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Another boat hits a jetty...

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by Pascal, May 27, 2020.

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  1. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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  2. 993RSR

    993RSR Senior Member

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    Searching the name it appears to be a 57 Carver that was purchased in Hilton Head March of this year. That jetty is not well marked and in mostly 10-14 feet of water. If they were locals running at 10:30PM they should have been familiar with the jettys position. Glad no one was hurt.
    Entering Charleston harbor on my way north there was a 60'+/- Ocean SF being lifted off the jetty. Gives me the creeps.
  3. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Not well marked?? The channel has lit buoys on each side...
  4. 993RSR

    993RSR Senior Member

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    Yes the channel does but if they hit the jetty north of the Savannah River entrance the jetty is submerged and not marked at all as far as I know. That is the only jetty in the area. Maybe 1/2 mile or so north of marker 12? Something like that. Navionics just shows a outline and label .
  5. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    I haven't been up the Savannah river, but I've met that channel after using the short cut from Hilton Head many time. First, I think we're talking about a (submerged) breakwater (similar to what you have at Charleston) not a jetty. Second, that's a very well marked channel. I have to wonder about the boat's destination, and if he wasn't looking for the short cut to Hilton Head (not something to do at night unless you're very familiar with the area). I remember once stopping a large Broward from grounding there in daylight.
  6. 993RSR

    993RSR Senior Member

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    lil savannah.jpg
    Breakwater not a jetty, check.
  7. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Yep, come off the R18 to the G3 between the ranges if you're heading for Hilton Head. He came off the R14 keeping both range lights on his left. Rookie mistake.
  8. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Having lived in Thunderbolt during the 80s. One of my side shops tried to save salt water soaked engines.
    Here, crossing the channel at the icw and from torpedoes (logs) racing down stream.
    Then, Hilton Head, PRS and many inlets to the south were local knowledge only.
    I assume some dummy tried to cut the sea buoy short,, again..

    Darwin was correct again, SFBs.

    When in doubt, Hit the sea buoy then cut in. Your insurance company (and mine) would appreciate it.

    Glad all are safe,,, to risk their lives again in the near future.


    1550CCED-90A5-4F91-BD9A-B1034B667A00.jpg
  9. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    I wouldn't be so insulting cause I've yet to meet a skipper who never made a mistake, but inexperience matched with not knowing to zoom in your chart plotter when plotting your course is a dangerous combination. If he used paper charts he'd have had no problem.
  10. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Do you cut sea buoys short?
    Edited;
    Do you cut little used sea buoys short?
  11. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Who is insulting? Some Darwin candidate lost his boat.
    Could not care less if he did not zoom in far enough on is fancy electronic gizmo, should have come the channel the safe way unless he knew better (NOT)..
    So what is it your trying to say??
  12. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    What "little used sea buoy". First these are not sea buoys. Second I DK what a "little used" buoys is. Third, sometimes buoys are put in the wrong spot (or sink). In that case yes. I stick with the channel. But this was not a case of cutting a buoy short. There is no #2. You put the 18 on your left side and go between the range lights to the 3. He evidently put the 14 on his left and kept both range lights on his left.
  13. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Even in my well charted home waters I don’t take shortcuts. Not worth it
  14. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Would you know what a channel entrance sea buoys is? The entrance or terminus of the channel to the sea.
    If your not familiar with the entrance, would you come in from sea at the beginning of the channel or cut it short?

    My local knowledge of the StJohns river entrance allows me to cut the channel short a bit coming / going. PortCanaveral the same.
    Never StAug, Ponce, FtPeirce or Liquordale. Never Brunswick, or Savannah.
    Never to the above because I don't have enough local knowledge to do so. When in doubt, keep it safe, come in from sea.

    Per your post #12 above, Not a clew what he did but the Darwin candidate landed on the rocks. I've done Savannah many times at night. It an easy inlet, I just hate the trash in the water at times.
  15. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Yeah I think I know what an A buoy is. When I'm not familiar with an inlet (of which there are very few on the east coast) I come into line with it before going for the 1/2. However where I have local knowledge there's nothing wrong with cutting short. Especially when you're dealing with a shipping channel. They're marked for a lot deeper draft than I usually run and designed for VTC . Going to the channel entrance is a waste of a lot of time, and time is money. Also bypassing the local cut into Hilton Head adds I believe about 2 or 3 hours to your trip. Then there's things like we had up here where the CG decided to straighten a channel. Charts were printed with the new buoy, and the buoy was put in place. Right in the middle of the sandbar 2'deep because the funds for dredging were never approved. Buoys, charts and such are guides not gospel.
  16. Oscarvan

    Oscarvan Senior Member

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    Must have JUST clipped the North end of it......
  17. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Hard to tell from the video, but a miss is as good as a mile. He actually could have gotten away with going that way if he stayed closer to the range but we all know that depth perception is off at night (which is why I object to demeaning the skipper). Who among us hasn't ever made a mistake or miscalculation. If he (or she) is a hired captain their career is over. If an inexperienced owner, he lost his boat. Either way they'll pay the price for their mistake.
  18. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Nowadays with the amount of electronics installed on just about every boat there is no excuse to hit a jetty or breakwater. And rule nr 1 at night... SLOW DOWN. I almost never run on plane at night unless I m like on the bank in the Bahamas But navigating shallow waters or inlets? Hell no

    As to the poor owner loosing his boat? Insurance will pay the claim and then we ll all pay for his stupidity with higher premiums...
  19. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Very good advice. Even in safe, open waters there could be a tree stump or a small unlit boat floating in our path and I'd rather hit them at 5 or 10 kts than 30. I touched bottom 3 times in my career, all in the channel. Twice just nudged the bow in and waited for the tide, the third cost a prop. All were at dead slow.

    Actually the electronics are the big problem. They made people lazy. Point, put a waypoint, move on. People don't zoom in. Too much trouble. Back when we used paper charts we saw everything in our path. I had all my routes down the coast laid out in chart books, and they traveled with me (along with my personal GPS, also with most of my routes). A little extra effort saves exactly this situation.
    If it's any consolation as you pay your increased premiums, I'm sure the boat had a deductible.:oops:
  20. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    WTF does that mean??
    We are to feel better that the SFB has a deductible as we all face taller insurance bills next renewal to cover this loss?