Haunting the shallows: Jon Kuch and his tournament partner David Fong seen targeting known haunts for big Calico Bass... shallow water.

THE ANATOMY OF A GROUNDING

.........As the 2007 Saltwater Bass Anglers (SWBA) tournament series gets underway on February 3, 2007 , I thought now would be a great time to remind the inshore bass thumpers of the importance of making sure all of your emergency equipment is in good working order. During the second stage of the 2006 tournament series, our team was involved in a situation that went from a good calico bass bite to an emergency within minutes.

....The unfortunate chain of events that day started when our motor “spun a prop” without warning, and we found ourselves dead in the water. Because we were not able to deploy the electric trolling motor or anchor fast enough, the surge from the surf carried the boat across a shallow rocky reef, and we eventually came to rest on a sandy beach.

....The classic problem with this type of motor failure is that it is almost impossible to prevent, and it can happen without any warning at all. An investigation after my accident showed that the hub broke away from the prop, causing the hub to spin inside the prop. As a result, the motor would revive up, but the boat would not move. Fortunately, no one was injured, but it reinforced the importance of having all of your emergency equipment and systems in place.

....On the day of my accident, I had several people approach me and tell me their stories of close calls over the years. In fact, on the same day my partner and I had our mishap, another team told me that they nearly put their boat onto the rocks that day. Their saving grace was a swell that swept over the exposed boiler rock as the boat drifted over the top. If it wasn't for the swell, they too may have had an outcome just like ours. We West Coast calico bass fishermen understand and accept the risks associated with fishing in tight to the boiler rocks, reefs, beaches and other similar hazards, while in search of monster calico bass. But, it is always a good idea to be well prepared.

....Perhaps one of the most important lessons I learned that day had to do with what to expect from and how to deal with the salvage companies that respond to your distress call. I am by no means an expert in Maritime Law, or marine insurance, but after going through this incident, I have gained valuable knowledge regarding the salvage companies and my rights as a boater. My goal is to remind you of the importance of planning ahead in this respect and ensuring you have all of your systems in place prior to an incident.

LESSONS LEARNED

....The first emergency responders on the scene April 1, 2006 were the Park Rangers. They quickly provided me with a “Readers Digest” version of what to expect when the salvage companies begin to arrive on scene. The information they provided me on that day proved valuable and, without it, the outcome may have been far worse. I was informed of the following:

•  You have the right to choose the salvage company. Just because a salvage company arrives on scene doesn't mean you must use them. Salvage companies will monitor emergency channels and respond to distress calls knowing the distraught boater will make decisions without consideration of the outcome.