Boat sinking off Washington coast

[hollywood8118]

Does anyone know any additional details on this incident?


Boat was headed to Cal in iffy at best weather


https://komonews.com/news/local/coast-guard-rescues-3-from-sinking-boat-off-washington-coast


HOLLYWOOD

 

[Comodave]

Well, they have to be very lucky to have survived without any PFDs given that the water temp must not be too high.

 

[Lepke]

5 miles out the depth is only 20-25 fathoms. You get bigger waves when the swells enter the shallower water. I usually transit in 100+ fathoms.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

I know of a 42 foot Silverline which sank in modest (4 - 5 foot) waves. It was taking the waves on the port quarter through and open porthole. Sank in 50 foot of water off a very shallow sandbar. Divers closed the porthole and floated it with air bags, then pumps.

Anything can happen, Thank God they are OK

pete

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Well you never know. PFDs, Life rafts and gumby suits. Water temp is about 46f. We will be heading that way in about 8 weeks or so, but 15sm offshore.

 

[Max Simmons]

Is it not SOP to carry a canister life raft when cruising off shore?

 

[psneeld]

Is it not SOP to carry a canister life raft when cruising off shore?

Depends what you call offshore and even then it could be a valise vs cannister raft, but bot rafts can be the same, just different containers.

 

[backinblue]

5 miles from shore is hardly what I would call "offshore". Besides the several hundred gallons of fuel, I'm surprised the news wasn't concerned with their holding tank leaking. Good thing they were beyond 3 miles!

 

[rsn48]

I'm curious why they weren't in a dinghy even if they didn't have a valise.

 

[caltexflanc]

I'm curious why they weren't in a dinghy even if they didn't have a valise.

Geez, they didn't even have PFDs!

 

[SteveK]

Why is there no news update on this.
Had another look at OP news, they are letting the man walk barefeet on the gravel.
I guess this is the news now.
Coast Guard offloads more than 19,600 pounds of cocaine, marijuana in Alameda, Calif.

 

[backinblue]

They called for help you would think they would put on pfd's unless they didn't have them. Not everyone has or necessarily should have a dinghy as safety equipment if not venturing offshore, and even then, a dinghy is not a life raft.

 

[Benthic2]

I'm not sure how much help a dinghy would be in 8-10 foot seas

 

[psneeld]

Why is there no news update on this.
Had another look at OP news, they are letting the man walk barefeet on the gravel.
I guess this is the news now.
Coast Guard offloads more than 19,600 pounds of cocaine, marijuana in Alameda, Calif.

If you really cared about the survivor, he shouldn't be walking at all if hypothermia was suspected unless cleared by medical personnel (usually beyond paramedics).

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Bad seas or mechanical?

If bad seas, why would they go in bad weather. Bad planning?

 

[Frosty]

I couldn't get Komonews link to load, but found an article put out by the Coast Guard. They described picking the survivors up from a debris field (which doesn't make it sound like there was any/much boat left). I'll see if I can dig up the link again.

Here it is. 8-10' seas, 30mph winds. 48' boat that sank.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSCG/bulletins/2c84b78

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
So where does the "...19,600 pounds of cocaine..." fit into this story?

 

[SteveK]

Greetings,
So where does the "...19,600 pounds of cocaine..." fit into this story?

It has become a bigger story

 

[Frosty]

I guess there has been a "development"?

 

[rsn48]

A dinghy helps in larger ocean conditions, I'm thinking rib here, not one of those solid jobbies that truly aren't worth it in bad conditions. If you can stay out of the water, full emersion I'm talking about, even though you get wet you will get hypothermia slower than full emersion. I'm not saying they'd be having a lot of fun.

I have often wondered why inflatable tubes that served as tent poles couldn't be designed that when fully inflated couldn't offer some kind of covering for ribs. They would somehow attach to the sides of the rib tubes.

 

[hollywood8118]

I originally tagged the news piece to see if it was someone that had previously posted here about the transit. It appears the voyage wasn't well thought out due to not checking weather, no raft/dinghy/ pfd's etc.
Hopefully someone will turn up some info
HOLLYWOOD

 

[porman]

Greetings,
So where does the "...19,600 pounds of cocaine..." fit into this story?

The cocaine was found in California. It is a bigger story than a simple boat sinking off Washington.

 

[Frosty]

The cocaine was found in California. It is a bigger story than a simple boat sinking off Washington.

So this 48' boat that sunk off the WA coast is somehow connected to this other story about drugs seized off the coasts of Mexico and Central and South America

[FONT=times new roman,times]ALAMEDA, Calif. *— The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL 755) is scheduled to offload approximately 8,200 pounds of seized cocaine and 11,450 pounds of marijuana[FONT=times new roman,times] [that[FONT=times new roman,times]][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=times new roman,times] were seized in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean between January and March, representing 15 suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America.[/FONT]



https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSCG/bulletins/2c8f37d

 

[porman]

Sorry Frosty, I missed the part where they're only unloading it in California. No connection to the sinking boat. Just that cocaine is a bigger story than saving people from drowning.

 

[battles2a5]

Depends what you call offshore and even then it could be a valise vs cannister raft, but bot rafts can be the same, just different containers.

When it comes to life rafts, I've always considered anything beyond swimming distance to be offshore. Drowning 2 miles offshore has the same result as drowning 100 miles offshore!

 

[psneeld]

When it comes to life rafts, I've always considered anything beyond swimming distance to be offshore. Drowning 2 miles offshore has the same result as drowning 100 miles offshore!

True.... but estimated survival time may factor into what kind of raft, but not necessarily container.


I sort of thought the 2 miles or 100 was obvious, but not necessarily the definition offshore to match the type of raft.


Even that will vary on location, SAR and peoples perception.

 

[backinblue]

Would you then consider any body of water that is more than 2 miles wide, or more than you can swim, being offshore? 99% of my boating is in Long Island Sound. It's about 15 miles wide where I am. I cross it often but never consider myself being offshore. There are also people who swim across it for charity events. Even venturing out of the Sound to places like Block Island could technically fit the description of offshore.

In all my boating, I never considered the need to carry an offshore survival raft. It's only my opinion, but I don't think I would do that unless I was venturing far enough into the open ocean to be out of sight of land and easy rescue.

 

[battles2a5]

Would you then consider any body of water that is more than 2 miles wide, or more than you can swim, being offshore? 99% of my boating is in Long Island Sound. It's about 15 miles wide where I am. I cross it often but never consider myself being offshore. There are also people who swim across it for charity events. Even venturing out of the Sound to places like Block Island could technically fit the description of offshore.

In all my boating, I never considered the need to carry an offshore survival raft. It's only my opinion, but I don't think I would do that unless I was venturing far enough into the open ocean to be out of sight of land and easy rescue.

I was being tongue in cheek, but the point is that unless you are in a heavily trafficked area with nearby rescue resources, the distance offshore doesn't mean a whole lot. I'm in Nantucket Sound most of the time but even then I can be 10+ miles from land in any direction and depending on time of year and conditions I might be the only vessel on radar. With all of the expenses we incur as boaters the cost of a life raft is relatively cheap piece of mind for me. YMMV.

 

[psneeld]

I was being tongue in cheek, but the point is that unless you are in a heavily trafficked area with nearby rescue resources, the distance offshore doesn't mean a whole lot. I'm in Nantucket Sound most of the time but even then I can be 10+ miles from land in any direction and depending on time of year and conditions I might be the only vessel on radar. With all of the expenses we incur as boaters the cost of a life raft is relatively cheap piece of mind for me. YMMV.

Based on this post, I would guess most raft manufacturers would say that a coastal raft would be sufficient for the normal boating season...if an all year round cruiser, then offshore with the additional protections might be warranted.


I would say the same for Long Island Sound.

 

[slowgoesit]

Anyone hear any more info on this? Like type/brand of boat, what allowed/caused the water intrusion, mechanical problems, they got pooped, whatever? Anyone?