Mistakes Were Made: Most Dangerous Job I’ve EVER Done | Grounding 30ft Hunter

[@frank4one]

I pulled a 35ft sailboat off a mud bank in New York harbour near the Statue of Liberty. I had the boats crew hang off the halyards to heal the boat over, reducing its draft. I also had them make a bridle to cleats and mast instead of just one cleat. I backed down to them to avoid getting stuck myself, took their line, and towed them off with my Bristol 27 sailboat and 9.9hp outboard. They were a bit annoyed at the time because I was taking lots of precautions.

[@thefunhouse8545]

Good for you to do it with only 10HP and some sails!

[@kailaniandi]

What a shipshow. Jib in the water, and that life vest@20:40 OMG!

[@haunter_1845]

I noticed that too. That was one rotten PFD.

[@johnstreet797]

not to mention the red brick and clothesline anchor

[@Bierdaddy1]

Retrieve the headsail, run a guy line on the boom to the bow to let out the boom & secure to lee and maybe throw some weight on it for some heel to gain some keel clearance, fire up the aux motor to hopefully work yourself back to deeper water, maybe crossing over the sand bar. Otherwise he’s just digging a trench while being towed. 🤷‍♂️ Charts, weather awareness & more sailing skills are needed here. Smart to get him off the boat to prevent injury in those waves. Nice job Captain.

[@arthurcokely7393]

I pulled a 40footer sailboat. On Browns bank in Plymouth mass. There were 3 to 4 ft waves, so I pulled when the wave lifted the boat. Then stopped, I was in my 650hp Baja outlaw. They were happy and from NY. So I did my good deed for the day. .

[@idahodoug1618]

Just a head's up for anyone faced with that situation, a stout set up if it's a typical open style bow cleat (with a hole in the center) you can pass a tow line through the cleat and then tie off on the mast. Now you're using the cleat as a chock (way less stress) and obviously the mast isn't going anywhere if it goes through the deck to the keel. Since one cleat gave way, that's what I'd do if it were a friend in distress, etc. Obviously won't work with a large tow eye as it won't fit through a cleat's center. And of course a second option (more dangerous but equally stout) is to have a rated shackle for the bow eye down below the deck. Dangerous as it's awkward to reach from the tow vessel with wave action, and impossible to reach from the towed vessel. May not be appropriate for a paid situation like this, but if you ever have a buddy in serious distress such that you're willing to increase risk to avoid a disabled vessel on rocks, loss of life or the like - two heavier options. With talent on the towed vessel, you can also secure to the mast and lash the tow line to the remaining cleat with similar effect. But that was not the case here and trying to get an inexperienced operator to reliably tie knots would have been unwise. So, a smart move to do what you did.

[@aculasabacca]

That could have been freed with a little patience and a 25 h.p. john boat.

[@anthonysimpson2847]

this is a bad idea, masts are aluminum and thin they will buckle they are not designed for high side loading at the deck. the winches on a sailboat are your best tow points. you lead line up through the bow cleats or hawse holes.

[@delclifton6096]

Almost missed church by watching today's post and not paying attention to the time! Keep up the great work Cap'n!

[@CaptKenO]

Lol 😂 Thanks Del!

[@PatOne09]

One line attached to a bridle tied to a bow and stern cleat and another line tied to the main halyard. Drag it sideways with the bridle line and use the halyard line to add heel. Slow and steady. Works on sand and mud - not so well on a rocky bottom. I understand that coming up to a boat aground with the Genoa still in the water looks like a lot more work. But with a little coaching and encouragement he could've stowed the sails & closed the companionway & secured the hatches while you got your lines squared away. I just came across your channel and really enjoy your work! Keep it up and never forget to try your best to help even (maybe especially) the most misguided "mariners". Stay safe.

[@CaptKenO]

Thanks Pat! We don't do halyard pulls because the risk isn't worth the liability for us. For this particular job, there was no saving this boat in these conditions. The guy was incapable of doing anything helpful and those cleats obviously weren't strong enough to withstand the forces required to get it free.

[@PatOne09]

@@CaptKenO 👍👍 I kinda thought his dream way exceeded his capabilities - who doesn't, at least, throw an anchor when being driven farther onto a shoal?! I feel bad for him, but you got him out of a bad situation and that's what counts.

[@CaptKenO]

@PatOne09 yeahhhhhh...definitely one of those that really shouldn't be out there, but still feel bad for him. He probably put a good amount of his savings towards buying this boat, only to have it go south in a matter of days 😕

[@HoosierPete69.]

Dudes a mess, he sat out there all that time waiting for a tow and just left his head sail in the water like it's no big deal. Wonder how he didn't notice the waves breaking on the sandbar.

[@randywallander82]

I had this same situation a few years ago, I had put lift bags on the keel tiped the boat sideways and towed into safe water. The marina commented if we could have tied up higher on the mast would would also tilt the boat.

[@PatrickHoodDaniel]

Absolutely, and the sails can do the same thing. Been there.

[@CaptKenO]

Yep. But as I've stated in previous videos, I will never pull from the mast. The risk isn't worth it from a liability/business standpoint

[@RHaarFl]

@@CaptKenOhave done it several times

[@AdenSallaberry]

What I did once with a mono-hall sailboat up on a sandbar like that with a big keel was attach the main sail lift rope to a pull line and then attach a tow line to the base of the mast. What that effectively did was lean the sailboat over onto its side (which these boats do while under sail anyways) to get an extra foot or two of depth clearance on the keel of the sailboat. Then you just slowly drag it sideways to deeper water. Works really great but would have to be careful with how far over you pull the sailboat onto its side in conditions like this. Great video enjoyed watching the struggle haha.

[@Chief61]

Was his jib in the water? What a mess. He should have used his kayak to get ashore. 😂

[@CaptKenO]

Yes. I don't know if he had it up and took it down when he ran aground or what. I'm not sure I'd want to try and get in a kayak in those seas though

[@DraggonCanoe]

@@CaptKenO The sea wasn't nearly as bad as the sailor, lol. At least you got him to safety, good job on your part.

[@despencer8311]

Keep that dude off the water. The way his life jacket flapped in the wind it could have been used as a main sail 😂

[@PatrickHoodDaniel]

He seems like a respectful guy with his demeanor and how he thanked the other Seatow and Fire Dept. So, if the USCG and the local law enforcement was notified, he must have activated an EPiRB. Those are only activated in emergencies where you in a dire situation. This situation was not even close to that. If he was going to abandon ship, why didn't he just take his kayak? For some reason, these coastal cruisers have tiny bow cleats. Mine did too and I installed huge ones instead. The draft of that hunter is probably little more than 5 feet. That headsail halyard maybe could have also been winched up if he didn't loose the bitter end, but from how that looks, the sail was unfurled from the roller furler and the boat may have started sailing under anchor. If that is true, that could also be why the bow cleat is weak. If the headsail was full, the heel could have also dragged him out to the 2' of water. The other possibility was that he was going out for a nice sail in this beautiful and perfectly windy day for sailing and he did not use a chart. Once stuck, he probably unchecked the jib halyard, but that would have been the only way he could have gotten himself out if he had a sea floor drop closeby, but that didn't look like the case.

[@Dan-uv3vf]

EPIRB my ass. Did you see the guys life jacket falling apart. He didn't spend the money on an epirb. Passersby called him in I guarantee it

[@PatrickHoodDaniel]

@@Dan-uv3vf Doubtful. PRBs are a must on all sailboats, even coastal cruisers. I wouldn't assume that he didn't have an EPiRP, or a less expensive PRB. That kayak looked pretty nice. He looked like a sail newbie. The boat fits the scenario, being a great boat to learn to sail and stay close to the coast. My "guess" is he run aground, and in a sailboat, running aground feels like total catastrophe. I've done it, but because I have some experience, I know certain protocols. This guy was just new and learning. He's paying for it so he will definitely retain this lesson. We need to cut him some slack.

[@CaptKenO]

No epirb or vhf. My guess was someone on land saw it out there and called it in

[@CaptKenO]

epirbs aren't required on any vessel except uscg inspected commercial vessels

[@langstonholland9272]

Just found your videos - love them and your work. I'm in Pensacola, have a sailboat here and one in the Chesapeake. I definitely have a TowBoat US membership and definitely never want to use it. Crazy cheap insurance for what it offers. Suggestion: the mast is the strongest tie point on a sailboat. Not that it would have helped in this situation, but if you route the tow line through a bow chock and then tie the line around the base of the mast, you'll only have the strength of the line to worry about.

[@CaptKenO]

Thanks Langston! Depending on how the bow chock is setup that could work. On a lot of these boats though, if they even have them, they're just screwed into the gunnel, so they're even weaker than a cleat. I've ripped a few of those out of some older boats before

[@amyreuthe693]

Super smart idea!

[@langstonholland9272]

@@amyreuthe693 Not original - read it in one of my American Sailing Assoc. course texts. : )

[@RHaarFl]

😂 never ever put a towline on the base of a mast that sits on deck, only if it goes trough the roof down to the keel

[@langstonholland9272]

@@RHaarFl Good point. : )

[@Trouble-Clef]

How was this boat finally freed? Is there a video for it? I’d love to see it. I watched all these videos because I love sailing, but I’m relatively new at it. my friend has a 32 foot sloop and I get to go whenever possible but I know nothing. Even less than nothing. But at least I know that I know nothing lol. Crewing with someone is a great way to learn. The friend I’m learning from has been sailing for 30 years. He’s also been a captain with the Canadian Coast Guard water search and rescue, and has a plethora of credentials. I’m so lucky to have him as a friend and mentor.

[@CaptKenO]

I did not know what happened to the boat other than we didn't get it free. Yes. Crewing with someone who knows what they're doing and can explain what they're doing is ideal for learning how to sail. That 2nd part is extremely important though

[@weinerdog137]

Good weather,😅. Thank goodness. Sh.t happens, and sometimes wisdom is increased.

[@shaunmark1]

Man you are a hero!

[@CaptKenO]

Thanks Shaun!

[@capt.johnstikitours5665]

If the rest of that boat looks anything like the type 3 he had on, he should just leave it there😳

[@HoosierPete69.]

I can't believe he sat there all that time waiting on a tow and just left his headsail in the water. Than he left the companion way wide open so when it rains it can fill with water, not to mention he'll be lucky if thieves don't clean it out.

[@CaptKenO]

He asked if he could instead of pay the salvage fee

[@dannyb6968]

Yea, That boat looks to have a few Issues. Like most boats, it is a daily thing to maintain any vessel and making sure it is ship shape, and all steps should be taken to always have your course plotted, and know all possible situations before leaving the dock. This is a lot less than being prepared. And this is what happens.

[@AndrewTa530]

That snap back with a cleat attached could of been real bad

[@CaptKenO]

Not really...That line is designed to reduce recoil. You can see that even after the cleat broke, it snapped back a bit, but not anywhere near my boat

[@jeffrandolf5673]

*could HAVE been real bad. It's a Hunter... almost as bad as an O'Day.

[@Dave-ei7kk]

No bow eye on that thing that can handle a tow or mooring line. Did K-Mart sell that sailboat?

[@thomasbullen5239]

It might have not been floating free, maybe really stuck hard.

[@Dennco2000]

Dam that’s a lot of rope pressure at your back???? I’m glad that cleat didn’t give you a kiss 💋

[@stratolestele7611]

Totally agree with you on the voice rec.

[@AngelaMRoss]

Sounds like you have the Florida snow sniffles. 😂

[@lechug43]

Always after a 'big' night 😅

[@DanielDeLoach]

Any sailor just leaving a sail in the drink like that just needs to stick to land dwelling.

[@pvp64]

What protection do you have if the tow line breaks and snaps back towards you?

[@CaptKenO]

None. That line is designed to reduce recoil. You can see that even after the cleat broke, it snapped back a bit, but not anywhere near my boat

[@lvlndco]

I recently found this channel and early on I was wondering the same thing. Then it dawned on me that he goes out further so that if the rope breaks there's lots of water between the boats to absorb the energy....like it did in this video! Nice demonstration.

[@CM-xr9oq]

Voice recognition (text to speech) hasn't gotten worse. You had a lot of noise when speaking to your phone. Also, it can help to occasionally re-train your phone's voice recognition.

[@CaptKenO]

I wasn't just referring to this situation...yes with all the noise it's not ideal, but audio processing has come a long way and can filter out background noise and yet it still sucks

[@vegvt]

Enjoy the channel. I'm sure your content biases me to believe nobody in Florida has a chart of the waters they are sailing in or can't read it if they do.

[@CaptKenO]

Lmao 🤣 Thanks John! Just remember that there are lots of boaters out there who I don't have to assist, so a least a couple kinda know what they're doing 😂

[@vanseventy]

I know exactly where you are at and the CG needs to put channel markers there. That jetty goes way out there, But a navionics app would help you out just fine

[@CaptKenO]

Channel markers would be nice, especially when running out there at night, but that channel shifts so much that they'd have to constantly be changing them...which is why I'm guessing they decided not to put them there in the first place

[@vanseventy]

@@CaptKenO Capt to Capt. I know you will run into that guy again. Tell him to take ASAP courses. At least 101. Basic keelboat. It would help him a lot but I think he won’t do it but you never know

[@stunick1573]

Not a sailboat guy, but why is that sail in the water? Did it get torn and if not or if so why didn't he recover it? Is the guy flustered? Every skipper needs a good pair of polarized glasses for sailing especially in the ICW with sand bars and reefs. What's that saying if you see brown you are going a ground? If the guy who's boat that was reads this, just know most boaters about 90% are helpful and if you ask some one would take you out for a quick day sail and show you the ropes. or They'll take your boat out with you and show you the ropes. Suck up some pride and ask for help.

[@PatrickHoodDaniel]

It looks like he may have released the halyard in a panic. I'll bet the sail unfurled from the fuller and he started dragging, or he was sailing and heeled too much and panicked. While watching this video, I was wondering why he didn't just winch the halyard for the jib, and then furl it in, but maybe he lost the bitter end of the halyard up the mast.

[@CaptKenO]

I'm going to go with what Pat said about the jib being in the water

[@ThorneRising]

I feel bad for that guy. That day had to have been a really low moment in his life.

[@PatrickHoodDaniel]

Me too. It's scary having a new "sailboat". He has some mental hurdles to jump for sure.

[@CaptKenO]

Absolutely. Even though he had no business being out there, I still feel bad for him

[@robertherrmann4823]

Life lessons. This one came cheap.

[@patrickterry779]

@@CaptKenOhad no business being out on a boat? Why? Not being mean but actually you had no business being out there attempting to free the boat. Different procedures for sailboats.

[@kevinmurphy3464]

That’s a guy that needs some sailing/boating lessons and better situational awareness. Smart thinking cap.

[@CaptKenO]

Thanks Kevin!

[@CM-xr9oq]

Even Fire was commenting about his life jacket

[@edwardranno7119]

This guy is gonna need a smaller boat 🎉🎉

[@PatrickHoodDaniel]

This is a pretty small boat. A great boat to learn sailing. However, he should learn some techniques with a laser or a 14' or something like that. I learned on a 25' and sailing all the time. Love it.

[@brantcunningham4333]

🤣

[@SOLDOZER]

@@PatrickHoodDaniel Not going to learn anything about sailing playing on lasers.

[@christopherfarrell9227]

If this is the second time he did this or had to be rescued, I don't think I'd trust this guy with a paddle board.

[@PatrickHoodDaniel]

@@SOLDOZER Sorry, meant to say Lazer sailboat.

[@seawench555]

Ken, was that high tide or low

[@PatrickHoodDaniel]

He mentioned in the video that the tide was going to get low, so the tide was probably past the crest of a high tide already.

[@CaptKenO]

It was about halfway between the high-high tide and the high-low tide (our tides are really whacky over here on the gulf coast)

[@020Dutchy]

Weird he didn’t even think about stowing his sails all the time he was waiting for a tow… He’s no sailor, he just bought the thing to live on

[@marty906]

Where am I? I'm binge-watching these videos. How'd I get here?

[@CaptKenO]

Welcome to my channel 😁

[@kirkslayden834]

The left hand never knows what the right hand is doing

[@Jeff-m5x3j]

He has no idea what a new headsail is going to cost him.

[@CaptKenO]

That's the least of his worries

[@dracks3773]

That life jacket tho 🤣

[@OttoTheWeim]

That is not in serviceable (ie: USCG approved) condition. The owner of that blow boat is certainly new to boating if any kind.

[@josecarlossantistebancole9848]

This guy is the one of the previous video?

[@CaptKenO]

Yes he is

[@iamacarnut]

I love watching what you do..I also love off road recovery..on a program call Matts off road recovery he introduced a product called Yankemroaps...i think if you had one it could be a upgrade in recovery...Just a Thought..

[@CaptKenO]

Thanks Robert! I love watching Matt and his crew work as well, and you're not the only one to suggest a kinetic rope. However, since they don't float, the energy used to pull it back up through the water would be wasted in the tension, so I don't think it would actually work all the great unfortunately 😕

[@polkadise2060]

20:43 -- that life vest has seen some things.

[@jeeplove_8831]

Is there a reason that y'all didn't pull from both cleats from the get-go like you usually do? Seems like that would've been the best option, but I'm obviously not a tow boat operator. Seems he was pretty f'd anyways after you picked him up and I realized it was a foot of water lol.

[@CaptKenO]

If you watch the first video I did with this guy...you'll see why I only gave him one line to handle 🤦

[@davidmorrisjones8999]

Why was Sea Tow hanging around?

[@CaptKenO]

The customer called us directly but someone alerted the FD/PD and they called SeaTow

[@CheekyMonkey1776]

Knowing it was an old Hunter, when they cleated off to only one cleat I had a feeling that cleat was going to fail. I’ll bet it pulled right out of the deck…..”twang”.

[@CaptKenO]

Yeah...It was a pretty beat up boat, but there wasn't any other option

[@guydemullet303]

Thick boat, thin water. Maybe the “FOR SALE” sign is still aboard. Could have put THAT up before abandoning ship.

[@1320fastback]

That guy has no business being on a boat.

[@Hatchet-wy3vn]

1320fastback.....Everyone starts somewhere you jackass. But I will tell you what, reply with your boats name so when we all see YOU in distress, we can just motor past and wave hello...and goodbye.

[@CaptKenO]

No he does not

[@fishheds]

He's more of a camper guy.

[@lvlndco]

Maybe watched one too many KZbin videos where someone said they just went out and bought a sailboat and started living the good life. Seems he skipped over the learning, training and experience bit.

[@patriot101101]

You need a motor to keep you of sandbars to.

[@AlexF-zx8pt]

Why would a 4ft draft sailboat be sitting almost perfectly upright in 1.5ft of water? It would be completely over on it side. I get that it was a hairy situation but I'm really not seeing it as extremely dangerous

[@CaptKenO]

His keel had buried itself into the sand and the water was about 2.5ft. It was dangerous because when a wave would come through, I could hit (and did hit) bottom. If my engines were to shut off at the wrong time, I would lose directional control, and could take a wave broadside that could capsize my boat

[@iceman9549]

Damn. Some people just don’t need a boat. At least invest in navionics. Great job captain. Know when to fold them. Smart captain. 👍👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@PatrickHoodDaniel]

Yes, he could have avoided all of this if he had Navionics or a chart, but he was probably sleeping when this happened. After running aground the day before, one would think to wise up and use Navionics or something.

[@CaptKenO]

Thanks Iceman! As I stated in the previous video with this guy...he actually had Navionics, so no excuse for that other than I think he got overwhelmed when he got out there today

[@backdraftdragon3150]

I wonder what the cost is to get the boat free?

[@CaptKenO]

I know what we quoted him, but I don't know what the actual cost was. Fun fact, I actually saw this boat over at the boat ramp this week with a red sticker on it meaning the state took possession of it

[@backdraftdragon3150]

@@CaptKenO I feel bad for the boat,she deserved better and more competent owners. Thanks for the response and stay safe.

[@CaptKenO]

Yeahhhhh, I'm sure she was a beautiful boat at one point in her life, but that was many many years ago. Maybe it's better for her this way 😕

[@WaterfrontJustin]

Massive propeller budget for those Suzuki's

[@CaptKenO]

Nope. Never have replaced a prop. They're stainless and most of our bottom is sand/mud, so they hold up good

[@JodyCarpenter-z1d]

What a dingdong! If you pay no attention to channel markers, at least pay attention to water color to signal shallows. What the heck was he thinking going over there!! He also probably forgot that sailboats have a keel, duh! I learned to sail with my dad when i was 5, im now 69!

[@bgd73]

shame to count on a cleat.. those fiber lightweight boats. Can you use the anchor line attachment? must be something much tougher to attach.

[@PatrickHoodDaniel]

Unfortunately, on that boat, the anchor line attachment is the bow cleat. There is no windlass on that boat.

[@CaptKenO]

What pat said

[@Ray-l7r]

This boat was afloat till it went aground so tow of the same way as it went on it’s always my rule if in doubt go back the way you came from Simple’s A

[@CaptKenO]

Usually true until you get into breaking surf. He ran aground from the north side (where I initially tried to get to him) but the breaking waves pushed him closer to the other side

[@snakeshiet]

where was this at ?

[@CaptKenO]

Big Pass

[@malcolmcasson3571]

it need pulling from the top of the mast.

[@CaptKenO]

I won't do it since it's not worth the risk for us

[@ProjectPlanetree]

Yep, I saw this done once. I thought it was the craziest thing, but for a sailboat, it works like a champ!

[@richardtruesdell8289]

Why don't you guys use jet boats with more clearance?

[@CaptKenO]

Because they're inefficient and don't make good towboats

[@vancity2349]

Thats a tough one Cap. When you first approached I saw one of your outboards kick up, so little water. With the waves crashing in, low tide and his keel, not much you could then. Will you go back at a high tide? Why were the cops called, did he send out a Mayday or just he was taking on water? Was he?

[@CaptKenO]

Thanks Vancity! Yes. Very shallow water. Wasn't even sure I'd be able to get to him. We didn't end up getting the salvage on this one unfortunately. I think someone on land saw him out there and called the cops, because he only called us

[@Ctothelow]

Not sure what that life vest was supposed to be saving if needed!

[@CaptKenO]

Ummmm...nothing?

[@Dennco2000]

Omg 20:45 get a look at his PFD lol😂 sail boaters they’re a cut above the rest 😂😂😂

[@Trouble-Clef]

Grounding twice in 24 hours? I say he needs to park it and crew with someone for a while. JMO.

[@CaptKenO]

Most definitely

[@jeffwhitelock1013]

Obviously the guy shouldn't have been out! He left his sail in the water? This guys a mess!

[@denebuff]

Wasn't that the guy you pulled out the other day??

[@CaptKenO]

Yep 🤦‍♂️

[@denebuff]

Crazy! Must have more money than brains!!!

[@Prototheria]

12:22 That was a hard hit!

[@despencer8311]

It hit so hard it ripped the stitching out of his life jacket 😂

[@jacksmith8002]

why is his Jib in the water ??

[@CaptKenO]

I'm guessing he was sailing out the pass, hit bottom, and dropped the sail in a panic

[@Antipodean33]

Why hasn't he pulled that sail back on board while waiting? This dude clearly shouldn't be captain of a boat

[@CaptKenO]

Honestly, I think he was a bit in shock and not really thinking about anything except what a terrible situation he got into

[@Evanseys]

I can almost guarantee that the keel will be punching through the bilge too.

[@CaptKenO]

Good thing you didn't bet money on that...the boat's been condemned, but is still floating

[@Evanseys]

It will still float, but the keel matrix that holds the keel will have delaminated from the hull.

[@patrickterry779]

Grounding into a sand bar will not do that 😂

[@Evanseys]

@patrickterry779 yes, it will. I have seen it with my own eyes, and this was tied up in a marina, bouncing gently on the bottom.

[@patrickterry779]

@@Evanseys dang!

[@MastaT_150]

This dude again? He needs to stay on land!

[@CaptKenO]

He probably will for quite a while

[@hearsejr]

Time to find a big tug and call it a salvage Operation... Or find a friend with a shrimp trawler that owes you a favor.... Sometimes commercial diving I occasionally help folks out by swimming over to their boat if I just finished working on another job and might do someone a favor.. mostly un wraping something from a prop or retrieving a lose end of the lost anchor rode they just dropped. Most of the time if it's just a few minutes I get paid in seafood or a Pepsi cola and little Debbie cake. But it sure helps when you need a tow or to pull a boat from a mud bank to have a friend with a large fishing trawler throw you a rope and a quick tug off the mud. Lol.

[@CaptKenO]

My boss actually has a buddy with a big tug up in Tampa Bay that will help us out if we ever get in a situation where we need a lot more pulling power than we'd ever be able to provide

[@hearsejr]

@CaptKenO lol I had a large shrimpboat once that I turned into a floating club house.. it was 47.8 ' LWL ... I never really knew the total length, but it was huge. I wish I could go back in time and kick myself in the rump for letting the con artist talk me in to letting it go. Now I'm the very proud owner of a 1977 Chrysler C20.. 2ft draft keel up, 5ft keel down.. with a brand new custom-made tiller... but not Sea Tow or Towboat US insurance.... yet. So, who is the best one to go to if you keep your boat in the backyard at Arcadia, Florida, and like the Gulf coast of Florida?

[@CaptKenO]

@hearsejr I would say towboat us...but I'm definitely not biased at all 😂 Seriously though, I would ask around in the area you intend to boat most out of, since the quality of either company can vary depending on where you are

[@hearsejr]

@CaptKenO lol, thanks. I'm not sure if anyone around the area even has a legally registered boat, much less smart enough to have insurance. Lol. But, I will definitely ask around.

[@todddoster6487]

Sailing lessons and a new engine would have been cheaper than the cost of salvage. He probably at least had insurance to have them out the next day. Sad to see these people buy a dream with no idea what that dream really entails...

[@CaptKenO]

I know for a fact he didn't have insurance on the boat

[@sunwolfyvan]

the guy cant even be bothered to get his jibsail out of the water.. clearly doesnt have any business being on a boat

[@nathanholman5236]

Love that disintegrating life jacket!

[@CaptKenO]

Kinda goes with the theme he has going on...but at least he was wearing one, so you have to give him some credit for that

[@Geezer1955]

The dudes life preserver even looks sketchy!

[@CaptKenO]

Sure was, but at least he was wearing one. Who knows if it would've done him any good if he actually needed it 🤷

[@o.h.w-ok]

Jib in the water, lost the rudder, PFD is falling apart, kayak is not secured, then left the boat wide open and didn’t lock the companion way. Yikes.

[@CaptKenO]

Why lock the cabin? It's not like anyone is going to be stealing the boat

[@SOLDOZER]

This boat will be found sunk in south Florida.

[@lvlndco]

It's not your imagination that the speech to text has gotten worse. Unfortunately, a lot of things in the technology/software world are regressing while companies focus on a few core data gathering money making things.

[@CaptKenO]

They need to learn to leave shit alone if it ain't broke!

[@nerdgarage]

VTT has definitely gone downhill in my experience, although I don't use it much anyway. My guess is it's due to more [over] use of """"AI"""".

[@CaptKenO]

Lol 😂 AI is supposed to be making things better not worse 🤦 Half the time now I'm like how the hell did it even come up with that? It's not even close to what I said

[@nerdgarage]

@@CaptKenO "... ... better not worse." --- marketing, its all marketing. And it's mostly bullshit. What they are calling "AI" is only "AI" in the respect that it's artificial, and it pretends to be intelligent. In reality all it is is highly advanced pattern matching backed by large databases and realtime search engine access.

[@davidthomas7678]

@@CaptKenO You should try Tom Toms voice recognition. Actual example "Hello Tom Tom" "I,m listening " "Go to (no) kyabram St Coolaroo" "Switching to Night Colors"

[@kaizerblade75]

Keep your CC up a couple seconds more, I’m a fast reader and can’t even finish the CC 🙏🏻

[@CaptKenO]

I keep it up for a as long as practical. If I keep it up much longer the whole context would be lost

[@hearsejr]

If you swing the boom out and put some weight on the end of it and heel the sail boat over you would be amazed at how shallow of water you could get into .. oouuhhuumm I mean how easily you could get off a sand bar. I been there a few times... Then did it on purpose showing a friend how to get unstuck. Lol.

[@CaptKenO]

And what makes you think that would be a good idea in this situation?

[@hearsejr]

@CaptKenO do it on the first few bumps of the bottom the sailboat might not have been high and dry might not end up with a 4 foot iron keel sticking up through the cabin floor ...that's if you do it when you feel the first few bumps.. I have been there a few times. Once in the Chesapeake bay in swash channel with a dead atomic 4 a sail stuck 1/4 of the way found the mast (broken and jammed car in the mast) during a NorEaster in in 5-6 foot seas with 45 knts wind guest in November of 2009 while on a Coronado 30 with a 6' draft. Single-handed. I bought the boat after it was abandoned, and the storm was forecasted to be several days away but showed up early. I managed to get the boat keeled over with the help of a 16-foot canoe and moved to deeper water and got the 35lb CQR out, and rode the storm out. There was no damage to the boat, and later, I got towed to a friend's dock to try and troubleshoot the completely rebuilt ass 4.. I mean atomic 4 ( I truly hate that engine!!!!) I made it all the way to Hampton VA, before it died again. That where I lived on it for a couple of years and ended up donating the boat to a fella that lost it on coco Beach during a hurricane.... after the engine died and it snapped the rudder off and during the storm the keel was pushed up through the sole and the boat was cut up. Later that year, I ran in to a mud bank in sou Port NC and got stuck pretty good with a Pearson P26, on a bet and on purpose to show a friend I could get it off. 4.5 ft draft in just under 4ft of water I managed to heel it over and spin it around and get it unstuck... no alcohol involved in either of those instances

[@CaptKenO]

I'm not saying it couldn't work, because like a halyard pull, it probably would, but this is not the situation to do it in...and even on a calm day, I wouldn't have someone hanging over the side of the boat

[@hearsejr]

@CaptKenO yeah it would be better on a calm day.. I thinking along the lines of before the situation gets to being solidly stuck beyond the first few seconds... like the first bump spin the tiller hard and turn around... lol. Just don't slam the rudder into to prop (like I did in the heat of the moment of panic when I first hit the ground in the Coronado 30!!! Lol) hey I still learning.. lol

[@SOLDOZER]

Terrible idea in that situation.

[@diverdave4056]

....mmm he was wearing a out of date n worn out - cheap Life vest ... he also had his Dingy strapped to the sail boat

[@Jim-pn5qr]

The guy barely thanks him and....o no tip 😮. Doesn't deserve it boat

[@CaptKenO]

He did thank me, and honestly, I think he was just in shock and not really thinking straight

[@danbaileyphotostudio]

Tow Boat US and Sea Tow Talking to each other.....imagine that. When I was towing for Boat US in Wrightsville Beach in the 90s, Sea Slow would have stolen that job and tried to sink my boat..... there was more than animosity back then...

[@CaptKenO]

The captains all get along fine and are friendly...I can't say the owners are the same, but definitely not actively hostile to the other. There's not much competition here though. They mostly deal with their members and we with ours

[@brianparramore1104]

You could use another hand onboard.

[@CaptKenO]

Sometimes yes

[@chip9177]

Homeless/liveaboud. Prob thinking of heading to Key West. Boat will be scrubbed of numbers & name & left somewhere to rot.

[@CaptKenO]

The first 2 parts are true...don't know about the number scrubbing though

[@marktinkler6897]

Bet be didn't have charts.

[@CaptKenO]

He did...just didn't know how to navigate

[@yanceydavenport8657]

Some people should stay on land !! Lol

[@CaptKenO]

As the captain I used to work with in Venice would say... "some people should just take up golf" 😂 ~ Capt Scott Coyne 2020

[@yanceydavenport8657]

@@CaptKenO im probably one of them !! Haha.. I have a center console with a 150 outboard.. but I'm watching these channels to see what I can learn ..

[@CaptKenO]

That and actually getting out on the water and taking it slow at first are the best ways to learn!

[@yanceydavenport8657]

@CaptKenO I've had my boat for 7 years,, took a "boating " class,, ive not had any major mishaps,, but im interested in bigger boats now,, or even sailing ,, my dad always had boats ,, ive had 4 myself ,, but nothing bigger than 24ft.. so yea,, taking it slow ,, and always willing to learn!.. thanks for the content !!

[@armadilloonhalfshell5461]

No volume

[@CaptKenO]

That's on your end mate. No one else is having issues

[@anthonysimpson2847]

I am not sure if your are know what kedging is but this boat could have been pulled off. You hook a line to a halyard on the mast and pull from the top of the mast. by leaning the boat over you increase flotation and raise the keel that boat will semi float in 2 feet of water on her side. I pulled a 5 ft draft oday 32 through a half mile of 2.5 foot water with a pair or 150 hondas on a 28 ft cat not even a tow boat. the rough seas would have bounced her right out.

[@CaptKenO]

Maybe you should look up the definition of kedging. It has nothing to do with pulling from a mast. As to the method of ungrounding a boat by pulling from a halyard...yes it's a viable method, but it's not worth the risk for us so we don't do it.

[@steveng58]

how much does a to cost?

[@CaptKenO]

If you have a membership...$0 If you don't...a lot of $$$

[@matthewhicks1725]

Maybe voice recognition is bad. because of the big ass boat engine running in the background.

[@CaptKenO]

Lol 😂 Even when not on the boat it sucks...but yeah, definitely doesn't help with the extra background noise

[@williamhamill813]

free boat.

[@CaptKenO]

No such thing as a free boat...🤔😂

[@wb5plj]

it has gotten worse.

[@CaptKenO]

But why? It's the kinda thing that should be getting better not worse 😡

[@wb5plj]

@@CaptKenO um, the generalized collapse of collages, flat earthers, reliance on AI Generated code, entropy, Global Warming, the fact that I don't own a boat. I didn't know I was expected to have the reason as well. but at least you are not imagining it.

[@CaptKenO]

Lol 😂

[@TheGeoblue]

All nice, but man you should have that line ready long ago on first aproach.

[@CaptKenO]

In the 5 sec it took me to get the line, I don't think it mattered

[@TheGeoblue]

@@CaptKenO No hard feelings, just with this job and the fact that you are alone on boat, sooner or later you will need that 5 sec. 👍 i just like watching other people work the same job when im resting.😁

[@williamavery9185]

If he has a fin keel he will loose that too. Unbelievable twice in two days !

[@CaptKenO]

I know I asked him on the phone the first day what he had, and I'm pretty sure he said fin

[@patrickterry779]

Definitely not a Hunter 30, maybe 27.

[@CaptKenO]

What makes you say that?

[@patrickterry779]

@@CaptKenO Older Hunter 30s had an inboard Yanmar diesel.

[@CaptKenO]

I wouldn't be surprised if this did at one point and eventually ended up with a small cheap outboard 🤷

[@patrickterry779]

@@CaptKenO that could very well be true.

[@thelastengineer2315]

How about telling him to reef his job?

[@zonzeven]

Jib ?

[@PatrickHoodDaniel]

Or winch the halyard and furl it in. Was looking at that jib almost the entire video. It was like a scratch I wanted to itch.

[@CaptKenO]

That thing was so soaked I'm not sure he'd be able to, and realistically, it wouldn't have made a difference and was the least of his worries at that point in time

[@JohnFagg-p2x]

Sorry but he shouldn’t be sailing with no seamanship knowledge.

[@bassboy6963]

I would’ve tried two boats one front one rear pull one at a time sideways and walk it out.

[@CaptKenO]

Do you see 2 boats here? Besides, that would be considered a salvage then

[@anba7332]

you had to pull it from the top of the mast to the right. and another one should pull her bow.

[@CaptKenO]

That wouldn't be a tow then, and I can guarantee this guy didn't have the money to pay the extra

[@paulgoodwin1201]

Not even a thanks for trying

[@CaptKenO]

Nope...but in his defense, he did pretty much lose everything in this video

[@georgemacecsko8077]

No way the USCG or marine police would consider that an acceptable PFD

[@CaptKenO]

Nope. Definitely wouldn't pass muster