rigging for digging

[captbonnie]

Gold Hawg Treasure is proud to announce we are outfitting a bigger digger. Our June trip to Bahamas allowed us to sell the Gold Hawg and we are rigging the 45 Hatteras. We are getting a lot of encouragement seeing the photos of gold being found on North Douglas Beach and although I am spending my days under the boat with such tasks as sanding bottom paint, Mom and I should be back out there when the new blowers get installed. Hard to tell if we will make it before the winter swells kick in but will be heading to Douglas - I still have unfinished business there - a missing gold wing for the Gold Pelican and the chains that were on the bird - (maybe those have just been found )

But the treasure will come later this is about rigging for artifact recovery using propwash deflectors. A lot of details both mechanical, financial, and legal with this type of outfit. We currently are sub-contractor C-11 for 1715 Queens Jewels. Gold Hawg Treasure has been run as a sole proprietorship but has just sent in paperwork to convert to an LLC. Very proud to have filed as a profitable business for the 2012 year .

Boat is a Hatteras 45C with twin Detroit Diesels 8V71s 350 HP each swinging 4 blade 28" bronze props. Blowers are being built by Apple Machine Shop - 32" diameter out of 3/8" aluminum. The brackets and installation will be done by Coastal Fabrication and we are in the boatyard at our "home port" of Riverside Marina & Boatyard - all Ft. Pierce facilities. Apple built the first mailbox I had for a re-fit of Harold Holden's Royal Eight. First stage of the blowers and the boat:


As time allows I will post. More updates on my Facebook page: goldhawgtreasure - LIKES are motivational after a day in the boatyard!

More to come ashore....
Capt. Bonnie

 

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[VERDE]

Hey capthawk!! Neat Rig!! The Blowers look great and should move plenty of sand for you!! A friend of mine in P'cola rigged one up to the stern of his boat and did Quite Well in P'cola bay!! Hope it pays off for you!! GOOD HUNTING!! VERDE!!

 

[ScubaFinder]

Looking great Bonnie! Can't wait to see her on site...hell I can't wait to DIVE off her. :-)

 

[captbonnie]

Jason you will have an open invite to dive ...and thanks verde I think she'll move that deep sand we were getting a bit frustrated in the area we found the gold bird shallower sand out to NE but hard blowing in anything in immediate vicinity spent a lot of days with that single blower but should be able to cover area again and move either northerly or west easily. deep sand way to north in area i worked with royal eight.Gold Hawg was a hard worker but can only ask so much from your boat ...glad she's resting from the digging but still working in Bahamas ..good to go on to another life. May we all have clear water in our future, but that Douglas beach vis is good enough for me...that's what the detector is for

 

[Booty Salvage]

Can't wait till your back out. We got our spot, lol. I bet your itching to get back to yours.

Oh how i love that beach they call Douglas!

Swing by the boat or condo for rum and stories. I haven't let the fame get to my head, yet. Lol

-Capt Eric. Aarrr Booty C-1

 

[captbonnie]

thanks Eric - don't know when we will be rigged but this "boat change" needed to be done. right now I'm itching just to get those elbows down to the boatyard - didn't happen this week but Rick (Coastal) did some beautiful stainless knees for deck supports and I have been getting back to boat duties - crawling around greasing seacocks, freeing up trim tab drives, and trying to figure out how to keep my Seatalk Raymarine stuff speaking to each other. After running bare-bones Hawg forgot how much wiring this baby has.

Enjoy the fame - you deserve it --- those chains are amazing. The Douglas Days of glory are back - before I ever started treasure diving here Mom was sending me newspaper clippings of gold finds at Douglas. She met Harold Holden and Douglas Beach has had a big impact on my life.

It is good to see someone out there with a love for what they are doing.

Capt. Bonnie C-11 (didn't realize you were C-1 --- lucky 1's yeah!)

 

[Dell Winders]

Bonnie, I can't wait to see you out there digging again. My history with the area goes back to when the place was known as "Colored Beach", and my friend Frank (deceased) was finding coins on the beach. It took him months to persuade Mel Fisher, to bring a salvage boat and investigate an area he believed there to be a shipwreck. Mel, reported that when they blew the sand away the bottom was covered with a carpet of Gold coins. As they say, the rest is history.

In my opinion, the area is littered with Treasure, with the mother Lode's ranging from 15-25 feet below the sand, Scattered items aren't buried as deep.

I too would like to spend a day (or more) with you, with all due respect to Jason's youth.

 

[ScubaFinder]

My youth is slowly fading too Dell. :-) If my a$$ could ever catch up with my brain I'd already be a millionaire. :-)

 

[captbonnie]

Another week. apple machine finished up and Coastal picked up blowers then rain! Trying to figure a hydraulic winch into budget . Those 3/8 thick babies are huge. Still going to give it a first try to lift them with block & tackle when they are hung. Just so Mom won't call me a wimp she said if she could raise the main on a gaff rigged schooner I shouldn't need hydraulics . She is my motivator. Have manual winches for side to side but that hydraulic is wish list.
Dell you and Trudy are always welcome.

 

[Booty Salvage]

Yeah I heard someone found a pile of gold, better get out there.

 

[captbonnie]

Yeah I heard someone found a pile of gold, better get out there.

Been there !!!! found gold ...going back!!! Just gonna be digging with a bigger digger this time ...might be next summer but after 300 years give or take what's a season!


See u there - bet you guys will be back out too.

 

[captbonnie]

New photos on my blog www.goldhawgtales.com

Blowers fitted and back at shop for finish welds

 

[ScubaFinder]

She looks like a treasure finder already Bonnie! Can't wait to see what she digs up...with all that extra space you'll have room for a deckhand and a dive buddy, not that you or Jo need one, you gals are an inspiration to me and many others. Best of luck always.

Jason

 

[jeff08xx]

I am envious of you living the dream down there. I've been chasing the gold in freshwater long enough. I need to get into saltwater and wintering there on the Treasure Coast. Good luck in your efforts.

 

[Red_desert]

Wow!!! That sure is a great looking rig there Bonnie! You deserve to find the other wing to the bird. Hope this coming season is a good one again.

 

[captbonnie]

Gold Quest is working - C-11. one possible small dagger/knife blade - still in E/o status. pleased to report I love the rig - can raise blowers with block and tackle but have a 12v winch to make it easier if I am doing it solo.working in about 14' so haven't revved her up yet - idle to about 800 - 1000 rpm when we got into about 5-6 sand seemed hard packed but overblew. setting 3 point with boat - no anchor boat. more photos later hope some of treasure soon.

 

[thetigers2]

Looking good,Bonnie

 

[Red_desert]

Yes Bonnie, your boat is looking good!

 

[Whitt]

Really nice! Let me know if you need any volunteers!

 

[CaptEsteban]

Nice boat. I hope she serves you well !!