Ronnie
Jetboaters Fleet Admiral
- Messages
- 8,775
- Reaction score
- 12,185
- Points
- 667
- Location
- SF Bay Area
- Boat Make
- Yamaha
- Year
- 2010
- Boat Model
- Limited S
- Boat Length
- 24
F'd-up, screwed the pooch, chocked, didn't man up, beat the bishop, spanked the monkey ... uh, the last two mean something else.
What am I typing about? After owning four jet boats since 2001 and many jet skis since 1988 I finally damaged my boat to the point that I need to take it to the shop for some hull/gel coat repair.
Long story: I boated 45 miles to old Sacramento a few weeks ago. When I got there I insisted on docking on the inside (the side of the dock closest to shore and away from traffic). I've done it successfully numerous times over the past 7 years and so I didn't think much about doing it again.
1. Before I even get to the dock I have to drive under a walkway leading to the street. I came in to slow and hit current I wasn't expecting which caused the stern to swing around and hit the barge holding up the walkway I mentioned. This took a 1" x 2" divot out of the gel coat on the high side of the swim deck (above the speaker and towards the exterior). Also damaged is the hydro turf I installed there.
2. Next I take two or three shots at docking with a tail current before finally getting into position to let someone off the boat with lines. What happened next is totally humbling, all I had to do was give it a little reverse but I moved the throttles forward instead high caused the boat to spring forward and hit the heavy metal mount that holds one of the dock posts/piles in place. I heard fiberglass crunching but didn't stop to check it out until the boat was tied off which happened quickly after the collision, just needed to apply a lot more throttle in the right direction. Ended up with three dime sized holes on the port side above the waterline and protruding into the anchor locker.
I'm to "wise" to dwell on this so I Quickly accepted full responsibility, the fact that I can't fix it myself so I'm at least $300 something in (for the insurance deductible), another $ 300 to $1000 in for new hydro turf or sea deck throughout the boat (may as well use the opportunity to upgrade) and that this wasn't going to ruin my weekend with good old friends so I didn't. Instead I ran to the local ace hardware the next morning, bought some high end silicone and patched the holes / cracks in the bow with it before completing the job with black gorilla tape. I didn't want the interior fiberglass up/in there to get wet. Afterwards I proceeded to have a great weekend.
Well it's time for me to think about how and when I will handle the repairs. I have repaired a few pwc hulls but I don't want to chance it (considering my raleative lack of skills at repairing fiberglass) on the boat and will likely have all the accumulated scratches and dock rash of the last 7 years repaired as well. I will call my insurance company in a few weeks when the season will be over for most pleasure boaters around me, first I will have to strip off at least some of the hydro turf on the back. I hope that like my auto insurance company my boat insurance company will point me to a few local shops that do this kind of repair work. I don't really care if it takes a few weeks or even one to two months to get the work done so long as it is done before next Memorial Day.
It was an expensive trip but well worth it. I'd do it again at the drop of a hat.
By the way, my fiends and I got progressively better at docking through the weekend. By the time we got the boat back on the trailer three days later we looked like pros.
Lessons learned:
1. Don't get complacent and take things for granted. If I would have put some more thought into where I was docking and how not much or any damage would have occurred. The first big red flag was how far and fast the boated got pushed sideways as I passed near and under the walkway.
2. When in doubt, throttle out (that is use them but first verify that I will move them in the correct direction).
Basic advice I know but if you are ever in a similar situation it may come in very useful and help you avoid a big bill.
I will try to post a few more pics this weekend but here is one of the dock area and my boat pointing into the current.
What am I typing about? After owning four jet boats since 2001 and many jet skis since 1988 I finally damaged my boat to the point that I need to take it to the shop for some hull/gel coat repair.
Long story: I boated 45 miles to old Sacramento a few weeks ago. When I got there I insisted on docking on the inside (the side of the dock closest to shore and away from traffic). I've done it successfully numerous times over the past 7 years and so I didn't think much about doing it again.
1. Before I even get to the dock I have to drive under a walkway leading to the street. I came in to slow and hit current I wasn't expecting which caused the stern to swing around and hit the barge holding up the walkway I mentioned. This took a 1" x 2" divot out of the gel coat on the high side of the swim deck (above the speaker and towards the exterior). Also damaged is the hydro turf I installed there.
2. Next I take two or three shots at docking with a tail current before finally getting into position to let someone off the boat with lines. What happened next is totally humbling, all I had to do was give it a little reverse but I moved the throttles forward instead high caused the boat to spring forward and hit the heavy metal mount that holds one of the dock posts/piles in place. I heard fiberglass crunching but didn't stop to check it out until the boat was tied off which happened quickly after the collision, just needed to apply a lot more throttle in the right direction. Ended up with three dime sized holes on the port side above the waterline and protruding into the anchor locker.
I'm to "wise" to dwell on this so I Quickly accepted full responsibility, the fact that I can't fix it myself so I'm at least $300 something in (for the insurance deductible), another $ 300 to $1000 in for new hydro turf or sea deck throughout the boat (may as well use the opportunity to upgrade) and that this wasn't going to ruin my weekend with good old friends so I didn't. Instead I ran to the local ace hardware the next morning, bought some high end silicone and patched the holes / cracks in the bow with it before completing the job with black gorilla tape. I didn't want the interior fiberglass up/in there to get wet. Afterwards I proceeded to have a great weekend.
Well it's time for me to think about how and when I will handle the repairs. I have repaired a few pwc hulls but I don't want to chance it (considering my raleative lack of skills at repairing fiberglass) on the boat and will likely have all the accumulated scratches and dock rash of the last 7 years repaired as well. I will call my insurance company in a few weeks when the season will be over for most pleasure boaters around me, first I will have to strip off at least some of the hydro turf on the back. I hope that like my auto insurance company my boat insurance company will point me to a few local shops that do this kind of repair work. I don't really care if it takes a few weeks or even one to two months to get the work done so long as it is done before next Memorial Day.
It was an expensive trip but well worth it. I'd do it again at the drop of a hat.
By the way, my fiends and I got progressively better at docking through the weekend. By the time we got the boat back on the trailer three days later we looked like pros.
Lessons learned:
1. Don't get complacent and take things for granted. If I would have put some more thought into where I was docking and how not much or any damage would have occurred. The first big red flag was how far and fast the boated got pushed sideways as I passed near and under the walkway.
2. When in doubt, throttle out (that is use them but first verify that I will move them in the correct direction).
Basic advice I know but if you are ever in a similar situation it may come in very useful and help you avoid a big bill.
I will try to post a few more pics this weekend but here is one of the dock area and my boat pointing into the current.
