On Sunday April 29, 2018, I took some friends out for a sunset sail in Long island Sound. Spirit, my 1999 Catalina 36 MKII had just spent the winter in wet winter storage in Huntington Harbor like she has since we bought her in October 2001. Because she was moved from Huntington on April 1, 2018 (Easter Sunday) the boat was not yet "commissioned" and the rear cabin was empty of everything so access to the engine was perfect. Locking the boat up as she was on her mooring in Northport Harbor I gave the running engine the once over with a flashlight. I liked what I saw, turned the engine off and left Spirit.

On Tuesday, May 1, 2018, while driving to work I received a text photo of Spirit from a friend. At a red light I looked at the photo of Spirit but she was not right, upon closer look her bow boot stripe was significantly under water. I re-directed from going to work and headed to Spirit. I called my two sons and a friend who arrived shortly after me.

Heading to Spirit on the launch I could see that her bow boot stripe was al least 20'' below the water. Bracing myself I opened the companionway and saw what I hope no one in this association ever has to see - the bilge boards were floating as were plastic wrap and aluminum foil packages from that storage area under the oven. I could see the water had risen to about an inch of the v-berth cushions

Thinking stuffing box - even though that received new gore-tex in the winter of 2016-2017 -  I jumped down  - at the bottom of the companionway the water was barely to my ankles that is how far the bow was going down - I made my way to the stuffing box. Now, since Sunday night the engine compartment was still wide open and I began to examine the stuffing box and it was dry. I then began to look around and do not remember seeing water in the engine compartment. Now we are talking seconds here - and then I felt it. A little spritz of water hitting me in the head and then again. I looked up and saw that at the lid of the strainer basket which has a gasket, was "spritzing" like my sons long ago water guns. At that point my buddy arrived on the boat and I yelled for him to come down to witness this and then I closed the engine through hull and the spritzing stopped.
 
 I called the Boat US 800 number to report this and request assistance and within minutes my handheld was alive with reports of my boat sinking. Within minutes I had village, town and county police boats plus USCG. In addition I had Boat US and Seatow. Now it gets comical. Boat US, my insurer and with whom I have unlimited towing, arrived first and had two pumps - excellent I thought; however, neither pump worked. Seatow arrived and he had a pump that looked like it was on the Titanic. Anyway he gets it running and with me holding the hose to the deepest part of the bilge she starts pumping out.

Now I am feeling confident when I here two splashes behind me. Two USCG are standing there and I watch as one sloshes over in near knee deep water and sits on the main saloon settee, like nothing is wrong, and asks me for my driver's license. Now I am a retired DEA agent and currently  am an investigator for the New York State Attorney General so I know alittle of being professional - well I lost it. There I am holding this hose which is actively pumping out my boat with still a way to go and he asks me for my license. My buddy later told me that my face had an expression that he never saw before and made him think "uh oh". Trying to control myself I stammered "really - we're gonna do this now? Can I please rescue my boat then answer your questions" with that the other USCG waived him off.
 
 The boats gets pumped out and my buddy examined the strainer basket lid gasket and showed what looked like a pinch in that flat gasket. We flipped the gasket upside down and put it back in and then put the strainer basket back together. (I subsequently bought a new gasket.) At that point I also opened the engine through hull. For the next several hours there was no spritz of water from the strainer basket and no water was entering Spirit.

Now, Spirit was towed to and secured at the club dock, I sent my sons for sandwiches and watch as the two USCG exit Spirit - I actually forgot about them - they come up to me and hand me a document - Now my brother is a Senior Chief with the USCG with 26 years of service and I am just done with these two - I crumple the document and throw it into a canvas boat bag. With that one of them says to me - "I would save that because your boat passed inspection"

If anyone is reading this I hope you have tears in your eyes from laughing.

Well after an initial survey an investigative survey was ordered and Spirit was towed to a Brewers yard in Glen Cove Long Island that has an excellent reputation. Geico/Boat US insurance approved that every mechanical and electronic device and wiring on Spirit needs to be replaced. To include floor boards, 8D batteries, vacuflush and a new starter for the engine because the Universal 35B has the starter on the bottom. Spirit should be ready by spring 2018.
 
Question: as a seasoned investigator should I suspect my former wife, who loved Spirit - cause you see on Friday April 27, 2018, during divorce negotiations she very grudgingly gave up any claim to Spirit. Hmmmm

During this rebuild I plan on asking many questions.

Oh by the way check your strainer basket gasket.

Tom Bolen
1999 Catalina 36 MKII
Northport, NY