Ever swamp your boat?

I have read a lot of questions on floatations but has anyone ever swamped your boat? This is my first jon boat and not use too the low sides. So was wondering if you do swamp your boat will it float. Or will you have to call in a dive team to retrieve your boat?

If it is a factory boat that has not been modified by removing foam, and you adhere to the USCG rating plate, yes, it is designed to have level flotation.

This means it can be swamped up to the gunwales, and will continue to float, in theory, anyhow.


I've never completely swamped a boat to the gunwales, but I've had water knee-deep in a johnboat, it's not a fun feeling. That's why I have 4 bilge pumps on my jetboat capable of pumping 2700 GPH.

I had a 10 foot Jon boat and a friend of mine and I swamped it on purpose to see if it would float are was stated by the company. Lets put it this way you don't want to have to set in it and you don't want the wind to be blowing. We filled it completly full and to sit in it was like trying to set on a log floating in the water. We both got in to it and you had to sit real still or it would take over. This was back in the day when floation was just started to be added to boats so the newer ones may be different. We had a lot of fun that day. We also did a canoe but that did not turn out so good. It floated until we tried to get in it and it sank but came back to the surface real easy. This was in my young and dumb days :LOL2:

Not yet! I have forgot to put the plug in once or twice!

I have a 10ft Gamefisher. A microburst wind came up without warning. Heading for the ramp, water was coming over my transom. By the time I got to the ramp, the water in my boat was to the top of the seats and fishing gear was trying to float out of the boat. At the ramp, I had to pull the plug and bail water to get enough of the water out so that I could get the boat on the trailer. With my outboard, trolling motor and fishing gear, I was probably pushing the maximum payload for the boat but I was still floating. I was glad I was only about 300 yards out and started heading for the ramp as soon as the water started acting strange.

I am getting ready to take out my front seat with the foam but before I do, I am adding a small deck in the bow for storing gear but it will be filled with foam underneath it to replace the foam I am removing.

havent Swamped my boat... and i hope it never happens... canoes and kayaks yes.. im addin a bilge pump for this years fishing. im tired of worrying about other boaters who seem to try to swamp the little boats..

after i bought my boat last year i got a few good waves over the ransom after a bassboat flew down the river. 15ft from my boat... when the rivers 75yards wide.. :evil: .. had to improvise quick and cut open a jug i had and started bailing

ive had my boat(16ft semi v)completeley full to the top of my gunnels and it stayed afloat with me in it, with all the factory foam in it still....

I swamped a 12' Alumacraft 12'X32" from Acadamy. I lost my balance try ing to get the bait bucket and it started to take on water. I thought for a moment and decided to roll out of the boat and hang onto the side.(not completely sunk) All was well because I had some friends comeing by in about 5 minets. I weigh 190lb. I will stick to my 14'X48' jon from now on.

Was at cabin in Bay boat tied to dock (rained about 10 in that night. Boat was level full but afloat. Jumped in pulled drain plugs and she began to rise..After about 30 min there was just enough water in boat to get feet wet.Jumped in Pulled starter rope took for a quick spin that got rest of water out ..Put plugs in..Oh yes forgot to mention She was a 13 f Boston Whaler...cva34

Swamped a 20ft wellcraft CC on lake erie when we had following waves and the dock line was caught around the prop, also the bilge pump had some crap caught in it and would not work. We were about 4 miles out. Filled it up and then a wave flipped it over, it stayed on top but not level. Some other boat saw us and picked us up. Tow boat righted it, got it moving, emptied the boat and bilge of water, brought it back to shore, $600. We spent the next day getting the 150hp johnson and 10hp honda running again, got electronics working mostly. Day after that we went fishing again, 8 miles out on lake erie. That wellcraft had such a low transom, it was prone to swamping.
Tim

Also rescued 3 folks who were floating down the IL river near morris, IL when their 10 ft jon swamped, turned over and dumped them. Took the 3 of them to shore, then went out and got most of their gear. Gas tank, portable depth finder, tackle boxes, cooler, cushions, etc.. What comes around goes around.
Tim