Got a bit nervous on the James this evening

[Hump]

Launched in Hopewell and fished lower James late this afternoon. Saw storms far off in Richmond but I was way down below Jordon Point. Called to have someone check the Radar and it looked like what I was seeing was going to miss me. So I was hanging in there. Then I saw lightening getting closer. I packed up, swapped out my inflatable vest for my old "real" vest, and headed back towards Hopewell. The river was getting rough, but I have seen it that bad many times before. Just incase, I called Brian D while running and hollard to him that I was East of Jordan Point trying to get back, it was bad.. The closer I got to Hopewell the worse it was. When I got about 1 mile east of Jordon Point all hell broke loose. Appeared some other storm snuck up from the Prince George Area that I had not even noticed. There was not really white caps, it was more like 4 foot waves, just huge swells! I hear people talk about big waves, but these things where honestly like 4+ foot tall. Imagine the largest swell from a 40 foot cruiser running that perfect speed to toss up a big wake..we have all seen it. Well, these were a bit bigger, one after another, left to right, front to rear, etc....I was not able to run on plane...impossible! I could not even run at a fast idle. Front of my boat was going straight up...really straight the hell up! I was trying to navigate best I could as wind blown rain moved in. At one point my boat sort of got stuck in between 2 waves, with the rear down, and the front up on the top of a wave...I sort of about stopped for a second, I looked back and the water was coming over my back deck. I had my motor trimmed down, so at this point it appeared about 1/2 under water. I was giving it gas, but I was not moving, I hit my bilge (nothing!) I have sunk a jet ski before, and it felt the exact same...I thought I had cracked my boat and was sinking...I thought this was it! I grabbbed my phone from my pocket incase I was going down and nailed the gas...my 18' Cat finally rocketed out of the hole I was in. I continued to mess with the bilge...nothing. I bobbed to Ben Harrision Bridge and she was still floating and running ok....I considered heading to Jordaon Point, but the waves were huge, no way to tie up in that mess. I could see the water was calmer ahead towards all the Hopewell Plants, and the brief rain was behind me ....so I continued on. About half way between the bridge and the App River, I was finally able to run slowly on plane again, made the turn towards Rt10 and nailed it! At Rt 10 things were quiet and peaceful. Checked the back compartment of the boat...maybe 1 inch of water, im thinking not enough for the bilge to even work. I know someone on here lives in Jordon on the James, so I know they experienced it right around 8pm. Thankful...very thankful. Now just need to go get some new underware!

[Blue Steel]

Damn Hump sounds like a Helluva ride..glad you made it back safe

[Glen B]

Glad ya made out alright

[Sterling]

Damn dude. I'm glad you are ok. Did you catch any fish?

[ThunderCat]

wow hump.... glad to hear you got back okay.

[SETDHK]

I live there. man it was nasty out there. No place to hide from it either, Should have stoped by and had a beer and hung out.

[FireBassr]

Sounds bad for sure, glad you made it through OK.

[Bass Commander]

Sounds like you were stuck in the troughs! Thats happened to me before on the Albemarle Sound...its a very very lonely feeling! Glad youre ok!!!

[imn2bassn]

I had the same thing happen to me about 5 years ago in the same place...beat front depth finder off bracket... def no fun..

[Bass Commander]

Ed, you gonna fish tomorrow night?

[vatreefarmer]

Even your post reads scary. I don't think I would have liked that. But congrats on keeping your head and thinking straight. (radar, swapping jackets, cell phone, bumping bilge) all sounds like you're a smart boater. perhaps that's why it turned out OK. Glad you made it OK

[SETDHK]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by vatreefarmer &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">Even your post reads scary. I don't think I would have liked that. But congrats on keeping your head and thinking straight. (radar, swapping jackets, cell phone, bumping bilge) all sounds like you're a smart boater. perhaps that's why it turned out OK. Glad you made it OK</td></tr></table> I agree, very smart on keeping your head straight. after reading some of the replies it made me think of one time on the potomac. At the bottom of the waves you could not see land. I did not think of the same things you did at that time and not sure I would have now. It is an eye opener for sure. Glad you are ok and did not tear the boat up.

[BBBAC1]

Sounds like the ride from Hades.. Glad you made it back safe....

[Lea]

Wow! Glad you made it! Good job!!!

[mcherry]

Well first let me say that is one hell of a day and glad you made it home safe and sound. Now the boat that you ride in is one of the safest(not bashing anybody else's boat) on the market. I have seen pics of Basscat's filled with water and still floating. So if you did make a terrible mistake navigating and it filled with water overwhelming the pumps you would of at least been able to stay with the boat on the surface. Very smart thinking also by calling someone who knew exactly your location on the water when you were trying to come in. Very happy to read you made it back safe..

[mcherry]

Ok here it is. I hope all brands would float as this one in the pic.

Actually we shot that image first in 1974 with three guys in the boat.
The foam is more buoyant in a BCB Model than Ranger uses. It is less tight (dense) and a different weight material. Thus it supports more. The foam in a Ranger is not all enclosed in chambers and is open in the deck and cavities to moisture absorption with age. (it's just their way and not BCB's) All of the foam for flotation in a BCB model is enclosed in a chamber. There are 16 separate chambers in the floor, two behind the transom and varying numbers in other areas depending on the model.
The shot below is from 1978 and the drain plug is left in the boat. The water is running out the rear transom splash well. Thus the flotation is supporting the water pumped into the boat.

Boats that allow the water to free flow to the natural water level of the lake are only supporting the boat and accessory weight. The fiberglass below the water line has a .38 factor for support under water, thus 1 pound weighs around a 1/3 pound under water, requiring less to support it. The weight above water is dead weight at full value.

Sometimes in the 80's when BCB did demo rides and would hand the customer the drain plug after they launched. This could still be done.

When you cut the cavity and allow the water to free flow, then the boat is only supported as the values mentioned above. This is not how the USCG does a flotation test. It is impressive to a novice, though other than the missing foam, it is no different than leaving the drain plug out. It is mostly theatrics. You want to test one, leave the drain plug in it.

BCB

1978 1600 Vee shot at Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock.

[BrianD]

Yeah it is amazing he did not take one over the bow. He is known to take a few on calm days say during blast off or passing tugboats. Don't ask me how I know. He was about 10min away from me heading to the ramp and making the call for help.

[Bass Commander]

I was fishing Bull Shoals in 1978...I think I might be one of those guys! lol

[imn2bassn]

probley if my partner is going.... its been tuff tho..

[Hump]

Thanks for the support guys.

I felt like a wuss calling Brian, but I really was concerned!

Glenn Beachy....thought hard about hitting Jordon Point, it looked terrible over there though and I figured Id beat my boat to death in an attempt to tie up, tuff decision to keep on going, but it worked out.

Sterling - I am the Catfish king with plastics and a crankbait....enough said! As for Friday and me catching bass, I'm worried! New UFC rule for 2011, biggest trash fish pays $50!

Tyler...you may give me run for the money in trash fish catagory though!

Mike Cherry - thanks for the info on my Cat..had not heard all that before. I'm not so sure they pulled the plug on that boat though...may have just had livewells full of hogs! Or, if me...catfish!

Brian D. ...I too am amazed I did not torpedo, spear, take one over the bow, etc... I am good at that arn't I . Especially in early March, at 6:30am on a cold rainy day! Or, hell, even mid summer at 12noon!

I do think I hung in there too long searching for a bite. I have not fished as much this year as I'd like....so I was really bummed when the storms approached and that was one reason I was reluctant to pack it in. I learned from that and will not make that mistake again...at least not on purpose!

On other thing....I did get off track while coming back...I was so focused on the next wave and what was right in front of me....I did forget about the big picture a and got WAY out of the channel. Just before the BH bridge heading towrds Hopewell the channel swings to the right a bit. you can cut that a little and be ok. But, I was just heading towards the bridge and watching the waves, thought nothing about channel markers....at one point I noticed I was at least 150 yards to the left of the channel...I need to watch that as well...not good!

Looking forward to Friday...storms stay away!