Insurance claims in the event of sinking

[magnetman]

4 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I may look like a disaster but...

 

I'd have to see you to make a sound judgment as internet forums have a habit of completely misrepresenting reality. 

 

 

 

[peterboat]

52 minutes ago, wandering said:

Ohh, OK! That is a good piece of advice. Didn't know that. I was told they will take it out and it can be on hard standing for a while but if she floats then you make a good point about it the ladders. I assume they imagined she needed to be on hard standing in case there was a hull issue (which I don't believe there is. She was only surveyed 7 months ago and I was told she is in very good nick for her age. I wonder if the marina will allow me to work on her from the water rather than hard standing... 

Just one question was the engine running when it sank? If it was it will not have survived, water doesn't compress and it will have sucked it in

[wandering]

8 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I may look like a disaster but I have seen much worse brought back to life.

Much better than a fire.

Recovered several sinking boat over the years.

The engine and gearbox will be fine. Do not turn it over at all. The sump may be full of water but the oil will have risen up the bores and they will be fine.

Wash the mud off everything, electrics, alternator, starter, etc. and pump out the bilge.

Then drain all the oils and fuel from the engine and gearbox. Check the fuel tank, pump out the bottom if there is any water in there.

Fill with fresh cheapest oils and let it all dry out before turning it over by hand. You may find it locks up hydraulically. If so tighten all the exhaust tappets  A LITTLE BIT so that the valves are only just not closing, this will let the oil out of the bores. Keep turning by hand until the starter will spin it.

Set the tappets. Bleed it and fire it up. Run it for a few hours. ( consider that the batteries will be likely OK but keep an eye on them to see if they are charging normally. ) Change the oils if they are milky otherwise run it for longer.

Is this something a competent engineer could do for me? I don't want to mess up anything but since I'm not super au fait with engines (except the usual popping in oil and coolant). It sounds pretty straightforward but reading a map is pretty simple and I still end up very lost...

1 minute ago, peterboat said:

Just one question was the engine running when it sank? If it was it will not have survived, water doesn't compress and it will have sucked it in

No I had turned it off way before then and shoved a cloth in the exhaust outlet.

Edited September 2, 2023 by wandering

[magnetman]

If you mean a hydraulic lock I'm not convinced this would occur if the engine was at tickover. 

 

I think you would need more momentum to cause significant damage. Bent piston rods can happen but there would need to be a lot of energy. 

 

 

[peterboat]

1 minute ago, wandering said:

Is this something a competent engineer could do for me? I don't want to mess up anything but since I'm not super au fait with engines (except the usual popping in oil and coolant). It sounds pretty straightforward but reading a map is pretty simple and I still end up very lost...

No I had turned it off way before then.

Good 

Just now, magnetman said:

If you mean a hydraulic lock I'm not convinced this would occur if the engine was at tickover. 

 

I think you would need more momentum to cause significant damage. Bent piston rods can happen but there would need to be a lot of energy. 

 

 

They do knacker themselves even at tickover, engines have a lot of momentum and a heavy flywheel, it goes from 750 rpm to stop instantly equals severe damage

[ditchcrawler]

50 minutes ago, BoatinglifeupNorth said:

I doubt your boat has doubled in price, what you think it’s worth in your mind is totally different to real world boat sales, put some details on so people know what your dreaming of, year, fitout and what you paid for it.

 

Hers has. 😀

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

Just now, ditchcrawler said:

Hers has. 😀

Especially with all the work those incompetent tradesmen have done on it, if anything she’s probably halved the value not doubled it since she’s had it, but hey reality is sometimes hard to take😂

[MtB]

27 minutes ago, magnetman said:

 

I'd have to see you to make a sound judgment as internet forums have a habit of completely misrepresenting reality. 

 

 

All proper boaters look like a disaster, Shirley! 

 

 

 

[magnetman]

There is that. 

[Alan de Enfield]

It really doesn't look too bad. Time and elbow grease and a little money and it'll be as good as it ever was.

 

You will have to accept that there will be an 'earthy / muddy' smell for many months, but, it does go.

 

One thing the sinking has shown is that your battery box was not up to scratch - it looks as if the battery has fallen onto the engine.

[wandering]

17 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

It really doesn't look too bad. Time and elbow grease and a little money and it'll be as good as it ever was.

 

You will have to accept that there will be an 'earthy / muddy' smell for many months, but, it does go.

 

One thing the sinking has shown is that your battery box was not up to scratch - it looks as if the battery has fallen onto the engine.

I hope so! I think the shock I'm feeling is just seeing the inside look like that as I normally keep it very clean and tidy. I wasn't expecting things to be so muddy. Wet, yes, but the mud adds a new dimension to the shock plus I think there's a film of oil over everything too... 

[magnetman]

Light the fire. 

 

 

[MtB]

6 minutes ago, wandering said:

I hope so! I think the shock I'm feeling is just seeing the inside look like that as I normally keep it very clean and tidy. I wasn't expecting things to be so muddy. Wet, yes, but the mud adds a new dimension to the shock plus I think there's a film of oil over everything too... 

 

The mud rinses off easily with a hose before it dries on, so get on with it pronto, just as David described! 

[Cheese]

6 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

The mud rinses off easily with a hose before it dries on, so get on with it pronto, just as David described! 

+1. Start at the top and work down.  The other important thing is to understand why it sank.  It looks to now be floating, so the lower hull is presumably sound, but you may need to check above the waterline.  And/or establish if the weed hatch seal is faulty: it won't be letting water in at present, but could start to do so when you sort out and run the engine.

 

And if you are not now living aboard, make sure it is moored so that it can rise if the river rises suddenly.

 

 

[magnetman]

Good point if it is at Ratcliffe on Soar. That river goes up and down like the Assyrian empire. 

 

 

[MtB]

26 minutes ago, Cheese said:

The other important thing is to understand why it sank. 

 

Seconded. Although the OP saw water streaming in through the weed hatch once the boat was beyond saving from sinking, there is nothing so far to indicate this was the original cause of water entering the boat.

 

It had after all, been fine up until that point cruising about (presumably) without sinking so I find myself wondering why the bad weed hatch seal suddenly became a problem when for ages, it hadn't been. So I conclude something changed, so possibly else went wrong and remains unnoticed so far.

 

 

Edited September 2, 2023 by MtB
sp

[wandering]

40 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Seconded. Although the OP saw water streaming in through the weed hatch once the boat was beyond saving from sinking, there is nothing so far to indicate this was the original cause of water entering the boat.

 

It had after all, been fine up until that point cruising about (presumably) without sinking so I find myself wondering why the bad weed hatch seal suddenly became a problem when for ages, it hadn't been. So I conclude something changed, so possibly else went wrong and remains unnoticed so far.

 

 

Aye, I'm eagerly awaiting the surveyor report. You're right that it had been fine and I had nearly completed a full return journey from Leicester to Lincoln until it sank on the journey home, as if by random. Until I get the report back and have a proper inspection, it's all speculation that is was the weed hatch that failed.

Edited September 2, 2023 by wandering

[magnetman]

Behind weed hatches is a corrosion trap and if the rudder tube doesn't go through the diesel tank that is another weak spot which can sink the boat. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cheshire cat]

There's an ex workboat on the bottom at the visitor's moorings at Huddlesford Junction. The same boat was on the bottom last year for many months where the Coventry passes under the A38.

 

Judging by the increasing number of pumps on the bankside it took several attempts to raise it so it must be galling that she's gone down again. 

[Alan de Enfield]

24 minutes ago, Cheshire cat said:

There's an ex workboat on the bottom at the visitor's moorings at Huddlesford Junction. The same boat was on the bottom last year for many months where the Coventry passes under the A38.

 

Judging by the increasing number of pumps on the bankside it took several attempts to raise it so it must be galling that she's gone down again. 

 

Or you could just say it's down to stupidity - repair / replace the issue that caused the original sinking, and whilst doing so inspect the rest of the boat for weaknesses. 

[magnetman]

Or it might be a wooden workboat. 

[Alan de Enfield]

6 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Or it might be a wooden workboat. 

 

Same applies - fix the problems and identify other 'weak or worn areas'

Nothing special about wood - just needs different skills to a welder.

[ditchcrawler]

59 minutes ago, Cheshire cat said:

There's an ex workboat on the bottom at the visitor's moorings at Huddlesford Junction. The same boat was on the bottom last year for many months where the Coventry passes under the A38.

 

Judging by the increasing number of pumps on the bankside it took several attempts to raise it so it must be galling that she's gone down again. 

It did , they were often trying when we passed, buts gone now

19 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Or it might be a wooden workboat. 

It was a square tin thing

[MtB]

2 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Or you could just say it's down to stupidity - repair / replace the issue that caused the original sinking,

 

And if there is no obvious cause (as in the case of the OP's boat)?

 

I think MM might be right though. A corroded-through rudder tube seems a probable candidate. The weed hatch seem highly UNlikely to me given the seals are above the normal waterline.

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

27 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

And if there is no obvious cause (as in the case of the OP's boat)?

 

I think MM might be right though. A corroded-through rudder tube seems a probable candidate. The weed hatch seem highly UNlikely to me given the seals are above the normal waterline.

 

 

 

The only time I have seen water coming up (and out of the weed hatch) has been in 'hard reverse'. It had been performing pefectly in forward gear.

 

However, it did not have the tight fitting' cavitation plate which I thinnk most NBs have (I say most as whilst all mine have had them, I bet someone has one without).