Liveaboard Yacht Aground in Key West Florida

A sixteen meter trawler type aft cabin explorer yacht ended aground and partly sank in Bahia Honda, Key West, Florida on the morning of Saturday twelfth April.  The explorer yacht which is a live aboard for three; one man and his two sisters and a dog, is reported to have hit an object and started to take on water.  Seeing this the captain anchored at the bay, with the boat then ending partly sunk and listing to its starboard side, damaging its central keel, and running gear.  With the tide becoming a bit lower by Tuesday fifteen April, the explorer cruiser was righted by the crew and the people who are helping, with the next aim now to  make a temporary repair so they can take the yacht to a haul out yard for full repairs.  Interestingly and according to Trawler Tom who is sharing the story on social media said the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conversation Commission, US Coast Guard, local police, park rangers were watching the story happen but did not intervene. 

Trawler Tom who has been assisting the trawler since the accident, also opened a fund raiser on GoFundMe of which I will post a link on the comments section.

The explorer yacht in this part sinking is a Gulfstar 53 Trawler as produced from 1975 to 76 in ten units.  The 53 Trawler shared hull with the 53 Motorsailor, with both models being Gulfstar flagships in that time of production, with the model replaced by the full planning hull 48 Motor Yacht in 1981.  Gulfstar Yachts was founded by Vince Lazzara and existed from 1970 to 1990, and produced both sail and power boats, with the company selling some of its assets to Viking.

Boats Damaged as Boat Sheds Snow Collapse Near Ontario

Over sixty boats were damaged as boat sheds collapsed in record snowfall at Starport Marina, in Ramara Township, Orillia, near Ontario on late Monday evening 24 February.  The shed collapse came after Orillia made a new record for snow fall in February 2025 making 180 centimetres of snow, forty centimetres more to the previous February 2007 best.  Orillia has received record snowfall, with more than 460 centimetres of snow fall thus far in Winter 2025, this causing damage to roofs, decks, and gas lines..

Most of the boats in this shed collapse are Carver, Sea Ray's, and a couple of Cruisers also in the mix, all about ten to thirteen meters in length.

Owner Refuses Help as Classic Boat Ends Aground in Latisana

A classic twelve meter Italian build flybridge cruiser with one man aboard ended aground in the Lagoon of Marano, near Latisana, not so far from Aprilia Marittima to the North East of Italy at about 17:00 hours of Wednesday fifth February.  Advised of the accident the Porto Captaincy of Lignano Sabbiadoro and Vigili dell Fuoco went to the area.  But when the response squads arrived on the spot, the German owner refused the help, advising that he was in good health and will wait for high tide, for which the boat will remove itself with less damage then eventual towing.

The classic boat in this grounding is a Camuffo 40 Fly as designed by Marco Camuffo and build in wood lamellar method in the mid seventies.  Camuffo is the most long standing dynasty of boat builders having its origins since 1438, with the current Porto Gruaro near to Venice premises existing since 1843.

Classic Chris Craft Saved from Fire in Villa Igiea Palermo

A classic eight meter cabin cruiser, had an onboard fire as it was berthed unattended, at the Villa Igiea marina, in Palermo, Sicily at about 08:30 morning time of Tuesday 21 January.  Marina personnel tended to the fire first, who towed the boat in a secure area out of harming other vessels, and controlled and turned off the blaze.  The marina personnel did such a good job that when the Fire fighting Vigili dell Fuoco squad arrived, they just had to secure the vessel.  The full operation took an hour as it was concluded by 09:30.  An investigation has been opened to determine the cause of the fire. 

The boat in this sinking is a classic wooden build Chris Craft Catalina 28 as produced in the seventies with modified super structure, and cabin windows. 

Classic Cantieri di Pisa Saved from Sinking in Malta

A classic thirteen meter Cantieri di Pisa motor cruiser started to take on water, near Manoel Island, opposite the Sliema strand, Malta just after 16:30 hours of Saturday eighteen January.  The report of the boat taking water was shared on the Malta Boating Group on FaceBook, as the owner and helpers rushed to the swing moored classic boat and saved her from sinking.  The cause of the boat taking on water are not reported, but the most important thing, is that she is saved.

The boat in this sinking is a classic Cantieri di Pisa Polaris m. 13.20 as designed by Pier Luigi Spadolini and produced from 1961 to 1963 in triple planking mahogany wood. The Polaris was the 1956 founded Cantieri di Pisa second model, following the 10 m Jupiter, with the model evolving into the larger main deck cabin Super Polaris.

Flybridge Boat Partly Sinks in Chesapeake Fishing Creek

A flybridge cruiser of ten meters in length party sank in Fishing Creek marina, by the Chesapeake Beach, in the Chesapeake Bay on the afternoon of Saturday eleven January.  The cause of the part-sinking are not reported, though it looks to be a failed through hull.  These through hulls in this instance usually fail because the boat has not been correctly Winterized for the cold weather and water Winter temperatures.  This Winter is particularly cold in the Chesapeake Bay with current water temperatures down to four degrees celsius, what is less then five degrees to the usual nine degrees average.

The boat in this part sinking is a second generation Silverton 37 Convertible as produced from 1990 to 2000.  The second generation 37 Convertible was a replacement to the first generation 37C with the model replaced by the more sportfish looking 38 Convertible.

Three Boat Fire at Safe Harbor Ferry Point Marina in Old Saybrook

Three boats where involved in a fire in the dry dock storage area at Safe Harbor Ferry Point Marina, Old Saybrook, Connecticut on 12:20 of Monday 25 November.  The fire started in a classic fifteen meter Hatteras sportfish yacht and then jumped to its boat on its port side, and later to that to its starboard.  Fire fighters responded to the blaze from land and the water with the fire fighting boat coming also to the scene via the Connecticut River.  No one was injured in the fire as the boats where all unattended, with the classic Hatteras which started the fire being totalled while the one to port side also receiving fire damage as it's plastic Winter overall went ablaze, with the one to starboard receiving some small fire damage.  The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, was also at the scene, and said that no environmental impact came from this fire.

The Hatteras which started this fire is a 1985 52 Convertible, a model which was produced from 1983 to 1990.  The other boat to port side of the Hatteras is a Formula 45 Yacht as produced between 2007 and 2019.

Explorer Cruiser Collides Into Florida St. Augustine Bridge

An explorer cruiser of thirteen meters in length titled m/y Bright Side collided and got stuck with the Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine, Florida on the early afternoon of Sunday tenth November.  The explorer cruiser just did not make it because of its mast, but also because it tried to pass under the bridge on a high tide.  Other unconfirmed reports say the bridge also has its air-draft markings damaged following the recent hurricanes and storms, and these have not yet been fixed yet.  As of the early evening of the day Bright Side was still stuck with the bridge. This Bridge of Lions collision follows that of the Nao Trinidad classic Spanish schooner which lost power, and collided with the same bridge thirteen days ago.

M/y Bright Side the explorer cruiser in this collision is a 2005 Kadey-Krogen 44.  Produced from 2002 to 2011 in 26 units, the 44 came out as a replacement to the 42, the model which debuted Kadey-Krogen in 1977, and was replaced and evolved into the 44 AE in 2012.

Ten Rescued as Sea Ray Boat Ends Powerless Near Vero Beach Florida

The US Coast Guard has rescued ten boaters as an eight meter in length Sea Ray sport cruiser titled m/y Incommunicado ended powerless and disabled about twenty nautical miles to Vero Beach, Florida at about 23:00 of Friday eighteen October.  The Sea Ray cruiser went powerless as its found itself in a rough sea state with two to three meters waves height.  Five of the people rescued needed medical assistance.  Ultimately the powerless Sea Ray cruiser ended beached the following day at Vero Beach.

The Sea Ray in this incident is a 270 Sundancer as produced from 1994 to 1998.  The 270 Sundancer came out as a replacement to the 250 Sundancer and was replaced by the more spacious second generation version in 1998.

Classic Chris Craft Beached In Milwaukee

A classic Chris Craft flybridge cruiser titled m/y Deep Thought ended aground in between Bradford Beach and McKinley Marina in Milwaukee on the afternoon of Sunday thirteen October.  According to US Coast Guard and Milwaukee Police officials the boat ended beached after it ran out of gas. The Coast Guard said that the vessel was a hard aground and no life or pollution threat existed, with a request to remove the classic flybridge cruiser sent to the ownership, who advised that it is working to do this with a salvage company.  Till Friday 25 October Deep Thought was still not yet removed.

The Chris Craft in this beaching is a Roamer 41 Regal produced between 1967 to 1970.  Chris Craft  build a total of 58 Roamer 41 Regals, 31 in steel and 27 in aluminium.  Chris Craft bought Roamer from Michigan in 1957, debuting a renewed Roamer line on that same year, which lasted till 1979 and a total of 1964 Roamers from ten to eighteen meters in size build.

Fire in Lake Grapevine Marina Damages Ten Boats Injures One Man

One man was injured as ten boats sustained totalled to moderate damage in a fire which broke out at Silverlake Marine, Lake Grapevine, Texas at 13:20 of Sunday thirteen October.  The fire is reported to have started on one of the boats as it was trying to start an engine which resulted in an explosion and then spreading to the other nearby boats.  Grapevine Fire Department responded to the fire, and were assisted in fighting the blaze by Flower Mound, Bedford, Lewisville, North Richland Hills, Colleyville, DFW Airport, Euless, and Hurst Fire Fighting agencies.  The injured man is reported to have a broken leg and head injuries as four of the boats were reported totalled in the damage, while six sustained some important damage.

One of the boats in this fire, first to left is a Regal 28 Express, which with the wind moving left to right in the picture probably is the boat which started the fire.  The second boat looks like an explorer type cruiser, similar to a Nordhavn of about thirteen meters.

Hurricane Milton 2024

Hurricane Milton was an extremely powerful and devastating Atlantic hurricane which became the second-most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded over the Gulf of Mexico, behind only Hurricane Rita from 2005. Milton made landfall on the west coast of the U.S. state of Florida, less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated the state's Big Bend region. The thirteenth named storm, ninth hurricane, fourth major hurricane, and second Category 5 hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, Milton was the strongest tropical cyclone worldwide in 2024 so far and the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the Tampa Bay area since 1921. Milton formed from a long-tracked tropical disturbance that originated in the western Caribbean Sea and consolidated in the Bay of Campeche on October 5. Gradual intensification occurred as it slowly moved eastward, becoming a hurricane early on October 7. Later that day, Milton underwent explosive intensification and became a Category 5 hurricane with winds of 156 knots. At peak intensity, it had a pressure of 897 millibars, making it the fifth-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record. Milton fluctuated in intensity after an eyewall replacement cycle, re-intensifying into a Category 5 hurricane the following day. Increasing wind shear caused the hurricane to weaken as it turned northeast towards Florida, falling to Category 3 before making landfall near Siesta Key late on October 9. Afterwards, Milton rapidly weakened as it moved across the state into the Atlantic Ocean, and became extratropical on October 10 as it became embedded within a frontal zone. The remnants gradually weakened and passed near the island of Bermuda before dissipating on October 12. 

Ahead of the hurricane, Florida declared a state of emergency in which many coastal residents were ordered to evacuate. Preparations were also undertaken in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. The hurricane spawned a deadly tornado outbreak and caused widespread flooding in Florida.  Hurricane Milton killed at least 26 people: 23 in the United States and three in Mexico. Preliminary damage estimates are to be at least US$30 billion.

Marina 1 in Punta Gorda, was the most single hit marina with over a dozen yachts sank and or with important damage.

M/y Indigo a 2015 Marlow 88 seems to be the most high profile of the damaged yachts from Hurricane Milton.

Here is three grounded boats, a Chris Craft aft cabin and Hatteras sportfish in Manasota Key.  Two nearby boats a Sea Ray and Post sportfish also partly sank.

More damage from the storm surge at Manasota Key, above and below as boats end on the terraces of nearby homes. 

Hurricane Helene 2024

Hurricane Helene was a large, deadly, catastrophic, and fast-moving tropical cyclone that was the strongest on record to strike the Big Bend region of Florida. The eighth named storm, fifth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, Helene developed gradually from a mid-September disturbance in the western Caribbean Sea within a broad area of low pressure known as the Central American gyre. By September 24, the disturbance had consolidated enough to become a tropical storm as it approached the Yucatán Peninsula, receiving the name Helene from the National Hurricane Center. Favourable conditions led to the cyclone's gradual intensification, and it became a hurricane early on September 25. More pronounced and eventually rapid intensification ensued as Helene traversed the Gulf of Mexico the following day, reaching Category 4 intensity on the evening of September 26. Late on September 26, Helene made landfall at peak intensity in the Big Bend region of Florida, near the city of Perry, with maximum sustained winds of 120 knots. Helene would weaken as it moved quickly inland before degenerating to a post-tropical cyclone over Tennessee on September 27. the storm then stalled over the state before dissipating on September 29.  In advance of Helene's expected landfall, the governors of Florida and Georgia declared states of emergency due to the significant impacts expected, including very high storm surge along the coast and hurricane-force gusts as far inland as Atlanta. Helene also caused catastrophic rainfall-triggered flooding, particularly in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Hurricane warnings also extended further inland. As of September 30, a total of 120 deaths have been attributed to Helene.

As boating goes Helene seems more to have affected mostly smallish boats, also because the storm surge which at its peak elevated up to six meters, happened rather in land then by the coastal area.  Above is Maxum 3100 SE which ended aground, with other boats and into a block of of apartments in the big bend region of Florida.

Here is a CandL Marine Corp from Taiwan 38 model from 1981 which ended aground and blocked between trees in Sarasota.

Two Persons Saved as Jeanneau Runs Aground at Isola Piana

Two Japanese persons and a dog were saved as a ten meter Jeanneau flybridge cruiser ended aground and was taking on water at La Pelosa beach, Isola Piana, to the South West of Sardinia on the afternoon of Tuesday seventeen September.  The Port Captaincy of Porto Torres received the call of assistance who sent the CP 894 boat to the scene, who because of a low water draft and the rough seas of the day deployed a small rib to recover the boaters and the dog.  The boaters were then taken to Stintino who found an ambulance ready to assist them.  The boat was reported to have departed from Cala Finanza and going to Capo Ceraso when for an unknown reason ended beached in La Pelosa.  After the beaching the flybridge cruiser was also taking on water, with the Port Captaincy giving a notice to the ownership to remove the damaged boat and that it is responsible for any environmental damage this has made or might make.

The boat in this accident is a Jeanneau Prestige 36 as designed by Garroni and as produced from 2002 to 2010.  The Jeanneau Prestige 36 was replaced by the Prestige 350.

Wajer Saves Sunseeker Boat on Fire in Mallorca

An eleven meter Sunseeker sport cruiser was saved from a fire during the photo and video shooting for the new Wajer 38 S outboard version in Mallorca.  It is an incredible story, which Wajer shared on its Instagram page on ninth September, though the first short videos of the shooting came out on the third.  As it happened Wajer was filming in Mallorca probably on third of September, and then seeing this boat on fire, assisted in turning the blaze off by lifting the outboards up and showering the boat.  Thanks to this the boat was saved from getting totalled and engulfed by the blaze and becoming a wreck.

The boat in this fire is a Sunseeker 38 Martinique as produced from 1991 to 1993, to a design of Don Shead and John Braithwaite.  The 38 Martinique came out as a replacement of the 36 Martinique and was replaced by the 39 Martinique.

The boat which extinguished the fire is the Wajer 38 S, the new outboard version option which debuted this 2024 at the Cannes boat show.  Designed by Vripack the 38 S debuted in 2015 as the walkaround version of the Wajer 38 which launched in 2013 as a replacement to the 37 model.

Two Injured as Sport Cruiser Ends Aground in Alleghany Reservoir

A husband and wife were injured as there seven meter sports cruiser ended colliding and beached at Kinzue South of the Alleghany Reservoir, Alleghany State park, Pennsylvania on the night of Sunday 25 August.  The two people are reported to have dropped some friends before the collision, and during navigation hit some rocks, which led to them going unconscious, with the boat ending running unattended until it collided again and grounded.  After the collision both husband and wife were a air lifted to a hospital in grievous condition, with the boat reported to have received a lot of damage.  

This story was broken by Terri Davis Peterson on the Boat Fails Facebook Group.

The boat in this collision is a Rinker 266 Fiesta Vee, as produced in the end of the nineties.  The 266 Fiesta Vee came out as a replacement to the 265 Fiesta Vee and was replaced by the Rinker 270 Fiesta Vee.

Ferry Ship Collides with Moored Boats in Sorrento

The ferry ship m/v Isola di Capri of the company Caremar, collided with a couple of sport cruisers at Marina Piccola in Sorrento, on the late afternoon of 22 August.  The ferry ship is reported to have had problems with its throttle response while doing a manoeuvring operation in Sorrento, and ended colliding with an eight meter Colombo sport cruiser first, which took the worst of the collision, and a twelve meter sport cruiser later.  In a video posted on Facebook the Colombo sport cruiser looked like it was ran over and sank, but somehow it remained afloat. In the video is also seen a Riva sport yacht which just manages to escape the accident as it was risking being hit on its starboard side by the ferry ship which looked out of control.  No one seems to be injured in this accident, with the Guardia Costiera of Sorrento opening an enquiry on the collision.

The Colombo in this collision is an eighties produced 29 Racing, with the sport cruiser next to it looking to be a Mochi 33 Open also from the same period, with the escaping Riva being a 52 Rivale.

Hurricane Ernesto 2024

Hurricane Ernesto was a moderately strong Atlantic hurricane that caused significant flooding in Puerto Rico before striking Bermuda as a hurricane. The fifth named storm and third hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, Ernesto developed from a tropical wave east of the Leeward Islands. The storm moved towards the Antilles, impacting several nations. Ernesto then turned north, where it reached Category 2 strength, before making landfall in Bermuda as a Category 1 hurricane on August 17. Ernesto then weakened back to a tropical storm before intensifying back into a hurricane and brushing Atlantic Canada, becoming extratropical by August 20 and dissipating by August 22.  Hurricane Ernesto caused 24 million US dollars in damage and caused three indirect fatalities.

As boating goes Hurricane Ernesto has caused damage to Great Harbour Bay in the British Virgin Islands to some boats as pictured.  The three boats damage in this bay were a Bertram 33 Sport Fisherman which was TowBoatUS boat, Bertram 38 Mk.III, and an eighties first generation Ocean Yachts 50 Super Sport.

Sunseeker Sport Cruiser Fire in Delimara Malta

An unattended thirteen meter Sunseeker sport cruiser titled m/y Jean Marie under Malta flag had an onboard fire when berthed at Delimara, to the South East of the island of Malta, at 11:34 morning time of Tuesday twentieth August.  Civil Protection Malta responded to the fire, with the fire fighting boat m/v Manucca and Fire Stations 10, 1, and 5.  The fire was reported extinguished with the use of 50,000 liters of fresh water and 3000 liters of fluoro-protein foam.  The cause of the fire has not been reported.

The Sunseeker sport cruiser in this fire is a 44 Camargue as produced from 1998 to 2002 to a design of Don Shead and John Braithwaithe.  The 44 Camargue came out as a replacement to the 47 Camargue, and was replaced by the 46 Portofino.

Boat Collides Into Channel Marker in Richardson Bay

A traditional looking Sabre cruiser of fourteen meters in length titled m/y Wasabi collided with a channel marker referred to as a dolphin piling near Sausalito at the entrance of Richardson Bay, California for a story which was publicized by Latitude 38 on 25 October but apparently happened on the night of the nineteen August, as a Notice of the channel marker damage and not working was posted on the twenty August.  The traditional cruiser apparently crashed into navigational light #2 a dolphin marker which marks the entry into Richardson Bay.  Those onboard avoided major injuries, with the Sabre cruiser knocking over the pilings and launching the birdcage with markers and light onto the foredeck, and sustaining important bow damage from the collision, but still managing to make it to the marina on its own power.  

The traditional cruiser in this Sausalito collision is a 2015 Sabre 48 Salon Express.  Announced first as the 46, Sabre debuted the 48 Saloon Express in 2011, with a Fly Bridge version coming in 2016.