Five people aboard a 60-footer that sank in the Gulf of Alaska were rescued because the motoryacht was equipped with the proper safety and communications gear. Watch...VIDEO: http://www.soundingspub.com/news/dispatches/932-dispatches/285322-video-prepared-for-the-worst
Praise to preparation and contingency planning, training and knowing how and what to do when the situation arises. We should have more of these stories, and survivors shouldn't be 'the lucky few' but the well prepared and trained. Thanks for posting Brian.
Excellent article. My open questions: - Was there a reasonably low "high water alarm" to maximize the crew's ability to diagnose and remedy the problem before it was "too late to do anything" - Did the boat allow good access to the water ingress area so that something could be done to stop the ingress - Were the crew able to try to stuff things such as towels into the ingress area, in an attempt to lower the ingress rate to something the bilge pumps could deal with - Did the boat have the ability to draw engine cooling water from the bilge instead of the ocean, in an attempt to dewater - Was there a gasoline powered bilge pump that could have been used to dewater - The waters were undoubtedly too cold to drape a tarp under the hull (hard to do without getting in the water). Nevertheless, a 30x30 tarp might be a useful thing to have aboard if in warmer waters. - Were there not watertight compartments in the engine room, sufficient to allow the boat to remain afloat even with the engine room flooded. Dan
Greetings, Glad there were no fatalities. Interesting comment that the boat had "dripless" shaft seals.....Hmmmmmm..... Peter.
Soundings has a feature on this sinking and rescue in this month's print issue. Sounds like the crew (was owner-operated, w/ experiienced boaters aboard) was well-prepared, and did things by the book. That one could have been very bad!