We went across the creek today to check out m/v Go Deep as she sat in the slings of the travel lift. I wanted to see for myself what running up on the rocks will do to a power boat. Here are some of the photos. I have to observe, though, that fiberglass is tough stuff. Check it out:
Here she is in the slings – the over all view isn’t too bad
This gouge was still dripping water, as was a gouge further aft (covered by the forward sling. Really, that’s not as bad as I thought it would be.
A little damage at the chines – similar damage port and starboard
I’m not sure what happened here. Maybe when she rolled down on the port side once she was up on the rocks.
Outrigger bent down pretty severely. Again, the roll down to the port side must have done that.
This is doubtless the most expensive damage – the running gear is ruined
All the blades sheared from the port-side prop, and the port rudder shaft bent. That thing hanging down from the prop shaft is the strut with cutlass bearing.
Starboard prop still has a blade or two attached. Shaft strut is ripped from the hull, though, and the shaft looks like an “S” curve (you can’t see it all from this angle).
Like one reader said on the Watkins Forum, this makes you feel bad for the owner. I don’t know about you, but I’ve done some dumb things in my life that resulted in more damage than this (auto accident). Things like this have the ability to make you feel terrible for quite a while. Hopefully, there are things we learn from these experiences.
middlebaysailing 