Grounding (Updated)

 In late February, we wrote about running aground.  In that reflection, I admitted that we had gone aground twice.  Make that three times.

Last Sunday (a week ago), we went aground outside the main harbor (Charlotte Amalie) of St. Thomas.  We were on our return trip from the Spanish Virgins and as we headed east toward the BVI, we decided to follow two other boats on a diagonal short-cut out of the harbor.   The winds were too light to put up a sail so we were motoring, on autopilot, having a great conversation, and… not paying attention to the waters. 

Suddenly there was a loud bang and we stopped.  We’d come aground on rocks on an unmarked shoal a quarter mile off shore.  They were marked on the chart, but sometimes they are also marked by buoys in the water – not this time.  Quickly reversing the engines and then using the two engines to turn left and right (one forward and one back), we eased off the rocks and kept going (apparently lots of boats run aground there).

About 45 minutes later we came to a harbor on St. James Island and picked up a mooring ball.  I dove under the boat the see.  The port keel only had scratches.  When I went to the starboard side I saw that two large chunks were missing! 

The damage is on the inside (between the hulls) on the starboard side

The primary damage was low where the keel shapes itself along the bottom.  Neither of the propellers nor the rudders were harmed, thank goodness.

Our plan had been to motor as far as St. John’s and spend a couple of nights before returning to the East End of Tortola.  We were fortunate that the dock master of the marina where we keep our boat was traveling and nearby.  We caught up with him and he dove the boat, and then informed us:  “Well, the good news is that you have a sacrificial keel and there doesn’t seem to be damage to the hull; the bad news is that you will have to haul the boat out of the water to repair it.”  We thanked him and he went on, and we decided to check into the BVI and motor all the way back to the marina.  Since late Sunday afternoon we’ve been on a mooring ball at Penn’s Landing (and catching a bit of cabin fever).

About a sacrificial keel:  Because so many boats go aground, boat designers about ten years ago came up with what they call a sacrificial keel.  These are not built into the fabric of the hull, but bolted onto the hull instead.  The idea is that if/when you go aground, instead of months rebuilding the keel/hull, you can simply unbolt the old keel and replace it with a new one.  Pretty nifty, considering all things.  (NOTE:  these keels were driven by the boat charter companies whose customers go aground a lot, and the charter companies make no money when a boat is sitting in a yard instead of out on the water.)  The sacrificial keel for our boat is even designed to be removed/replaced in the water – if you have the skilled divers!

Over the course of this week, I/we have made daily trips to various people down island to put together a plan.  We learned from a surveyor that our damage is too big to be repaired -- it’s better to replace.  With the help of the marina staff, we learned that there’s a company in Florida (Just Catamarans) that has six replacement keels, and we’ve now ordered one and are waiting for the confirmation that a shipping company has it and hopefully will deliver it in a week.  We’ve interviewed several contractors and are very fortunate that the boat yard manager of the largest charter company in the world – someone who has overseen the “flipping” of keels (remove/replace) several hundred times – Mohamed Yannos has agreed to take care of our keel work over a Saturday/Sunday.  Two days!  And because a catamaran is so wide and there are only two boatyards in the BVI able to haul our boat, we have a date over the first weekend in April to do the “flip”.  We’ll take the boat out of the water on Friday, April 1^st and have the boat back in the water on Monday, April 4^th.   The insurance company is impressed by how quickly we put together this plan and we’ll meet with an adjustor later this week.  Even with a large (for us) deductible, we expect to have several thousand dollars in help from our insurance.

In the meantime, we’re beginning to see that moving the boat slowly does not seem to deteriorate the damaged keel.  We went out the other day for three hours, dropped the anchor into a deeper part of the bay and used the watermaker to refill our tanks.  We’re thinking about taking Azure Wind across the channel for a couple of nights this week, once the winds die down. 

And so, with a few details remaining, we are waiting.  And reflecting.

Yesterday, I preached at the Methodist Church up the hill.  Focusing on Isaiah 43 (God doing a new thing), I acknowledged that great truth that other people helping you face a crisis is God’s way of loving you.   Even if the folks don’t see it that way.  For having experienced this accident with all of its attending distress, guilt, and depressing feelings, I come away with three insights.

First, accidents (even caused by inattentiveness) happen to the young and the old, the smart and the not-so-smart, the experienced and the inexperienced, the just and the unjust.  (And I’m not declaring where I fit in those categories!)

Second, there are lots of groundings.  When I went to meet Mr. Yannos in the boatyard he oversees, I was amazed at the number of boats there and his stories of boats constantly coming and going to replace keels.  Frankly, I felt better to be in the company of so many.

Third, I think it’s probably true:  There are two kinds of sailors….those who admit they’ve gone aground…and….liars.

Trying to keep a sense of humor, grateful that we’re afloat, sobered by this experience, and hopeful that this plan will easily fall into place.

Fair Winds and Calm Seas

Dave

PS.  The Christmas Winds (strong winds from the northeast) came late this year.  Instead of January, they arrived this past week, so it was just as well to be sitting on a mooring ball (as “cabin feverish” as that can be).

PSS.  After church yesterday, a member gave us a small palm tree for the boat.  A really special gift!  We haven’t found its permanent place or given it a name yet.  But we will.  Any suggestions?