Recovering Lost Rudder

[cbelg]

So we made it back safe and sound but wasn't able to locate it. Took a few attempts to get acclimated and get gear squared away and setup. Did one test dive and was able to make big archs and cover about a 7ft wide x 60ft arch off back of the boat.

Weather kicked up a little and storms rolled in, we were having trouble getting boat anchored in the right position so we called it.

There really was no point aimlessly searching the bottom. It's was less than a foot of visibility. Couldn't even read gauges. Stayed tethered to a manned line on the boat and communicated with tugs every few mins.

Tested metal detector and the little guy worked. Definitely would pick up rudder is I can get over it. Slow going, took 30lbs to stay on bottom, 3mph current so was like a kite down there. The bottom was much harder than I thought. Figure it would be a bunch of decaying muck, but it was hard clay with a 2in top layer of mush. I think because of the current the sentiment just gets blose right off the top.

I was happy to see little air usage. It's been 20 years since I've been down and I'm certainly not in the same shape I was 20 years ago. Total dive time was only 40 minutes or so and only used approx 600psi, so I probably had another 3 or 4 doves in me but couldn't land on the spot of the coordinates I marked when it fell.

I'm not sure I've given up trying to locate it, but I think I'm going to try and find it from the surface then dive for it to retrieve, the searching part I'm going to figure out how to do from surface and cover more ground more quickly.

May try to rig something with the metal detector and a pvc pipe. It's so shallow, and can get a 20ft length to work with right from back of boat. Once located go down and get it.

 

[USdiver1]

My thoughts are that in a two - three knot current, a rudder will move like a sail. I used to work as a harbor diver and finding lost equipment was hit or miss at best. Good luck, but budget for a replacement rudder.

 

[johndiver999]

It sounds like you need to alter the dive plan so you can actually search where the number is. The fact that you made it back from a tethered dive in 3 mph in one foot vis, and used little air …. Is indicative of competence, but not assurance of it. Sio I bet you can get it if the dive plan is correct.

I would drop a heavy marker tied to a significant float with a line that is the length of twice the water depth or less. I would try very hard to find the proper tidal window, to give yourself maybe 40 minutes of low and manageable current. I would have a live boat drop me up current of the float. Swim like hell, use minimal buoyancy, and swim/ pull myself down the line.

Then clip off a reel on the heavy marker weight and begin whatever search pattern you think is best. If the rudder falls in 15 ft of water, I doubt it would sail far, so I think the primary limitation or challenge is the accuracy of your gps number. It is so hard to be precise unless you are not moving when the loss occurs and the skipper is very quick on the mob button. Good luck … it is a lot easier to place a marker, swim down it in shallow water compared to the complexities of perfect anchoring of a boat in variable tidal currents. At the very least drop the marker and try to anchor so you can swim down it.

 

[Pressurehead]

Have you thought of casting a grappling hook?
you can make your own, I used a small reef anchor to find a lost crab pot.
Not to lift it, just to mark the spot

 

[Gone for diving]

but couldn't land on the spot of the coordinates I marked when it fell.

I have a older hand held gps, and when in a boat, it's hard to nail a spot,

That's why a weight and a float needs to be dropped close close by for a visual reference, and is alot easier to know which direction to go.
Maybe the newer GPS are better, but I find it hard to nail a 20ft area, when you have no forward movement in the water.

 

[cbelg]

I'm going to go back and try to see if I can rig the metal detector to a pipe and sweep from the surface, locate it, then go down and get it. Also thinking of how to drag for it. Thinking maybe something like a clam rake would work. I definitely need more practice on the anchor anyway so it's a skill I need to learn. We had such a hard time getting boat to line up with just one anchor. We attempted two but we weren't able to get into position and then thunderstorms rolled in. Couldn't press my luck so we called it a day, but I'm determined to find it.

Especially because the bottom was much more compact than I was expecting. Solid clay like bottom. Which means this long heavy flat blade rudder is just waiting for me to retrieve and get back in the boat. Lol.

 

[Jared0425]

Is one of your boats equipped with side scan? With a clay bottom with little debris, a metal rudder will produce quite the reflection. Anything over 500kHz will do it.

 

[cbelg]

Is one of your boats equipped with side scan? With a clay bottom with little debris, a metal rudder will produce quite the reflection. Anything over 500kHz will do it.

Yes, the formula 252BR has a lorance hook reveal. Not high end but it's only 15ft. I made 1 pass with it the day after I lost it and saw 2 potential marks. Going back with it this week. Do you think side scan or down scan. I'm going to try 800khz, was set to 455 last time. Did a little more research and supposedly the 800 will give me better detail. But also read it may pick up all the fine particles in the bottom 5ft of water column. I don't have much experience reading side or down scan but hopefully it shows up.

 

[Jared0425]

Yes, the formula 252BR has a lorance hook reveal. Not high end but it's only 15ft. I made 1 pass with it the day after I lost it and saw 2 potential marks. Going back with it this week. Do you think side scan or down scan. I'm going to try 800khz, was set to 455 last time. Did a little more research and supposedly the 800 will give me better detail. But also read it may pick up all the fine particles in the bottom 5ft of water column. I don't have much experience reading side or down scan but hopefully it shows up.

Don't bother with the down scan as the rudder should be flat on the bottom. 800khz should be able to pick up a quarter on the bottom. Do you have the ability to watch the waterfall display on a iPad or tablet?

 

[cbelg]

Don't bother with the down scan as the rudder should be flat on the bottom. 800khz should be able to pick up a quarter on the bottom. Do you have the ability to watch the waterfall display on a iPad or tablet?

No ipad or tablet on the formula, only on the 7in screen on the lowrance hook reveal. In side scan I don't think I can set way points either but am going to check. I think it just tells you how far from center the cursor is.