Classic wooden speedboat build , sink, search for, recovery and rebuild.

fergal.b · 11-03-2021 7:26pm

Not mine, Not mine but hopefully one day.

Daibheid · 11-03-2021 10:18pm

I watched that last week and of course thought of your boat. Yours will come out in rather better condition than that one when you do eventually find it.
Scary just how far gone that hull was. Some of the YT comments criticized wooden boats for failing like that but it can happen just as easily on GRP hulls that have been poorly maintained/repaired!

funkey_monkey · 11-03-2021 10:29pm

When will you be able to get back out searching Fergal?
That boat was so amazing I'd sacrifice my car into the lough if it would give up the boat.

fergal.b · 03-06-2021 10:47am

First of what looks like a boat found in over a year not a great image but I will go over it again next chance I get, can you spot it.

dulpit · 03-06-2021 11:48am

Every time I see this thread has a new post I expect good news. Fingers crossed for you fergal.b! (the image means nothing to me though)

AndyBoBandy · 03-06-2021 1:05pm

See something there alright, pointing towards 10:30, looks the right shape, and looks like it has a cockpit where you'd want one to be...

Brian201888 · 03-06-2021 2:14pm

dulpit wrote: »

Every time I see this thread has a new post I expect good news. Fingers crossed for you fergal.b! (the image means nothing to me though)

At least that's all you have to put up with, I've only come across this today and it's been a whirlwind of emotion. Best of luck with the search Fergal

Car99 · 04-06-2021 10:12am

When will you get to investigate this finding? I've wondered has enjoyment derived from the thrill of the search overtaken the disappointment of losing the boat yet?

fergal.b · 04-06-2021 11:16am

Car99 wrote: »

When will you get to investigate this finding? I've wondered has enjoyment derived from the thrill of the search overtaken the disappointment of losing the boat yet?

I will be back out this weekend if the weather allows it and will go over the boat from different angles to get a range of different images I didn't see it when I was out on the water only when I got home and played it back on the sonar viewer, I don't get much enjoyment or thrill of the search looking at small screens for hours on end while out on the water and then doing the same when I get home

the first few boats were exciting to find but now with near 40 it's getting a bit OTT

Pat McManus and the guy's dived on another one just south of Rindoon point, in the right area but not to be

so on we go with the process of elimination

josip · 04-06-2021 11:34am

fergal.b wrote: »

I will be back out this weekend if the weather allows it and will go over the boat from different angles to get a range of different images I didn't see it when I was out on the water only when I got home and played it back on the sonar viewer, I don't get much enjoyment or thrill of the search looking at small screens for hours on end while out on the water and then doing the same when I get home the first few boats were exciting to find but now with near 40 it's getting a bit OTT

Pat McManus and the guy's dived on another one just south of Rindoon point, in the right area but not to be so on we go with the process of elimination

Do you need someone to dive to confirm or is there an underwater camera on a cable option that would provide sufficient detail?

fergal.b · 04-06-2021 12:36pm

josip wrote: »

Do you need someone to dive to confirm or is there an underwater camera on a cable option that would provide sufficient detail?

I have a camera on a cable and an ROV that I can send down the problem with the Ree is that it can be very cloudy so you have to be right on top of something before you see it and that makes it hard to direct the rov in the right direction, the divers work great by touch and have better lighting it's also good training for them to search different boats. When I get good images on the sonar I can measure the boat and that helps a lot to determine if it is worth looking at if it's too wide or too long I won't bother with it.

47375772_10209841787879724_7711993197378928640_n_zpsyqq5jcid.jpg

47375772_10209841787879724_7711993197378928640_n_zpsyqq5jcid.jpg

fergal.b · 23-06-2021 6:58pm

A few more images of the new boat found, it looks to be a 12 foot lake boat

skibum · 23-06-2021 10:47pm

Everytime I get a notification of this thread and see that you have posted, i hope it will be the "one" where you announce that you have found your boat.
Don't give up, I admire your determination.

spaceHopper · 24-06-2021 11:58am

Looks like it's only in 27 ft of water when I was fit and younger I could snorkel that!

FanadMan · 24-06-2021 3:14pm

Does anyone know anybody in the NSA? Get them to do a few passes of the lake with one of their spy satellites....Fergal will be no time finding it then

24-06-2021 3:24pm

Joking aside, I wonder if you got onto the engineering departments of the various universities could they work out the various factors at play when it sank? As is if buoyancy is x and current is y, the boat should be in this section of the lake type of thing.

Seems it would be a good project for a lecturer to set for a few students with different scenarios.

Or alternatively, is there anything in the boat material (engine block I suppose) that they could search for that sonar wouldn't necessarily pick up, what type of equipment would be needed to find an engine underwater etc, if such a search is possible.

Maybe they are idiotic suggestions on my part but God I feel for you, I really hope I read good news on this thread some day.

SCOL · 25-06-2021 10:36am

Deleted User wrote: »

Joking aside, I wonder if you got onto the engineering departments of the various universities could they work out the various factors at play when it sank? As is if buoyancy is x and current is y, the boat should be in this section of the lake type of thing.

Seems it would be a good project for a lecturer to set for a few students with different scenarios.

Or alternatively, is there anything in the boat material (engine block I suppose) that they could search for that sonar wouldn't necessarily pick up, what type of equipment would be needed to find an engine underwater etc, if such a search is possible.

Maybe they are idiotic suggestions on my part but God I feel for you, I really hope I read good news on this thread some day.

Maybe your onto something, you could always try one of those strong magnets that people use magnet fishing. you would soon find out if it had an engine if so investigate it more if not move onto the next one.

25-06-2021 11:38am

SCOL wrote: »

Maybe your onto something, you could always try one of those strong magnets that people use magnet fishing. you would soon find out if it had an engine if so investigate it more if not move onto the next one.

I'm not going to lie, I spent a considerable time yesterday after I posted that googling underwater metal detectors, including magnetic ones as you suggest. Seems to be some pretty advanced ones you can drag behind your boat.

I'm wary of offering (further) idiotic suggestions but I wonder could the OP join up with (say) an archeological department to maybe fund one? I'd support a crowdfunding drive for one, all the moreso if it was being donated to a college or historical society afterwards.

Anyhow, don't want to drag this thread off topic, good luck OP!

fergal.b · 27-06-2021 11:25am

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm not going to lie, I spent a considerable time yesterday after I posted that googling underwater metal detectors, including magnetic ones as you suggest. Seems to be some pretty advanced ones you can drag behind your boat.

I'm wary of offering (further) idiotic suggestions but I wonder could the OP join up with (say) an archeological department to maybe fund one? I'd support a crowdfunding drive for one, all the moreso if it was being donated to a college or historical society afterwards.

Anyhow, don't want to drag this thread off topic, good luck OP!

I am open to all idiotic ideas at this stage I will even try dowsing

I have looked at magnetometers that you use a tow-fish behind the boat and even "satellite nuclear magnetic imaging" like they used on "oak island"

my problem is not with my gear as I am well able to find boats and can even tell if it has a metal engine as it will show up brighter on the sonar my problem is the amount of boats I am finding, up to 40 now and I am only looking on the navigation line and to each side of it I'm sure if I went around the shoals and islands the count would be a lot higher.
When I built her I worked out how much floatation I would need to keep the V8 and gearbox afloat and even if the whole boat was filled with air it still would not float so even with the few spare lifejackets in the bow I don't think they would have made much of a difference :eek: when she went down it was fast and I was pulled down by the kill cord it was only when the lifejacket went off that I popped back up. My big problem is not having a point of reference on land the last thing I saw before the hailstones hit was a beached yacht at the entrance to Lecarrow that was about marker 6 and I followed in the other boats wake for a while after that speeding up and slowing down according to the waves and head on wind so hard to know what distance was traveled. I turn on my sonar from Coosan point and record to the top of the lake, that boat I found last week was right in the middle so I must have passed by it a thousand times over the years it just depends on what angle you hit it at as to weather or not you see it.

Screenshot%202019-10-30%20at%2008.40.17_zpsfmemuxij.png

Screenshot%202019-10-30%20at%2008.40.17_zpsfmemuxij.png

josip · 27-06-2021 2:01pm

Since the boat is that heavy, my gut feeling would be that it's still wherever it went down and wouldn't have moved with currents or anything.
I'd go back to your best estimate of where it went down and spend all your time looking there.
"Go with your gut".

spaceHopper · 28-06-2021 9:36am

fergal.b wrote: »

that boat I found last week was right in the middle so I must have passed by it a thousand times over the years it just depends on what angle you hit it at as to weather or not you see it.

To me that didn't look like a lake boat either

fergal.b · 04-07-2021 5:53pm

Sorry again guy's but believe it or not it hurt's me more than you to keep posting no good news

over the weekend I had the diver down to check on one of the speedboats I had found but unfortunately it turned out to be a "Broom Aquarius" maybe Old's Cool is playing games with me as my current boat is called Aquarius :rolleyes: Through the help of facebook the owner was found, it turns out the boat sunk 28 years ago after hitting a rock while in the trough of a wave.
Big thanks to the Athlone sub-aqua club and James Donnellan for checking it out for me, on we go.

knucklehead6 · 04-07-2021 6:59pm

fergal.b wrote: »

Sorry again guy's but believe it or not it hurt's me more than you to keep posting no good news over the weekend I had the diver down to check on one of the speedboats I had found but unfortunately it turned out to be a "Broom Aquarius" maybe Old's Cool is playing games with me as my current boat is called Aquarius :rolleyes: Through the help of facebook the owner was found, it turns out the boat sunk 28 years ago after hitting a rock while in the trough of a wave.
Big thanks to the Athlone sub-aqua club and James Donnellan for checking it out for me, on we go.

Did his watch say 16m?

I would’ve thought there’d still be natural light at that depth. Shows how bloody claustrophobic diving could be!!

04-07-2021 7:38pm

fergal.b wrote: »

I am open to all idiotic ideas at this stage I will even try dowsing I have looked at magnetometers that you use a tow-fish behind the boat and even "satellite nuclear magnetic imaging" like they used on "oak island" my problem is not with my gear as I am well able to find boats and can even tell if it has a metal engine as it will show up brighter on the sonar my problem is the amount of boats I am finding, up to 40 now and I am only looking on the navigation line and to each side of it I'm sure if I went around the shoals and islands the count would be a lot higher.
When I built her I worked out how much floatation I would need to keep the V8 and gearbox afloat and even if the whole boat was filled with air it still would not float so even with the few spare lifejackets in the bow I don't think they would have made much of a difference :eek: when she went down it was fast and I was pulled down by the kill cord it was only when the lifejacket went off that I popped back up. My big problem is not having a point of reference on land the last thing I saw before the hailstones hit was a beached yacht at the entrance to Lecarrow that was about marker 6 and I followed in the other boats wake for a while after that speeding up and slowing down according to the waves and head on wind so hard to know what distance was traveled. I turn on my sonar from Coosan point and record to the top of the lake, that boat I found last week was right in the middle so I must have passed by it a thousand times over the years it just depends on what angle you hit it at as to weather or not you see it.

I know this is an obvious point but surely a metal detector would take an element of human error out of it? As in, it will catch everything whereas with sonar you are relying on the sonar catching the object at the right angle and your eyes then seeing the object on the screen when you review it? If anything a metal detector might return too much stuff down there...

I have to say the stuff you have found is amazing (to me, anyhow), I think there's a great TG4 (style) documentary in this search if you've kept footage and logs.

Thargor · 05-07-2021 9:00pm

What did the owner think when you contacted him? And how did you find him?

fergal.b · 06-07-2021 5:15pm

Thargor wrote: »

What did the owner think when you contacted him? And how did you find him?

He had an idea where it was as it was under tow after hitting the rock and they were sitting on a barge watching her go down, his insurance payed out so I guess he was happy with that

It was posted on this facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/717182844986491/?multi_permalinks=4341310205907052&notif_id=1625482466236213&notif_t=group_activity&ref=notif and he or someone that knows him recognised the boat.

.

fergal.b · 20-08-2021 2:13pm

Not quite the pirate look I always wanted but at least " I can see clearly now the cataract is gone" Hopefully I will get back to the sonar again soon now that the fog has been lifted.

biketard · 20-08-2021 2:37pm

Speedy recovery, Fergal!

Steve · 27-08-2021 7:08pm

Holy **** Fergal!

Was under the knife myself not so long ago, I wish you a good recovery!

fergal.b · 27-09-2021 12:59pm

Still on the hunt 🙄

I spent 7 hours doing a run back over all the boats I found so far to see if anything new popped up but no joy 😔 Not to worry I will keep on going till she decides to show her self.

This is a 40 foot boat just off Hare Island looks like a big debris field so might have been carrying a cargo.

funkey_monkey · 27-09-2021 1:08pm

Good luck with the search. Surprised that a sunken boat would drift as far as what you are searching.

fergal.b · 27-09-2021 2:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117945152#Comment_117945152

I'm not really searching that far down I just turn on the sonar whenever I hit the lake and then if any of the boats I find look interesting the Athlone Sub-Aqua club will take a look as part of a training day "they are going to dive on the one above" so it's a win win as it is also interesting for me to find new boats and try and discover a bit about them.

Odelay · 14-12-2021 11:21pm

Hi Fergal,

Have you seen these guys YouTube? Shows just how difficult it is to recover something underwater.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAfYtXB-qN4

fergal.b · 15-12-2021 12:29am

It's a lot different to my story sadly and a totally different situation, they have a narrow and shallow scearch area and are lifting something that was never meant to float, where they have found one or two cars in an area where cars can enter the water I have found over 50 boats in an area that boats go. I have the same if not better sonar equipment but when in water 80 - 100 foot things look a lot different to between 5- 10 foot. Never the less I will keep on going and believe me when I do find her I will get her up come hell or high water.

fergal.b · 15-12-2021 12:36am

On another note just incase you think I am slacking off on projects lately this is what I have been at not boat related as such but has a few boats in it 😁 https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058222781/my-acoustic-guitar-build#latest

StupidLikeAFox · 15-12-2021 12:43am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118323238#Comment_118323238

For the love of God, do not drop this into the lake 😅

fergal.b · 15-12-2021 12:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118323265#Comment_118323265

It should float no mater what😁

the beer revolu · 18-12-2021 3:45pm

Ah, here, Fergal.

Just like with boats, you've gotten it all arseways!

Sailboat > motor boat

Electric guitar > acoustic guitar.

You need to learn what's proper cool. 🤣

But I will concede that it's a gorgeous acoustic guitar! You really are an inspiration, Fergal.

Lewis_Benson · 25-04-2022 10:20pm

Any news Fergal?

fergal.b · 26-04-2022 9:09am

Nothing new to report on "The curse of Lough Ree", the water was high over the winter so I have been searching in the shallow water off the navigation line in the hope she will turn up. I have also been looking at magnetometers these pick metal objects under the water and can cover a large area at a time should have no problem picking up a V8, they are very expensive to buy so if anyone knows of a place that rents them out or will do a survey for me let me know. The technology it uses is in most mobile phones these days so if any of you are tech savvy and can build me one I will try it out for you. 😀

03-05-2022 10:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118977566#Comment_118977566

I still think there must be a geology, archaeology or engineering department in one of the colleges who'll get on board with this search. I hesitate to suggest it but if you got in touch with a high profile (with the media) scientist like Professor Luke O'Neill (I can't think of his relevant equivalent) or could get on the Ryan Tubridy or Pat Kenny show you'd get one of those instruments somehow.

funkey_monkey · 07-05-2022 9:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118977566#Comment_118977566

Did you get a quote from these guys? They ship internationally.

https://www.geomatrix.co.uk/rentals/marine-products/magnetic/

fergal.b · 07-05-2022 10:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119029706#Comment_119029706

I got killed by customs bringing in a gasket kit for a toilet from the UK I can only imagine what one of these would cost 😮

funkey_monkey · 07-05-2022 10:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119030078#Comment_119030078

No harm in a phone call. You'd only be hiring so customs might be different.

spaceHopper · 30-06-2022 10:47am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118323238#Comment_118323238

What's going on with the canoe, has work paused?

fergal.b · 30-06-2022 1:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119270543#Comment_119270543

Still tipping away at it 😀 I'll update the canoe post later today as I'm working on the yoke/seat for it at the moment. 🙂

Bill Black · 15-07-2022 8:24am

I was on lough Derg last weekend for the time and was thinking about your search, a thought occurred to me that I am sure you could assemble a "little fleet" of cuisers who could search in a co-ordinated line and create a broad sweep of a search area ..... I'm sure people would be happy to assist?

Regards

Bill

fergal.b · 15-07-2022 9:49am

Most boats wouldn't carry the type of equipment I have as it's quite expensive, they might have depth sounders and GPS but not hi tech sonar, the only people that might have it are pro fishermen/ women and I have some of the Ree fishing clubs on board in the scearch 😉 I have over 10 hours of sonar recording from last week to go over it's like watching a movie of white noise waiting for a triangle or odd shaped rock to appear.

There are some benefits like a stop-off in Wineport for some lunch and refreshments 😀

SCOL · 15-07-2022 4:42pm

Get onto the Discovery channel / Sky / companies that make TV shows they might be interested in doing a program about it. They might have equipment and euro's.

Episode 1 finding her

Episode 2 refloating her

Episode 3 rebuild etc etc

Maybe it already has been suggested.

the beer revolu · 15-07-2022 4:55pm

That's a really good idea!

Classic wooden speedboat build , sink, search for, recovery and rebuild.

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