Sea Ray Boat Beaches During Los Angeles Annual Fireworks Show

A thirteen meter Sea Ray boat titled M/Y Gigi Lala with six persons onboard ended beached near the Manhattan Beach Pier, Los Angeles at around 19:00 hours of Sunday eight December 2019.  The Sea Ray boat was anchored about three hundred meters away from the beach, when it drifted to the beach due to increased rough seas and strong wind conditions.  When the captain of the Sea Ray noticed this he slacked the anchor first, which was unsuccessful, and then tried to start the engines, what ultimately ended with the anchor chain going into the starboard side propeller. Los Angeles County Fire Department and two LaCo lifeguards responded to the distressed boat and helped the guest get off board.  45 minutes after the incident two boats from Rescue Harbor Redondo and Marina del Rey started the operation to pull the boat back in the water and take her back in harbor for repairs.

M/Y Gigi Lala the Sea Ray in this beaching is a 450 Express Bridge model as produced from 1998 to 2004.  The Express Bridge line from Sea Ray came out as competition to other similar models from the likes of Carver or Cruisers, offering a total of three models in twelve years, debuting in 1992 with the 350, which was followed by the 440, and then the 450 coming in 1998.

Stolen Sportfish Ends Beached in Vilano Inlet

A stolen nine meter express sportfish cruiser with one person aboard ended beached first and then partly sank in the South of Vilano Inlet, St. Augustine, Florida on the afternoon of Monday sixth May.  At first the sportfish cruiser was stuck in sand only for it to partly sink later on at about 18:00 hours, with the boat washing on the beach the following morning.  The area has had extremely low tides in recent days, and while the man onboard tried to deploy an anchor he was unsuccessful in minimizing the damage, with the situation turning from bad to worse.  The sheriff and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was on the case, with SeaTow entrusted for the salvage of the boat and removing its pollutants. 

The express sportfish in this grounding is a Luhrs 290 Open model as produced from 1992 to 2002.  The 290 Open was a top seller for the nineties in its size and express sportfish type, also because of Luhrs custom inspired looks followed by a competitive price.  The 290 Open came out as a replacement to the Tournament 290 and was replaced by the 30 Open.

Viking Sportfish Collides Into Blackwater River Bridge

A thirteen meter Viking sportfish cruiser titled Y-Not collided with a bridge in Blackwater river in Milton, Florida on the afternoon of 26 April.  The Viking sportfish was un-attended during the collision, and is reported to have been moving back and forth around the area in recent weeks, sometimes moored to a dock and other times on anchor.  Strong winds are what caused the collision with the bridge, with the US Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservative Commission trying to trace the ownership of Y-Not, which is known to be a liveaboard boat for one male person.

Y-Not is a Viking 45 Convertible as produced between 1987 to 93 in around 250 units. The 45 Convertible was Viking's best eighties success, a stepping stone to the successful growth of the New Jersey sportfish boat and  yacht builder.  The 45 Convertible came out as a replacement to the 46 Convertible Sport Fisher, and was replaced by the 47 Convertible in 1994.

Classic Wellcraft Beaches in Haulover Beach

A classic seven meter Wellcraft cabin cruiser with three persons onboard ended Beached at Haulover Beach, Florida on Sunday fourteen April.  The whole event was filmed by Wavy Boats, from the boat going out of Haulover Inlet into moderate to rough seas with winds of fifteen knots and wave height of about one meter, to it having engine problems, the beaching, and subsequent arrival of the Police and then towing by Fast Response.  The Wellcraft cabin cruiser took over half an hour for it to end up beached, enough time for a proper anchor deployment, and although this was made to aft port side, this was too short and deployed late.  Thanks to the boat beaching in sand, this classic Wellcraft should live another day as the towing back to safe harbor showed.

The classic Wellcraft in this beaching is a 250 Coastal as produced from 1986 till 89.  Part of Wellcraft fishing line the 250 Coastal, was a soft evolution of the 248 Sportsman, recognizable by the larger window, with the model replaced by the 2600 Coastal in 1991.

Classic Chris Craft Ends Beached in Ocean Park

A classic ten meter Chris Craft cabin cruiser with one person and a dog ended aground and beached in Ocean Park, Long Beach, Washington state after a mechanical problem and rough seas disabled it on Friday twelfth April.  Michael Bonome the lone navigator in this story also ended in the water to rescue his dog, while trying to deploy his anchor.  The locals brought an ambulance to the lone navigator, and also opened a GoFundMe account to help him return his boat back in the water.  After navigating in the lakes and rivers, Bonome was trying his ocean navigation skills for the first time, when a mechanical problem put him in this situation.  Bonome is waiting for high tide to return his boat in the water.

The Chris Craft in this grounding is a 33 Offshore model as produced in the seventies.  The 33 Offshore was also offered in the 33 Sport Sedan variant, with a totally different convertible sportfish super structure and cabin layout.  The Chris Craft 33 Offshore came out as a replacement to the Catalina 33 Sedan in around the mid seventies.

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.

Classic Chris-Craft Hits and Runs Power Cable Lines in Ponchatoula

A towed classic Chris-Craft eleven meter cabin cruiser is being searched after it hit and run and damaged power and cable lines on the evening of Sunday seventeen December in Ponchatoula, Louisiana.  The accident was reported to happen at about 21:15 hours in front of Circle K on E. Pine Street.  The classic Chris-Craft is reported to have left its top canopy ripped off, and with the collision broke and knocked down some utility poles leaving the area without electrical power.  The towed classic Chris-Craft was reported heading East on Hwy. 22 by Hwy. 445. For this hit and run the Ponchatoula Police are asking about information in order to charge for damages.

The towed Chris-Craft in this accident looks to be a classic 37 Constellation.  Build in wood planking the Chris Craft 37 Constellation was produced from 1963 to 67, as replacement to the 36 Constellation, recognizable by the straight shear line, and then replaced by the fiberglass 38 Commander Express introduced in the fall 1964.

Sea Ray Boat with Two Persons One Dog Ends Aground in Chesapeake

A classic nine meter Sea Ray boat with two persons onboard ended aground in the shallows of Tydings Parks, upper Chesapeake Bay when it broke anchor in heavy wind and rain on Sunday tenth December.  The Sea Ray boat and the two persons; Sarah Rae and her partner Bella Eldridge and Lily dog where ultimately stuck in the shallows for two days running out of energy, food, and medications with a rescue mission impossible to do by TowBoatUS cause of low tide.  This rescue mission ultimately fell in the hands of the Department of Natural Resources who hired Susquehanna Hose Company which on Tuesday twelfth December evening saved the two boaters and their dog with Air Boat Five.  Thanks to the heavy rain and high tide the classic Sea Ray will also be saved by Argentino Marine Sales and Service, and TowBoatUS Chesapeake Bay on Tuesday nineteen December.

The classic Sea Ray in this grounding is an SRV 300 Sedan Bridge model as produced from 1976 up to 1982 with the model replaced by the slightly larger 340 Sedan Bridge in 1983. The Sea Ray SRV 300 platform debuted in 1975 and was offered in five other model variants up to 1982.

Tornado Capsizes Boats in North Shannon Ireland

A tornado which dropped down in Leitrim Marina, North Shannon, Ireland on the after noon time of Sunday tenth December, capsized three boats and damaged others.  Beside the damaged boats the tornado is reported to have also swept some roofs, and flattened some trees in Leitrim County.  After all calmed down the Civil Defence went down to the area, and surrounded the capsized boats with oil protection boons, to control any fuel spillage that might happen.

One of the capsized boats is reported to be an Aquafibre 12 meter, although the one in the picture above looks more to be a Broom Monarch of 40ft.

Sea Ray Sport Cruiser Beached in Southbourne Beach

A seven meter Sea Ray sport cruiser titled Bone Idle with one person onboard ended beached on the sands of Fisherman's Walk, Southbourne Beach in Bournemouth, Britain South coast on 13:20 of Monday 23rd October.  Bone Idle is reported to have jammed one of its propellers with its own anchor chain as this exited out whilst in navigation that same morning, and then incapacitating the sport cruiser and ultimately ending beached. The one person onboard was not injured with Southbourne Coast Guard rescue team inspecting the vessel, and this planned to be removed on the following day. 

Bone Idle is a second generation Sea Ray 240 Sundancer.  Produced from 1996 to 1999 the 240 Sundancer offered a spacious for its size two plus two accommodation layout and was powered by a single 270hp engine on stern drive.   The second generation 240 was an evolution of the 1993 to 95 230 Sundancer, and evolved into the third 1999 to 2004 third generation 240 which featured a wide body cockpit for more space.

Liveaboard Sports Cruiser Ends Beached in Treasure Island Florida

A twelve meter Chris Craft sport cruiser ended beached in Treasure Island, Florida, when it broke it's swing anchored mooring in the Gulf near Caddy's, during a storm on the night of Wednesday eleven October.  The sport cruiser is a liveaboard for one person, who was not onboard when it all happened, but did see it from a distance and tried to paddle back onboard with no success, due to the strong current of the night.  The owner as the picture above has started digging in order to remove the vessel, before a notice of enforcement arrives.  After just over a month the Chris Craft sport cruiser was put on a trailer and towed away by the authorities on the sixteen November.

This Chris Craft in this beaching is a 412 Amerosport.  Produced from 1987 to 1990, the 412 Amerosport has an open plan layout sleeping four plus two and a single shower head compartment, and was standard powered by twin Mercruiser 454hp for speeds up to 27 knots.  The 412 Amerosport evolved into the 400 Express Cruiser in its last 1990 production year, same model but with more consverative graphics.  The Amerosport line from Chris Craft was introduced in 1987 with four 28 to 41 foot models, to compete with the Sea Ray Sundancer's who dominated the sales of the North American boating market in those years.

Regal Cruiser Lake Cumberland Night Cruising Ends Aground

An eleven meter Regal cruiser with two persons onboard, a man and a woman ended aground in Cemetry Island near the mouth of Beaver Creek, Lake Cumberland, Kentucky, USA on the night of Friday sixth October.  The Regal sport cruiser was night cruising at an important sustained speed, with part of the grounding being blamed for the lake being about six meters shallower to its usual standard.  The two onboard passengers where reported having light injuries during the collision grounding, while the sport cruiser sustained damage to all the running gear with a rudder pushing inside, and scratched and punctured the hull. 

The Regal sport cruiser in this grounding is a 3860 Commodore model, produced from 2002 to 2007.  The Regal 3860 Commodore featured a two stateroom two heads layout, and was standard powered with twin 420hp petrol gas engines and or optional diesels for speeds up to thirty knots. The 3860 evolved into the Regal 4060 Commodore in 2007 with a forward open hard-top, Volvo IPS pod option, and a lightly longer bathing platform.

Sportfish Cruiser Ends Aground in Portsmouth River

An eleven meter sportfish cruiser ended aground in Sandy Point Beach, Portsmouth River on the early morning of fifth October.  Reports say it was a foggy morning with very poor visibility when the grounding of the sportfish cruiser occurred.  Although some might say that the sportfish cruiser looks equipped with full radar and GPS equipment, so even in poor visibility this was not supposed to happen. Obviously in these cases quick judgement on social media is fast, but before a full story is known better be careful, considering that the sportfish looks to have drifted aground rather gently then going on it at a speed.

The sportfish cruiser in this grounding is a Stamas 370 Express, a model produced from 2000 to 2004 as an evolution of the 360 Express. The 370 evolution featured a raised bridge deck and a full transom design.  The Stamas 370 Express has a two plus two layout with a midships cabin which separated her from other similar sized sportfish boats.  The Stama 370 Express was powered by twin 370hp gas or 420hp Yanmar diesel engines, with the last giving speeds in the mid thirties.  The Stamas 370 Express was the flagship model when released and was replaced by the bit smaller 340 Express in the end of 2002.

Sea Ray Ends Grounded in Mississippi River

A ten meter Sea Ray sport cruiser ended grounded in Pool3, Mississippi river, Wisconsin side, near St. Louis on the morning of ninth September.  The case of the grounding are not reported, although the indications are for error in navigation, with the sport cruiser hitting some of the unmarked wing dams.  It is also possible that the sport cruiser was in a delivery following a sale seeing that it has no title on the back.

The Sea Ray sport cruiser in this grounding is a late nineties 330 Sundancer, the second generation series, modified from the previous with port holes replacing the view window on the super structure and the radar arch now forward looking.  The 330 was replaced by the 340 Sundancer in 2000.

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.

Itama Classic Ends Aground in Ibiza

An eleven meter Itama classic ended aground in Ibiza on the afternoon of Thursday 24th August.  The Itama was apparently running with two persons onboard when apparently it ended aground on the islet of Es Malvins to the East of Ibiza.  The Itama was recovered on Monday 28th and taken to Eivissa Marina to a yard for the necessary and needed repairs. The Itama was reported to have sustained no hull breach, damage to shafts, propellers and P-brackets, and a scratch on the forward V-section of the hull.   

The Itama in this grounding is a 1995 38 model.  A project of Mario Amati the Itama 38 debuted in 1978 first as a fully wooden prototype, with the production then moving to fiberglass in later units.  The 1981 Genoa presented Itama 38 was also the first boat to feature an under hull exhaust system.  The Itama 38 was produced in two versions short windscreen till 1985 and long windscreen up to end production in 2001.  176 made to order Itama 38 were made with the model replaced by the 40 in 2003.

Bayliner Boat Hits Pier Then Sinks in Hamilton Harbour

An eleven meter Bayliner flybridge cruiser with one person onboard was the attention of drama after it hit a pier, and later on sank in Hamilton Harbor just after 20:00 hours of Wednesday sixteen August.  The Bayliner cruiser was apparently returning to the harbor when it hit the pier and started sinking.  Hamilton Police rushed to the scene and arrested the only man onboard the boat, a 28 year old from Waterloo which was accused of operating the boat in an impaired condition.

The Bayliner in this collision is a 3870 Motor Yacht produced from 1983 to 89, and 90 to 94 in the 3888 radar arch version.  Featuring a semi planning flat-V hull shape with modest power the 3870 Motor Yacht offered a two cabins two head accommodation layout.  Bayliner sold over a thousand 3870/ 3888 Motor Yacht, with the model replaced by the 3988 Motor Yacht in 1995.

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.

Boat Ends on Breakwater in Loano

A fourteen meter sport cruiser ended aground on the nearabouts of the Marina di Loano breakwater on Sunday thirtieth July at around 1600 hours.  The helmsman and crew reported the accident, with the sport cruiser becoming immobilized from moving after hitting low water in close proximity to the marina entrance.  Immediate the assistance of the Italian Guardia Costiera, who helped the guests onboard to safety and later organized the operation to remove and take the sport cruiser to the Marina Loano shipyard for lift out for inspection and eventual repair. 

The sport cruiser in this grounding is a 1988 Giorgi 46 Open modified with custom hard-top.  A model released in 1987 to a design of Fulvio de Simoni and Gianni de Canio, the Giorgi 46 Open was born as the X 13S project, and was in its launch an innovative sport cruiser for offering three double cabins and clean lines. Thanks to this she was a good seller, competing in sales in those times with the slightly smaller also De Simoni designed Pershing 45. The Giorgi 46 was produced till 1996, with the Pesaro shipyard closing its doors in 1998, until the name is sold in the early noughties.

Sea Ray Ends Beached in Lago Maggiore

A nine meter Sea Ray sport cruiser ended beached in the Camporella area of Lago Maggiore in the North of Italy on the evening night of 21 July.  A costly error of navigation which according to reports from the area made the sport cruiser do about thirty meters in low water before ending aground, mostly because the Lake is currently sitting about one meter less in tide to what is on current electronic charts.  

The Sea Ray in this beaching is a 305 Sundancer model produced from 2009 to 2017, strictly for the European market, but based on the 2003 launched 315 Sundancer with some design differences, like the radar arch, port holes, and the addition of a three part hard-top option. The 305 Sundancer was replaced by the Sea Ray 320 Sundancer in 2017.