Lost and Found

[Onshore]

About all those things that people report missing...

http://www.cmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dl...WS01/809290369

[Gatto Nero]

Late last year a neighbor gave my daughter a small kayak that he wasn't using. We already had a two person kayak but we figured this would work out great for her to use while my wife and I used the bigger one. We were ready to do just that one morning this summer when we realized that in order for all of us to go together, as well as have my wife pull her own weight, we would need a third paddle. The very next morning we heard a banging sound down by the rocks in front of our property. There, crashing against the rocks, was a perfectly good kayak paddle. I've also found an almost new pull tube and several fenders over the years.

[ApS]

Excerpts from the article:

"The state's Marine Patrol Bureau, part of the Division of Safety Services, has a collection of boats, oars and other aquatic items in its possession - and if you think any of the items belongs to you, the Marine Patrol wants to know. When no one claims a valuable item, it goes to the state's surplus property department, where it's either sold or auctioned off, said Capt. Mark Gallagher of the Marine Patrol.

"'It could be a boat that's come loose. It could be a section of dock. It could be a life jacket that maybe blew off a boat," said Gallagher, who wishes that more people would call to reclaim their property. 'It would be nice if somebody's name and address was on everything, so we could just make a phone call.'

"The current list of unclaimed items includes: two chairs, 52 miscellaneous mooring balls, one composite owl, one stern light, five miscellaneous fenders, one tarp, one binimi top [Wolfeboro Matt's?], two kayaks, one outboard motor, nine miscellaneous aluminum boats, one fiberglass row boat, one drainage pipe, two canoes, two john boats, three oars, three sunfish-style boats, one slide, one swim platform, three paddleboats and one surfboard."

A lost-and-found notice of three "Sunfish" boats sounds unusual, as these boats cost 3x the amount of kayaks and canoes.

New Hampshire requires registration of "Sunfish" boats. Doesn't the Marine Patrol have the resources to check decal numbers?

Originally Posted by Gatto Nero

"...I've also found an almost new pull tube and several fenders over the years..."

A neighbor to whom I sold one of my larger boats has a serious collection of fenders, outnumbering my uncountable collection by nearly double. I also had three mooring buoys wash up in the past few years.

I'd say to always "ship" those fenders while underway (underweigh?), and check your mooring chains. I replaced my BIL's mooring chain and noticed how much corrosion had occurred to the old chain.

The following photo shows the very same length of galvanized chain with varying diameters in its length due to the effects of freshwater corrosion.

[DRH]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

The following photo shows the very same length of galvanized chain with varying diameters in its length due to the effects of freshwater corrosion.

For twelve years we kept our sailboat on a mooring in about 16' of water here in West Alton. Every year or two I would have the mooring chain, shackles, swivel, etc. checked by a diver. Consistently, the chain would be in very good condition near the surface, but the further down it went the more corroded it would be. This appears to be what APS is demonstrating with the photo of his mooring chain. Any theories on why the lake water is much more corrosive at 16' than at the surface? Is it a function of depth, or is the water more corrosive near the bottom regardless of depth?

[Gatto Nero]

Originally Posted by DRH

Any theories on why the lake water is much more corrosive at 16' than at the surface? Is it a function of depth, or is the water more corrosive near the bottom regardless of depth?

Could it be that lower part of the the chain is resting on the bottom, and therefore constantly being rubbed against it as the boat moves? Wouldn't this, in addition to wearing the chain on it's own, also rub off each new layer of rust making way for a new layer of rust to corrode it further?

[DRH]

Originally Posted by Gatto Nero

Could it be that lower part of the the chain is resting on the bottom, and therefore constantly being rubbed against it as the boat moves? Wouldn't this, in addition to wearing the chain on it's own, also rub off each new layer of rust making way for a new layer of rust to corrode it further?

That is a possibility in some cases, but in mine I don't think so. My mooring was configured with a float (actually a large boat fender) that was attached to the chain about 8' from the bottom to prevent the chain from abrading on the rocks. So for the first 8' from the granite mooring block, the chain went straight up.

I have a neighbor who for many years had a sailboat on a mooring that used a similar underwater float arrangement, and he observed the same corrosive effect on his chain ... after a few years the chain got progressively thinner the further down it went.

[wifi]

Perhaps its a corollary to Murphy's Law. The problem is always located in the hardest spot to reach ??

[DRH]

Originally Posted by wifi

Perhaps its a corollary to Murphy's Law. The problem is always located in the hardest spot to reach ??

Yes, I've found that's usually the way things work!

[SIKSUKR]

Would pressure have speed up the process?

[Orion]

Siksukr, you're probably partially correct. That, plus the fact that there's more oxygen in the colder water (that's why trout like it better).

[Seeker]

I've pulled mooring chains in 6' of water that have gone from 5/16" to 1/8" in the course of 3 years. No wearing or rubbing on anything. Just corrosion from ?. No dissimilar metals or anything. Just have to keep checking them.

[Orion]

Stainless steel chain solves the problem.

[Coolbreeze]

I've lost my sanity, do you think they found it?

[DRH]

Originally Posted by Coolbreeze

I've lost my sanity, do you think they found it?

Hard to say ... was anyone looking for it?

[chipj29]

Originally Posted by Coolbreeze

I've lost my sanity, do you think they found it?

You can't lose what you never had...

[Rufus]

A raft in good condition was found of Hawks Nest-Three Mile on the Pine Island side. If you lost one please give me a call and i can tell where it is.
My number is 413-253-7783

[gtxrider]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

Excerpts from the article:



A lost-and-found notice of three "Sunfish" boats sounds unusual, as these boats cost 3x the amount of kayaks and canoes.

New Hampshire requires registration of "Sunfish" boats. Doesn't the Marine Patrol have the resources to check decal numbers?


A neighbor to whom I sold one of my larger boats has a serious collection of fenders, outnumbering my uncountable collection by nearly double. I also had three mooring buoys wash up in the past few years.

I'd say to always "ship" those fenders while underway (underweigh?), and check your mooring chains. I replaced my BIL's mooring chain and noticed how much corrosion had occurred to the old chain.

The following photo shows the very same length of galvanized chain with varying diameters in its length due to the effects of freshwater corrosion.

Just watched the rerun of Dirty Jobs replacing moorings. It made me want to take a swim.

Of all the things I've lost its my mind I miss the most.

[Misty Blue]

It must have to do with the local currents but I have found three fenders over the years while having lunch on Garwoods deck. They just seem to collect there. Jumping the rail and snatching a fender may look cheap but after shelling out three bucks for a Tuckerman's Pale Ale I'm looking for a bargan!

As for chains, I have a 1/2 inch chain on the bottom to help compensate for the removal of the passive film that rust provides. This is attached to a 3/8 chain going up to the moorings via swivles. The 3/8 chain gets rotated, top to bottom, every three years or so and replaced as necessary.

As for Dave's "dirty job"... As a professional diver he could do a lot worse than ploping moorings in shallow water that is so clean you can drink it!

Misy Blue.

[LemonTwist]

I just happened on this thread. I lost a kayak paddle this summer on July 23rd. I can't remember the brand, but it had orangle paddles with a black shaft. I have since replaced it, and am not looking to get it back. We think that maybe a mischievous person took it. It would make me feel better if maybe it just floated away... Was wondering if the paddle Gatto Nero found might have been mine.

[Grady223]

Originally Posted by Seeker

I've pulled mooring chains in 6' of water that have gone from 5/16" to 1/8" in the course of 3 years. No wearing or rubbing on anything. Just corrosion from ?. No dissimilar metals or anything. Just have to keep checking them.

High acid content of the Lake - from acid rain!

[Rattlesnake Gal]

This thread makes me think that I should write our name and number on everything outside!
It is possible that is our stern light. We lost one overnight after the Wolfeboro fireworks. Didn’t notice it was missing until the following Friday night when we were trying to head to the island after dark. As it was replaced it the next morning, we do not need it back. I had no idea that a stern light would float. Next time I will call MP, especially given how many times I have called to report found stuff myself.

[Kamper]

My friends got a dock section once that we held onto for a year and added in the next year. A couple years back, when they were selling, they didnt set up the dock but a piece on stilts ground just past their ramp so we used that all summer. The new owner never took it in though and it floated away over the winter.

[fatlazyless]

Is there any chance my little sailboat paddle found its' way to the state's lost & found? Lost on a windy afternoon, last June, west of Mark Island - a three foot, wood paddle, painted white w/ a single red stripe, and "HELP" in 3" high letters on the other side.