# Mother nature is in charge



## whos your daddy (Jun 2, 2004)

Here are the accounts from our boating incident yesterday. Posting this to remind everyone that mother nature is in charge.

We left yesterday morning with a charter of 4 people. Seas were nice going out, but I was thinking about staying in close because of the forecasted rain that was coming our way from the North. We stayed close and began to fish behind the anchored shrimp boats in the 20 mile range. Started catching kingfish and looking for ling. Ended up at a anchored shrimp boat at 15 miles offshore and started fishing. I noticed it was starting to get cloudy towards the Port O'Connor area. I then pulled up the radar and noticed a area of light rain coming our way. I continued to monitor that area as we were catching fish. I could tell that the rain was getting closer and pulled up the radar again. The rain was getting closer and was slowly building in intensity. I looked at the area towards Matagorda and it showed heavier storms towards that way , so we decided to stay put where we were. It started to rain and the wind was picking up so I advised my crew that we were going to pull behind the shrimp boat and ride out the rain til is passes. Let me tell you, this storm really picked up momentum and intensity after looking at the radar again. The rain got harder and harder and the wind picked up from 10 MPH to probably 50 MPH in seconds. The winds started to push us towards the shrimp boat so I reversed in an attempt to pull away from the boat. In an instant, the boat started to quickly drift towards the starboard side rigger area where the shrimp net and doors were hanging. With 900 horsepower on our boat we were unable to back up in enough time to avoid getting caught up in the net. At first we were tangled on our outrigger mounts on the top of our t-top, then it seemed like seconds, we were tangled on our t-top rod holders with rods in them, both VHF antennas, GPS antennas and Sirius antenna. The shrimp boat was really swaying back and forth violently and it seemed like every time the nets swayed our way, we got more and more tangled up, we were helpless . I advised the crew to all put on life jackets and try to remain calm. We desperately tried to cut our way out of the net , but was unable because of the amount of netting we were tangled in, not including the chains, cables, etc. The crew of the shrimp boat were asleep and we were yelling for them to come and help us. A few seconds later the boat tugged hard and the center console was ripped off of the boat, along with the t-top. This caused us to loose power to everything, completely helpless and at the mercy of the sea. With the t-top and center console banging around in the boat, big waves pounding against us and heavy rain I really thought we were done for. We then heard a voice from the shrimp boat, it was one of the crew. The remaining 3 persons on the shrimp boat came outside and tried to help us get away from the nets. They were unable to help at all. It seemed like forever but we finally were able to cut enough net to get us out of the netting. Still dead in the water, we were pushed up against the shrimp boat by our stern, causing the motors to crack against the shrimp boats hull. The seas started to calm a little and the crew was able to get a rope onto our boat and get us pulled to the rear of the shrimp boat where we were tied off. I made sure the passenger's were ok and then climbed on the shrimp boat to call for help. There was a language barrier on the shrimp boat with the crew being Vietnamese, but I was able to get the coast guard called in order to get us help. 

I then received a call on the VHF from Hans Guindon who must have been in the area and he had advised that he has already contacted my wife via satellite phone and was able to relay a message for here to get in contact with my good friend Steve Weinheimer to come pull us in. Thanks a million Hans Guindon for the help brother...

The coast guard arrived and made sure everyone was ok and I briefed them on the incident. They offered to pull us to Port OConnor but I had advised him that we already had help enroute. Steve arrived and after I shook the crews hands of the shrimp boat named "Forever Lucky", I got back on our boat. Steve hooked onto us and we started making our way back to Matagorda. At about 9 miles from Matagorda, we ran onto another big wave of rain and wind. This second wave threw us around like a ragdoll. The crew that has chartered us had stepped onto Steve boat, while myself and my deckhand Nicholas Weinheimer started on my boat. We were taking water over the bow of our boat while it was raining heavily, lightening and windy, while also trying to keep the console of our boat from being thrown out of the boat. To make things worse, smoke started to billow out of the console area. The console door was opened and we could see a small fire. Nicholas quickly grabbed the fire extinguisher and the fire was quickly extinguished. We finally made it to Matagorda and pulled into the harbor where we were greeted by family and friends. I can tell you what, the emotions were too much to keep in there. The boat was loaded up on the trailer with the help of good friends John Reeder and his son JW. Also helping Steve come pull us in was our friend Robert Korenek who we owe many thanks to. Would like to thank our charter crew, who said they will definitely be back next year for another charter and my deckhand Nicholas for keeping a cool head. Insurance has been contacted and the ol Contender will be back and running soon. Brice at Charter Lakes Marine Insurance is the BEST boat insurance there is......


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## BullyARed (Jun 19, 2010)

Wow! Glad everyone is ok.


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## Hayniedude24 (Jun 15, 2016)

Holy crapp man thatâ€™s something else. Itâ€™s been a weird couple of weeks on the water for sure. As bad as that all sounds yâ€™all were very lucky to all be okay.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Oh man so glad it eventually worked out with no injuries. Boat can be fixed.


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## snapperlicious (Aug 11, 2009)

Dang mark, thatâ€™s crazy! Glad yâ€™all are ok.


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## Wizness (Jun 15, 2011)

Sucks for sure but could of been worse obviously. Glad it worked as good as it did. Curious what that repair bill will be.


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## rvd2 (Dec 3, 2016)

Thanks for sharing, y'all were in my prayers.


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## dinmax82 (May 15, 2013)

Dude glad you and everyone involved ok.

Hindsight is 20/20 but why ride out behind the shrimp boat? And why no life jackets when 50mph winds were present?

Be sure to get your insurance to help out them shrimpers too as they depend on their equipment for their livelihood just as much as you and your boat.


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## rockyraider (Feb 1, 2006)

What did the shrimpers say about ya'll cutting their nets? Seriously, I would have been afraid to step on their boat for the fear that they would beat my you know what. Glad they were accommodating. That's a terrifying situation for sure.


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## reel thing (Jul 1, 2010)

Thank your lucky stars yall are ok. Things can go to **** offshore very quickly o At least you got back safe and the boat didn't sink.


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## JFolm (Apr 22, 2012)

Glad you made it back to tell the story.


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## Fishtexx (Jun 29, 2004)

I have experienced similar conditions offshore, light wind going to 50 mph in one big gust. Scary as hell! Glad everybody is OK, getting hung up in that net in those conditions had to be terrifying. Brice and Charter lakes are the best! Great choice.


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## Momma's Worry (Aug 3, 2009)

Glad to hear everyone was OK.....what a mess.....that was a real tough one and an outstanding job 

handling that crisis Cap'n......


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## chuck richey (May 22, 2004)

Thanks for sharing Mark. Always good to hear the story first hand. Don't listen to the second guessers. Never know what is going on until you are put in a bad situation.


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## saltwatersensations (Aug 30, 2004)

Sorry about your boat but glad everyone is safe and sound. That's sounds like a terrible situation to be in and be virtually helpless.


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## JWT (Jun 28, 2004)

Glad you guys are ok. I also would have tried to seek shelter behind on of our few remaining platforms or a big boat as in your case. Thunderstorms from the north are the worst! I'll be watching the satellite weather a little more than normal tomorrow off the shelf.

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## planohog (Nov 1, 2006)

wow , glad everyone is ok, 

:cheers:


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## tpool (Aug 21, 2005)

So glad all involved are ok Mark!!!


T-BONE
(tpool)


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## WestEndAngler (Jan 30, 2007)

Glad everyone was okay Mark.


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## Saltwater Soul (May 31, 2005)

Glad you and crew are OK Mark. Stuff happens offshore and if you go enough you get caught occasionally. Years ago, I spent the night with my crew on a shrimp boat in/after a freak storm. Nicest guys ever and it was much better being in an 80' boat than what we were in.


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

Thanks for sharing the details, and great to hear no one was harmed. The last couple weeks should remind all of us that venture offshore that when things go bad out there, they go bad fast. Quote from a famous captain" if anything's going to happen it's going to happen out there.". Sounds like yall did the best job you could in the conditions.


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## waypoint (Jun 11, 2004)

Mark, glad you and crew made it back safely. As you want your boat to be kept whole by insurance, please look up "Forever Lucky" and keep them whole for any damages to their netting, boom, and boat that y'all caused. As some else said, they depend this as their livelihood as you do chartering. You may already have done that and if so, thanks. Like is said, very glad you and the others made it back safely and that you had your wits about you to stay calm. Thanks for sharing your story.


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## jdusek (Apr 7, 2006)

What a nightmare. Glad everyone made it home safe.


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## Harbormaster (May 26, 2000)

I didn't see that you posted this here Mark, I put a copy on the TTMB forum. Glad everyone is OK.


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## whos your daddy (Jun 2, 2004)

waypoint said:


> Mark, glad you and crew made it back safely. As you want your boat to be kept whole by insurance, please look up "Forever Lucky" and keep them whole for any damages to their netting, boom, and boat that y'all caused. As some else said, they depend this as their livelihood as you do chartering. You may already have done that and if so, thanks. Like is said, very glad you and the others made it back safely and that you had your wits about you to stay calm. Thanks for sharing your story.


Yes sir, we communicated about the net damage we did from cutting it away. The captain advised us they will have it repaired before we get back to Matagorda. He advised they carry supplies on board for that. As a matter of fact, one of the guys on the shrimp boat was already working on sewing the net together while we were there. They were good folks... They offered food and drinks for us waiting on the coast guard also. When we left handshakes were exchanged and even hugs...... Ill never forget them...


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

WOW !!! I'd see that the crew of the Forever Lucky receives a pile of 'Ben Franklins'

They saved you a long swim....or worse...

Glad everyone got back on dry land...


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

Sorry about the boat Mark. It can turn bad in an instant out there and glad you got everyone home safe.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

Been in some bad ones myself out there and I'm sure glad you guys came out okay.


Any "after" pictures of the Contender?


TH


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## mstrelectricman (Jul 10, 2009)

^^^same here. I'd like to see some pics of the after.

Thank God all were OK.


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## saltwatersensations (Aug 30, 2004)

whos your daddy said:


> Yes sir, we communicated about the net damage we did from cutting it away. The captain advised us they will have it repaired before we get back to Matagorda. He advised they carry supplies on board for that. As a matter of fact, one of the guys on the shrimp boat was already working on sewing the net together while we were there. They were good folks... They offered food and drinks for us waiting on the coast guard also. When we left handshakes were exchanged and even hugs...... Ill never forget them...


That's awesome. About 50lbs of shrimp would have been more awesome. HAHA!


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## hilton (Jan 28, 2008)

If you're out on the water long enough, **** is going to happen.

Glad to see nobody was hurt or killed Mark.


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## tngbmt (May 30, 2004)

i had to hide beside an anchored tanker to ride out a bad storm a couple of times myself..
the shrimp boat maybe a tad small. glad ur ok.


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## Captn C (May 21, 2004)

Wow Mark...wild incident...back in the late 70's my dad had the engine get tangled up in the chains. We got it untangled before any damage occured. That was the beginning of my boat captain career...he never ran the boats again after that!

Being on charter and caught in a storm...wow I had a couple of those myself...back when there were plenty of rigs to hide under...that was were I headed...not many left now to hide under!

Thank God everyone was ok and your boat stayed afloat!


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## mstrelectricman (Jul 10, 2009)

Don't wanna HJ the thread but, my though has always been to stay away from high steel during an electric storm.


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## fishinguy (Aug 5, 2004)

Glad to hear yall made it back


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## RedXCross (Aug 7, 2005)

Now that's something you probably won't forget, glad all is ok , Mother nature and game plans sometimes don't mingle well. My Best!


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## gethookedadventures01 (Dec 29, 2015)

Saw this on instagram 









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## ColeS (Apr 19, 2005)

Is that supposed to be funny?

Cole


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## gethookedadventures01 (Dec 29, 2015)

ColeS said:


> Is that supposed to be funny?
> 
> Cole


I guess, I just saw it and figured it was the same boat.

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## rvd2 (Dec 3, 2016)

gethookedadventures01 said:


> I guess, I just saw it and figured it was the same boat.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Not funny to me


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## Chase This! (Jul 20, 2007)

rvd2 said:


> Not funny to me


Mark is making light of it on his own FB page.


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## rvd2 (Dec 3, 2016)

Chase This! said:


> Mark is making light of it on his own FB page.[/QUOTE
> 
> True and that's funny but he's not Mark.


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## gethookedadventures01 (Dec 29, 2015)

.[/QUOTE

True and that's funny but he's not Mark.[/quote]

Lol ok. You act like I made the meme or something.

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## DolphinExpressMan (Feb 3, 2012)

Lol rvd2 I bet you are fun at parties


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## Drundel (Feb 6, 2006)

Seeing that picture really brings his story to life. That's crazy how fast it went down.


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