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Tuesday, January 20, 2004
Shipwrecked boat being cut up, removed
By TRAVIS LOOP/ West Hawaii Today
The culprit responsible for the Spanish Main drifting through Kailua Bay and smashing onto the rocks last week washed under the boat Monday as salvage operations continued above.
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A 300-pound peice of metal that was the top cap of a purported 5,000 pound mooring, broke away from the larger section and was dragged to shore with the boat. Currents, tides and waves finally brought the rusted hunk of steel to a rest Monday on the same rocks as the Spanish Main, which was being cut into sections and hauled away.
"The mooring was made of clumps of metal, one peice welded to another, and the welding holding the top cap broke," said Rick Patton, owner of Land-N-Sea in Kailua-Kona, the company conducting the salvage operation. "People really need to be aware of what they are using underwater."
Dean Towle, the owner of the Spanish Main, a 65-foot, three-mast sailboat, was using a mooring placed in 80 to 85 feet of water by another boat owner. He previously used a 120-pound plow anchor.
Towle contacted Land-N-Sea the day after his boat washed onto the rocks to arrange for salvage.
Patton said he was scheduled to do welding work on the Spanish Main's rudder and believed Towle was paying him a visit to discuss the job.
"Unfortunately, I could tell by his expression that wasn't the case," Patton said, who determined the boat was not salvageable after an inspection. "I know some people said it could be done, but there are a lot of armchair quarterbacks out there."
No boat in the immediate area is large enough to pull the Spanish Main free, he said. Numerous holes along the hull allowed rocks to protured into the boat, meaning any towing attempt would rip much larger peices from the hull.
Cutting the boat apart became the only option, an operation that will cost about $17,500.
First, the awnings were cut off so there was access to the deck of the boat. Holes were then cut and workers removed the motors, generators and fuel tanks.
Once the hazardous materials and heavy machinery were off the boat, Patton and his crew went to work on the three masts.
"We have taken the boat apart in a way so that as much can be sold as possible," Patton said.
Towle's backyard is filling up with salvaged materials including four 22-person life floats, flashing beacons and two 300-horsepower John Deere engines. There already several people interested in the masts and Towle plans a shipwreck yard sale for the rest.
By Monday afternoon, the deck had been cut off the boat, along with section of the port side. The starboard side remained to protect the workers from waves still battering the boat. Patton said he hoped to have the operation completed by Thursday.
Towle is on the scene everyday during the salvage operation, keeping the area clean, deciding what to keep and helping in any way possible.
He said it is painful seeing the dissection of the boat he registered as a fishing and passenger vessel, and planned to use for historical cruises along the Kona coast.
"When a tragedy first happens, even though I feel bad, it becomes a challenge to face," Towle said. "It's a different feeling five days later as I have seen the boat taken apart in front of me."
When asked what comes next, Towle points out he still has his Captain's License and will continue teaching captain courses through the Maritime License Center in Honolulu. Owner Carl Devoe even donated $1000 toward the salvage operation.
Towle's web site, www.captaindean.uni.cc, still shows activity plans for the Spanish Main. Towle says dispite the challenges ahead, thos plans remain, albiet with another boat.
"The more I have talked with people and heard what they have to say, I am starting to realize, and my wife agrees, that we plan to try again," Towle said.
