Excellent tips. I was stranded out in Lake Erie once 7 miles out. My steering cable snapped. Couldn't imagine dealing with a sinking boat but this story and your tips will help if it happens. Thank you for this video.
Wow, what a touching story I'm glad you guys came out of that serious problem safely. Thank you for the informative video it will help save lives. Your video actually made me better prepared when I go out on the water. Thanks, it hit home. Stay safe Mr.Bass.
Thank You so much! My boat recently sank and my wife and I barely made it out in time. All the things you mentioned happened to us. Engine failure, anchor didn't hold, my kicker motor bracket failed and my motor went under water. Boat took on water from the stern rapidly. Bilge pump and big pail to bail with was useless. In less than 5 min my boat rolled and almost trapped us underneath. Thank God we were wearing our life jackets. Your video is awesome. Glad you and your buddy were ok too. Cheers and happy safe boating, fishing. I was in ocean about 300 yards from shore but still scary. Vancouver, Canada.
Glad you guys made out ok, and good tips! A couple addons though would be keep (and inspect) a flare gun, pre-inspect your boat (60 seconds) for anything like you had such as seam separation. Also always be mindful of your bilge pump run frequency/duration verify both pumps work as part of the pre-inspection. If your pump is ever running and you haven't had water over the side, you have a leak somewhere and could be a sign of a serious problem.
Sorry this happened to you, but glad I found this video. Just goes to show that there's practically an infinite number of ways for bad things to happen and your safety tips here are a great reminder for all of us. Thank you for posting.
I run a 21' sea runner and been in 4-5' waves going 30. I'll tell you though the advice on the extra water pump is a really good idea. Thanks brother glad you made it out safe!
While watching this video, I was already thinking, would a radio have helped at all, and sure enough you did raise one up after saying the phones should stay charged, your right, at the end of the day many times, the phones are done as well. I second the life jackets. they are way more important to safety. I have an extra bilge pump as well, I know I worry about stupid stuff, but I agree, it can hurt, it comes from many years of Kayaking and those stupid things can get holes so easy. I have an extra pump from a kayak build I built myself many years ago. So I agree, have an extra one wired up and ready to use is a great solution for helping stay afloat longer if nothing else. longer. Cold water and hypothermia is a real concern especially fall winter into spring. Thanks for taking the time to make this video and share this story with us. I have said a anchor will save a person so many times, its nice to hear you say this about the anchor. Thanks again and keep up the fun videos sir. Dale
You may not see my comment since this video is relatively old, but thank-you. I've liked and saved this video, and you have a new subscriber. I got caught out in some dicey rough water this past summer in my smaller aluminum bass boat. It's the first time I've actually been scared on the water. My boat was getting tossed about pretty good and I had to crawl on my hands and knees to bring in my trolling motor so I could get underway. I managed to get back to the launch safely, but it was a scary situation for me, and it got me to seriously consider replacing my bass boat with a deep V.
Thanks for sharing this, first time I heard of a boat doing that. Glad you and your buddy are safe. A lot of jokes but this was seriously bad. Gods speed to you and your family may your channel continue to grow 👍🇺🇸
Thanks, great video. Back to boating after 40 year layoff. I took an online and hands on boating courses recently. You can never get prepared enough. My first time out alone, on a fairly large lake I checked my cell phone while in the middle. It was 10% and I didn't have a charging cord. Now I have an extra one on board all the time as well as a hand held VHF like yours. I check the charge before leaving and also have a charging cord on board. Safe boating Y'all! Go 'Dawgs!
This may seem impossible but its true for minor leaks. Keep track of the amount of water getting in the boat and when it's time while running the boat pull the plug and let it drain out. Put the plug back in and fish a little more.
It's not that bad I live there. Just got to be mindful with any wind over 15 kts especially if pushing to the east or south. But if bad weather does show up, it will have 4-6 foot waves in short order.
I switched to a fixed vhf radio with whip antenna from my handheld when we started fishing lake Ontario for all the good reasons you mentioned. The useful range of the hand held was not as good as I thought. Great video.
Man, that’s such a subjective decision. It really depends upon what you are looking for. That being said, if its in good condition, I would jump all over a $200 boat.
Glad you guys made it back safe. Any time you're on big water, a marine radio should be a requirement. I'm surprised most of the major tournament organizations don't require them, as a relatively cheap radio can save your life.
I haven't read all the comments, but the best thing you can do if the boat is taking on water is pull the plug and get on plane or at least throttle up to get on plane. That will force the water out of the boat and you just need to stay on plane until you get where you are going. Water can't come in through the plug hole when you are moving forward and if there is water in the bilge area, it will leave post haste...
It was a pretty rough day and a lot of water was making it’s way in over the transom. Also, every time we moved the boat we were forcing more water in at the breach in the bow and did not know it.
I use an automatic bilge pump with a float switch in it with a spare portable one like you showed here and I purchased a $15 basement water alarm that I keep directly on the floor at the stern. Turns out once I forgot I had the plug out and after parking the car I came back to the alarm sounding and the bilge pumping out water. It had worked like a charm.
Glad everyone is OK, that's one of my biggest fears as we live on island in B,C Canada. Our boat is a Stabicraft and has 115% boyance. Game changer for us, now we can go fishing, hunting or camping any where on the island with a little more peace of mind.
You could have pulled the plug on the boat, put the boat in forward motion ahead slow, water would have continued to drain out of the plug hole. but you have to be in forward motion. that would also have drained a lot of water. but dont stop, keep going forward. the plug in my bass boat can be opened from console. called sure flo. purchased on amazon.
I’m sure it had adhesives in addition to the cap screws. It was not my boat, I was the co-angler so I once we got on land I did not stick around to watch them repair it. My buddy that owned the boat told me how they repaired it.
This just happened to a buddy in Florida and we not only added the hand pump but are making a kit too. I bought a rule 1500. My question is which hose did you buy I can’t find the one I need. Glad you’re safe! Everyone should also have an EPIRB! Better safe than sorry for $350!
@@MrBassTVcan you send me a quick video on how to hook the bilge to the pipe? I bought everything you recommended and something isn’t fitting together.
What model Triton split apart ? Did triton fix the boat ? Did you find out exactly why it split apart ? I fish on a 44 year old ranger boat that show no sighs of splitting apart so I don't think a boat splitting apart would be something the people at triton would want to get out . Is this a common thing with triton boats ?
Spent this morning watching and listening to your vid, and reading ALL the comments. WHAT a treasure trove of great info and ideas! I've made a list of those I'll adopt / adapt for my boating season 2021 and beyond.
Thank you so much for sharing this story! Purchasing Marine Radio and portable bilge pump equipment now for Lake Erie fishing with my younger boy. Sorry for your predicament but appreciate you sharing your story so others can be prepared before it happens to them.
Any time I go fishing whether I'm on my boat or just bank fishing I always tell my wife where I'm going and when I should be back. If she calls or texts me I always answer so if something ever happened and she can't get in touch with me she knows about where I am
Just watching this video gave me an idea for a backup bilge pump. A power drill operated pump would be an excellent backup. Just charge up your drill and bring it along Also good call on the VHF radio! I have my 18 foot aluminum boat outfitted with a VHF connected to the Humminbird and registered with an MMSI # so that one push of the mayday button on the radio will broadcast location and identification to the coast guard or other vessels in range. Great video.
For most trips I take a mustang inflatable, but when I am on big water I wear a full body life jacket that will hold my head out of the water in the event that I pass out for some reason. Something like this: amzn.to/37q6vci
@@MrBassTV after an incident like yours no one understands the benefits of these emergency beacons better than you. 😀 Glad you made it through your experience as well as you did! 😄🤙 Let me guess your actions after that incident were as follows 1. Put on a clean pair of underwear 2. Internet search emergency communication devices. LOL We can share a smile being you two made it home that day. All respect shit happens and is a respect of no one and you guys did the best with what you had available to you. Your much better prepared now if there’s ever another incident to hail emergency aid. Thanks for sharing your story! Cheers, #SeattleRingHunter
I am still running a 1986 Champion. Long as I got good compression, i’ll keep running that boat. If both my bilge pump’s were running for more than five minutes I’d be looking to see what the heck is going on! What was the date of this incident? I am sure the boat couldn’t be that old.
I carry a spare bilge pump for just such an emergency with a long hose and long cable leads. I can attach it to the battery with clips from anywhere on the boat and the hose is long enough to get it over the side from the lowest spot on the boat. Hope I never need it, but its cheap insurance. About $30 bucks all in. Not sure it would have helped in this situation with the boat coming apart, but it would definitely help in most situations.
Hand Siphon pumps. Years ago on the Pacific we saved my 24 ' Larson CC. We'd have been in deep doo doo without them. Safety redundancy and always a VHF whether on Local lakes or where ever ! Once while working in the yard boat on trailer I Heard a MAYDAY ! MAYDAY !! Got their position and Land Lined the USCG with their position. The USCG hadn't gotten their position. I relayed it to them. ALWAYS a VHF ALWAYS !!!! Glad you were both found safe !!!
to add to your extra pump idea, you can wire in a 12v switch (from your auto parts store) to the battery. its very simple to do. so all you have to do is push a button and your backup pump turns on
I bet you said a lot more than "holy crap" when you opened that battery compartment. Glad y'all made it out safely. I carry a bailer/pee bucket and I've had to use it. I also carry a hand held HAM radio at all times since then. I've always carried them hiking and while out in the woods but after almost sinking my boat I take my radio. I would recommend upgrading to a HAM radio. You'll get a lot more range and options for who you can contact. My boat flooding was due to my dumb ass forgetting to put the drain plug in. Didn't notice it til I stopped, cause that's when the water began to rush in. Won't do that again but absolutely always go prepared for the worst case scenario. Good video and very good info!!
Good information. I have a hand held ham radio that I got from my father, but have never used it. I thought you had to have some kind of a license in order to use a ham radio.
@@MrBassTV only if you want to use certain channels/freqs. In an emergency to hell with the rules and regs. There are great videos that will show you what you can do without a lisence and what freqs you can use.
My boat sank last fall (2020) when I hit a floating log on the Potomac River up near Ft. Belvoir. I was running about 45mph heading about 15 miles from the boat ramp. The weather started getting bad with white caps and i looked down and started taking on water. My bilge pump couldn't keep up. I thought my boat plug came out because I didn't hear anything or feel anything. Long story short, my Nitro sank with just the motor and steering wheel above the water line. Putted at 1.5mph for an hour back to the boat ramp and thankfully by the grace of God made it. Pulled it out and there was a 3' circle hole in the port (forward) compartment below the waterline. $5,000 damages...covered by insurance! Thank goodness for foam filled boats. Have extra clothing (I have a dry bag in my boat) because the water temp was in the low 50s and everything was wet ... everything! I swear it took me over an hour to warm up. Like you, it was unforgettable.
Wow! What a story. I fished a tournament on the Potomac a few years ago when the water was up and the logs and debris in that river were everywhere. I’m glad you survived it.
@@MrBassTV I worked in HI for 34 years and we had a old 25' boston whaler that weighed 8,000# fully loaded w/o passengers and gear. Always had 2 bilge pumps online and another just in case. Now I have a old 16' bass tracker with 2 pumps and more freeboard than the regular tournament bass boats and I would never take mine out in the larger lakes if winds are 15+, with all the money the tournament fishermen have tied up in their boats I would think they would be better prepared for adverse lake conditions.
I run a 18'8" weldcraft. I bass fish off the front deck all the time. I big water fish out the back. It's not as fast as your bass boats but it will go in just as skinny water with my rear motors up. It will backwater with the best of them, can handle multiple foot waves, you can go inside if it's raining too hard and also has a radio for emergency.
I appreciate your comment on your lack of preparation can cause someone else life. Boating is a responsibility and should be taken with preparedness for the worst.thanks for your story.
I just dealt with this last weekend. Bought a boat with undisclosed repair. Repair ripped off while on plane. Huge hole in hull. Boat started sinking. Luckily was close to land. Took on water faster than three pumps ran by a generator, one hand pump, two people bailing water and the bilge pump could get out. We were able to pull it up on land enough to decrease the flow of water. Got everything off the boat. Got the water down the lowest we could. Put my wife on my buddy's boat. And I took off at .25mph across the lake. Made it to the other side with my legs under water in the boat. Closest boat ramp was closed. Then a park ranger appeared out of thin air and offered to open the boat ramp right next to us. Things can go south quick without explanation. Im do glad we had good people around us that day. If we were on a lake like broken bow without service and farther away from the ramp..its tough to say what would happen..too many people lose there lives in "on the water" incidents. Wear life jackets, be prepared with at least an extra hand pump. Keep a flare gun and make sure you have service of some kind...your life will depend on it.
We had a boat capsize on the bay of quinte we I was 15 years old about 25 years ago, man it was scary, it’s was opening weekend for walleye there was 100s of boats around to help us out. My uncle who was the captain of the boat didn’t trust my to tie the anchor to the bow of the boat for some reason so he tied it on the back were he was, it was a fairly rough day and it only took 2 waves to completely swamp the boat with water, thanks for sharing your story, glad it had a good ending.
Great tips and thanks for sharing.....BUT....Wouldn't you think after you realized that your bilge pump was "running all day long" that there might be a bigger problem. Unless water is coming over the bow/back of the boat then the bilge pump shouldn't be running at all. The only reason your bilge should run if your'e not taking water over the gunnel would be if your ice in the cooler is melting and the water leaks into the back of the boat. If these guys would've checked and found the water coming in then they would've been able to plan for the ride back...Either troll back or call sea tow.
Thanks for the comments. One thing I may not have mentioned is that it was pretty rough most of the day. Water was continually coming over the transom all day while we fished. There was enough water coming in just from the wave action all day that running bilge pumps did not seem to be a problem. Thanks again for watching
That handheld VHF radio is better than nothing but it is only probably 3 watts max. You need a fixed mount with an antenna as high as you can get it. A handheld only has a range of a few miles if that.
The best thing you can do is ensure your boat has lots of positive buoyancy. Foam filled cavities, polystyrene glued to the underside of the top decks, even large plastic bottles stowed way up in the bow. All these things will help keep you afloat in an emergency.
I freely admit that I am not an expert. I own a Bass Cat and have alot of time on the water in bass boats, but I was very surprised when the Triton Repair crew at the tournament told us what happened. All I can do is take their word for it.
What year boat was this? I ask because when Earl Bentz owned Triton the cap was fiber glassed to the hull and had to be cut off. They did not use screws.This was a point of contention should any repairs need to be made like a log puncture. Glad you were in the summer..
A guy I know used to take a 14 jon boat out on lake Michigan. Anybody who knows anything about the great lakes knows lake Michigan is extremely dangerous. It can go from flat to 6 foot waves in 20 minutes and he would go 2 miles out on that lake. CRAZY! He couldn't swim and neither could his uncle who went with him. Any of those lakes are too dangerous for small boats like that and its just asking for trouble. Glad you both made it back safe!!
This is an eye opening video--- I often fish alone. Your experience is making me think because no one knows where I'm going or when most days. I also winter fish. I doubt a self inflating vest will help much in 34 degree water with boots & winter clothes soaked. It's an eye opening video.
I had a Lund ProV Deluxe with water coming up the deck to the pedestal chairs on Mille Lacs lake. I fired up the 150hp engine and like you said it wouldn't plane so withthe bilge running I pulled the drain plug to help remove water and that worked. Found out my transom was rotten, Lund put wood in between the aluminum in the transom... that was where the water was coming in. What a job that was repairing that, I did half of it and brought it to New York Mills in Northern Minnesota where Lund makes their boats they charged me $1500. To finish the job.
I had a bad fuse on bilge go out on Buggs Island back in 80's once and not realizing back of boat had taken on water I tried to get on plane on soon as I got the nose over a wake the next wake filled the hull completely . Luckily I idled to an island where I changed fuses and pumped all the water out . We went to ramp and drove to Dollar store where we bought dry clothes and went back to lake . We ended up killing the fish later that day . I will never forget the nose of the boat not coming up going over wake and filling with water up to our waist . I looked at my partner and with big eyes just asked what the heck just happened ! We were very lucky that day . Turned out the live well cut off did not turn on and overfilled in hull .
Glad you made it out with nothing more than a great story. I sunk my duck boat by hitting a submerged stump. It raised the front end up to the point that the rear of the boat dipped under the water line. With in seconds the entire boat was completely under water. Thanks to the winch I was able to drag the boat to a small brush island and pump it dry. I learned a lot that day about safety.
Y'all were sure Blessed that day! Yeah, I used to live in Hawaii. Big water boating. Most bass fishermen are novices at big water. Even a handheld marine radio would be a minimum for me if I was in big water like that. There are a lot of precautions possible, and I'm sure both of you will always take them from now on. I have a little edc bag that goes from briefcase to weekend bag to harley saddlebag to fishing boat bag...everywhere I go...even just carrying it in a vehicle if we go to dinner. Spare glasses, contacts, phone charger bank and cables and plug, spare ammo, fixed blade, fire starter stuff, lighter, water tabs and a fold up bag...spare flashlight and batteries for it and the one on me. Stuff like that and more... I got my butt in a real bind years ago and swore I'd never be without bare minimum survival stuff - urban or woods. But yeah, big water is a whole other animal... it deserves respect. I never warmed up to it myself. Heck, I like fishing bass on the banks over the video game fishing offshore anyway. Happy to hear everything came out good for y'all!
That realy sucks man.i have always used an allweld aluminum boat so realy dont have to worry about that particular problem but man i think about things all the time.i have a 8 year old boy that is with me 80% of the time.so i have myself put extra "emergency" items in my boat.glad yall made it out
@@MrBassTV thats unreal that boat seperating like that.u just never know.i think i would be calling the boat dealer.reguardless if it is new or used.stay safe out there.from arkansas.
I know this will probably not be seen and just ignored but. Redundancy saves lives. Another thing to have in a "Bug out Bag" for your boat is a drift sock and attach it to the winch eye on the boat to aid in keeping your bow of the boat in the current.
Good advice. A friend of mine went fishing one day and his boat started to take on water. The pipe to the live well was cracked and water started pouring in. Luckily he was close to the ramp and made it ok. You never know what could go wrong till it happens.
Had my boat capsize in Gulf of Mexico. It all went bad in less than a minute. Both my brother and I went into water and it was November. Hull of boat floated even though capsized, and we stayed with it. Did not have life jackets on and they were not accessible after boat capsized. We were in the water for over an hour before rescued. My brother was taken to hospital suffering hypothermia and begins of shock. Turned out OK, and were able to salvage boat after 12 hours capsized and am using it to this day. Lesson, the ocean is very unforgiving and it can all go bad in seconds, so be prepared. I do not leave my dock without wearing an automatically inflating life vest. I thought for awhile it might not turn out well. Stay with the boat as spotting the hull is much easier than a couple of bobbing heads in the water.
Boy that was a serious situation that could have been bad... I was in a boating accident nearly took my life.. why are they kill switch in my situation.. thank you for sharing and y'all glad you're okay
I’ve been fishing for 10 years in a Lund boat. Been on Lake Erie, Ontario and simcoe in all kinds of weather. My bilge pump never had to turn on because I never had any water come in the hull so it’s a little confusing why your bilge pump was going on and off all day especially if it wasn’t raining
Hard to say. We were moving a lot which likely was forcing water into the the boat at the bow. In retrospect, I think we had quite a bit of water in the boat and did not realize it for much of the day and at some point it passed the tipping point.
You carry an extra bilage pump, vhf radio, what about putting some hand lead flares in a ziplock bag and keep them with your extra pump. As my flares expire by the date I keep them in a separate ziplock bag to use first. I must have 30 of them now. Glad you guys were okay. Be safe. Enjoy the water
This worked for me when I about sank my boat one time. I was fishing, looked down and saw water in the bottom of the boat. I cranked the motor got it moving forward, pulled the drain plug out and increased speed. That will suck the water in the boat out the drain at the back. That became my bilge pump. Got myself back to ramp and out of the water. I'm not going to tell you the stupid thing I did that caused the boat to take on water in the first place. Let's just leave at, a half finished project that I forgot to finish.
Excellent tips. I was stranded out in Lake Erie once 7 miles out. My steering cable snapped. Couldn't imagine dealing with a sinking boat but this story and your tips will help if it happens. Thank you for this video.
Wow, what a touching story I'm glad you guys came out of that serious problem safely. Thank you for the informative video it will help save lives. Your video actually made me better prepared when I go out on the water. Thanks, it hit home. Stay safe Mr.Bass.
Thank You so much! My boat recently sank and my wife and I barely made it out in time. All the things you mentioned happened to us. Engine failure, anchor didn't hold, my kicker motor bracket failed and my motor went under water. Boat took on water from the stern rapidly. Bilge pump and big pail to bail with was useless. In less than 5 min my boat rolled and almost trapped us underneath. Thank God we were wearing our life jackets. Your video is awesome. Glad you and your buddy were ok too. Cheers and happy safe boating, fishing. I was in ocean about 300 yards from shore but still scary. Vancouver, Canada.
Glad you both survived! Thanks for watching.
Glad you guys are still here!
Glad you guys made out ok, and good tips! A couple addons though would be keep (and inspect) a flare gun, pre-inspect your boat (60 seconds) for anything like you had such as seam separation. Also always be mindful of your bilge pump run frequency/duration verify both pumps work as part of the pre-inspection. If your pump is ever running and you haven't had water over the side, you have a leak somewhere and could be a sign of a serious problem.
Great tips for sure! Thanks
Sorry this happened to you, but glad I found this video.
Just goes to show that there's practically an infinite number of ways for bad things to happen and your safety tips here are a great reminder for all of us. Thank you for posting.
Well said! Thanks for watching.
I run a 21' sea runner and been in 4-5' waves going 30. I'll tell you though the advice on the extra water pump is a really good idea. Thanks brother glad you made it out safe!
While watching this video, I was already thinking, would a radio have helped at all, and sure enough you did raise one up after saying the phones should stay charged, your right, at the end of the day many times, the phones are done as well. I second the life jackets. they are way more important to safety. I have an extra bilge pump as well, I know I worry about stupid stuff, but I agree, it can hurt, it comes from many years of Kayaking and those stupid things can get holes so easy. I have an extra pump from a kayak build I built myself many years ago. So I agree, have an extra one wired up and ready to use is a great solution for helping stay afloat longer if nothing else. longer. Cold water and hypothermia is a real concern especially fall winter into spring.
Thanks for taking the time to make this video and share this story with us. I have said a anchor will save a person so many times, its nice to hear you say this about the anchor. Thanks again and keep up the fun videos sir.
Dale
You may not see my comment since this video is relatively old, but thank-you. I've liked and saved this video, and you have a new subscriber. I got caught out in some dicey rough water this past summer in my smaller aluminum bass boat. It's the first time I've actually been scared on the water. My boat was getting tossed about pretty good and I had to crawl on my hands and knees to bring in my trolling motor so I could get underway. I managed to get back to the launch safely, but it was a scary situation for me, and it got me to seriously consider replacing my bass boat with a deep V.
Thanks for sharing this, first time I heard of a boat doing that. Glad you and your buddy are safe. A lot of jokes but this was seriously bad. Gods speed to you and your family may your channel continue to grow 👍🇺🇸
I'm not a boat expert, but I believe this is a very rare occurrence. The triton guys who repaired it, seemed surprised.
@@MrBassTV thanks for the reply, glad all involved got home safe. Thanks again for sharing this. Gods speed to you
Whew, I was hoping those bass made it out of the livewell! No, in all seriousness - thanks for sharing and glad to hear everyone made it out safely!
Lol. Some folks really care about those livewell fish. Thanks for watching
@Paul Foxworthy food chain nigga
@Paul Foxworthy that why I will never do a tournament, I either eat a fish or release it quickly
@Paul Foxworthy you’re..... an idiot. We’ve killed every animal we’ve ever seen. Humans are the deadliest animal species this world has ever seen.
Also with that radio make sure you have a extra battery.
What was the reason it sunk from? the waves/eater rough and only 1 pump?
Thanks, great video. Back to boating after 40 year layoff. I took an online and hands on boating courses recently. You can never get prepared enough. My first time out alone, on a fairly large lake I checked my cell phone while in the middle. It was 10% and I didn't have a charging cord. Now I have an extra one on board all the time as well as a hand held VHF like yours. I check the charge before leaving and also have a charging cord on board. Safe boating Y'all! Go 'Dawgs!
Well said! I love Kirby even though he left us.
Not sure why you would go anywhere on the water without a VHF. In addition, I carry flares and even oars. EPIRB unit also a good idea.
It’s the law to have all these things here in Australia.
This may seem impossible but its true for minor leaks. Keep track of the amount of water getting in the boat and when it's time while running the boat pull the plug and let it drain out. Put the plug back in and fish a little more.
alot of plugs access from outside of transom
for little boats that plug from the inside. My plug is 2 foot below the water line from the outside.
Lake St. Clair. That’s all you had to say. Don’t think I’ll be taking the tracker up there anytime soon.
Lol. It can get rough for sure.
It's not that bad I live there. Just got to be mindful with any wind over 15 kts especially if pushing to the east or south. But if bad weather does show up, it will have 4-6 foot waves in short order.
Bilge pump is a good idea, my boat only has one and if it quits it could be bad. Thru hull fittings can break and sink a boat also.
Why do boats fill with water in the first place? Don't need a pump if the boat isnt constantly taking in water
I switched to a fixed vhf radio with whip antenna from my handheld when we started fishing lake Ontario for all the good reasons you mentioned. The useful range of the hand held was not as good as I thought. Great video.
must be full powered walkie is for going though the locks
Thanks for the comment. I think that is a great tip for sure.
I’m looking at a boat 16 foot aluminum Jon boat $200 should I buy it
Man, that’s such a subjective decision. It really depends upon what you are looking for. That being said, if its in good condition, I would jump all over a $200 boat.
It has been hit hard on the left side
Great video. Sure opened my eyes about having a portable pump on the boat. Glad you guys were ok and were able to recover your boat
Thanks for the comment. That’s the reason I did this video. I hope I can help others to think about being prepared.
Great message, thanks for sharing. Glad your ok!
Glad you guys made it back safe. Any time you're on big water, a marine radio should be a requirement. I'm surprised most of the major tournament organizations don't require them, as a relatively cheap radio can save your life.
Great video and advice, sir. Thank you for sharing. I love the idea of an extra bilge pump kit!
Glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching
Quiet possibly the worst commercial for Triton Boats ever. lol Glad you're safe, the folks at Ranger Boats thanks you also.
Lol! A side bonus.
Brother I just forgot to put my plug in on Sunday!!! Got out of routine and that could have been me... Glad you are alright
I haven't read all the comments, but the best thing you can do if the boat is taking on water is pull the plug and get on plane or at least throttle up to get on plane. That will force the water out of the boat and you just need to stay on plane until you get where you are going. Water can't come in through the plug hole when you are moving forward and if there is water in the bilge area, it will leave post haste...
Good tip. Thanks.
Why were your bilge pumps working consistently? Why were you taking in water initially?
It was a pretty rough day and a lot of water was making it’s way in over the transom. Also, every time we moved the boat we were forcing more water in at the breach in the bow and did not know it.
I use an automatic bilge pump with a float switch in it with a spare portable one like you showed here and I purchased a $15 basement water alarm that I keep directly on the floor at the stern. Turns out once I forgot I had the plug out and after parking the car I came back to the alarm sounding and the bilge pumping out water. It had worked like a charm.
That alarm is a good idea
Do you mind posting a link to the basement water alarm you bought? I think that's a great idea
Glad everyone is OK, that's one of my biggest fears as we live on island in B,C Canada. Our boat is a Stabicraft and has 115% boyance. Game changer for us, now we can go fishing, hunting or camping any where on the island with a little more peace of mind.
That is a great idea about extra bilage pump kit.
@Henry Noe you got a like for the effort lol. Good try
You could have pulled the plug on the boat, put the boat in forward motion ahead slow, water would have continued to drain out of the plug hole. but you have to be in forward motion. that would also have drained a lot of water. but dont stop, keep going forward. the plug in my bass boat can be opened from console. called sure flo. purchased on amazon.
Great point!
That works really well, a lot of people think ur crazy but I’ve done it
I’ve had to do that before... live well hose broke. Had to stay on plane to create a negative pressure and suck the water out.
I’ve done that too.
Would that have worked in this situation? Since he said the cap had separated at the bow allowing water in
why do boats have the battery in the place most likely to take on water?
The deck and hull had no adhesive? just screws?
I’m sure it had adhesives in addition to the cap screws. It was not my boat, I was the co-angler so I once we got on land I did not stick around to watch them repair it. My buddy that owned the boat told me how they repaired it.
This just happened to a buddy in Florida and we not only added the hand pump but are making a kit too. I bought a rule 1500. My question is which hose did you buy I can’t find the one I need. Glad you’re safe! Everyone should also have an EPIRB! Better safe than sorry for $350!
So true. Here is the hose BILGE HOSE - amzn.to/3dQ7qDq
They are cheap hoses but will do the trick.
@@MrBassTVcan you send me a quick video on how to hook the bilge to the pipe? I bought everything you recommended and something isn’t fitting together.
What bilge pump do you have for your spare kit? The link doesn't look the same in your video?
I have the Trac Automatic 800/1100 GPH pump. The model No. is T10012
Thanks for sharing I have all the required items for sure but after your story I will be looking to improve my nessity, thanks
What model Triton split apart ? Did triton fix the boat ? Did you find out exactly why it split apart ? I fish on a 44 year old ranger boat that show no sighs of splitting apart so I don't think a boat splitting apart would be something the people at triton would want to get out . Is this a common thing with triton boats ?
This was my buddy's boat. Not sure which model. Triton repaired it quickly and it was seaworthy again in short order.
Spent this morning watching and listening to your vid, and reading ALL the comments. WHAT a treasure trove of great info and ideas! I've made a list of those I'll adopt / adapt for my boating season 2021 and beyond.
Thanks for watching Dennis. I am happy that you found it informative. That’s why I decided to publish this video.
Did not hear you mention what Brand Boat.... so what was it..? SKEETER>..?
Triton
Thank you so much for sharing this story! Purchasing Marine Radio and portable bilge pump equipment now for Lake Erie fishing with my younger boy. Sorry for your predicament but appreciate you sharing your story so others can be prepared before it happens to them.
I’m glad the information helped. Thanks for watching.
Any time I go fishing whether I'm on my boat or just bank fishing I always tell my wife where I'm going and when I should be back. If she calls or texts me I always answer so if something ever happened and she can't get in touch with me she knows about where I am
Great idea. It’s serious for sure
I do same thing anything can happen
Nice bro me too
Great advice for all fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, etc adventures.
Just watching this video gave me an idea for a backup bilge pump. A power drill operated pump would be an excellent backup. Just charge up your drill and bring it along Also good call on the VHF radio! I have my 18 foot aluminum boat outfitted with a VHF connected to the Humminbird and registered with an MMSI # so that one push of the mayday button on the radio will broadcast location and identification to the coast guard or other vessels in range. Great video.
Thanks things I never thought about while owning a boat. What life vest do you recommend? And the front of the bow anchoring was helpful.
For most trips I take a mustang inflatable, but when I am on big water I wear a full body life jacket that will hold my head out of the water in the event that I pass out for some reason. Something like this: amzn.to/37q6vci
@@MrBassTV thank you
PLB or Garmin inReach Mini. You can clip the inReach Mini to your PFD no excuse when in big waters...
I have both now! Lol
@@MrBassTV after an incident like yours no one understands the benefits of these emergency beacons better than you. 😀 Glad you made it through your experience as well as you did! 😄🤙 Let me guess your actions after that incident were as follows 1. Put on a clean pair of underwear 2. Internet search emergency communication devices. LOL
We can share a smile being you two made it home that day. All respect shit happens and is a respect of no one and you guys did the best with what you had available to you. Your much better prepared now if there’s ever another incident to hail emergency aid. Thanks for sharing your story!
Cheers, #SeattleRingHunter
Thanks! Great Advice.
I am still running a 1986 Champion. Long as I got good compression, i’ll keep running that boat. If both my bilge pump’s were running for more than five minutes I’d be looking to see what the heck is going on! What was the date of this incident? I am sure the boat couldn’t be that old.
It happened in 2014
Pro Tip: Make sure to attach a hi-viz float to that marine handheld radio.
Great video. Glad you guys made it out OK. I am adding a UHF Handheld and portable Bilge. Thanks for posting the links.
Glad you found it helpful. Thanks for watching.
I carry a spare bilge pump for just such an emergency with a long hose and long cable leads. I can attach it to the battery with clips from anywhere on the boat and the hose is long enough to get it over the side from the lowest spot on the boat. Hope I never need it, but its cheap insurance. About $30 bucks all in. Not sure it would have helped in this situation with the boat coming apart, but it would definitely help in most situations.
Great comment. Cheap insurance
Hand Siphon pumps. Years ago on the Pacific we saved my 24 ' Larson CC. We'd have been in deep doo doo without them. Safety redundancy and always a VHF whether on Local lakes or where ever ! Once while working in the yard boat on trailer I Heard a
MAYDAY ! MAYDAY !! Got their position and Land Lined the USCG with their position. The USCG hadn't gotten their position. I relayed it to them. ALWAYS a VHF ALWAYS !!!! Glad you were both found safe !!!
Where was the water coming from?
to add to your extra pump idea, you can wire in a 12v switch (from your auto parts store) to the battery. its very simple to do.
so all you have to do is push a button and your backup pump turns on
I bet you said a lot more than "holy crap" when you opened that battery compartment. Glad y'all made it out safely. I carry a bailer/pee bucket and I've had to use it. I also carry a hand held HAM radio at all times since then. I've always carried them hiking and while out in the woods but after almost sinking my boat I take my radio. I would recommend upgrading to a HAM radio. You'll get a lot more range and options for who you can contact. My boat flooding was due to my dumb ass forgetting to put the drain plug in. Didn't notice it til I stopped, cause that's when the water began to rush in. Won't do that again but absolutely always go prepared for the worst case scenario. Good video and very good info!!
Good information. I have a hand held ham radio that I got from my father, but have never used it. I thought you had to have some kind of a license in order to use a ham radio.
@@MrBassTV only if you want to use certain channels/freqs. In an emergency to hell with the rules and regs. There are great videos that will show you what you can do without a lisence and what freqs you can use.
My boat sank last fall (2020) when I hit a floating log on the Potomac River up near Ft. Belvoir. I was running about 45mph heading about 15 miles from the boat ramp. The weather started getting bad with white caps and i looked down and started taking on water. My bilge pump couldn't keep up. I thought my boat plug came out because I didn't hear anything or feel anything. Long story short, my Nitro sank with just the motor and steering wheel above the water line. Putted at 1.5mph for an hour back to the boat ramp and thankfully by the grace of God made it. Pulled it out and there was a 3' circle hole in the port (forward) compartment below the waterline. $5,000 damages...covered by insurance! Thank goodness for foam filled boats. Have extra clothing (I have a dry bag in my boat) because the water temp was in the low 50s and everything was wet ... everything! I swear it took me over an hour to warm up. Like you, it was unforgettable.
Wow! What a story. I fished a tournament on the Potomac a few years ago when the water was up and the logs and debris in that river were everywhere. I’m glad you survived it.
Thanks for sharing your story.
Glad y'all are safe! Subscribed!
Thanks for the sub!
Thank you for sharing your story
Wow!!!!! Thank you for this valuable information. I'm so glad you guys are ok. Hey you recommend a good vhf radio and life vest?
Glad everyone’s alright!!!
It was a little hairy for sure, but thanks to good fortune and the coast guard it worked out. Thanks for watching.
@@MrBassTV I worked in HI for 34 years and we had a old 25' boston whaler that weighed 8,000# fully loaded w/o passengers and gear. Always had 2 bilge pumps online and another just in case. Now I have a old 16' bass tracker with 2 pumps and more freeboard than the regular tournament bass boats and I would never take mine out in the larger lakes if winds are 15+, with all the money the tournament fishermen have tied up in their boats I would think they would be better prepared for adverse lake conditions.
I run a 18'8" weldcraft. I bass fish off the front deck all the time. I big water fish out the back. It's not as fast as your bass boats but it will go in just as skinny water with my rear motors up.
It will backwater with the best of them, can handle multiple foot waves, you can go inside if it's raining too hard and also has a radio for emergency.
Whats triton going to do to fix the boat problem..??
They repaired the boat. Not sure if they planned on anything more than that.
Terrific video thank you
I do have a 14 foot canoe and I add multiple fenders for extra buoyancy.
I appreciate your comment on your lack of preparation can cause someone else life. Boating is a responsibility and should be taken with preparedness for the worst.thanks for your story.
Glad you guys made it out of that situation. Good tips on some items to keep with you in case of emergencies like that.
Thanks for watching Shawn. I hope it was useful.
These guys could've died. Some people are joking about it. You have the wrong boat as they laugh.
Dang that’s a reality check you don’t think about! Glad you guys made it out alive. God bless
Thanks for sharing 🥇🏆👊
It happens and when it happens you gotta be ready glad you are here to tell us about your story thanks for the tips my man
You bet. Thanks for watching.
I just dealt with this last weekend. Bought a boat with undisclosed repair. Repair ripped off while on plane. Huge hole in hull. Boat started sinking. Luckily was close to land. Took on water faster than three pumps ran by a generator, one hand pump, two people bailing water and the bilge pump could get out. We were able to pull it up on land enough to decrease the flow of water.
Got everything off the boat. Got the water down the lowest we could. Put my wife on my buddy's boat. And I took off at .25mph across the lake. Made it to the other side with my legs under water in the boat. Closest boat ramp was closed. Then a park ranger appeared out of thin air and offered to open the boat ramp right next to us.
Things can go south quick without explanation. Im do glad we had good people around us that day. If we were on a lake like broken bow without service and farther away from the ramp..its tough to say what would happen..too many people lose there lives in "on the water" incidents. Wear life jackets, be prepared with at least an extra hand pump. Keep a flare gun and make sure you have service of some kind...your life will depend on it.
Great comment. It can happen very fast
We had a boat capsize on the bay of quinte we I was 15 years old about 25 years ago, man it was scary, it’s was opening weekend for walleye there was 100s of boats around to help us out. My uncle who was the captain of the boat didn’t trust my to tie the anchor to the bow of the boat for some reason so he tied it on the back were he was, it was a fairly rough day and it only took 2 waves to completely swamp the boat with water, thanks for sharing your story, glad it had a good ending.
Always tie the anchor to the bow. Glad you made it back. Thanks
Two is one....one is none.
A manual hand pump is a must.
Great tips and thanks for sharing.....BUT....Wouldn't you think after you realized that your bilge pump was "running all day long" that there might be a bigger problem. Unless water is coming over the bow/back of the boat then the bilge pump shouldn't be running at all. The only reason your bilge should run if your'e not taking water over the gunnel would be if your ice in the cooler is melting and the water leaks into the back of the boat. If these guys would've checked and found the water coming in then they would've been able to plan for the ride back...Either troll back or call sea tow.
Thanks for the comments. One thing I may not have mentioned is that it was pretty rough most of the day. Water was continually coming over the transom all day while we fished. There was enough water coming in just from the wave action all day that running bilge pumps did not seem to be a problem. Thanks again for watching
You could have trimmed up the motor and ran with the front high, that would have fixed your issues.
Apparently if you can't go full speed it's better to just sink your boat.
@@theothergameygamer Why is it better?
That’s how they pulled it back. Experience pays.
In hindsight,. But they had no idea that water was coming into the cap of the boat
Yikes! Thats a scary story...glad you made it ok
That handheld VHF radio is better than nothing but it is only probably 3 watts max. You need a fixed mount with an antenna as high as you can get it. A handheld only has a range of a few miles if that.
The best thing you can do is ensure your boat has lots of positive buoyancy. Foam filled cavities, polystyrene glued to the underside of the top decks, even large plastic bottles stowed way up in the bow. All these things will help keep you afloat in an emergency.
Glad you guys made out ok. My experience surveying vessels can assure you this did not happen do to a cap separation.
You weren’t even in the boat .,
@@abgr5747 he used to survey vessels he probably has some understanding of what happened
@@Josiah11 those triton hulls are known for doing this exact thing .. skeeters too
I freely admit that I am not an expert. I own a Bass Cat and have alot of time on the water in bass boats, but I was very surprised when the Triton Repair crew at the tournament told us what happened. All I can do is take their word for it.
What year boat was this? I ask because when Earl Bentz owned Triton the cap was fiber glassed to the hull and had to be cut off. They did not use screws.This was a point of contention should any repairs need to be made like a log puncture. Glad you were in the summer..
Sorry but I don’t know the year. I was the co-angler that day.
A guy I know used to take a 14 jon boat out on lake Michigan. Anybody who knows anything about the great lakes knows lake Michigan is extremely dangerous. It can go from flat to 6 foot waves in 20 minutes and he would go 2 miles out on that lake. CRAZY! He couldn't swim and neither could his uncle who went with him. Any of those lakes are too dangerous for small boats like that and its just asking for trouble. Glad you both made it back safe!!
Great point! Thanks
I’m glad that the two of you made it out okay. Unfortunately, it sounded like a design flaw in your bass boat!
This is an eye opening video--- I often fish alone. Your experience is making me think because no one knows where I'm going or when most days. I also winter fish. I doubt a self inflating vest will help much in 34 degree water with boots & winter clothes soaked. It's an eye opening video.
Good tips! Glad y’all made back safe!
Who manufactures this bass boat and how old was this the boat?
It was a Triton. Not sure on the age
@@MrBassTV A Bass Pro boat. Thank you!
I had a Lund ProV Deluxe with water coming up the deck to the pedestal chairs on Mille Lacs lake. I fired up the 150hp engine and like you said it wouldn't plane so withthe bilge running I pulled the drain plug to help remove water and that worked. Found out my transom was rotten, Lund put wood in between the aluminum in the transom... that was where the water was coming in. What a job that was repairing that, I did half of it and brought it to New York Mills in Northern Minnesota where Lund makes their boats they charged me $1500. To finish the job.
What an experience. Thanks for the tip!
I had a bad fuse on bilge go out on Buggs Island back in 80's once and not realizing back of boat had taken on water I tried to get on plane on soon as I got the nose over a wake the next wake filled the hull completely . Luckily I idled to an island where I changed fuses and pumped all the water out . We went to ramp and drove to Dollar store where we bought dry clothes and went back to lake . We ended up killing the fish later that day . I will never forget the nose of the boat not coming up going over wake and filling with water up to our waist . I looked at my partner and with big eyes just asked what the heck just happened ! We were very lucky that day . Turned out the live well cut off did not turn on and overfilled in hull .
Glad you made it out with nothing more than a great story. I sunk my duck boat by hitting a submerged stump. It raised the front end up to the point that the rear of the boat dipped under the water line. With in seconds the entire boat was completely under water. Thanks to the winch I was able to drag the boat to a small brush island and pump it dry. I learned a lot that day about safety.
Wow! Definitely a learning experience never to be forgotten. Thanks
Y'all were sure Blessed that day! Yeah, I used to live in Hawaii. Big water boating. Most bass fishermen are novices at big water. Even a handheld marine radio would be a minimum for me if I was in big water like that. There are a lot of precautions possible, and I'm sure both of you will always take them from now on.
I have a little edc bag that goes from briefcase to weekend bag to harley saddlebag to fishing boat bag...everywhere I go...even just carrying it in a vehicle if we go to dinner. Spare glasses, contacts, phone charger bank and cables and plug, spare ammo, fixed blade, fire starter stuff, lighter, water tabs and a fold up bag...spare flashlight and batteries for it and the one on me. Stuff like that and more... I got my butt in a real bind years ago and swore I'd never be without bare minimum survival stuff - urban or woods. But yeah, big water is a whole other animal... it deserves respect. I never warmed up to it myself. Heck, I like fishing bass on the banks over the video game fishing offshore anyway.
Happy to hear everything came out good for y'all!
That's some great advice. Thanks for taking the time to share.
That realy sucks man.i have always used an allweld aluminum boat so realy dont have to worry about that particular problem but man i think about things all the time.i have a 8 year old boy that is with me 80% of the time.so i have myself put extra "emergency" items in my boat.glad yall made it out
Thanks. It pays to be prepared.
@@MrBassTV thats unreal that boat seperating like that.u just never know.i think i would be calling the boat dealer.reguardless if it is new or used.stay safe out there.from arkansas.
I know this will probably not be seen and just ignored but. Redundancy saves lives. Another thing to have in a "Bug out Bag" for your boat is a drift sock and attach it to the winch eye on the boat to aid in keeping your bow of the boat in the current.
Thanks for the feedback. I recently saw another video talking about drift socks. I need to look into that.
Good advice. A friend of mine went fishing one day and his boat started to take on water. The pipe to the live well was cracked and water started pouring in. Luckily he was close to the ramp and made it ok. You never know what could go wrong till it happens.
Very true! It never hurts to be prepared. Thanks for watching
Had my boat capsize in Gulf of Mexico. It all went bad in less than a minute. Both my brother and I went into water and it was November. Hull of boat floated even though capsized, and we stayed with it. Did not have life jackets on and they were not accessible after boat capsized. We were in the water for over an hour before rescued. My brother was taken to hospital suffering hypothermia and begins of shock. Turned out OK, and were able to salvage boat after 12 hours capsized and am using it to this day. Lesson, the ocean is very unforgiving and it can all go bad in seconds, so be prepared. I do not leave my dock without wearing an automatically inflating life vest. I thought for awhile it might not turn out well. Stay with the boat as spotting the hull is much easier than a couple of bobbing heads in the water.
Great comments! Thanks for sharing
Boy that was a serious situation that could have been bad... I was in a boating accident nearly took my life.. why are they kill switch in my situation.. thank you for sharing and y'all glad you're okay
Thank you.
Glad to see you guys are good. what an experience thanks for making this video this could save someone's life.
You bet! Thanks for watching.
I’ve been fishing for 10 years in a Lund boat. Been on Lake Erie, Ontario and simcoe in all kinds of weather. My bilge pump never had to turn on because I never had any water come in the hull so it’s a little confusing why your bilge pump was going on and off all day especially if it wasn’t raining
Hard to say. We were moving a lot which likely was forcing water into the the boat at the bow. In retrospect, I think we had quite a bit of water in the boat and did not realize it for much of the day and at some point it passed the tipping point.
Glad you are ok. Ty for sharing your story.
Thank you! Thanks for watching.
You carry an extra bilage pump, vhf radio, what about putting some hand lead flares in a ziplock bag and keep them with your extra pump. As my flares expire by the date I keep them in a separate ziplock bag to use first. I must have 30 of them now. Glad you guys were okay. Be safe. Enjoy the water
Thanks for the great advice!
This worked for me when I about sank my boat one time. I was fishing, looked down and saw water in the bottom of the boat. I cranked the motor got it moving forward, pulled the drain plug out and increased speed. That will suck the water in the boat out the drain at the back. That became my bilge pump. Got myself back to ramp and out of the water. I'm not going to tell you the stupid thing I did that caused the boat to take on water in the first place. Let's just leave at, a half finished project that I forgot to finish.
Was this a tritan boat ?
Good info Mr Bass sorry that happened to you guys but glad you guys made back safe you never know what can happen out there....
Thanks Greg and thanks for taking your time to watch.
Flare guns work really well, and are required to have. Air horns are good too. Great Lakes get pretty rough.