This does not refer directly to Arvor boats but some may find it interesting and it may show the potential perils of messing about with a boat too much . I will try not to make it boring.
We begin
Phone call- Hello Ron want to go fishing tomorrow, weather looks ok.
Great in my boat?
No, in the one I can use.
Boat is a 25 ft twin hulled job with twin 160 hp Yamaha inboard diesels , originally designed for twin outboards about a year old .Value 100,000 quid. Remember this bit !. the original engines would have weighed 200 kgs each , these engines were about 400 kgs each. When the designer was asked would the hull take it - Oh yes - was the reply. As soon as the boat went into the water it was obvious that there was a weight issue , out it came and the fuel tanks were moved forwards and additional sponsons(think thats what they call them) were built each side of the boat to help with floatation . Even so the boat did sit a little low in the water when fully loaded with fuel etc.
Came the day, yesterday infact. Weather good little bit of wave action but pretty comfortable. Off we go at 28 knots. Tried a spot not to far out , not much fish , move out into deeper water. Anchor up fairly comfy ,fish for a bit .Lets have a bacon butty . At this point we have a bit of wind against tide , a few wavelets hitting the stern and one side as we are sitting just slightly at an angle .
Heres the part youve all been waiting for,
Says I , I know you said that this is a wet boat but should the stern be sitting down that much in the water, the water was coming in through the stern scuppers and the scuppers on the starboard side. and washing around the base of the starboard engine box . I did not hear any bilge pumps working.
Mate who is a marine engineer and very good seaman replied, Wait for it .
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An interesting day
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