A REMINDER THAT BAD THINGS HAPPEN QUICKLY ON THE WATER

Tashmoo

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In Massachusetts it was a great day to be out on the water (for most that is) one of only a handful of good days this year. So my wife decided to take a run out to Stellwagon Bank and see the whales. We get to the NW corner (26 miles east of home port) and no whales so we start making our way to the NE corner when we hear a distress call from a boat back on the NW corner. For reference the NW corner of Stellwagon is about 16 mile from Gloucester light.

The distressed boat said that his steering broke and that he was taking on water at a rapid pace. I am not sure about the connection between the steering and taking on water but I am sure about the end result. The captain said that all he could do was drive in circles to try to bail the boat and that he was taking water on fast. At that the CG requested vessels in the area to assist as their closest boat was fifteen to twenty minutes away. We turned around and started to the announce coordinates when another boat in the area announced his ETA to be 5 minutes, closer then we were. The responding boat was a hero and a true pro in the way he handled the situation. At any rate we arrive in the area no more than ten minutes after the first distress call in time to hear and see that the boat had capsized and that the crew was in the water. TEN MINUTES MAX!!!!!

Thank God there were plenty of boats to assist as the crew was pulled from the water immediately. Thank God that the seas were calm. Again, from the first distress call to the distressed boat being submerged except for the last three feet of the bow, Ten minutes tops!!!!!!

The GG arrived and took the crew onto their boat and then released the boats that were assisting. We watched to see what the CG was going to do if anything with the capsized and 90% submerged boat. They surveyed the situation and left her where she was. I guess it makes sense, what could anyone do. The boat that sank was reported to be a 21 foot twin engine catamaran.

Anyway, I thought I would share this with all of you as a reminder that when bad things happen in a boat they happen very quickly. Thankfully this time the ending was OK.
 
A scary situation that ended about as good as it can. You can always get another boat, people can't be replaced. Shouldn't that boat have enough foam in the core where it cannot sink? If the weather was good that was the time to take care of the boat.
 
Tashmoo:
Scarry. Quite an event!! You responded quickly and professionally which is a credit to your high seamanship standards. This is one of many events that I have heard happen quickly on the water. A rule that I have learned to follow is to have double of everything on the boat - batteries, GPS, VHF, etc etc which I have never regretted. We also wear CO2 life vests all the time when out on the Grady. Your post reminds us all that one can never be too careful on the water. Thanks for the report.

What an odd circumstance to have the steering affect the boat floatation, unless it was another problem that affected the steering as a follow on.