Tampa / St Pete / Clearwater

[Thermobrett]

Anyone in this region there will be a big event tomorrow at Johns Pass Sand bar. Make sure to bring a float if you come!
🫧MADEIRA BEACH FLOATILLA 🫧SHOW UP TO FLOAT UP🫧JOHN’S PASS SANDBAR🫧
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Sounds like even more damage could be done to my bit than I already have lol. Good thing it’s at the dealer.

 

[MrBubbaGump]

Sounds like even more damage could be done to my bit than I already have lol. Good thing it’s at the dealer.

LOL I feel that mine just spent almost 2 months at the dealer!

 

[Thermobrett]

LOL I feel that mine just spent almost 2 months at the dealer!

I pretty much sunk at Egmont Key last Sunday. Double freighter wake swamped me at the beach. Only reason i was above water is because I was in 3ft of water and bottomed out.

 

[MrBubbaGump]

I pretty much sunk at Egmont Key last Sunday. Double freighter wake swamped me at the beach. Only reason i was above water is because I was in 3ft of water and bottomed out.

YIKES! I haven't been that way in a while since I started going to John's Pass... It's a great hang out no wake and no big boats!

 

[Thermobrett]

YIKES! I haven't been that way in a while since I started going to John's Pass... It's a great hang out no wake and no big boats!

These were the culprits..
Then the tow bill that insurance covers.

 

[adrianp89]

Anyone in this region there will be a big event tomorrow at Johns Pass Sand bar. Make sure to bring a float if you come!
🫧MADEIRA BEACH FLOATILLA 🫧SHOW UP TO FLOAT UP🫧JOHN’S PASS SANDBAR🫧
View attachment 209777

They do big parties every other weekend.

 

[VitaminSea]

These were the culprits..
Then the tow bill that insurance covers.
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Did the wake(s) come over the bow?
Why the need for a tow - bilge/self bailing cockpit not work as expected?
In hindsight, anything that you would have done differently? (Positioning of bow/boat, more anchor rode out, etc.)

Just curious so we can learn from this event. Glad to see you and the crew were able to make it back to the ramp.

 

[Thermobrett]

Did the wake(s) come over the bow?
Why the need for a tow - bilge/self bailing cockpit not work as expected?
In hindsight, anything that you would have done differently? (Positioning of bow/boat, more anchor rode out, etc.)

Just curious so we can learn from this event. Glad to see you and the crew were able to make it back to the ramp.

About 7, 5’ waves crashed over and swamped the bow and ski locker within seconds. I had about 40’ of rope out and have never had this problem. It was the combination of both freighters passing by, first time I have ever seen that since going there. It reminded me of being up north back in Erie where there is no swells and no backs to the waves. When it was all said and done we had about 3’ of water on deck that we bailed out with the cooler until we could get the bilge outlet above the water to start pumping, then that took about another hour to get it back to its normal waterline. Engine was completely under water and water pouring out of the dog house.
Lessons learned? Throw the anchor and take off around the wake and then re anchor once it’s passed. The guy next to me threw his anchor when he saw me take the first wave and left and never came back for it.

 

[VitaminSea]

About 7, 5’ waves crashed over and swamped the bow and ski locker within seconds. I had about 40’ of rope out and have never had this problem. It was the combination of both freighters passing by, first time I have ever seen that since going there. It reminded me of being up north back in Erie where there is no swells and no backs to the waves. When it was all said and done we had about 3’ of water on deck that we bailed out with the cooler until we could get the bilge outlet above the water to start pumping, then that took about another hour to get it back to its normal waterline. Engine was completely under water and water pouring out of the dog house.
Lessons learned? Throw the anchor and take off around the wake and then re anchor once it’s passed. The guy next to me threw his anchor when he saw me take the first wave and left and never came back for it.

Wow! Only been to Egmont a couple of times, but now I know to keep an eye out for shipping lanes and their wakes while there, or for that matter anytime anchored near a deep water channel.

 

[adrianp89]

About 7, 5’ waves crashed over and swamped the bow and ski locker within seconds. I had about 40’ of rope out and have never had this problem. It was the combination of both freighters passing by, first time I have ever seen that since going there. It reminded me of being up north back in Erie where there is no swells and no backs to the waves. When it was all said and done we had about 3’ of water on deck that we bailed out with the cooler until we could get the bilge outlet above the water to start pumping, then that took about another hour to get it back to its normal waterline. Engine was completely under water and water pouring out of the dog house.
Lessons learned? Throw the anchor and take off around the wake and then re anchor once it’s passed. The guy next to me threw his anchor when he saw me take the first wave and left and never came back for it.

this happened to some renters of mine, right outside the pass a grille inlet. I told them not to go in the gulf but they did anyways. I spent the next 48 hours saving the boat

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

I quit going out there years ago ,about the time the lady was killed by a palm tree falling on her when she put a hammock between 2 of them and one gave way . lots of sharks and big sting rays out there also, Hang out on the gulf side of shell key a huge sand bar going out to the gulf knocks the waves down and what you experienced would not have happen there is also a nice beach on the north side of the island , but always read the tides before you go out around here I have been boating in this area for many decades.

that is the skyway bridge behind me This is a cove inside shell key . This is a different angle of the same cove, the bridge to Fort Desoto boat ramp is in the middle of the picture in the background just to the right of the center island.
And here is a boat that was deliberately left to be beached as the owner was camping on shell key and wanted the boat to be on dry land at night so he would not need to worry about it. Haa he has the correct steering for that but I think this is asking for trouble , as the tide goes out this is a busy area called bunces pass so wakes from passing boats will cause the boat to rock in the sand, a lot of shells and rocks etc can get in the intake grate pretty easily.

 

[Thermobrett]

I quit going out there years ago ,about the time the lady was killed by a palm tree falling on her when she put a hammock between 2 of them and one gave way . lots of sharks and big sting rays out there also, Hang out on the gulf side of shell key a huge sand bar going out to the gulf knocks the waves down and what you experienced would not have happen there is also a nice beach on the north side of the island , but always read the tides before you go out around here I have been boating in this area for many decades.
View attachment 209794 View attachment 209795 View attachment 209796
that is the skyway bridge behind me This is a cove inside shell key . This is a different angle of the same cove, the bridge to Fort Desoto boat ramp is in the middle of the picture in the background just to the right of the center island.
View attachment 209797 And here is a boat that was deliberately left to be beached as the owner was camping on shell key and wanted the boat to be on dry land at night so he would not need to worry about it. Haa he has the correct steering for that but I think this is asking for trouble , as the tide goes out this is a busy area called bunces pass so wakes from passing boats will cause the boat to rock in the sand, a lot of shells and rocks etc can get in the intake grate pretty easily.

Since I am one of the smaller boats, I have to be a fair weather boater. I always watch the weather, wind and tide before leaving the house to trailer that far. One time we got out there and it was too rough to go to Egmont so we anchored up at Shell Key for a few hours. Still pretty windy but manageable.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Yes this Year has been really bad for wind, you know you are in trouble when you see all the wind surfers except for the one who slammed into a tree last week by the skyway bridge .