Submerged Cat Marine 12 Cylinder

Lifting the weight of boat + water + mud ? Bob

Lifting the weight of boat + water + mud ? Bob

Hi, Glen.
Int'restin'. Please correct me if I'm wrong but I get the impression that you are planning on dragging the boat to shore rather than a dead lift. If so, the weight of the drag will increase fairly dramatically as more and more of the boat comes out of the water. That can be gotten around by pulling said boat until the drag becomes pretty heavy, by which time at least some of the boat hull will hopefully be out of the water. Pause the pull, allow some of the water within the hull to drain out or pump it out, and then resume the pull. Repeat if necessary.

In 1971, I spent 7 months operating a D9G that had been under sea water twice a day for 3 months, from about 10 hours on the clock, back in 1966 - 30 foot tidal rise and fall, North-west coast of Western Australia - still with the original motor, which had been dried out, checked out and repaired as necessary after salvage. I still rate that machine the 'gruntiest' D9G that I have ever operated. It BROKE 3 medium length 1971-style Cat ripper boots while ripping ironstone cap 2 feet to 6 feet thick.

Hope this helps. Happy salvaging. Photos and video, please, Boss?

Just my 0.02.

the weight of a submerged object is lessened by the weight of the displaced water of its volume---but at the surface and above the water inside adds to the weight. if you can get the gunwales just above the surface and all holes plugged then you can then start pumping the water out to lighten the load.

Was the engine running when it went under? if not, it's probably OK. if it was, it probably has one or more bent rods...I heard of a 4020 JD that went off a culvert into a stream, sucked water into the engine...hydraulic locked a cylinder, bent a rod & blew the head gasket.
A friend of mine bought a D9 that had been under water in a gravel pit when the river broke into it overnight-all they could see was the rain cap when they found it...got it for scrap iron price, drained & flushed all the boxes & put her to work, & he claimed that Cat made him more money than any dozer he ever owned...it was totally milked out when he sent it down the road, though...
As for the winch thing, no idea...

the weight of a submerged object is lessened by the weight of the displaced water of its volume---but at the surface and above the water inside adds to the weight. if you can get the gunwales just above the surface and all holes plugged then you can then start pumping the water out to lighten the load.

Glen,

Dan is spot on with his post. You don't say if the tug is wooden or steel. If wooden, I would think some seams opened up causing the sinking. As he says, when it breaks the surface and the only water coming in would be from the seams leaking, then using a pump with a volume larger than the incoming flow should float it until you can stem the flow. Tarps pulled under the hull to cover the leaks from the outside may be helpful.

If it is a steel boat, then the leaks are probably associated with the shaft seal or intake for cooling water, head discharge or other hull penetrations. That would be easier to isolate the leaks assuming the rest of the hull is sound.

I would think the engine will be fine after obvious cleaning, etc.

I know what you say about the costs of recovery. I just read a story about a 43' sailboat that was in a marina in Crescent City when the Tsunami hit a few years back and was swept out of the harbor into the ocean. The Coast Guard found it and actually boarded it but then left it only to have it wrecked on the beach. Now the owner is shackled with all the costs of getting the boat debris off the beach. The government mandates that owners are responsible for all the costs for beached or sunken boats but of course, takes no responsibility for their actions or inactions (in this case, the Coasties) in the event. The government is broken IMHO.

Best of luck with it.

Jan

Fresh water preserves and salt water deterates.

Try to winch the old wooden tug from multiple points to prevent from breaking it apart. If it does break apart can you be held responsible for the rest of the clean up?

Fresh water preserves and salt water deterates.

Try to winch the old wooden tug from multiple points to prevent from breaking it apart. If it does break apart can you be held responsible for the rest of the clean up?