Resident of Mobile county for 50 yrs here. I grew up fishing the river from the Jackson bridge, all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. I can tell you, there’s a very good possibility that the tug boat “loosened” a stuck log from the muddy river bottom, (or perhaps even the bank,) & you guys were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. I’ve personally seen this occur, & there’s nothing that can be done to avoid it. Also, 35 yrs of boat ownership has shown me many insurance companies do their best to avoid paying marine claims. Lastly, I love your videos! Thank You very much for posting, & I wish you all good luck on your journey.
Thank you Brian! I think you are spot on! I learned now, that you never pass a tug on a turn or bend in the river as well. Huge lesson learned! Thank you for your support and kind words. We really appreciate it! :)
Russ, yes.....It was horrible, and we did get really close at times. The insurance back and forth, and the estimates changing was the hardest. Thank you for watching! We appreciate you! :)
The feel of a big boat grounding is horrible.Glad all of you are safe. i know it feels no fun but, strong boat, took the hit and kept you going. 👍 Remember the loop is not a vacation its an accomplishment, and those are hard to come by these days.
Something under the water doesn't care who was driving,it was just an accident that happened,no one's fault,don't blame yourself,the lead boat could have easily hit it,just an unfortunate thing,andromeda will be back on the water soon,look forward to your future videos of the east coast trip
I want to take a moment to thank you for this video. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I think it was a great idea to sit down with your viewers and have a talk. Hopefully you had a wonderful holiday!
Thank you David! I think we needed to do it too! To watch it now, and how Bob put it together...It really gives both our perspectives. A little therapeutic maybe! :)
The two of you are so inspiring. No one can ever see what lies beneath the water. Can happen to anyone. My wife and I plan to do the loop as well in retirement 2years. Love will get you both through it. We had a terrible house fire lost everything our love for each other is what made us get through it. Count on each other. Insurance is so trying but it all will be resolved.... Thanks for letting us join you during this difficult time..
Wow Mark, what an inspiring story! I do agree, when it started to fall apart, we reached for each other :) Thank you for such kind words of encouragement. Happy Loop planning! :)
I just want to hug you both and give extra treats to Ollie. I can feel the raw emotion as you explain the situation in more depth. I hope better days are to come and when Andromeda comes to Canada hopefully we can cross wakes. Take care of each other breath deep and take each day at a time
Thank you SO very much! We appreciate this more than you know. We have come across so many kind people in person and online,. All were initially strangers that really remind us how beautiful and kind people really are! Thank you for being one of them!
It’s always good practice to show up every day at the boatyard “just checking on things and seeing how it’s going”. If you arrive with a box of hot Krispy Kreem donuts for the shop you might move forward (ever more slightly) faster. Total bummer on your unscheduled trip to the yard. Welcome to cruising: working on your boat in strange and foreign places while occasionally giving your marriage a stress test. Good luck, you are due for some!
Bruce, you are absolutely correct! LOL It was so good to be there, helping at times, working side by side. Everyone we worked with there was so nice so it made it easy! We learned a lot. Thank you for watching :)
Dear, Thank you very much for the explanations about the damage caused to your beloved Andromeda. They give an idea that the impact was very severe. But as I already told you, Andromeda is a very robust SeaRay and with the corresponding repairs it will be ready again to continue your adventure. I wish you a lot of strength and happiness from Spain.
Glad to see your making lemonade while life serves you lemons. I believe that’s the right attitude, and happy your unexpected stop in Alabama is working out. Loved the “prop shot!” Enjoying your content Sincerely, Chris Sheehan
Thank you Chris! Thank you for the kind words and the awesome comment. We really appreciate you taking the time to do that. Wishing you the best! Thanks!
My wife and I just retired payed off are mortgage and everything thing was great.Then hurricane Ian came along in Ft. Myers Florida.We lost are home cars and everything we own. We didn't know what to do. Insurance short change us.We are are ok and things get better in time.Do you know why? Because we still have each other.We could have died that day came very close.Keep your head up it will be ok😊.
Oh wow Jeffrey! So thankful you were all ok! You are so right to lean into the ones you love :) Together we are all stronger! Thank you for sharing such an inspiring story
Hi James! I don't know if there is a right answer on that one. We traveled with several delivery captains running newer boats with pods down the river. I think sometimes it is just luck of the draw...could be mangled up pods or props, could be no issues, like several of our buddy boats. You just never know.
You guys are awesome & handling everything with grace, love, & a great attitude. But wow, my stomach started hurting a little bit just watching. I can only imagine what you both must have felt. Love the shot from the prop 😂 good job! And Kathy.... You Rock! Hoping to see you guys right back at it & soon!
Glad to get update and see you all in good spirits given the situation. Can only hope being April 7 that everything came together and the next video will be you guys getting back on the boat 🙏🙏🙏
It was very emotional for me to finally see you get off the hard. I too hit something on the Tenn-Tom so hard that one of the propeller shafts sheared off. Made it to Dog River marina in mobile where Sonny and his crew put us back together and on to to Destin
Thank you! I am sorry that happened to you too! So happy to hear you are on the move as well! Are you doing the loop now? Maybe we will get to see you along the journey. Safe travels, and Thank you for watching :)
While you were talking sitting on the bench, your puppy seemed to know you needed consoling. He came up nudging you saying everything will be okay! You're handling it well!!
Thanks for the updates and explanation of your situation. Your experience has given me a lot of food for thought as I am researching a Great Loop trip of my own. I was in Orange Beach with my family a year ago and spent an afternoon at the Wharf shopping, eating and dreaming about owning a boat. Thanks again for your reflections and best of luck to both of you.
Thank you Greg! We really loved the Orange Beach area (especially in the off season!) Best of luck on your loop planning! Even with all of this heartache, the people we have met in person, and online have made the trip so much more than we could have imagined! Thank you for watching :)
It's April 2024 now wondering about progress. I'm originally from Michigan and recognized several parts that need replacing as I made them years ago. The rudders have a stainless shaft that in the days of old would have been bronze. In the video of the hull I noticed a lack of a backing plate for the struts. That probably wouldn't have changed much at the point of collision but should have minimized hull damage. You both did extremely well from the point of impact to getting into safe harbor. Situational awareness is key to survival and response is critical. I salute you both in getting through this ordeal. This Michigan native is proud of you.
We are moving right along! We are trying to bring our episodes a little closer to real time, we typically try to stay about 4 to 6 weeks behind real time. The next few episodes will hopefully bring things better up to date. Great eye on the parts! We actually did add about a 12" x 12" bronze backing plates to the top of the strut! It was Brett's(yard manager) idea and it worked out perfect! Thanks for the kind words and the support. It means the world to us and are grateful you took the time to drop us a note. Thank you very much!
And me asking video before last if you'd be to Georgia around Easter, since my wife and I were going to be in Darien/Jekyll area that weekend. Watching this video is heart breaking. Waiting for the next which will hopefully say Andromeda repaired and back in water. God bless the 2 of you.
Gives me cold chills to hear your story, i had the same experience on a boat identical to yours... its like i am hearing someone tell the same story... we had a boat full of people, i was driving and watched people fly across the lower deck, it was horrible... no one hurt thankfully, still haunts me to this day... glad yall are ok!!!
I am so sorry to hear that! I cant imagine having a boat full of people! It was so stressful. So glad no one was hurt. I will forever hear that noise of the impact in my head I think! Safe travels for us all! Thank you for your support! :)
Nothing worth having or to experience comes easy. As I always say, everything happens for a reason (good or bad). You may not know it yet but someday there will be an Ah Ha moment and you will be prepared because of this. It could have happened to whom ever was at the helm, and Kathy had you panicked, it could have been a lot worse. I call it a win ❤and you rock…
Awww, Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. I believe that too! We are stronger since it happened, and I know WAY more about engines now lol. Thank you for always being so kind and supportive :) Kathy
Just found you today. Grew up in Mobile, and learned to sail on Mobile bay, got married in Fairhope and spend time in the area several times every year. So glad you had the chance to enjoy some of the area. Hope you ate at Sundowner Cafe in Fairhope and Pirate ‘s Cove in Orange Beach. Do come back!
Thank you! We absolutely loved the area! We will be back :) We particularly loved the offseason. I am not sure we could have found the rentals any other time! We were there for Mardi Gras! So fun ! :) Thank you for watching
Love the series, especially the part on the Tenn-Tom Waterway- I grew up south of Columbus on the River between the locks, and in recent years while up there visiting I recall seeing vessels like y'all's usually going south, sometimes in groups, and I always wondered what that was about, and now I know!! What an awesome adventure, and I really hope y'all can get back on track and complete this incredible journey. All my best, from Gulfport, MS (been to Fairhope Yacht Club several times, lovely place at the bottom of the hill).
Great that you took some time after the incident to process everything and decompress before making this video. It looks like it was therapeutic for you both.
Thank you! It wasn't easy...but it was well worth it. You are correct...it kind of felt good just to say it all and get it out. Thanks for picking up on that. GREAT comment! Thank you! :)
Hi guys. I’ve been watching since you left Michigan and have very much been enjoying the way your videos show a map and all the information you give. As far as your hit on the river, I totally agree with McClure metals. There’s no way to know about something on the bottom of the river. The river changes with every rain fall, the most experienced captain on the river would have the same result. Looking forward to a new video. Enjoy
Didn't say it in last video, but now that you're talking about the "speed" run down Mobile Bay, exactly the right thing to do. None boaters may have been confused because it was such a small leak. Things change quickly on a boat and there was no idea what the true extent of the damage was. Tow captains knew and so did the USCG
I has the same thought. ANY water coming into a boat is bad. You can't know whether, or when, that tiny leak is going to suddenly become a big one. Better to treat it as a 6 foot hole in the boat than to shrug it off. Safety first. [censored] the wake.
Thank you John! It was hard to be at the helm, knowing there is damage and water coming in 12' below my seat and not knowing if it was getting worse or stabilized or what. It was a tough mix of being cautious and also getting our ass to safety! Thanks for the great comment and thanks for following along!
Yep! As I said above...I did not want to endanger any other vessel or piss anyone off...but we needed to get her home! like right now! Thanks for all the awesome comments! Really great! Thanks!
Why did you go from Orange Beach to Mobile to go I-65 north? You realize you could have taken the toll road ( which now isn't any tolls) at the Wharf go north to I10 go west 1 exit which is state hwy 59 go north to get on I-65 at the mile marker 45 or so? Yall drove all the way to Mobile to get on I-65 North..you'll save about 50 miles the other way..
Hello Scott! Excellent observation! We knew it was out of the way, but we wanted to retrace parts of our boat trip from a different perspective. When we came back, we took your route and it was much quicker :) Thank you so much for joining us!
In a year or two this will be a distant memory! If it was easy everyone would do it. I've always found the icw and rivers beautiful but much trickier than going to the Bahamas where the water is gin clear and more open water boating. They both have their place and it's whatever one likes or maybe one likes both. Just don't be hard on yourself and somehow turn this into a positive! You're healthy and living an incredible life! And boatyards vary in how things are done. Some are better than others.
Thank you for your support! We have learned so much from this journey already, but the best part are the wonderful people we have met in person, and online! The support and kindness has been incredible! Thank you :)
You two are awesome!! Thank you for sharing this difficult and dare i say some what heart wrenching video. You said you would show the G,B,U. And you did , bless you and your travels. The man upstairs never gives you more than you can handle...how bad do you want it ? You two slayed the dragon and came out as WARRIOR'S !!! Whoever was at the helm would have done the same. Fair winds and following seas, god bless. P.S. im so super happy ya'll made it to the Bahamas and I enjoy the pics.
Thank you Scott! You taking the time to send us a nice message like this keep us going, keeps us motivated, and inspires us. Thank you! It really means a lot to us and pus a smile on our faces for the whole day. You are awesome! Thanks!
I feel for you! I lost all power on my 40 ft sailboat passing Jackson, Alabama going North. Its been 12 months and she is still stuck there. Its kind of odd if not funny to hear you distress about only being able to make 11 kts going down river. I was making 5.5 kts going up. Best of luck to you!
Had the opportunity in the early 2000's to sail the Bahamas, particularly the Abacos. I know this is several months after the vid was made but I hope you've been able to fulfill that dream of getting to the Bahamas, or almost there.. Hope too you got the Gulf crossing in by now and enjoying Springtime in the Bahamas. May in the Abacos is a dream time to be in the Islands. Glad the folks in OB took care of you given the circumstances. In the nautical world, I learned real quick that BOAT means Bring Out Another Thousand. In the aviation world I'm still trying to figure out what AIRPLANE means, but like boats it means big bucks too. Safe journey!
Thank you John! Ever since our first boat, the thousands just keep flying out! You are right on that one! I can only image what the costs in aviation must be like. Thank you for the well wishes and the kind words! Best to you!
I have been following from the beginning from purchasing your boat. I was so sorry to hear of your bad news as I watched your last video. I don't know what you might have hit but it sure did a lot of damage. I love your RU-vid channel and I am researching to maybe do the loop one day myself. I am approaching 72 Y.O. so time is getting short. I love your editing, special effects and music. Maybe you could include which musicians and songs you are listening to and add them into your Website and Contact Information. I Can’t wait to see you off the hard and cruising again. Good Luck and God Bless!
Thank you so much. Your kind words me a lot to us, and it inspires us to keep creating. Thank you. Just do the Loop. 72 is young on the Loop. We have met fellow loopers in their 20's and in there late 80's. Just do it. There is wonderful community around the Great Loop and plenty of folks to help plan and for support along the way. We cant wait to see you out there! Thank you very much for following along and your support! All the best to you!
Wow. Just incredible the damage done to the boat…seems hard to imagine that a log or tree could’ve caused it, but I guess it doesn’t really matter in the long run. Your recap of that awful day certainly conveyed the fear and stress. Maybe I’m remembering wrong, but when you first found Andromeda, wasn’t she being repaired from having been damaged, and that’s why the owners were ready to sell? If so, that’s a weird coincidence. But Kathy, I’m glad you aren’t being hard on yourself - could’ve happened to anyone at anytime. I’ll look forward to next installments to learn more about the repairs, but I sure hope by now you are back on the water and continuing the trip with the drama left behind in your wake! (BTW, miss seeing you on the boat, but love all of the Ollie footage when you were sitting in the little gazebo!)
Thank you Kari! You are right, when we found Andromeda, the old owners had her out and the boatyard did not secure the pin on the rudder...so it dropped and they took on water and had to beach her. It was so traumatic for them, they sold her. When we got her, they had all the running gear replaced. Thank you for your support! Ollie kept coming to us almost to console us :) Thanks for watching!
Thanks for going thru this shit. You are now showing my worst nightmare of doing the loop with our boat that is just like yours… kinda. Now, I guess, we could get thru it too. How has the interactions with insurance been? Are they helpful or assholes? What about the yard that knows insurance is in the mix?
Thank you for following along! No one wants this on their Loop, but I think everyone who does the Loop has to be a little crazy enough to accept that this kind of stuff can happen. Insurance has been "ok"...C+....check your boat policy....they have started to "depreciate" running gear and it is hidden in the small print. Just about all carriers now do it and it is a relatively new thing they are doing. The boat yard has been "ok" D/D- for the project management, A+ for the guys doing the work, they are awesome! Great questions!
I'm really surprised that the drive system isn't designed with a shear pin or that the keys in the shaft hubs wouldn't shear to protect from this kind of damage. That was an insane amount of force to transmit all the way to the engine mounts.
David...I had to read this twice...it is like you were inside my head! I must have said this and sked this question a thousand times to the surveyors, the boat yards and any mechanic who would listen.....why? Everything has a sheer pin...my snowblower, my table saw...on and on....I could not agree more. The only answer I kept getting was boats transfer an incredible amount of torque through the drivetrain....and sheer pins would constantly fail.... It seems like in 2024 we would be able to engineer a sheer pin to not fail in normal conditions and beak clean when needed...JUST LIKE MY SNOWBLOWER DOES! Ugh! Thank you for the great comment! I am still laughing that someone else thought of this too! Thanks!
Thanks for checking in! We are doing our pest to get a new episode out every week. Sometimes a little delayed, but we try to stick to it. The next few episodes will bring you up to speed. Thank you for following along!
Excellent question! I don't know for sure, but I wondered the same thing. Of all the boats we see come and go from the yard and all the boats we see on the hard...all the same...totally exposed running gear.
@@cruisingandromeda surprising, given how many logs and other trash I’ve seen in rivers and the ICW, especially after storms. Hope they get ya’ll fixed up quickly and more importantly cheaply.
After watching your following video and 1/2 of this one, I feel your insurance is letting you down. They have had plenty of time to assess and specify the repairs (especially after the next video). They haven't been analyzing for 7 weeks, they've done almost nothing. They are dragging their feet. I hope you have a good resolution but I'm concerned your insurance provider may be the problem.
Thanks Brian....you may be right on that one! They were very quiet and offered no guidance. Maybe they aren't supposed to?? I don't really know. Great comment, thank you!
I'm suprised you made it as far as you did without serious damage. The loop is something l wouldn't even consider even if money wasn't an issue. Time is money.... Rivers have destroyed more vessels than any great lake...
Jim, I find your comment to be semi-ridiculous. 249 people completed the great loop last year. The vast majority of them completed the inland river system without an incident nearly as significant as befallen Andromeda. Thousands of additional people call the inland river system, their home waters. If things on the river were as dire as your inferring in your comment, those people would not even be able to get insurance for their boats. I’m sure way way more people suffer, catastrophic damage to their boats during hurricane season, than navigating the inland rivers of the USA. The key is showing the rivers respect, and realizing as the barges and tows go down that you are at a much greater risk for logs, getting turned up, and you better reduce your speed and give a wide birth in those situations.
Hi Jim....I understand what you are saying and I appreciate the comment. To each his own. I do agree with Patrick's comment below. Thousands if not millions of people boat on these rivers commercially and recreationally. I'm not sure I will travel the river again...but we had bad luck...the 2 other boats with us had no issues. I get it though...its a different kind of navigation for sure. Thanks Jim!
I agree Patrick. Well said, and nice job keeping it respectful. I learned to travel the Great Lakes with respect, and I think any body of water demands that. Each has there own set of cautions to be aware of. Thanks!
What the hell did you guys hit anyhow? You don't know of course but good god something in the water clearly didn't like you. Would like to go back there with a good sidescan sonar or something.
Exactly!!! Whatever it was, it didn't let go! When Bob did the arial map for the video, it looks like it was right off the bank of a huge lumber operation......but we also suspect it may have been an old piling underground or something? We don't think it was just a "log". Thank you for watching! :)
@@cruisingandromeda I agree, that was no [normal] log. The remains of an old piling is my bet too. I'm guessing your buddy boat just missed it by inches and either it shifted it, or you were just enough deeper or just enough to one side to snag it. Waiting for your next video and praying that Andromeda can be (has been) fully and properly repaired or that your insurance sees fit to fully replace it.
I had to stop the vid Progect Manager it is you Boat yard manger it is them Problems have been diagnosed Insurance well that could take 2 years prop damage yaa but you have back up hawl damage 2days ill fix it shafts strutl look all right whats the problem >>>I land time>>> insurance beokracy Hall you can fix youre self drive line well you have spare propse You manage the other managers and inxurance well if you want to wait for them to make a diction (on what) was it captains error were you off the channel low water (what really pisses me off i have to wait a week thats my rant will continue watching there could be more pauses and i am sure another rant coming LOL
Hi Grant! Exceptional rant! nice job. LOL You are right. I learned the hard way that I need to be the project manger. Good call. Prop, shaft, strut, rudder all bent....need new. Pulling the engine or not pulling the engine to fix the stringer...that is a problem. We were in the channel, no captains error. No issues there. Just typical paperwork BS. Look forward to the next pause and rant! LOL Thanks!
