It’s another beautiful day in Krk, and Sense4Boat has added another boat to its “Saved!” list.
Last week in Marina Punat, sailors were working hard, getting their guest boats ready for the season. Their boats had spent the winter suspended on the dry dock—an out-of-water “parking lot” for boats—and it was time to put them back in the sea for the warmer months. These men perform the transition from suspension to water seamlessly every time, and I’m often left in awe of how quickly the boats are readied in Punat Bay.
Others were working their way through the dry dock, boat by boat, inspecting the suspended boats that would be lowered into the water that day for any obvious concerns. Some supervised the sailors who were guiding the boats into the water and sending them off to their assigned berths, making sure no mishaps happened along the way.
But one boat was in silent duress.
The team was in the process of lowering a boat into the water when one of our Sense4Boat Smart Bilge Sensor alarms began to ring. There was a boat taking on water out on Marina Punat. The sensor alerted the monitoring center in the Marina Punat, by automated call and email, that there was a water intrusion on the boat.
Sailors unoccupied by lowering boats were sent to the berthing site to inspect the boat, and they noticed that, while the bilge pump was working, it was struggling to keep up, allowing water to quickly fill the boat.
They hurried to tow the boat back to the shipyard and raise it out of the water, where they could let it drain and analyze the interior. They immediately discovered a faulty underwater vent.
Had the boat not been installed with our Sense4Boat Smart Bilge Sensor, this particular boat would have had at least major damage to the boat’s electrical system, which would have resulted in a major repair bill, but at the worst, according to the Harbormaster, the boat would have sunk.
I spoke with the Harbormaster after the event, who made several recommendations for serious boaters:
- “The best damage is the one that doesn’t happen.”
This is essentially the Harbormaster’s catchphrase; a day that goes by without any particular incident or loss of assets is a very good day.
According to the Harbormaster, it’s clear that using Sense4Boat technologies, especially our monitoring system, is a proactive step toward preventing damages.
There are many symptoms in a boat, such as a minor heat elevation or a small leak in the bottom of the boat, that could easily go unnoticed on a daily basis. Without a Sense4Boat sensor to help you detect these symptoms, how will you know before it’s too late?
- “The Bilge Sensor is the one that will save your boat.”
Though Sense4Boat offers a variety of features and tools, the Harbormaster was the most adamant about our Bilge Sensor technology.
He stated that he would sleep best if all boats would have this system installed.
To put it in his words: “If a bilge sensor works, we don’t have to worry about anything else, since someone is always looking out for your boat from the inside.”
- “New laws won’t necessarily save your boat (but Sense4Boat could).”
New laws went into effect in early 2021 that prevent the use of automatic bilge pumps. This, of course, leaves boats vulnerable to over-exposure to water, as well as flooding.
These laws can be combated by installing Sense4Boat sensors instead.
The Harbormaster made it clear that he was more likely to support the use of a Sense4Boat sensor than an automatic bilge pump anyway: “Fact is, you’re better off having a good sensor than an automatic bilge pump. A piece of trash could get stuck in your float stack, which will then keep your pump running unnecessarily, which could potentially cause a fire on your boat.” On the contrary, this problem would not occur with a Sense4Boat sensor.
In the last three months, Sense4Boat’s technological sensor systems have prevented the certain sinking of two boats, as well as massive ecological damage in Punat Bay and the surrounding areas.
If you are a passionate boat owner who would like to explore the options you have to keep your boat safe and healthy, contact us at sales@sense4boat.com.