I got a call from my friends’ father & stepmother saying their 27’ Grady White started taking on water and capsized about 40 miles off Hatteras today. Fortunately they had an EPIRB, wet suites (they surf in the winter up there too) and there was a Coast Guard vessel within 30 min. of their location when the the distress signal went out.
All I know right now is that they noticed the boat taking on water and the pumps could not keep up. They tried to make it back in, but the faster they went, the faster the water came in and before they knew it the boat began to capsize. I suspect a failed thru-hull or hose because they told me that while the one son & his friends were awaiting rescue on the bottom of the capsized boat, they looked over the hull and could not find any hull damage.
The ironic part is that their parents were out on their 40’ Formula cruiser with he boys’ girlfriends in the Pamlico River when they heard the Coast Guard report that a boat fitting the description of their sons’ boat was in distress. They were well over 100 miles from the location where the distress signal was initiated, but poured the coals to their boat and headed that way until they heard a Coast Guard boat was enroute to rescue the crew.
I am so thankful that they had the proper safety gear on board, but I hope this reminds everyone to make sure all their thru-hulls and hoses are in good condition, double clamped and inspected regularly.
FORT MACON, N.C. - Crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Elm rescued four boaters when their 27-foot pleasure craft capsized 20 miles east of Cape Hatteras Sunday afternoon.
Coast Guard watchstanders received a call from the crew of the vessel at 2:50 p.m. stating they were taking on water.
The Elm was diverted from normal operations and arrived on scene at 3:12 p.m.
A Coast Guard rescue boat crew was also launched from Station Cape Hatteras.
“This case represents the effective use of safety equipment, including life jackets and a handheld VHF radio, that saved 4 lives today,” said Craig Sanders, a civilian working out of USCG Sector North Carolina. “The Coast Guard’s Rescue 21 system was able to confirm the location of the distressed mariners by triangulating their VHF mayday call, allowing the Elm to arrive on scene before hypothermia could set in.”
The Elm is a 225-foot buoy tender homeported in Fort Macon, N.C.
Won’t ever hear a word on the national new about this story. If they would have been stupid about it and did not have a VHF, epirb, life jackets, wetsuits, etc. They could have gotten a huge book and movie deal. Been on all the national news. Stars could have been born! Oh well…
Set the trap boys, we going to pass through them again!!
Won’t ever hear a word on the national new about this story. If they would have been stupid about it and did not have a VHF, epirb, life jackets, wetsuits, etc. They could have gotten a huge book and movie deal. Been on all the national news. Stars could have been born! Oh well…
Set the trap boys, we going to pass through them again!!
Ain’t that the truth! Stupidity is rewarded with money and fame, but I guess being smart and prepared is rewarded with LIFE!
Boat has been located again and there is some video of it.
She is now about 3000 miles east of Cape Hatteras. It has been a year and 4 months since the initial capsizing.
The first sighting was about 1400 nautical miles east of Cape Hatteras. This sighting was about 500 miles south of the Azores by another vessel, which is about 3000 nautical miles east of Cape Hatteras. Location spotted was 3041’ N and 3019.9’ W
Looks like she is still bringing up the fish. Nice Mahi-Mahi and even a whale close by.
