29' Larson sinks SW of S. Bass Sunday

My 29' Larson Cabrio sank SW of South Bass Sunday 8/21/11 around noon. All three aboard and the Beagle are fine, thanks for everyone's help especially Virginia and Columbus. I am not sure what happened, we were anchored off the back and filling the fish cooler just fine for 2 hours, (like we have many times before) one good size wave came over the swim platform. Next thing we knew, we had life jackets on and were in the water in less than 5 minutes as the engine compartment was full and boat was obviously not going to stay a float. Boat is insured. I am interested in getting picturers from all who watched and helped. Also want to know if anyone has heard of this problem with a Larson. Rescue Marine beleives we were taking in water the whole time and it is the engine hatch design as it is one peice with the upper back of the boat and has an unsealed seem / hinged connection exposed to the swim platform. I don't think we were taking in water as we would have noticed the attitude and height of the of the boat changing as we fished. Both bilge pumps were still running when they pulled it out tof the water. It was a nice day!? not rough, a few boat wakes is all. A 29' boat should be able to be anchored of the back with only three people in it in much tougher conditions. Ok Laugh! I can't believe I sunk a 29' boat!! Send pics and constructive comments to [email protected][/email]

Glad everyone is safe!! Boats are replaceable, loved ones aren't!

Sorry to hear about this! I was out on the lake, but up near Middle. Didn't have the marine radio on at the time.

Lets see pictures if anyone has some

Sorry to hear about your boat. My friend is a photographer and happened to get several pics of your boat with just the last few feet of the bow sticking up out of the water. I'll try to post them when I get off work.

It looks like someone posted a video on Youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ3m4ehTWSE

Drifter I am glad to hear that all of you are safe and OK. Boats can be replaced but lives cannot. Can't imagine what you going thru.

I see boats anchored all the time off the stern on Erie while people are perch fishing and I just shake my head. I don't care how big the boat is and how calm the water is but anchoring off the stern is a NO NO in any case period. Really not sure why people do it...maybe just easier if you don't have good access to the bow but it's a recipe for disaster.

i watched the video and I want to know how did the guy get on the boat after it was pulled out of the water, they must have stopped. My older boat took on water when ever I anchored off of the stern, one time my boat had a considerable amount of water, it wasn't until I sold the boat and removed my fish finder and gps did i figure out where the water was coming in. the caulking fell out where the wires came through and water would come in every time a wave would hit the back, the hole was under the swim platform. I'm glad everyone is ok and thats why we carry insurance, good luck getting back on the water.

I was wondering the same thing penalty box

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q...ilot/sunk1.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q...ilot/sunk3.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q...ilot/sunk2.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q...ilot/sunk4.jpg

Ahh yea I was out in my pontoon..it really wasn't that rough..only. 3 or 4 waves barely splashed on to my deck where the front is open and I was anchored in the front..glad I got vinyl floors..instead of carpet..free wash job..sorry to hear about your loss..and glad everyone is safe!.. must have been something not right somewhere..

The guy got onto the boat as it was moving as he was dropped of / into it with 2 large electric pumps and a power pack by another rescue marine boat. The Larson was floating and empty of free water by the time it got to Marblehead. I have been called super stupid by a few for anchoring of the back and believe me I am not feeling real smart, but 90% of the perch fisherman anchor of the back to keep the boat in one place. But unless a mechanical issue is found, one rogue waved swamped and sunk this 29' boat anchored of the stern in less than 5 minutes. Open back boats should be especially concerned of anchoring off the stern from now on.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Drifter

I have been called super stupid by a few for anchoring of the back and believe me I am not feeling real smart, but 90% of the perch fisherman anchor of the back to keep the boat in one place.

---

I would never call you stupid, I'm sure you learned from this and thats what matters. Unfortunatly the price for tuition was expensive.

When I was perch fishing Sat I seen a bunch of boats tieing their anchors off the stern as well.
Wasn't there some football players that tied off the stern and swamped their boat off FLA a while back? I seem to remember a story about one or two of the guys clinging to the capsized boat for days.

Of Corse there is always risk in tying off the stern.. If you have to do it increase your scope (length of anchor line) It should always be at least 4 to 5 times or more the depth of the water. A very short scope will not let the boat ride up and over a rouge wave.. It would be rare to set an anchor right below a boat.. But I have seen on light an variable wind days people pull the anchor rope snug right below the boat when the wind changes direction.. Thus not having any give when a rouge wave comes by..This a very dangerous habit. Just my opinion..

if you look at the picture of the boat it has an anchor on the bow, i really don't think a wave swamped the boat, i always use the bow because that's where my anchor is, on my old boat i only used the bow when it wasn't that rough. it can happen to anyone. like the bumper sticker says s*** happens

Thanks skipper 9 for your comments. I had 150' of anchore line on the anchor / boat, but had only used 100 feet as per the rule of thumb: 3 times the depth. Your advice does make sense, especially relative to anchoring off the stern. I really need to totally understand this. Three people, but all of which were pretty good size, over 700 lbs total. Boat with low walk out door and gap of 2" under door as designed, pretty calm day as you can see from the pictures. I am still not sure if it was one wave or just one that finsihed us off. After the boat is reviewed in detail for drain lines being connected, etc I will post the experts opinion's such that the viewers can learn as I will and hopefully this never happens to anyone else. We cut the anchor line with a pair of scissors. cost us 30 seconds for not having a knife on my belt. knot was too tight to untie quickly by then. This boat has perch fished like this many times before, but maybe not with this much weight (maybe 150lbs more?)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bryan

I seem to remember a story about one or two of the guys clinging to the capsized boat for days.

---

Yes the guys were fishing in the Gulf in rough seas. Their anchor got stuck and in an attempt to pull it loose they tied the anchor rope to the stern and tried to pull it out with the power of the motor. When the anchor rope came taught the boat flipped. Only one survived that incodent. All they had to do was cut the rope and count their losses to maybe a $100.00 anchor at most.

It's very simple, just don't anchor off the stern.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Drifter

We cut the anchor line with a pair of scissors. cost us 30 seconds for not having a knife on my belt. knot was too tight to untie quickly by then.

---

Last spring I saw a safety tool some place built specifically for cutting anchor lines. Orange plastic, had a hook, and down inside hook was a curved razor blade. It was something you could carry in your pocket and not worry about getting cut but looked like it would quickly do number on taut anchor line. Though about buying to keep hanging ready in the boat, just for reasons like this. Didn't, and when I went back to where I thought I bought it, didn't have any. Haven't been able to find. Anybody carry anything like that and where did you get it. I don't like open knife laying around in bouncing boat.

drifter sorry to hear about your boat, glad to know everyone is ok. I looked at the pics and the video, very said and amazing to see. I would agree it seems odd that a 5 foot wave to sink a 29 foot boat. But something to think about a 5 foot high wave assuming that the average wave is 2 foot at its base from start to finish and assuming your boat is 10 foot wide, that wave would hold about 100 cubic feet of water. Now i know the wave is not a perfect square and so these numbers are not 100% acturate but something to think about. 100 cubic feet of water is the same as 748 gals. and water weighs about 8.3 pounds a gal thats 6200 extra pounds landing on the rear of the boat, if your boat is 8 foot wide or assuming the loss from shape of wave, thats 80 cubic feet which is 598 gals that just short of 5000 pounds. Now that weight alone might not put a boat down but if it would drop the back low enough it could start the water flowing in continuosly. Not saying its the answer. I am by no means a boat expect or anything......but thats alot of extra weight

again glad to hear everyone made it ok and no one got hurt

I know this will make me think about anchoring at the stern which i know i do alot. My boat has a long nose and the cuddy opening is a long way from the nose and my railing around the edge is very low( more for looks than to keep someone on board ) I always use the stern cause i dont want to fall off the noise when pulling the anchor in, but i guess swimming is better than sinking a boat

A 29' boat should be able to be anchored of the back with only three people in it in much tougher conditions.

Looking at the photo of the boat bobbing in Lake Erie I notice 2 important points:
1. There IS an anchor on the front of the vessel.
2. Look CLOSELY. It actually has a windlass!!!:eek:

Enough said.

I agree with the comment about how much a large wave can put in your boat in a hurry. I would also like to add that the design of this boat would make it even more dangerous due to the fact of the low opening at the stern. This makes it even more easy to swamp a boat that takes on a large wave by allowing a lower filling point from the water level. All these comments have been very educational to me. I once thought it would be nice to have a boat with a walk thru door at the stern, this certainly changed my mind about it.

Stay safe everyone, education helps all of us.

After many expert reviews, it has been determined that a single wave or a series of waves sunk my Larson Cabrio 29'. No drain tubes disconnected, both aft and mid bilges operating. Anchoring off the back, even on a nice day is a Bad idea and on lake Erie you are still are subject to other boat wakes.

There was a real current that day.

I will have a windlass and will not be anchoring off the back in any boat with a walk through stern door. Mine has a gap under it also, but believe me I have looked a lot of boats in the last month and there are a lot like mine including sea rays.

Hope everyone learns from my mistake and saves themselves an uncomfortable and expensive lesson. Thank God I didn't have some of my older friends out in late October.

Jeff

Thanks for posting the update. Is your boat running now or were the engines damaged too? That sure was a nice looking boat.

The estimate of repairs is finally done. Waiting on ins company response now. Rescue marine "pickled" both engines the next morning meaning they changed the oil and ran the engines up to temp and changed the oil again. Did this 3 times. Jeff Wilson at marine tch here in port Clinton / Catawba will fix it if it gets fixed. Engines and hull are in excellent condition. Everything electrical, pumps, wood or fabric will be replaced plus outdrive bearings and u joints etc.

Jeff has been at thIs a long time and has been very thorough.

I have been following this thread. It is insane to see the pics and YouTube video. Gives me a new respect for the water. And better attention to detail will be taken.