Delta Wanderings XXIV – July 2016 -- “Gas Dock Sinks Boat"

July 30, 2016 • Leave a Comment

Sanger wakeboard boat driver vies for “Bonehead Boater” of the year award.

Around 7pm yesterday a Sanger wakeboard boat was maneuvering around close to the Discovery Bay Marina gas dock when the driver slammed the throttle into forward launching the boat up onto the concrete gas dock. Eye witnesses said the boat climbed up on the gas dock sticking almost straight up into the air as it wiggled or walked its way sideways along the dock before settling down straddling the dock. As it the rode up the dock the skeggs were ripped off the bottom of the hull creating a good sized hole. The boat then slid off the backside of the dock and sank in short order behind the dock. No serious injuries were reported and two of the occupants may have been arrested for BUI. Part of the side of the dock is smashed up and one of the brand new gas pump’s hose reels was ripped up and pushed sideways. Good thing the boat didn’t take out an entire pump. In short order emergency services was on the scene with a helicopter flying overhead, a firetruck, at least 4 police cars and Contra Costa Hazmat Health Services. With fuel leaking from the boat, spill containment booms were laid down and absorbent sheets were spread around. Later in the evening a Hazmat response truck arrived with a 55 gallon drum of some type spill mitigation material which was used on the floating gas behind the dock. The dock fuel pump and fuel lines were not leaking.

Delta Wanderings Photo Gallery: http://www.DeltaWanderings.com

(A periodic photo blog of our Discovery Bay and Delta Wanderings)

We were out for a sunset cruise when my wife Linda spotted some emergency activity at the Marina

As we approached, Matt Saale and Delta Seaweed Removal's pontoon boat was already working the scene, trying to pull boat along bottom under the dock

Notice damage to edge of dock, and gas pump hose reel. Flying boat missed pump by inches

Spill containment booms and absorbent sheets in place

Boat ontop of dock. Photographer unknown (Jeff Ensley ?)

What a mess!

Matt Saale of Delta Seaweed Removal saw the accident from his house across the bay and was on the scene in short order. With his scuba gear on he was able to attach 5 air lift bags to the underwater boat filling them with air from his regulator. Given the late hour and very dark murky conditions Matt did all his underwater work by feel as there was no visibility. The plan was to pull the boat across the muddy bottom and out from under the dock but with the wakeboard boat’s tower up it was too tall. Working underwater in complete darkness Matt had to fold the tower down and attach a tow line. With a line attached to The Seaweed Removal pontoon boat the sunken Sanger was slowly towed out from under the dock and maneuvered over to the forklift drop area. With the help of a backhoe, Matt in the water and Donnie, Noah along with several other marina dockhands the sunken boat was slowly moved into position over the forklift’s underwater arms. Little by little the boat was repositioned until the forklift was able to lift it up out of the water around 9pm. We were able to watch and photograph the entire salvage operation and I must say Matt and company and the Marina Staff did an awesome, professional job that would have taken others many more hours to accomplish. Good thing Discovery Bay HazMatt Saale! Job well done Matt.

Matt getting suited up

Attaching towing line to pontoon boat

Diver in

Attaching a lifting line to backhoe

Forklift moving into place, Contra Costa Hazmat Heath Services truck in background

Ropes attached, ready to try and lift

Now the heavy lifting begins

Going up!

Lifting line broke, time for a heavier duty rope

Air lift bags slowly break the surface

Stern of boat starts to emerge

Contra Costa Hazmat Heath Services

Repositioning a very heavy water filled wakeboard boat onto forklift arms was no easy chore

Almost there!

Anyone interested in a slightly used Sanger V215?

Looking good! bring her up

Got to love my Nikon D5 digital camera for low light photography, shooting at 64,000 ISO to take photos in near darkness

Water draining from several large holes in hull. A $50,000+ boat down the drain

Sunken boat salvage video by Linda Klipp. Click photo above to view video

If you missed my last "Delta Wanderings" blog post check it out at:

http://billklipp.zenfolio.com/blog/2016/7/delta-wanderings-xxiv-august-2016----Gas-Dock-Sinks-Boat

For more photos visit Bill’s Discovery Bay & Delta website: http://DiscoveryBay.me

Check out my online Photo Website at: http://www.DiscoveryBay.me or http://www.wkimages.net

* Any use of these images requires the prior written permission of Bill Klipp the photographer, no other uses of any kind including print or electronic are permitted without the prior written permission of the photographer.

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