My friends 1999 32 fountian sunk yesterday at the lake st clair races
#1
I just got off the phone with my friend Jonny, He was at the races with a total of 7 people on his boat.His parents, girlfriend, and brother and sister in law, and his girfriends friend were aboard, ancored on the north end of the course watching the races and it was a bit choppy out there with the typical chop-slop, no pattern waves, with 2-3's mixed. He has always had a problem with water coming in the two rear ventilation holes, the round ones, but leaves the bilge on to drain it out, well I guess it was a bit too much water coming in yesterday, because he said the bilge was kicking on quite a bit, but thats normal, even out in the calm bays we hang out in, I guess with the wavy conditions, the bilge pump just wasn't enough. All of the sudden waves were over the swim platform, he fired the motors, and hit it, trying to head towards shore to keep it from sinking..., but couldn't get any rpm's... he didn't make it, everyone aboard put on jackets, and hopped aboard another boat, and is safe. Jonny stayed on a while longer trying to get all the personal contents he could grab off the boat until it went down, and he hopped on the sherrifs boat. I watched this from a ways away, and it was quite a sad sight. I guess he should have stuffed the coozies in the vents to slow the water inlets, oops, I mean air exhausts from letting water in. Thanks goes out to the macomb county sheriff for being right there, and michigan marine salvage for the $8800 bill. At least everone is safe, the boat is another story. Cant beat the beak...
Last edited by Advantage_Rob; 06-24-2002 at 03:34 PM.
#3
Sorry to hear about your friend's boat - hopefully the insurance co doesn't jerk him around!
Also sounds like a very good argument for multiple bilge pumps and the battery power to run them! (not to mention fixing those vents!)
Also sounds like a very good argument for multiple bilge pumps and the battery power to run them! (not to mention fixing those vents!)
#4
This is so sad to hear. This is more than likely not the first time this has happened to this model of boat. I am glad everyone is OK, and hope that some restitution can be made with Reggie. What year was the boat? Do anyone have any pics of this model with the round vents? I want to see what it look like.
#10
Charter Member

Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,061
Likes: 1
From: Granger, IN
That is a shame, Rob.
I can recall even earlier this year, opening my hatch on lake Mi, wind blows the bow around and exposes the rear of the boat to the 3' waves......put the hatch down, turn the boat towards the waves again, and raise the hatch......viscious cycle. (too lazy to anchor, which would be less work as it turns out)
I've always wondered as sometimes waves come up on to the sun lounge.
That's gotta be one of the most horrible experiences one can go through with a material possession.
I can recall even earlier this year, opening my hatch on lake Mi, wind blows the bow around and exposes the rear of the boat to the 3' waves......put the hatch down, turn the boat towards the waves again, and raise the hatch......viscious cycle. (too lazy to anchor, which would be less work as it turns out)
I've always wondered as sometimes waves come up on to the sun lounge.
That's gotta be one of the most horrible experiences one can go through with a material possession.


