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Tug Sinks

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by NYCAP123, Mar 14, 2015.

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  1. NYCAP123, Mar 14, 2015
    #1
    NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    It was just reported the 65' Sea Bear went down 1 mile off Fire Island Pines, NY. 4 crew aboard and recovered one deceased.
    http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/loca...-From-Sunken-Craft-In-Atlantic-296329331.html

    Dial-A-Buoy

    Significant Wave Height (WVHT): 5.9 ft
    Swell Height (SwH): 5.9 ft
    Swell Period (SwP): 8.3 sec
    Swell Direction (SwD):SSE
    Wind Wave Height (WWH): 1.3 ft
    Wind Wave Period (WWP): 4.0 sec
    Wind Wave Direction (WWD): S
    Wave Steepness (STEEPNESS): AVERAGE
    Average Wave Period (APD): 6.6 sec
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2015
  2. TeKeela, Mar 15, 2015
    #2
    TeKeela

    TeKeela Member

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    My guess it was the guy in the engine room trying to stop the breach, everyone else already suited up. He didn't have time when it was determined to be a lost cause.
  3. NYCAP123, Mar 15, 2015
    #3
    NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    The captain is deceased. Could be a lot of things. I once brought a similar vessel down the coast and our bilge pumps hose broke. So water came in instead of out. We dropped a pump down, but that required the hatch to be off to accommodate the hose & electric cord. The decks on these boats are generally awash in any kind of seas. So we laid the hatch atop and wrapped line around it to lessen the flow through there, but it still poured in through the severed bilge. That was in January. Longest 39 hour shift of my life.
    Where this happened was as good as it gets, just off the Fire Island C G station, but 37* oceans are unforgiving.
  4. CTdave, Mar 15, 2015
    #4
    CTdave

    CTdave Senior Member

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    What's disturbing to me is that it took 45 minutes for a rescue boat to get to the scene. In the beginning it says that boats and a helicopter were dispatched but later it say it took the first boat 45 minutes to reach the scene. The tug was 1 mile off Fire Island.
    Is it because of the time of year? Fewer assets ready to go?
    This brings back memories of two years ago on the 4th of July when several children died when the boat they were inside of capsized just after a fireworks display close to Oyster Bay. I listened to the calls and screams for help on the radio. This boat was 1/4 of a mile from shore with hundreds of boats around but the "Bay Constable", after being told the coordinates three times finally said "those numbers don't help, give me a land mark". It took officials something like 20 min to arrive. We watched as their little blue flashing lights went around in circles as they tried to figure out lat/lon position. I think these guys should be mariners first, police second.
    Don't know why I got off topic, sorry......
  5. NYCAP123, Mar 16, 2015
    #5
    NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    No, it's the distance. Although the tug was just a few miles east of the CG station, the CG had to go west out F.I. Inlet/ The seas probably slowed them a bit also. The CG station is about a couple of miles east of the inlet, and the tug was a few towns east of the station off F.I. Pines. You could drive down the beach to it in a few minutes, but the CG boat had to go maybe 10 or 15 miles against 7' seas, and around Democrat Point. Then there's the muster time. Remember, the CG is cutting back on personel, and in winter I'd imagine it'd be bare minimum. Help is always far away in winter. That's why it's a scary time. Oh yeah, and we had quite a bit of snow on the ground also, a couple of feet.

    As for the tragic Oyster Bay incident, co-ordinates would only get him to within about a 1/4 or so square mile area. There may be several hundred boats there for the fireworks. That's a sunken needle in a floating hay stack. I'm sure by landmark he was hoping to hear 'I'm next to them flashing a white light at you or maybe 50' east of buoy---.
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2015
  6. gr8trn, Mar 16, 2015
    #6
    gr8trn

    gr8trn Senior Member

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    Sad story and tragic loss. Speculation can perhaps, if we are fortunate, to assist/avoid/prevent more such storied endings. There is probably no telling why the Captain went into the water...
  7. NYCAP123, Mar 16, 2015
    #7
    NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    A cautionary tale for all mariners, but especially those who move boats in winter.
  8. Beau, Mar 16, 2015
    #8
    Beau

    Beau Senior Member

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    Local news reports say that the crew reports that the captain panicked and jumped into the water without his survival suit on. All four tried to cling together in the water, but capt slipped free. Fog significantly reduced visibility for rescue efforts. Only communication was a cell phone call, apparently no radio or GPS position given? No cause given yet for the rapid flooding
  9. NYCAP123, Mar 16, 2015
    #9
    NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Very possible there was no navigation equipment aboard. The ones I ran had radar and a questionable VHF and that's about it unless we brought our own. But handheld GPS won't work inside these boats.
    Have trouble picturing a captain panicking and jumping in, but I wasn't there.