Senior Editor’s Notebook with Ruth Christie
O
A Temporary Assignment
That Sinking Feeling
n February 24, after multiple “When she was high enough out of the The goal is to get the boat up high enough blankets of snow had mostly water that my body weight wasn’t a probso the pumps can catch up with the water melted away, my brother-in-law’s lem, I boarded the boat, found a 2.5-gallon coming in. Each situation is different, 31-foot Stamas nearly sank in its slip on bucket onboard, and hand bailed to speed though.” Cadle Creek. When our next-door neighthings up. She came up nicely; it was one “I returned to the boat the next day, bors noticed that the boat looked low in of the easiest rises I’ve done. I made sure double-checked to make sure she was OK, the water, they immediately called my hus- her batteries and bilge pumps worked and and got both outboards to start. With 50band to say as much. Jim then called my returned to the marina.” knot winds expected the next day and the brother-in-law, who quickly creek cleared somewhat got on the horn with of ice, we decided to have Casa Rio Marina nearby, the owner arrange a tow BoatU.S., and others. to Rhode River Marina Luckily, Charles (Chuck) for a full checkup. My Holm III works at the mamarina was still iced in. I rina and was available to reuntied and stayed on the spond, saying, “When news boat while TowBoatU.S. of a boat sinking comes out of Annapolis towed in, it’s the 911 call of our her to the marina; I business. Over the course wanted to make sure of a year, we’ll respond to everything was secured. a half a dozen of these.” Richard met us at Rhode Chuck is certified to work River Marina, picked on outboards and marine me up, and got me back generators and has worked to my truck. Before I at the marina for two years left the boat, she had now. And, he used to be been backed up to the a marine diver. bulkhead and had already “I dropped everything been picked up by that I was doing, loaded up the facility’s big forklift. Safe truck with a generator and and sound.” pump, and grabbed all the When we last spoke, tools I could think of that Chuck reminded me I would need. When I got that while winterizing to the dock, the boat’s twin my own boat, he had 225 outboards were almost noticed that the port completely submerged, and engine didn’t take in the the boat was iced into its antifreeze well. He just slip. I assessed the situation wanted to make sure and brought some equipwe got that checked out ment down to the dock. I before the spring splash first quickly chipped away at at Casa Rio Marina. the ice and moved the boat This just goes to show near the dock. I then ripped you how important it is Going above and beyond... Chuck Holm says, “It’s my job.” up a plastic grocery bag into to develop a solid relabits and pieces and jammed them into all “The good news is the engines never tionship with a marina and its staff. We’ve the thorough-hulls I could reach to stop were completely submerged, and no water used the services of Casa Rio Marina for water from continuing to enter the boat. got inside the cabin. She didn’t go all the about 20 years now; we don’t nickle and Luckily, the dock had electricity. I stayed way down to the bottom. If we had left her time them, and they don’t nickel and dime on the dock and put a 110-volt water pump alone for two more hours, it would have us. The marina has always taken good care in the boat. It kicked into action, and the been a different story. We would probably of us and our boats. boat started to lift back up. Meanwhile, have had to call in a diver. Sometimes, We can’t thank you enough, Chuck. the neighbor came by and offered help if though, when a boat sinks, you can use needed as did our general manager, Richthe four surrounding pilings to jack her up ard Maldeis.” with air-filled lift bags and a diver.
10 April 2010 PropTalk
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