Last fall Murat, my husband, managed yet another setback in his experience as a commercial harvester. As you may imagine, it is not simple or easy to earn one's living as a commercial fisherman.
His troller, Matie W, sank last fall. Murat bought another troller, F/V Onxy, in order to harvest salmon in 2014 and have more time to complete the repairs on the Matie W. It is plenty to manage for one individual who is only available 8 months each year to change filters, caulk seems, repair rot and replace worn parts. The Matie W had been the troller purchased to catch wild salmon throughout the summers. Murat was optimistic when he purchased the Matie W in summer of 2012; it was turn key and ready to fish. However the in the fall of 2013 while tied up to his fishing vessel Sunset, the Matie W sank while Murat had returned to Philadelphia for business and pleasure. During the 5 months immediately following the event, Murat spent money and time trying to resurrect the functionality Matie W once had. By spring 2014 the Matie's engine was up and running, and by August she had a new wheelhouse. The cost of the necessary new deck was a burden both of time and money, and Murat was eager to fish. When the opportunity presented itself to purchase the 33 foot power troller, Onyx, although it was smaller and needed tender loving care, it was affordable compared to the lost wages and cost of the Matie's unending repairs and gear replacement, Murat thought about it for a day or two then bought the F/V Onxy.
On September 4th 2013, the preparations for Murat's return from Philadelphia to Alaska commenced immediately as reports came in that Matie was taking on water while tied to the dock adjacent to his other vessel, Sunset. Measures were being taken to pump off the excess accumulating water, but the reported observations that Matie was stabilizing were false. It is common for vessels to require bilge pumps as a means of managing water accumulation in the lowest parts of the vessel. In 5 days that felt more like a month, awaiting his flight, Murat called his hired boat watch numerous times daily. The automatic pump had stopped working and had been replaced without affect. The battery was suspected to be the trouble and claims were made that the situation was under control manually. While the boat was being dewatered daily by a portable electric pump , Murat became more anxious to tend to his responsibilities as the owner of the Matie W. On the night before Murat's flight, the call came at 11pm eastern time, 7 pm Alaska time, from the harbor master reporting the direness of the new circumstances. The Matie W eventually had taken on enough water to lower the freeboard. Once the water passed the loose seems just below the decking, it took only minutes for the Matie to sink and become completely covered by water all the way to the rigging that was once 20 feet above sea level. The Matie sat on the bottom sunk in the water for two days before Murat arrived plus another 48 hours after that while Murat gathered his resources, planned his strategy, and worked nonstop to raise the Matie. The process was difficult but not impossible, requiring the skill of a diver, counter lever and winch operator, and a calm and focused owner to orchestrate the task and assist in all aspects while the Matie crept slowly out of the water one inch at a time being secured and increasingly dewatered every inch of the way.
The resulting work of Murat, Diver Dave and Steve W. was captivating. Spectators came to encourage their success. One woman named Pat took pictures to document the ordeal. At one time it looked as if raising the Matie might be faster than expected, but soon after, events took and turn and the Matie fell down into the water to nearly where it had sunk. The rails on the bow started to tear away from the hull as the pressure of the lines increased on their fastenings. Eventually the bullworks ripped off the bow along with the rails and new points were chosen from which to exert the force of lifting against gravity, water and weight. Water tight bags were secured to the hull of the Matie and inflated with air to add needed buoyancy to the task. Lines were tied from the Matie and secured to the Sunset to protect the progress as the situation unfolded. Much larger portable pumps were lowered onto the Matie to divert away water from the boat's fish hold and other spaces customarily below the water line. Pullies and winches were used to elevate the heavy mass slowly and with control.
Once recovered the damage could be determined, and it was substantial. The Matie had lost her deck, engine and wheelhouse to water damage. All of the rigging had to be removed in order to replace the house and deck. The electronics and wiring were all destroyed. And every part that had been old and worn but still functional was now inoperable. The stove, hydraulics, anchor winch, starter, pumps, and batteries were all damaged and no longer worked. New ones would need to be purchased and installed to replace them along with all of the fishing gear. Murat felt relieved when the Matie W was afloat again nonetheless, his spirits were low as he comprehended the size and scale of the work that lie ahead in order to return the Matie W back to service.
After he had slept, eaten and showered, true to habit Murat began to clean and repair the engine almost immediately. With meticulous care he disassembled the Nissan D37 6 cylinder engine that powered the Matie. Eventually everything except the head, pistons, cylinders, flywheel, bolts and shaft needed to be replaced. He replaced all of the fuel injectors, hoses, sensors, wires, clamps, gaskets, sealants, oils, fluids, filters, gauges and alarms. The starter and an auxilliary pump were replaced. The battery and the battery charger were replaced along with the pumps and electrical panels. About two months after the Matie's resurrection, Murat got the engine running once again.
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