Will your Grady float if capsized or swamped?

[GW VOYAGER]

These photos were posted here a few years ago and also on THT. I don't know the story but had them saved in my phone for reassurance of the claimed positive buoyancy. Looking at them the boat does not appear fully swapped though, not sure if anyone see has the actual story and outcome.

A google search found this article of a 30' 306 CC that sank. Looks like it stayed above water, but barely

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/l...ly-rescued-after-boat-sunk-friday/1596962001/

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I would be completely satisfied with that flotation!

 

[Doc Stressor]

I can attest that a hand held VHF is great for communicating with aircraft. The 0 gain antenna broadcasts in all direction without compression toward the horizon like a typical 3 or 6 dB boat antenna.

Many years ago when I lived out west we had a caravan of boat trailers going from Cal/NV to Flaming Gorge Wyoming along RT 80. Somebody got the bright idea that we could communicate with each other with hand held VHFs. That worked fine until a Utah Highway Patrol helicopter broke in and told us in no uncertain terms that it was illegal to use VHF for land communication. We never even saw him until he buzzed us about 5 minutes later.

 

[ocnslr]

A google search found this article of a 30' 306 CC that sank. Looks like it stayed above water, but barely


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I think those were taken fairly soon, before the boat finished expelling trapped air in the cabin and below the deck. She almost certainly would have capsized, at best exposing only a slick bottom or more likely sinking. For initial stability and remaining afloat, much depends on the state of loading and the level of liquids in the various tanks. e.g. a full fuel tank provides only a bit of buoyancy due to the difference in weight of gas and water, while a tank with a lot of air in it will provide a good bit of buoyancy until the tank vents the trapped air.

 

[suzukidave]

with a handheld you may not know you got the coast guard but there is a high chance they will eventually hear a patiently repeated broadcast or at least be aware someone out of range is broadcasting on 16.

 

[wahoo33417]

While cruising Lake Erie last summer, I got to see photos of a 306 Bimini that got swamped and then turned over. Everyone was rescued from the overturned boat. The boat was found and towed in the next day. So that boat managed to stay up even in the less dense freshwater. It was the TowBoatUS guy that brought the boat in that showed me the pictures. He said the Coast Guard was surprised the boat was still up - and still a hazard to navigation - the next day.