I don't know why I didn't post this before, but now seems like a good time before everyone really gets into the season. Last year I did something foolish, I simply didn't pay attention, nor did I think. It was only for a short while, but it could of cost me everything.
Quick background. My grandfather taught me how to sail in a 40+ sloop when I was around 7. The damn thing had a tiller instead of a wheel and it would drag me across the cockpit sometimes. Guess I was OK piloting around the dock because soon after he would let me bring Her into the marina. I can remember feeling the old diesel in the floor beneath my feet as we would come down the fairway at what I guess was 6 of 7 kts, seemed like we were speeding thru there. He would let me stay on until I freaked and let go, then he would spin Her in the slip bow first, I always felt like we were sliding into home plate.
Soon after that, my father bought a 22' Grady. We kept it at the south end of LBI NJ and fished the ocean most weekends. When it was too rough, we would drift the bay for fluke. Then came the 25 Grady and pretty much the same thing, although we would stay out in four footers in that one. This went on into my late teens and I became very comfortable but always respected the sea.
Fast forward to now and here I have my own boat and family. Two daughters aged 2 and 6. My wife grew up around boats and we are blessed to be able to share this lifestyle together. Our current boat is a 34' Silverton convertible; we have put about 350 hours on Her in the last five years. It's an older boat but we keep it bristol. It's not a high end or high quality boat, but for the four of us and our two dogs it serves us well and has really been a great boat. Simple, reliable and safe – for the most part.
Last year we headed out for a typical 2 hour run, it was clear and calm. That day we decided to run up to the Barnegat Light house and have lunch just off the inlet in a well-protected cove. Normally I will run up past the lighthouse just into the mouth of the inlet (bay side) and turn back. This day the ocean was gleaming. I had checked the weather on the radio earlier that morning and swells where 2 to 4 feet, which around here is pretty much every day.
My oldest was in the salon lying on the coach. My wife was in a deck chair, back to the cabin bulkhead, in the cockpit. 2 year old was sleeping in my wife's arms, wherein' Her Lil Mustang of course. We have a factory cockpit snap in carpet, nothing really moves around down there. Ocean looked great from where I was, boats where around and I decided to run out to the end of the last marker, a bell buoy and then come back in and go to the cove. Once I got three quarters of the way through, I realized we had about 6 foot rollers and the tide was coming in. Nothing too bad, but decided not to run to the last set of markers. I ran out past the jetty slowed, turned and started coming back in.
We were going about 10 kts, 7 to 8 is hull speed for us. Tabs up. Waves where spaced far apart, and tame, we were enjoying the ride and where just about to enter back in between the jetties. Before I knew what happen I was on the bridge floor and we were healed far over on the starboard side. I heard the galley empty below me and some larger items falling. Then my oldest daughter screamed. Seemed like we stayed that way for 1 to 2 seconds and then she came right back up. Pissed that I had literally been knocked out of the helm chair but managed to keep my grip on the wheel, I pulled myself up, yelled down if everyone was OK – now a bit panic stricken realizing I didn't hear my wife during the roll – but soon reassured when she yelled up “yeah, get in!" I hit the throttles, rode the backs of the rollers till we were inside far enough and then full bore thru the inlet. Just inside I dropped the anchor and went downstairs.
My six year old was hysterical having been literally thrown off the couch. Much of the galley contents was now opposite in the dinette. My two dogs, one 50lbs and one 80lbs didn't look happy. My wife was in the same place, the deck chair against the cockpit bulkhead with my still sleeping 2 year old in Her arms. Our large cooler filled with ice normally far aft in the cockpit had slip to starboard and had spilled a lot of ice. I went to pull it back to the center of the boat and could not move it. The boats stern cleats are horizontal inside the cockpit, inboard side of the transom. The cooler slid so hard that the cleat punctured all the way thru it, like a giant nail, and was holding it there. My wife didn't say a word.
Nobody was hurt and nothing was severely damaged, but I knew right then how lucky we were. I mentioned the boat is a Silverton, it's not the boats fault. Sure it's no Hatt or Viking, but that isn't the point. A confused following sea hit me square in the port quarter and threw us over, BECAUSE I took my eyes off the sea for a couple of seconds, probably two to three seconds.
I KNOW that inlet.
I KNOW my boat.
I had 25 years' experience running inlets.
I made a couple big mistakes that day, but most importantly I let my guard down.
A few more things I realized.
If she went over, I nor my crew would have been prepared. We have a life raft, EPIRB, kids were wearing vests and we were within feet of other boats, but I fear the worst would of happened.
You have to always be keenly aware of your surroundings, your limitations and your exact situation, all the time.
We didn't have lunch at the cove, we just went back. Not much was said. Once we arrived at the dock, the usual marina life took over and that was that. Only later in the evening when going to bed, my wife said to me “it seemed like slow motion, I swear the sea touched the gunnel and I was thinking of how I was going to swim up from under the boat with our baby in my arms". My oldest was in the cabin, safe place for Her?
I am much the wiser because of this experience. As of now we simply don't go into the ocean with the kids on the boat, not until they are older. And you can bet I am on my toes more now than before. There is risk with everything, you have to take it to a degree or life would not be worth living. My point with this is, the ocean for all intensive purposes was navigable. Experience sometimes equals complacency.
Be careful, be safe and have fun, but always be aware.
Quick background. My grandfather taught me how to sail in a 40+ sloop when I was around 7. The damn thing had a tiller instead of a wheel and it would drag me across the cockpit sometimes. Guess I was OK piloting around the dock because soon after he would let me bring Her into the marina. I can remember feeling the old diesel in the floor beneath my feet as we would come down the fairway at what I guess was 6 of 7 kts, seemed like we were speeding thru there. He would let me stay on until I freaked and let go, then he would spin Her in the slip bow first, I always felt like we were sliding into home plate.
Soon after that, my father bought a 22' Grady. We kept it at the south end of LBI NJ and fished the ocean most weekends. When it was too rough, we would drift the bay for fluke. Then came the 25 Grady and pretty much the same thing, although we would stay out in four footers in that one. This went on into my late teens and I became very comfortable but always respected the sea.
Fast forward to now and here I have my own boat and family. Two daughters aged 2 and 6. My wife grew up around boats and we are blessed to be able to share this lifestyle together. Our current boat is a 34' Silverton convertible; we have put about 350 hours on Her in the last five years. It's an older boat but we keep it bristol. It's not a high end or high quality boat, but for the four of us and our two dogs it serves us well and has really been a great boat. Simple, reliable and safe – for the most part.
Last year we headed out for a typical 2 hour run, it was clear and calm. That day we decided to run up to the Barnegat Light house and have lunch just off the inlet in a well-protected cove. Normally I will run up past the lighthouse just into the mouth of the inlet (bay side) and turn back. This day the ocean was gleaming. I had checked the weather on the radio earlier that morning and swells where 2 to 4 feet, which around here is pretty much every day.
My oldest was in the salon lying on the coach. My wife was in a deck chair, back to the cabin bulkhead, in the cockpit. 2 year old was sleeping in my wife's arms, wherein' Her Lil Mustang of course. We have a factory cockpit snap in carpet, nothing really moves around down there. Ocean looked great from where I was, boats where around and I decided to run out to the end of the last marker, a bell buoy and then come back in and go to the cove. Once I got three quarters of the way through, I realized we had about 6 foot rollers and the tide was coming in. Nothing too bad, but decided not to run to the last set of markers. I ran out past the jetty slowed, turned and started coming back in.
We were going about 10 kts, 7 to 8 is hull speed for us. Tabs up. Waves where spaced far apart, and tame, we were enjoying the ride and where just about to enter back in between the jetties. Before I knew what happen I was on the bridge floor and we were healed far over on the starboard side. I heard the galley empty below me and some larger items falling. Then my oldest daughter screamed. Seemed like we stayed that way for 1 to 2 seconds and then she came right back up. Pissed that I had literally been knocked out of the helm chair but managed to keep my grip on the wheel, I pulled myself up, yelled down if everyone was OK – now a bit panic stricken realizing I didn't hear my wife during the roll – but soon reassured when she yelled up “yeah, get in!" I hit the throttles, rode the backs of the rollers till we were inside far enough and then full bore thru the inlet. Just inside I dropped the anchor and went downstairs.
My six year old was hysterical having been literally thrown off the couch. Much of the galley contents was now opposite in the dinette. My two dogs, one 50lbs and one 80lbs didn't look happy. My wife was in the same place, the deck chair against the cockpit bulkhead with my still sleeping 2 year old in Her arms. Our large cooler filled with ice normally far aft in the cockpit had slip to starboard and had spilled a lot of ice. I went to pull it back to the center of the boat and could not move it. The boats stern cleats are horizontal inside the cockpit, inboard side of the transom. The cooler slid so hard that the cleat punctured all the way thru it, like a giant nail, and was holding it there. My wife didn't say a word.
Nobody was hurt and nothing was severely damaged, but I knew right then how lucky we were. I mentioned the boat is a Silverton, it's not the boats fault. Sure it's no Hatt or Viking, but that isn't the point. A confused following sea hit me square in the port quarter and threw us over, BECAUSE I took my eyes off the sea for a couple of seconds, probably two to three seconds.
I KNOW that inlet.
I KNOW my boat.
I had 25 years' experience running inlets.
I made a couple big mistakes that day, but most importantly I let my guard down.
A few more things I realized.
If she went over, I nor my crew would have been prepared. We have a life raft, EPIRB, kids were wearing vests and we were within feet of other boats, but I fear the worst would of happened.
You have to always be keenly aware of your surroundings, your limitations and your exact situation, all the time.
We didn't have lunch at the cove, we just went back. Not much was said. Once we arrived at the dock, the usual marina life took over and that was that. Only later in the evening when going to bed, my wife said to me “it seemed like slow motion, I swear the sea touched the gunnel and I was thinking of how I was going to swim up from under the boat with our baby in my arms". My oldest was in the cabin, safe place for Her?
I am much the wiser because of this experience. As of now we simply don't go into the ocean with the kids on the boat, not until they are older. And you can bet I am on my toes more now than before. There is risk with everything, you have to take it to a degree or life would not be worth living. My point with this is, the ocean for all intensive purposes was navigable. Experience sometimes equals complacency.
Be careful, be safe and have fun, but always be aware.
