The PT Boat Forum
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboard.cgi

ť Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboard.cgi?cid=101&fct=showf

ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboard.cgi?fct=gotoforum&cid=101&fid=102

ť Topic: PT 658 flooding
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=1392

Jerry,

What caused the flooding?

Al

Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Jun 12, 2009 - 2:01pm
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm

Hi Dr Ross,
Well I was at work when it occurred last Sunday, but have been down to see the boat since and here is what happened. I managed to find out the entire chain of events and I will attempt to record them here.

We were out on the last trip of the Rose Festival on Sunday afternoon with 10 VIP visitors on board, including the USCG District Deputy Commander. We had just performed a high speed run where we obtained a speed of 33 knots on the Williamette River. Then the boat came in to tie up to the barge we were using as a temporary moorage, on the waterfront in downtown Portland. One of the deck crew noticed the boat was riding lower in the water than normal. Bubba and Tom were down in the engineroom shutting down the engines, and noticed fluid flowing over the shaft log (bearing where propeller shaft penetrates the hull). Bubba thought it might be gasoline, but quickly ruled out that possibility. Then they traced the flow of water from forward of the engineroom bulkhead, and it was flowing quite fast through the limber holes at the bottom of the bulkhead. Bubba went up and out of the engineroom and down into the officers wardroom. He saw that water was filling the bilges of the wardroom all the way up to the bottom of the floor plates. He immediately called away "flooding emergency" and all of the guests were offloaded from the boat at that point with no issues. Further investigation below decks revealed that directly below the XO's bunk beneath the Radar Power Supply generator set, was a hole through both layers of wood, approximately 10 inches long and 4 inches wide. You could almost fit your foot through it. Tom said he could see daylight coming through the hole from outside. It was about 1 foot below the waterline and had an estimated leak rate of 450-500 gallons per minute. We had some pumps but when we tried to start the gasoline powered pump it would not prime. The boat was losing pace against the incoming water.

At this point, our skipper, Chuck Kellogg, called away a "Mayday" to the USCG on the local radio net. Also, the USCG Assistant District Commander put out the word for assistance. Within minutes we had damage control personnel arrive from the USCG Cutter Bluebell, the Portland Fire Dept, and the USS Shoup, (a Navy Arleigh Burke class Destroyer DDG). Additionally Clark called for the help of a couple of local salvors, (Walt James and Richy Rich) to scuba dive and nail a soft patch to the outside of the boat. Our crewman, Ron Moran applied a soft patch on the inside of the boat simultaneously. Ron had to remove some of the paneling on the XO's bunk that was interfering with access to the leak. After applying the inner and outer patches, which included 2 part epoxy called "Splash Zone" (and beeswax around the outside perimeter of the plywood patch on the outside) the leak was reduced to a mere trickle. Using the pumps provided by the Navy and the USCG Bluebell, the wardroom and the engineroom were quickly dewatered.

The boat was towed by Clark Caffel using his tugboat, Ramona III at 6pm Sunday back to our boathouse at the Navy Operational Support Center over in Swan Island Lagoon. We sent a crew back earlier to start re-assembling the recently refurbished cradle on the barge. They had to use all new bolts and re-attached all of the 15 wooden pads to the top of the cradle support beams. The following Tuesday, we got Cascade General Shipyard and Campbell Cranes company to lift the boat out of the water back onto the cradle on the barge.

We discovered the hole had occurred in a spot directly above the cradle support pad. The wood in that vicinity was rotten. We think that we may have hit some floating debris in the river (such as a piece of a log?) while at high speed and it punched a hole right through the rotten planks. It was kind of a surprise since we had very recently (last May 2008) had a certified marine surveyor inspect the hull of the boat, but this particular area of the planking was obscured by the cradle pad on the outside, and by the radar power motor generator bracket on the inside.

Right now we have the boat on the cradle on the barge, and we are having a board meeting to decide what to do next. I am guessing we will hire another marine surveyor to perform a more complete survey on the hull and then hire a professional wood boat restorer to actually do the work of replacing the identified rotten wood.

In the aftermath, I think we were extremely fortunate that when the leak occured we were fully manned and within minutes of getting all the help we could ever need. Thanks very much to both the US Navy and the US Coast Guard for all of their prompt and expert help in saving our PT boat from possibly sinking. If we had not noticed it there at that time, I am afraid it could have turned out a lot different! I hope this account is not too hard to follow. Stay tuned to our website for more updates! Jerry

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Jun 13, 2009 - 1:02am
Total Posts: 1472 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

Thanks, Jerry. Very detailed response! Glad things worked out.

Al

Posted By: alross2 | Posted on: Jun 13, 2009 - 2:43am
Total Posts: 993 | Joined: Oct 30, 2006 - 8:19pm

So thankful that the outcome was positive. I shudder at the thought of what might have happened. Thanks Jerry for giving us all of the details, and hats off to the damage control team............

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Jun 13, 2009 - 6:51am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Great explanation, Jerry. I'm sure it helps relieve the concern felt by many of us when we read news reports of the incident.

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Jun 13, 2009 - 9:28am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

Jerry,
Congratulations to you and the other volunteers on saving the boat. All the best to those that came to your rescue. This sounds expensive. Keep us informed and we'll keep an eye on the web site.
Dave

David Waples

Posted By: David Waples | Posted on: Jun 13, 2009 - 10:15am
Total Posts: 1679 | Joined: Jan 2, 2007 - 9:55pm

WOW, what an event. I'm happy that everything had worked out as in crew and visitor safety. I worked water rescue for years and lots of the time LUCK plays a huge role. But being prepared and training kick in as well. Please keep us posted on what the new inspection says, updates etc. - Kent

I am a proud Army Strong Dad who has a deep appreciation for all who serve and have served our country.

Posted By: whitakermk | Posted on: Jun 13, 2009 - 7:11pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Wow is right. Well done.

Wayne Traxel

Posted By: Wayne Traxel | Posted on: Jun 13, 2009 - 10:35pm
Total Posts: 248 | Joined: Oct 11, 2006 - 5:40am

Jerry;
Bravo Zulu to all involved for OUTSTANDING DAMAGE CONTROL!
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Jun 14, 2009 - 7:29am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am