the water. The gulls line up on them in number. This guy must have been completely and utterly distracted not to have seen them well in advance. He was obviously not paying any attention to where he was going.

I'm going to guess the guy anchored the boat offshore, went ashore, and the anchor dragged while he was gone...otherwise he would be on the boat right now pushing, "kedging", or getting a Tow off the rocks. :look: NB

I think he was getting prepared for high tide :)

"I'd rather be on the dock with a drink on the rocks than in the drink with a boat on the rocks"

Just took a peek at the black cat weather cam, and it was showing a still photo of the stranded boat getting towed off the rocks by what looks like the orange and white, Tow Boat USA ....taken 42-minutes ago.

Speaking of TIDES: Tides separate the men from the boys when it comes to Seamanship and anchoring..for.. lets say overnight. (On The Coast)

Down here in Newport we have a 3-4 foot tide up and down daily. North of the Cape the tides are approaching 10-11 feet. North of Cape Anne the tide rise keeps getting steeper. Up near the Bay Of Fundy..that's in Canada, the tide rise is around 40 feet. One of the steepest in the world. When you anchor overnight, you need to take the Tide into consideration. If you don't, you may end up in the morning ON the rocks or on a mud flat, miles from the nearest water...and tilting to one side. :D :D NB

Eldridge is your bible when cruising on the coast.:) NB

I have my boating certificate and no I do not have every rule "memorized" that's why I do not venture out where I am not familiar. I just never understood why can't they simply (??) just put markers "all around" hazards the way they cone off holes in the road when your driving. Maybe I'm making it sound easier than it is but there just seems like a better way, the current one obviously confuses many people.

What everyone missed here is the fact that THANKFULLY it appears that the Captain (and I use that word loosely) of this boat was not going very fast when striking the rocks. From the great photo taken there doesn't appear to be significant front hull damage and the windshield is intact as opposed to many years ago when the father /son combo hit the witches (at speed) and were ejected out of the boat through the bow (and through the front windshield).

And to the posters blaming not knowing what side of the sticks to stay on --- ABSURD -- this is pure negligence-- these rocks are visible !!


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I tend to agree, but wonder if it was really rough at the time of the accident, that might sway me a bit, though I'd still have to call the act negligent. I'm glad it was plainly visible rocks and not a swimmer...

It was an accident!

Let's be thankful no one was killed or injured...

Dan

It was actually in a lot better condition than I ever would have imagined. I watched it go by under its own power yesterday after they pulled it off the rocks. I guess the hull saved the outdrive.

Some obvious rocks in major channels should be removed sufficiently down to allow safe passage. I know DES would have a heart attack, but it would make a lot of sense. Things like the witches need to go. They serve no useful purpose.

They're a great place for the birds to sit... All I wish is that red or black (don't care which) get changed to BRIGHT YELLOW, I can't see the difference till I'm real close. There are still areas I don't go to often where I have to stop, Pre marker, and check the chart. No big deal, but It could be much safer.

Great suggestion.... The makers could be florescent red and green....just like the colors that are used for safety on roads, by bikers, etc. etc. Or change the red to florescent green and make the black a checkerboard pattern. Time to retire the current stuff, which is very hard to distinguish.

Seems like all the Mass. lakes mark their rocks with Clorox bottles. Mass. skippers must understand not in our backyard!

Could not make them harder to use...
 

I agree with the idea here but i would suggest flourescent paint combined with wider buoys. I cruise @ 25 mph and still have to really work sometimes to pick out some markers in full daylight on routes I travel often, mostly I think due to them being so thin. Using black seems to just be absurd. What a wonderful experience it is to find those when the sun is down. Its almost as if the current system was designed to be the least visible possible. Additionally I think red may be the next hardest color to identify in lowlight. The only logical reason I can come up with for this to persist is that the current system was designed by the businesses that fix boats that hit rocks. :D

Looks like a failed anchor to me...
 

Now that we know the motor was functional afterwards I think this was likely a slow drift onto the rocks. Probably a failed anchoring. That weird anchor line angle suggests it was out when the boat got to the rocks.

"Lodged", Not "Driven"...
 

I find the markers easy to see in morning sunlight.

When the sun gets overhead (when everyone else is out), the colors aren't as easily seen. :look:

That seems most likely.

Given strong winds and oversized-boat wakes, it wouldn't take much to lodge any "drifting" boat.

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Based on how the boat was resting on the rocks (and the fact that other pictures had been taken with the bilge pump at full tilt) I don't think it was adrift. I'm thinking bow high, coming up on to plane and then WHACK!!!! several thousand down the drain. The buoys are confusing there and it's possible that the wakes made it difficult to see, but if you don't know the area... SLOW DOWN!!!

There's just no way a boat wake lifted that boat high enough to place it on top of that ledge. There are no boats on the lake that could make a wake big enough to do that. There are some that could make a wake high enough, but not broad enough. It takes a very long period swell to lift an 8' 6" wide boat that high; boat wakes have a short period and will only make that sized boat roll or pitch with very little total lift. It was clearly driven aground.

Wonder if that was the rocky ledge that is on the south side of the island about 100' off shore.....almost hit it a few years ago. It was just under the surface and we were able to panic reverse just in time. Saw a several gouges on the rocks.

Boats Have Been Tossed Ashore by Wakes...
 

This owner has an older Sea Ray 24' (26-LOA), who paid extra for his "deep-V" hull, which has helped in keeping it lodged. ;)

While not necessarily in disagreement, it's not impressed on me that it was "clearly driven aground": the boat does not necessarily need to have been "lifted".

I live with wakes, and have witnessed wakes that are not just colossal in size, but produce sequential damage as they strike again and again. :eek2:

Damage is compounded with strong winds—then add secondary and tertiary wakes—which may help explain the Winnipesaukee trend to boat lifts, and breakwaters AND mooring whips. :cool:

IMO, with a favorable wind and an oversized-cruiser, the stuck boat could have been dislodged with a few passes of skillfully-directed wakes.

:look:

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Aren't you special! Some of us have to work, volunteer, raise kids or whatever in the morning. The black spars should be fluorescent green.

The former owner of the boat from - Not what they meant by "on the rocks"
 

All:

First off I blame nobody but myself for the accident. I wasn't familiar with the area and before I noticed the rocks it was too late. I should have broken out my chart once I had veered off into unfamiliar waters, truly my bad it may have prevented the accident. I will say that sun glare did play a big factor into why I didn't see them. There were no birds on the rocks and they were not sticking up out of the water but if you get close enough you can see them.

Yes, whoever posted that the markers are weird there, you are absolutely correct. I also agree with those that stated the area should be marked better.

I want to thank Tow BoatUS (yes I have their membership $76 for the year) those guys were great. They took us all home and got the boat off the rocks three days later when they got the right equipment. I especially want to thank the three families who live on the Island that came out on kayaks to check on us and one group brought us out snacks and drinks while we were waiting for our tow. Two of the locals in the area did say I wasn't the first to do this and I will not be the last. Unfortunately three people I am told who came by close to get a closer look were victims of scraping rocks and doing damage to their props. It is a tough area be careful!!

As for the boat, well the estimate to repair it was $3,000 more than the boat was/is worth so I was issued a check and the boat was deemed a total loss. Hard lesson but fortunately I received enough in the settlement to get a new to me comparable boat (26' Formula 260BR). I want to thank those who had kind words and to those who had harsh words, I am taking them in stride and wish nobody ill will. I made a mistake and I am moving forward. I am back on the water.

P.S. The new boat has a GPS :D

It takes a lot of guts to admit to an error, especially like this, and extra especially on your first post!

Welcome to the lake and the forum.

I hope you'll stick around.

They say everyone will hit a rock sooner or later to some degree or another. I have also.

Here's hoping we're both done with this ritual to the rock gods of winni!

If only we were all issued a "do over"...

I'd probably save mine for something worse.

Rocks and I have a hate-hate relationship as a result of a similar but less expensive mishap.

Welcome to the forum. Enjoy your new boat!

I hit at least one rock every season with my outdrive. It just seems like I have to awake from my winter slumber. I have to pay for a new prop before I pay attention.:emb:

Good for you to re-load on a new boat and go for it again. That grouping of rocks is sometimes difficult to see depending on water level and sunlight. Glad everyone was ok. You'll do better this summer - enjoy!

That boat looks like it was worth more than $3K before the rocks!
I'm surprised they totaled it.

I believe he said to fix it would cost $3K more than it was worth, probably considerably more than $3K alone. ;)

Thanks Rich, I didn't catch that, guess it was the right move.

Welcome
 

Greetings to both binarym and Panther.

Lessons learned best are those learned hard.

Here's wishing you good luck and calm waters this season.

Careful out there early season there are a number of missing markers and some that look out of place.

MP will have a busy spring for sure.

In the "new days" of electronics, it doesn't matter if the marker is there. The GPS position on your chartplotter hasn't changed, and the rocks haven't moved. However, we're still in the "early days" where debris is all over, and hasn't been blown to shore and then left high and dry as the lake level drops. Keep your eyes outside the cockpit!

Thank you to all the shorefront folks who collect branches, logs, etc and prevent them from drifting off to be chewed up by a prop or to chew up a prop. You all perform a great service that goes unrecognized.

watch out!
 

Indeed! On the web cam I saw someone's swim raft free floating in Wolfeboro Bay.