Off season Black Brant III turned into a salvage boat today

John L

John L

Well-known member
I had a client rip his new Zeus pods (drives) of his 2012 Searay 540 Sundancer yesterday when he ran aground in the mud. These are the new Cummins / Mercruiser diesel pods. Very heavy and very expensive.

My dive boat could not get into the shallows close enough to do the job so I used the Black Brant III to salvage two new Zues pods today.

The pods were just below the waters surface so I was able to rig them and waited for the tide to rise before floating them up and towed them back to the marina. I'm Sam didn't have this in mind when he designed the BBIII..









I'm sure the owner will be happy to see these on the dock Monday morning.
 
John, are they designed to break away? And is that why he'll be happy to see them? I think I'd be sick either way.

Gene R.
 
He must have been hauling ass John.
Is that a newly acquired sand bar thanks to Sandy?
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Not due to a new sand bar, lack of attention at the helm. He was way out of the channel
 
John, are they designed to break away? And is that why he'll be happy to see them? I think I'd be sick either way.

Gene R.
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Yes, they are designed to break away and the boat will not take on water. We hauled the boat yesterday after he got towed in. There was no damage to the hull. You can see in the next photo how the bolts are fairly thin in the middle where they are designed to shear off. I'm sure he has a bruised ego but no one was hurt and he will be back boating quickly once the pods are serviced and replaced.


 
Did you ask him to trade straight up? Your's still runs. I am sure you could shoot sea ducks from a 540 That 540 is a sweet boat but it is junt not my style. lol. Maybe if it was painted OD I would consider it.
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I bet his wallet is going to hurt along with ego. Thats one of them expensive lessons we learn from time to time.

Gene R
 
John, that was really interesting. Thanks for posting this. You were definitely right about a "bruised ego"!
Al
 
OUCH! That will wake you up in the morning.
Glad I'm not paying that bill........
 
Is that Lindenhurst cut, where a boat goes high and dry at least every week?
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Yup, thats the spot. He was running south towards the state channel. Cleared sand island and instead of keeping the state channel marker "green 49" on his port side he tried to round it from the Northeast and ran up into the mud flats. With the 4 mph sign gone since SS Sandy he was up on plane running between the islands and wacked those pods right off.
 
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