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From: CFE Inc. (no email)
Date: Thu Jun 02 2005 - 15:52:54 EDT
<VBG>
Well I was walking down to the boat yesterday when I was approached by the
fellow that hit my boat in Dec. You can bet I made sure people new about the
deal and who the guy was. I received a 180 degree about face and an offer
to re paint that side of the boat or pay for the damage and an apology. Took
six months but word of mouth, who would have thought it possible.
Willy
Invader No1
39 Kishi Conversion
partial copy of original post.
Yup got tagged at the dock!!! ouch.
Invader #1 is berthed on an outside slip on a section of the Fraser river
between two bridges. When the tide is ebbing or flooding the river can move
6
+ knots. Manoeuvring a vessel at these times can be a challenge for the
experienced and a simple no go for the inexperienced.
Early one afternoon last week I watched the river from the window on Invader
while having some lunch. The river was really moving with the large dropping
tide. I begin to watch a 36 foot sport fisher towing a 32 foot express
cruiser
down the channel towards the bridge. I recognized the towing vessel as it is
berthed in the same marina as I.
When the tow boat was almost abreast of Invader #1 they try for the turn
into
the marina? I thought they were going to transit under the bridge to another
marina. Big mistake as the towing boat goes sideways to the current,
drifting
towards the bridge pilings. The towing boat now pointed directly at me
powers
up to make the turn. Big mistake as the towed boat wants to hold the towing
boat straight on course towards me. The skipper on the towing boat slams the
port side power into reverse and just misses my bow. Now with the towing
boat
straight into the current, he puts both engines into forward and throttles
up
? Big mistake as the towed boat has now spun sideways to the current and is
pointed at me. I have been struggling to get shoes on etc and get on deck
but
the inevitable Ba- Bang skreeeech - Ba- bang - motors winding up. Invader #1
gets tossed against the dock and bounced between the dock and boat etc. Not
much I could have done anyways other than shake my head in disbelief. Now
the
towing boat has made it to an outside slip next dock ahead of me. The towed
boat is hung up on my ground tackle ( that nice big northhill mounted up
front
) and the pilings / dock at the corner of the dock I am on.
There is no one on onboard the towed boat, no fenders out, the bow rope
hanging in the water etc. etc . The boats are still connected but the towing
boat has no fenders out, no dock lines ready etc etc. As I try to stabilize
/
fend off the express cruiser against the current I get to watch the going
ons
in front of me. The skipper is stuck on his bridge trying to keep the vessel
dockside while buddy tries to get it tied up. Buddy searches franticly for
rope, fenders, place to tie off and on too. They still got the vessel I am
dealing with attached as well.
After a few minuets the sport fisher is tied up and I get some help
untangling the express cruiser. We move the Express cruiser by hand down to
its intended berth. Side of the express cruiser got dinged and the canvas
received some damage along with the frame. Honestly I did not look real
close
and could Give a !1xpr.
Story goes that the express cruiser had just been launched but the
batteries were dead. So he called up skipper in the sport fisher to give him
a
tow. Willing I guess but I don't know about the ready and able bit.
They never said thanks? never asked or came to check if I had any
damage?
I said little as I was still in disbelief. They Just went off to have some
beers or something.
I have calmed down now but what to do. The admiral and I spent all
summer
stripping caulking painting varnishing the hull. Now we have this scar
from
mid ship to the bow down the port side. One seam is exposed and they
cracked -
split the gumwood rub rail on the port side. Its not that big a deal but
there
is going to be a few hours fixing it next summer. I now have to try and
seal
up the seam and the gumwood so water will not get in and freeze etc. If I
hand
this over to insurance ya it will cost lots as a make work project. I doubt
the express cruiser has insurance and don't know about the sport fisher.
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