Five People Saved After Boat Collides in Lake Superior Break Wall

Five people where saved after a ten meter Carver aft cabin flybridge cruiser titled The Lost Anchor collided into the Minnesota side break wall in Lake Superior and sank on 22:50 hours of Tuesday ninth August 2022.  The Duluth Fire Department and St. Louis County Rescue responded to the call to save the five persons and one dog.  With the collision the Carver cruiser opened a hull breach and started sinking and was ultimately beached on the rocks inside the break wall. The Carver cruiser was salvaged with a crane the following day.

The Carver cruiser in this break wall collision is a 36 Aft Cabin as produced from 1990 to 92.  The Carver 36 Aft Cabin came out as replacement to the eight year produced 3607 Aft Cabin, evolving with little design improvements into the 370 Aft Cabin in 1993, and then replaced by the 355 Motor Yacht with sloop stern in the fall of 1995.  Medium sized aft cabin cruisers was a successful segment for Carver in the eighties and nineties.

Sportfish Express Goes Down After Fire in Clear Lake

A ten meter express sportfish with three persons onboard sank after it developed a small fire in Clear Lake, Kemah, Texas, on the morning of Sunday 24th March.  The three boaters where assisted and taken to safety by League City Police Department, with the Police also putting the fire off.  Unfortunately after this the boat started taking on water, probably from a gap in the exhaust outlet and sank.  According to unconfirmed reports the boat went ablaze after the engine ran dry, setting its exhaust on fire, with this ultimately leading to it's sinking.  TowboatU.S Clear Lake is working on a salvage of the express sportfish cruiser.

The sportfish express in this sinking is a Luhrs 32 Open model as produced from 1994 to 2008, renamed as the 320 onwards from 2000.  The 32 Open shared hull with the 32 Convertible  produced from 1988 to 99, and was replaced by the 30 Open in 2004.  Luhrs was founded in 1949, becoming a successful name in medium size sportfish cruisers, with the company going bankrupt in 2012.  Since then a reborn has been promised, which so far has not materialized.

Wicked Tuna Captain Dies in Boating Accident

Captain Charlie Griffin of the Wicked Tuna TV series fame died during a delivery of a ten meter sportfish boat titled J&E's Goodrun, which went missing on the evening of Sunday third March.  Another 35 year old person who was crew onboard is also missing, while Griff's dog was also found dead.  The Express Sportfish departed Virginia Beach direction to Pirate's Cove Marina in Manteo for repairs.  At 23:35 hours the Coast Guard received the call for two missing boaters, with the boat found two nautical miles South of Oregon Inlet on the morning of March fourth, beached and with it's tower detached and lying in-front of the boat.  The causes of the accident are not reported, with the sea being moderate rough with up to two meter wave height, and winds blowing Force Four Beaufort on that Sunday.  The missing 35 year old Chad Dunn was not found, after the Coast Guard dropped out its search operation after 41 hours, and four hundred miles of area investigated.

Charlie Griffin appeared from Season Two to Five of Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks, becoming a fan favorite as he captained the Reels of Fortune, and winning Season Four of the famous TV show.

J&E's Goodrun the sportfish express in this accident is a Scopinich 35 Express, from 2000.  Build of fiberglass the Scopinich 35 Express is designed by Joe Scopinich, debuting in 1997 it offers accommodation for two, and powered by twin 355hp Cat engines reaches top speeds of 35 knots.  Still produced today the 35 Express is Scopinich only made model with Paul Scopinich debuting in 1983 as a fighting chair producer and then as custom boat accessory manufacturer, what is still his main business today.

Fairline Squadron Burns Down in Swansea Marina

A thirteen meter Fairline flybridge cruiser went ablaze while berthed at Swansea Marina, to the Southwest of Wales at 17:52 hours of Sunday nineteen November.  Five fire fighting crews from Swansea Central, Swansea West, Morriston, Gorseinon and Llanelli responded to the fire, taking about an hour to control and two hours to extinguish.  No one was injured in the fire, with the causes of the blaze reported as accidental, with the flybridge cruiser ending half sank, and her flybridge deck burned out.  A fire involving two small boats happened in the same Marina on the end of May of this year.

The Fairline in this fire is a 43 Squadron, a flybridge cruiser designed by Bernard Olesinski and produced from 1994 to 97.  Available in two or three cabins layout the 43 was the entry level Squadron, Fairline's flagship flybridge range which in that time arrived up to 65 foot.  The 43 Squadron came as a replacement of the 43 and was replaced by the Phantom 46 in 1999.

Hurricane Otis Goes Apocalyptic in Acapulco

Hurricane Otis made an apocalyptic arrival in Acapulco on Wednesday 25 October, devastating the waterfront of the Acapulco Yacht Club in the North-West of the bay.  Otis was a compact and so far the most powerful Tropical storm category five hurricane of the 2023 Pacific Season reaching speeds up to 143 knots on the morning of October 25. Forming on the 22nd November, and reaching its peak on the 04:00 hours of October 25, Otis hit and made landfall in Isla de la Roqueta, to the South of Acapulco, killing 49 people, with 57 still missing, and is estimated to have made seventeen billion US dollars in damages.     

Scene from the North part of the of Acapulco Yacht Club, you can see an Azimut 54, and a Sunseeker Predator 63 Open to the left corner, along with a few Sea Rays.

Here is the South side is a Ferretti 800, followed by a Sunseeker Predator 57, a mid nineties Horizon Elegance 82, and an Azimut 100 Jumbo.

A before and after Hurricane Otis view of Acapulco Bay.  Possibly one of the biggest single areas destructions, and devastations ever seen.

Sea Ray Ends Beached in Coney Island

A ten meter Sea Ray sports cruiser titled Broken Arrow with one person onboard ended beached by the West 37th Street Jetty, Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York just before 19:00 hours of Friday twentieth October.  The Sea Ray sport cruiser is reported to have left a marina on Rockaway in rough seas and had some problems with a risk of sinking, with the skipper onboard beaching it to avoid her going down.  The sport cruiser was reported being secured on the same night by the owner.  The day after the ownership was reported trying to unbeach the boat, with no success. 

We have reports that until 1 November Broken Arrow was still beached in the same spot.

Broken Arrow is a Sea Ray 340 Express Cruiser.  Produced from 1984 to 89 the 340 EC offers an open plan accommodation sleeping two plus two, and line shafts propulsion with tunnels.  Similar to the Sundancer in looks, the Sea Ray Express Cruiser offered line shafts propulsion, and a smaller interior alternative version.  The 340 EC had a 340 Sport Fisherman flybridge variant produced till 1987, and was replaced by the 310/330 Express Cruiser in 1990.

Storm Babet

Storm Babet has made havoc in Britain, northern Germany and southern Scandinavia, with powerful winds, heavy rain and storm surges that caused floods, power outages, evacuations and disrupted flights, railway service and ferry lines.  Storm Babet made landfall on Thursday nineteen October, first arriving in the northern part of the United Kingdom, and continued making havoc in North Germany and Southern Scandinavia up till Saturday 21st October.  Gale-force winds whipped up storm surges on the southern shores of the Baltic Sea, breaking through flood defences in coastal areas in Denmark and northern Germany. In Flensburg, a German city just south of the border with Denmark, water levels rose more than two meters to the highest level recorded in a century.  

Forming on the fifteen October Storm Babet also called Storm Viktor in Germany, is an extratropical cyclone which affected Northern and Western Europe, reaching speeds up to one hundred knots, and has caused nine fatalities.  

So far we know that Storm Babet caused damage in the following German yacht marinas; Olympic port of Schilksee in Kiel, Damp, north of Eckernförde, and Wassersleben Marina in Harrislee near Flansbee causing damage to over 200 boats.  The storm in these harbours was caused on Friday twentieth October.

Sea Ray Sport Cruiser Saved from Sinking in Mallets Bay

A thirteen meter Sea Ray sport cruiser with one person onboard was in danger of sinking after hitting a solid object at about 17:00 hours of Monday second October to the South West of Valcour Island, Mallets Bay, Lake Champlain, Burlington, Vermont.  Receiving a call the Cholchester Fire department rescued to owner-boater with its rescue boat, the coast guard followed later, and started the operation to save the Sea Ray sport cruiser, which was sinking in over a meter of water and its bow already buried in the sea bed.  The coast guard initiated the saving with a gas-powered pump and later received the assistance from Red Cap Marine and Salvage who added another pump, floated and patched the Sea Ray and then towed her to Champlain Marina area to dry dock her.  No one was injured in the collision, with the solid object opening a gap of about two feet in the sport cruiser's hull bottom to port side.

The Sea Ray in this near sinking is a 1993 to 95 440 Sundancer.  The Sea Ray 440 Sundancer offered a lower deck sleeping four plus two, and was powered by twin 300 to 425hp Cat engines on line shafts for speeds up to thirty knots with the large engine option.  Introduced as 420 Sundancer in 1990, she was updated as 440 with port holes replacing the window and propeller tunnels added in the hull.  The 440 Sundancer was replaced in 1995 with the Sea Ray 450 Sundancer.

Sea Ray Boat Capsize Sinks in Panama City

A nine meter Sea Ray flybridge cruiser with one person onboard started to take on water and later capsized and sank near Hathaway Bridge, Panama City on the afternoon of Sunday 24 September.  Panama City coast guard intervened just in time, with the boat capsizing seconds in the saving of the one person onboard the Sea Ray cruiser.  Ending with the bow tip out of the water the Sea Ray cruiser was for a night a navigational hazard, resting in shoal water with an oil boom around her on the near abouts to Panama City Marina.  A salvage operation was organized the day after by SeaTow, with the boat retrieved and taken to a boat yard.    

The Sea Ray in this sinking is a 310 Sport Bridge, produced from 1992 to 93 as a mid-core sport fishing cruiser on the 310 Amberjack platform, with the addition of an open flybridge.  The 310 Sport Bridge has an interior sleeping two down below, and is powered by 300hp in both petrol or diesel with line shaft in semi-tunnels propulsion for speeds up to thirty knots.

Hurricane Idalia

Hurricane Idalia started to form on the 26th August from a low pressure in Central America and the Eastern Pacific Ocean.  Idalia touched briefly category four on thirtieth August, when it reached the Big Bend region of Florida, and later become a category three as it crossed to South East Georgia.  Hurricane Idalia later pushed into the Carolinas as it became a Tropical Storm.  Idalia reached 110 knots of wind speed as it made landfall in Florida although it biggest damage came from the storm surge, with water level rising by over two meters.  Since August 31 Idalia has dissipated in the Atlantic, near the Bermuda's.   Idalia was the third hurricane, second major one, and the tenth storm of 2023.

Idalia caused damage to tens of boats and yachts mostly from the storm surge.  Videos on social media showed drifting boats in the Florida canals, while some home owners ended with boats in the court yard in the aftermath of Idalia's storm surge.

Thirty Boats Burn Down in Nautica Feltrinelli

A fire which started in the early 02:40 hours of Saturday 26th August at Nautica Feltrinelli in via della Libera Gargnano, Brescia burned about thirty boats. The fire started in a semi-basement boat storage facility of the boat yard, with the alarm and automatic fire extinguishing system igniting to the flames, and three squads of fire fighting squads arriving immediately on the scene.  It was also reported that at ongoing fire one of the Feltrinelli's saved a few of the boats by towing them away.  According to the initial investigation the fire was ignited by a short circuit on one of the boats.

Feltrinelli boating history goes back in time to 1639 with Pietro a family of boat builders in Gargnano on the Garda lake.  The current set up was started by Egidio Feltrinelli in 1919, a returned American migrant in Gargnano who starts building fast racing boats, with the yard becoming a boat storage and repair centre in 1963 by Fausto.  Today Nautica Feltrinelli is guided by Dino, and is Frauscher Italy's dealer since 2003.

Classic Boat Fire in Ostia, Rome

A nine meter classic sport cruiser with one person onboard went ablaze in between Fiumicino and Ostia, on 18:30 hours of Saturday nineteen August.  The one person onboard after jumping off the boat in the sea was saved by the Fiumiara river police, and at a later stage a fire fighting squad came to the scene with two boats assisted by the Guardia Costiera, turning off the fire before 20:00 hours, but after this the boat sank.  No pollution was made with the fuel tank being recovered, and the boat refloated a day later.  

The classic boat in this fire is a Zarcos 9/m Sport designed by Renato Sonny Levi for hull and exterior by Franco Harrauer and produced in the early to mid seventies.  The 9/m Sport was an evolution of the 8/m and C.V. 500 models.  

Zarcos acronym for Scorza, the surname of the boat builder owner debuted in around 1967 trusting its production to Levi's design, and the pioneering lamellar construction, glued wood at an acute angle to form a solid strong laminate.  Zarcos became popular in the seventies and in that decade also expanded from the first seven meters of the sixties up to a 21 meter flagship which debuted in 1976.  Zarcos is believed to having closed in the early eighties, with the 13/m and 15/m VIP models becoming popular beyond there production run.

Boat Sinks Near Stintino

A traditional motor cruiser of about eight meters in length with one passenger onboard sank near Punta Negra, to the North of Stintino, North West of Sardinia on 05:00 hours of eighteen August.  The cases of the sinking are not reported, though some unconfirmed reports are saying the traditional cruiser hit the reef of Punta Negra and probably to try and save the boat decided to beach it.  The one crew was helped by nearby boaters, and then assisted by the Guardia Costiera and Fire Fighters of the area. The man was later transported by the coast guard to Stintino.

The boat in this sinking is a Sagene 28 a pilot boat inspired motor cruiser with an accommodation for two on the lower deck, and a living with dinette and galley.  The Sagene 28 was a natural evolution of the Bargo 4, and was produced from the mid eighties till the nineties.

Hawaii Firestorm

On the eight August the Hawaii Firestorm reached the Lahaina Small boat harbour, devastating most of the 99 boats in the marina with only thirteen boats and there fortunate pier escaping the fire.  The Hawaii Firestorm formed in early August, predominantly reaching Maui, and doing extensive damage to the North West coast and the coastal town of Lahaina, killing 98 persons with 31 people still missing.  The Hawaii Firestorm was contained on the eleventh August, destroying about 2200 buildings in Lahaina alone, and causing over six billion US dollars in three days.  The Hawaii Firestorm was formed by dry gusty conditions created by a strong high pressure to the North of Hawaii and Hurricane Dora to the South.

Lahiana small boat harbour is located to the North-West of the Island of Maui, to the North of Hawaii and second in size of the Hawaii Island archipelago; which features eight major volcanic islands and thirteen minor islets on the North Pacific Ocean spread in 1,200 nautical miles.  Previously called Sandwich Islands. the Hawaii Islands are a state of the United States of America with a distance of just over 1,700 nautical miles from the closest harbour in California.

Nordhavn Hits Reef Capsizes and Sinks

A fourteen meter Nordhavn explorer cruiser hit a reef capsized and then sank in 45NW Vancouver, Canada on the morning of nine August.  It was a sad turn of events and a bit unfortunate for the explorer cruiser, which after hitting its bottom, rolled to its starboard side, capsized and then sank.  The explorer cruiser was a day later recovered by a barge ship and taken to Campbell River to one of the yards in the area for a big repair.  

The Nordhavn in this sinking is a 47 model, produced from 2002 to 2009 in 59 units.  The Nordhavn 47 offered a two double cabins interior and is powered by a single Lugger 165hp engine for speeds up to nine knots, and a range up to three thousand nautical miles on an efficient seven knots cruise.  Replacing Nordhavn's first 46 model released in 1989, the N47 evolved into the 52 via length extension in 2009.

Two Boats Catch Fire in Portsmouth Virginia Marina

On 07:55 morning of Sunday sixth August Portsmouth Emergency received a call for a boat fire at Tidewater Yacht Marina.  Fire fighters came to the marina finding two boats tied to the dock ablaze, an unattended twelve meters in size aft-cabin cruiser which started the fire, and a house boat of eleven meter which is a liveaboard for a family of five persons including of which is three kids.  It will take about two hours to control the fire, and a hero foster rescue dog to save the family of five and out of harms way, who alerted the liveaboards before it was to late.  Thanks to the dog alert no injuries where sustained, and thanks to the quick action of Portsmouth fire crew, only the two boats where damaged in the fire.

The boat which started this fire looks to be a Trojan 12 Meter Motor Yacht which was produced in the mid to early nineties to a design of Harry Schoell.  The 12 Meter Motor Yacht offered a two double cabin interior and powered by twin Detroit 450hp diesels offered speeds till the mid twenties.  Trojan never replaced the 12 Meter Motor Yacht with the model evolving and becoming the Silverton 392 Motor Yacht in the late nineties.

Amalfi Coast Collision Leaves One Woman Dead

A collision in the Gulf of Furore, to North of the Amalfi Coast between a seven meter traditional cruiser with five persons onboard and the 45 meter touristic sailing vessel Tortuga with eighty persons onboard, on the afternoon about 17:45 hours of Thursday third August left one US American 45 year old woman dead.  The dynamics of the accident are still under investigation with video on social media and Italian press showing the small cruiser colliding with the bow of the large sailing vessel, and the former having extensive damage to its starboard side and partly sinking.  The deceased woman, entrepreneur Adrienne Vaughan was onboard the small cruiser, when with the impact of the collision fell in the water and ended between the propellers. Also injured her husband and the thirty year old skipper of the small cruiser, and miraculously uninjured the two twelve and eight year old kids of the couple. The woman was immediately transported to Amalfi and taken to Castiglione di Ravello intensive care unit with helicopter to save her life, unfortunately with no success.  The thirty year old skipper of the seven meter cruiser was found to be on the effects of alcohol and drugs.  Both boats, the partly sank seven meter cruiser and 45 meter sailing vessel were detained and arrested by the Italian Guardia Costiera. 

The traditional cruiser in this collision is an Apreamare 750 Semicabinato.  Produced from 2000 to 2006 the Apreamare 750 was available in three versions; Open, Semicabinato, and Cabinato, and is powered by twin VM 160hp on direct line shaft propulsion for speeds up to 28 knots.  The 750 was a replacement to the nineties produced Smeraldo 7, and was replaced by the Apreamare 28 in 2006.

Tortuga the other sailing vessel in this collision is a two masted 40 meter steel build by Cantieri Ortona in 1993 and powered by twin Aifo 460hp. Tortuga is used for coastal cruises, weddings, private parties, and company events around the Naples sea area with a maximum capacity of to eighty persons.

Cranchi Cruiser Partly Sinks Near Civitavecchia

A ten meter Cranchi sport cruiser with three French persons ended aground while having its hull breached during navigation near to Civitavecchia in the late afternoon of Friday 28 July.  The Cranchi sport cruiser was reported coming from Argentario, when apparently it had problems to one engine which stopped working, and then finishing beached and taking water in La Marina area to the South of Civitavecchia large commercial harbour.  The French boaters were later assisted at around midnight by the Civitavecchia fire fighting squad.

The Cranchi in this sinking is the Cruiser 32 model. Released in 1990 the Cranchi Cruiser 32 was produced till 1996 to a design of Andreani.  The Cranchi Cruiser 32 offered a two cabins interior and powered by twin 200hp Volvo diesel with stern drives reached speeds to about 32 knots. The Cruiser 32 was replaced by the successful Zaffiro 34 in 1997.

Pershing Sinks in Castevi Island Formentera

An eleven meter Pershing sport cruiser sank after hitting a reef while cruising to the North of Formentera on Monday 24 July.  The Pershing hit a reef in the North West of Formentera in between the islet of Castevi and S'Espalmador.  Unfortunately after hitting the reef the eleven meter Pershing sank, first going down aft rising its bow and later sinking completely.  News of this accident are a bit sparse with the photos and incident shown on social media.

The Pershing in this sinking is the 37 presented in 1998 and produced till 2006 to a design by Fulvio de Simoni as entry level for the brand.  The 37 replaced the 38/39 model with a sleek exterior and less accommodating interior, offering a four berths interior, and is powered by twin Cats 355hp and or Yanmar 370hp for later models, with shaft propulsion and reaching top speeds above the mid thirties.  A special one off without radar arch called Pershing 38 Endurance with twin Cats 420hp and Arneson surface drives was produced in 2000 and also competed in the Venezia to Monte Carlo race.  This 38 Endurance was for a time the Pershing previous boss and founder Tilli Antonelli personal boat.  

Yacht Fire in La Paz Mexico Kills One Person, Injures Three

A fire onboard a 23 meter motor yacht at Puerta Cortes Tourist Complex, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico on 07:00 hours of Monday 24th July killed one person and injured three more, with the fire also jumping and partially burning another smaller fourteen meter Grand Banks explorer cruiser.  The fire was reported starting in the engine room of the 23 meter motor yacht, as crew where doing some work.  Three teams where dispatched to control the fire; Heroic La Paz Fire Department, La Paz Municipal Traffic and Security Directorate, and Municipal Civil Protection.  The person which was identified dead on the scene ended trapped in the engine room with the fire, while three more persons had injuries with a 37 year old also suffering extensive third grade burns.  The big 23 meter yacht eventually burned totally and became a total loss, while the smaller fourteen meter had its fire controlled, although it also received extensive damage to its bow area.

The 23 meter motor yacht in this fire is a Numarine 78 Flybridge as produced from 2008 to 2017 designed by Can Yalman and Tommaso Spadolini.  The smaller explorer cruiser is a Grand Banks 49 Classic as produced from 1980 to 99, with over 120 units sold.