400K+ Pavati sunk

[ripler]

He blamed it on a cheap drain plug that fell out. A 400K boat with a .50 drain plug.

 

[Neutron]

I used to like the Diesel bros but they quickly let the fame go to their heads and it was never about the builds any more

 

[jmargo]

Seeing as the owner of the company was there to take it back to the factory I doubt he will see much of a bill.

 

[Farny]

He blamed it on a cheap drain plug that fell out. A 400K boat with a .50 drain plug.

Ouch - that’s gotta hurt ! Especially the insurance company

 

[Ronnie]

I wonder how long it took for the water to swamp the engine?

I had a miscommunication with a crew member years ago. I asked him is the plug was in, he looked and said yes, it was not. Figured it out after 20 mins in the water much of it at no wake. Beaches nearby and found that the water in the engine compartment wasn’t up to the bottom of the engines yet.

fyi - I didn’t notice any performance issues but we were just cruising / starting the day on the water slowly. What tipped me off was that the bilge pump was always on/pushing water out the side (next to the cooling spouts). Now I don’t ask anyone if the plug is in, I stop what I’m doing, even if it’s backing down the ramp already, and I check it personally.

remember A decade or So ago when $100k wake boat was considered to be at the upper end of the spectrum?

 

[J-RAD]

Here's the Adventures With Purpose side of the story. Heavy gives a little more detailed explanation of the circumstances in their video.

If factual, it sounds like Pavati needs to develop a new drain plug. Sounds like it had some kind of quick-release.

 

[biffdotorg]

What I find sad, is back in the day, boats were built to float even with holes punched in them. Every nook and cranny was filled with spray foam to make them quiet and float if they took on water. In fact, you were usually recommended to stay with the boat if it were to take on water.

This boat is a perfect example of the exact opposite. Not only is Pavati one of the only tow boats made from extra thick aluminum, but they fill every space with ballast. Dave even mentioned, they had most of those ballast tanks filled at the time, and were taking a break with his family and young kids.

The parts I found humorous, was his descriptions of how the jet drives worked on his "new to him" military boat. The Hamilton pumps in this animal work nearly identical to any other jet boat. I do bet he wished he had put the big winch on the back instead of the front. Especially once he realized that a pair of 500hp diesel engines on those big jet pumps nowhere near as powerful in reverse and nearly impossible to steer straight. He towed that boat hanging under water across the big bay, in reverse!

 

[Southernerd]

What I find sad, is back in the day, boats were built to float even with holes punched in them. Every nook and cranny was filled with spray foam to make them quiet and float if they took on water. In fact, you were usually recommended to stay with the boat if it were to take on water.

This boat is a perfect example of the exact opposite. Not only is Pavati one of the only tow boats made from extra thick aluminum, but they fill every space with ballast. Dave even mentioned, they had most of those ballast tanks filled at the time, and were taking a break with his family and young kids.

The parts I found humorous, was his descriptions of how the jet drives worked on his "new to him" military boat. The Hamilton pumps in this animal work nearly identical to any other jet boat. I do bet he wished he had put the big winch on the back instead of the front. Especially once he realized that a pair of 500hp diesel engines on those big jet pumps nowhere near as powerful in reverse and nearly impossible to steer straight. He towed that boat hanging under water across the big bay, in reverse!

I remember those old bass boat commercials with holes cut in the boat like this one

 

[biffdotorg]

Ranger and lund did one like that as well. I could not find a clip.

Forest L Wood, and we still build 'em one boat at a time.

 

[scokill]

Something doesn't seem right here. This all seems shady. I also agree that in general most boats are difficult to sink. This boat is apparently easy to sink and is designed to carry a lot of ballast. Not a good combination regardless of the cost.

 

[biffdotorg]

Something doesn't seem right here. This all seems shady. I also agree that in general most boats are difficult to sink. This boat is apparently easy to sink and is designed to carry a lot of ballast. Not a good combination regardless of the cost.

Without going into great detail on physics, which we all understand, Pavati is putting no extra care in adding foam for boyancy. When you look at the boat on the Livescope Sonar and when being towed, it literally is hanging in the water bow up and stern down, even while being towed.

Every usable inch of the back half of that boat is either water ballast or engine. And if the air in the engine compartment and storage fills with water, there is not enough foam in the bow to ever keep it on the surface. But it did plant it on the bottom standing on end!

A common way for these SeaTow guys to get a boat upright again, is to tow them quickly and get them planing. There was no way they could have done that with an aluminum hull full of engine and water.

 

[scokill]

Without going into great detail on physics, which we all understand, Pavati is putting no extra care in adding foam for boyancy. When you look at the boat on the Livescope Sonar and when being towed, it literally is hanging in the water bow up and stern down, even while being towed.

Every usable inch of the back half of that boat is either water ballast or engine. And if the air in the engine compartment and storage fills with water, there is not enough form in the bow to ever keep it on the surface. But it did plant it on the bottom standing on end!

A common way for these SeaTow guys to get a boat upright again, is to tow them quickly and get them planing. There was no way they could have done that with an aluminum hull full of engine and water.

I totally get it, but the guys just give me a shady vibe.

 

[biffdotorg]

I totally get it, but the guys just give me a shady vibe.

I hear ya. The irony of this episode is Dave Sparks is known as a recovery expert. (but not on water) It's a humble brag for a youtube star to go out and sink the most expensive tow boat and leave it on the bottom of the lake till spring. While dropping a pile of money on what he feels may be the perfect recovery boat to go get it.

Even more when they take the time to stop at parts store to put 6 tricked out wheels and tires on the trailer prior to the recovery to "look good" It's all about views. And a thumbnail of him sitting in a 400k sunk boat sure collected a few for him.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

With almost 1 Million views in a day.......I think he will make his money back pretty fast.

 

[suke]

Even the sketchiest of youtube stars would be hard pressed to sink a boat with your family in it for views and internet clout. I could see it if it happened to sink when him and a bunch of bros were out hooning around. And OMG, whoops the drain plug came out and "sank". Then getting another big youtuber to go and help retrieve it........that all seems a bit far fetched to work out that way. Is it possible, sure nothing is out of the realm of possibility.

 

[biffdotorg]

Even the sketchiest of youtube stars would be hard pressed to sink a boat with your family in it for views and internet clout. I could see it if it happened to sink when him and a bunch of bros were out hooning around. And OMG, whoops the drain plug came out and "sank". Then getting another big youtuber to go and help retrieve it........that all seems a bit far fetched to work out that way. Is it possible, sure nothing is out of the realm of possibility.

Oh he definitely didn't sink it on purpose. But he did make the most out of the recovery part. He even had footage of him out with the fam that day.

 

[suke]

Oh he definitely didn't sink it on purpose. But he did make the most out of the recovery part. He even had footage of him out with the fam that day.

OH I'll be damned if I wouldn't find a way to capitalize on it too if that's a large revenue stream I have. He's not stupid. LOL!

 

[J-RAD]

I'm a follower, he puts it some interesting content. Heavy does come across as pretty arrogant, but I think he's well intentioned. My wife can't stand to listen to him, accusing him of constant man-splaining. Lol! I see that and kind of look past that. From day one his content has been various ways of him showing off. Can we at least applaud the man for buying a jet boat?

I'm pretty sure you could fill that thing to the brim and it'd still be floating.

Diesel Dave on the other hand seem seem seems to be a genuinely humble guy. The only thing I would accuse him of is being a bit over enthusiastic.

 

[Cambo]

It's absolutely crazy that boats don't have water alarms . The cost for them is so cheap insurance companies would save millions from insurance claims . You can buy them on Amazon they take 9v batteries and ring very loud it saved my AR230 from sinking .

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

It's absolutely crazy that boats don't have water alarms . The cost for them is so cheap insurance companies would save millions from insurance claims . You can buy them on Amazon they take 9v batteries and ring very loud it saved my AR230 from sinking .

Can you link what you have? Sounds like a cheap warning that's we'll worth it.