The answers about the swamped boat in MWC OCONTO

[REELEMN]

For anyone interested, here is a first hand acount of what happened on Green Bay on Sunday from me the passenger on the boat
First and Foremost there are alot of people that need to be Thanked, (actually Thanks doesn't begin to express the gratitude to all who assisted us) but for now it's all we can say. Let me start with Team #7, Tom and Dale who Thank God kept thir radio on to here our distress call after our kicker wouldn't start. Without their quick response we'd still be floating out there with our boat. Then to Dean Novak and I apologize I don't know his partners name for coming out to make sure we were safe. It just goes to show that MWC tournament anglers are a SPECIAL BREED
Then we come to all of the other people at tournament headquarters for making sure that we were OK. Then last but certainly not least to Dennis Butz and is wife Lori, Wayne Butz,
Dennis's neighbor Jim and Ed butz for all their help with assisting us in recovering the boat from the bay and for putting us up for the night. Words cannot express the Gratitude we have for these people and it just goes to show that there is no substitute for GOOD friends. Now that thats taken care of, I'll try to explain what happened:
The boat in question is a Lund 1890 with a Mariner 175 EFI
we were on our way back from the southern end of the bay and about 9 miles from Pensaukee shoal when the wind hit us smack in the face. We had between 20 to 25 lbs in the live well so we were trying to get as close as we could to the shoal and then turn the boat into shore towards Oconto. well, about .62 miles from the tip of the shoal we hit about a 6 to 7ft wave and came straight down on it which caused our main engine to immediatedly shut down. we lost all power and could not get it started so we put out a distress call to the coast guard and told them our current position and informed them that we would try to return to Oconto on our kicker. Just then team #7 came by and told them what our intentions were and they said that they would monitor our situation as they headed in and would radio in for us. well
needless to say we could not get the kicker started and the waves started to comes over the back end of the boat so fast that both bilge pumps could not keep up. We immediatedly put out another distress call and informed the coast guard that we were going down. Within 10 minutes team #7 returned to rescue us and then about 10 minutes after that Dean and his partner showed up.
When we drove away from our boat 1 bilge pump was still pumping but the rest of the boat was almost totally submerged.
That night weith the help of our friends we calculated where the boat should have ended up and the next morning we went out bring andearly and sure enough we found it still upright in about 4 ft of water just south of Pensaukee River. We towed it back into port and put it on the trailer. Right now it is at MW Marine with the damages being assessed.
I know this is long but We just wanted everyone to know the entire story and how GREATFUL we both are to everyone involved.
Sincerely
TOM AND JEFF
TEAM #20

[EricCO]

THis may sound stupid, but remember I live in Colorado.

How and why did the motor die and how did you come down on the wave?

Don't understand. Please clarify.

Thanks

[Juls_WI]

Thanks for the update on what happend. Sounds like a scary ordeal. Kudos to everyone involved for keeping cool heads, and making the right calls.
Glad it turned out ok. I'd hate to think of the alternative.

Best Wishes,

Juls

[mckoz]

Sounds like there are a lot of stand up people participating in those tournaments. Was this the same Dean Novak that sells Tritons?? If so my son is still talking him up after he spent an hour with him talking fishing during the boat show this past spring. Glad to hear everything turned out well for you.

Mike Kozlowski
North Lake

[KevinA]

For any and all folks that have ever wondered why I have babbled over the years about the typically low transoms of many walleye boats being a inconsistent with all the 'big water' claims...this story is an example of what I was talking about. My last boat was a Yarcraft 192 that was consciously purchased in part due to it's full sized splashwell & in essence closed transom. The boat I have now goes a ways beyond that one. When things go south it happens really fast. First something sort of minor happens, then things get a bit worse, then the first wave takes you really low in the water, the second one finishes you off...all in a few minutes or less. Glad you boys made it back OK.

Posts like this are good with their "wake up call" value. Many/most of these boat's design really don't lend themselves to being overly safe big water boats...it's good to keep this in mind when planning trips or buying boats. The fact that they usually always have big(heavy) outboard power makes it worse as the boat described above sounds like it did what it should do...the bow blows downwind, the heavy end faces the waves..add a low or open transom & a couple real waves...hang on, you're in trouble. Boats go down all the time with this same common scenario. I don't mean to bash these boats...just point out that if someone were to design a true big water boat, they likely would not come up with a ProV, Triton, Storm, Ranger............ Be careful folks. If this happens to you immediately toss of the biggest drift sock you have on a plenty long line off the bow centerline. This will keep the bow into the waves & alot of water out...maybe your bilge pump(s) can keep up until you regain control or rescue arrives. Even better is to have a self bailing cockpit as it'll keep the water out of the bilge & you won't have to pump it out.

[Chuck Pederson MN]

Wow I have the same boat been in some big stuff never had the motor die. Once speared a 7fter not expecting it while being distracted put over 1ft of water throughout the whole boat. Both bilges kicked in I sat still till it ws empty. This wave came clear over the boat 2ft over my head and it tasted like an Oahe roller washed my buddy to the stern. All was OK and my fishing buddies don'nt ask why I have that big of a boat anymore when they only fish small MN puddles. They are wearing PFDs when mororing now also.

[Chuck Pederson MN]

Don't you hate it when you type faster than you think. For a college boy my last entry sucks I need a proof-reader.

[Juls_WI]

One of the perks of logging in is the abilitly to edit your posts...;-)

If you don't log in, it will tell you, "You cannot edit this post, it doesn't belong to you" (or something close to that...I don't remember).

One other side note is that you only have 60 minutes to make any changes. (I think? That's what it used to be on the old server anyway.)

I've had to use it a few times too. I know what you mean..;-)

Juls

[T-Mac]

Thank God for team #7!
Hope all works out.

[Nofish]

Hey Tom and Jeff,

I am really glad all worked out for you. Yes there are a lot of stand up guys and gals in the MWC. You two are some of them. I know you'd have done the same for anyone else, if situations were reversed.

Glad all is well...............Ralph Muccilli

[Al]

25" transoms don't promise your motor won't be dunked. In fact, it happens regularly on saltwater boats, which is where most 25incher's find themselves. Most long transom hulls are longer, because they draw more water. Therefore, many times the exhaust ports aren't out of the water any more than 20 inch transoms on shallower boats. When you are nearly straight up on a wave, and you slide back down the slope, you still run the risk of dunking your engine no matter if it's 25 or 20 inches. The biggest problem are set backs, jackplates etc. They put the motor back further from the pad. If you go straight up the back of a wave, the more the nose goes up, the more the motor goes down when it's extended beyond the back of the boat. I've had 25 inch motors, and on heavy boats, I didn't see where it kept the motor out of dunking range . On some boats it might. The main thing manufacturers have to keep in mind is that the further back they put the motor from the pad, the greater chance the engine will dunk.

[Jim Coon]

Reelman Dean's partner is Pete Huibregtse. As I stated in an earlier post there were many people involved and more that were willing to risk their own safety to assist. Dale, Tom, Dean, and Pete were examples of the quality people involved with the MWC. I would like to say again on behalf of TFM Promotions first of all we were happy when everyone was back at headquarters. Secondly again a big THANK YOU to everyone that was involved both named and those that we do not know. I am proud to be part of this group and hope we never repeat the efforts that were needed Sunday. However it is great to know that we have people that are willing to take the action. Thanks Again to everyone that offered or assisted in the safe return of all anglers.

[Scott Richardson]

You all should be proud of yourselves. Real heros are alive and well and in walleye boats everywhere. Congratulations to all involved.

So glad it turned out well. It obviously could have been much worse.

God watches out for fishermen. After all, four out of the 12 were one of us, including the first disciple, Andrew, the patron saint of fishermen.

Scott Richardson

[KevinA]

Al,
I agree, but a 25 vs a 20 inch transom is what..5 inches. The 25 inch transom will help, but I doubt it would have kept these guys afloat. The transom is only one part of the aft portion of the boat. I was discussing more the last 3 feet or so of the boat...designed in such a way that water isn't invited in and where your effective freeboard is actually ~about the same as the height of the gunwales. This was(still is) very true on the 192. Many of the salt boats do draw more water as their deadrise is much steeper(20-22 to even 24+ degrees rather than the more common 17 degrees on local boats) and this makes a 25 more necessary. Many of the standard walleye boats are very nice, but their designs don't necessarily address safety in big water as well as they might. Engines fail for many other reasons besides a good dunking (bad gas, electrical, spun hub, a poofed powerhead...) I'm not holding my breath for changes...most folks don't worry too much about safety until they need some. From past converstions I'm guessing your involved in building boats...here's a marketing opportunity that will differentiate you from the competition...boats designed with this scenario in mind(actually boats designed for the environment they are used in). The 192 has it, but yarcraft doesn't take advantage of it.

[REELEMN]

>THis may sound stupid, but remember
>I live in Colorado.
>
>How and why did the motor
>die and how did you
>come down on the wave?
>
>
>Don't understand. Please clarify.
>
>Thanks

These are not stupid questions and I will try to clarify as best I can---First, we are not sure why the engine killed. As soon as it shut down we checked the kill switch, fuel line and bulb, turning the ignition key, nothing. The dealer is trying to figure out what happened but we have no answers yet.Second, we went straight up a very large wave and once we reached it's peak it continued forward and dropped us straight down. The pounding
you take (both the boat and your body) is something you'll remember for a long time.
Hopefully this made things alittle clearer for you.

Thanks

[tstick]

this is why I enjoyed fishing the MWC the 4 years I fished it,(Dean Novak was My partner then). a finer man when one is in need you'll never find.,, but that's true of all I've met there. I miss that bunch,, and it was an honor fishing alongside some really good fishermen,,,and women,,, but more importantly, it was an honor to be included in such a fine group of people.. I cherish the friendships I made there, and hope to renew many when My son finishes college in 4 long years. and He's My partner... so look out !-lol.

Al Witt