Flybridge Cruiser Ends on Reef in Procida

A twelve meter flybridge cruiser ended on a reef in the Island of Procida on the afternoon of first November.  The flybridge cruiser ended beached to the West of Procida near Punta Serra and Pozzo Vecchio.  In late afternoon a Coast Guard rib boat was trying to pull tow away the cruiser with no success.

The flybridge cruiser in this accident is Hudson Ricci 40 produced from 1989 to 1992 in 36 units in two versions.  This Hudson Ricci 40 is the second version called poppa lunga, long stern produced from 1990 to 92 in seventeen units.  The Hudson Ricci 40 was designed by Fred Hudson, hull shape by Jim Wynn and Walt Walters, and interiors by Macchi and Roseo. The Hudson Ricci 40 offered a two cabin interior with a rare to find three cabins option with galley up and a third single berth cabin to starboard.  Power came from twin Cat 380hp with the last three hulls powered by the 420hp.  

Hudson and Ricci was Cantieri dell Pardo famous its Grand Soleil sailing cruisers and yachts motor boat brand born in 1988 and continued till 1997 producing two models in that time, the 40 and the 54 from 1993.  Pardo will return to motorboat production again in 2017 starting with the 43 sport cruiser walkaround and today expanded to six models from eleven to 23 meters.

Fairline Saved from Sinking in Poole Harbour

A nine meter Fairline sport cruiser with six persons and three dogs onboard was saved from sinking on the Swash channel at around 1330 hours of Sunday 18 September.  The British sport cruiser reportedly hit the Training Bank a ridge of rocky reefs which runs parallel with the Swash Channel on the entrance to Poole Harbor.  Immediate the assistance of the RNLI Pool Lifeboat which after disembarking four persons and the dogs assisted the sport cruiser, first by putting a man onboard to reduce the water ingress and later by following the boat to Salterns Marina, who prepared with a hoist lifted the Fairline to safety and out of the water immediately.

The Fairline sport cruiser in this accident is a Targa 28 produced from 1994 to 1996 and then with the addition of an extended bathing platform as Targa 29 up to 1999.  Designed by Bernard Olesinski the Targa 28/29 offered a two plus two interior cabin layout, and is powered by twin Volvo gas 205hp or 130 to 150hp diesel engines with stern drive propulsion.  The Targa 28/29 was replaced by the Targa 30 which used the same hull with a completely redesigned super structure.

Sport Cruiser Beached and Destroyed in Fire Island

A twelve meter sport cruiser was beached in Great South Bay, Old Inlet, Fire Island, on the evening of eight September.  Reports are saying the sport cruiser was just repowered and on a trip from Freeport to Montauk, before the captain noticed he was taking on water and seeing a breach in the hull decided to beach the sport cruiser.  Unfortunately with the ocean being rough on the day and breaking waves hitting the sport cruiser, it received destructive damage.  Fortunately no environmental hazard was made as Park Rangers pumped out the diesel from the boat on tenth September.

The sport cruiser in this beaching is a Trojan 12 Meter Express. A popular sport cruiser when released in 1987 the 12 Meter Express was designed by Lancaster and featured Trojan patented Delta Conic hull.  The 12 Meter Express offered an open plan layout sleeping seven and was offered in the more spacious flybridge Convertible and Motor Yacht variants.  The 12 meter Express was replaced by the Fulvio de Simoni designed Trojan 440 in 1994.

Flybridge Cruiser Beached After Hitting Fish Rock Creek

An eleven meter Riviera Sportfish cruiser hit Fish Rock creek and was beached to avoid sinking on the morning of fifteen August.  The Riviera cruiser was on a delivery trip by a professional skipper departing from Port Macquarie to the Gold Coast on the West side of Australia, where from there the new owners had to helm her to North Queensland. Unfortunately that was not the case. Salvaging operations where ongoing the day after on the sixteen August.

The Riviera in this accident is a 36 Single Cabin model produced from 1998 up to 2004, selling in 108 units.  Called that way for its single cabin layout, the 36 SC was based on the 34 Open Flybridge platform released a year earlier. The 36 Single Cabin was standard powered by twin Cummins 315hp engines good for about thirty knots, with optional 370hp being available.

AquaRiva Sinks in Lake Garda

A Riva Aquariva with one person onboard sank in Lake Garda near the towers of Benaco on the afternoon of tenth August.  According to reports the AquaRiva sank due to it catching the chain of a swing mooring with its propellers in navigation, which pulled the stern down and making her take in water.  It is also possible that the chain might have caught the shaft damaging the seal and taking on water from that area as well.  The AquaRiva was salvaged on twelfth August and taken to a local shipyard for repairs.

Launched in 2000 and part of Ferretti Group first plan to bring Riva back to its glory the Aquariva was immediately a success selling one hundred units in the first seven years of production, which marked the release of the Cento ten units limited edition version in that year.  This was followed in 2010 by the two limited editions, the Gucci version made also in ten units and recognized by the white hull, and Marc Newson limited to 22 hulls.  Designed by since 1992 Riva designer Marco Micheli the AquaRiva is still in production today as the Super version as updated in 2008 and delivered in over three hundred hulls.

Flybridge Cruiser with Nine Persons Onboard Partially Sinks

A nine meter flybridge traditional cruiser with nine persons onboard partially sank, while cruising in the Islands archipelago of La Madalena in North East Sardinia on the morning of fifth August.  The motor cruiser was cruising in the La Madonna Port area between the islands of Budelli, Razzoli and Santa Maria when it started to embark water.  Immediate the action of the Italian Coast Guard who deployed two vessel the search and rescue CP 870 and fast intervention unit Alfa 70.  No injuries where reported to the nine passengers thanks to immediate help of boats in the vicinity. The traditional cruiser was reported taking on water due to a failed sea water inlet, and was later refloated and taken to a boat yard in La Madalena for repairs.

The boat in this accident is a Sagene 28 Fly version produced in the eighties.  Featuring a semi-displacement hull shape the Sagene 28 Fly offered a double berth forward, separate shower head, and was powered with single or twin shaft engines.  A non flybridge version was also available.

Sportfish Runs Aground in Norwich, New London

An eleven meter Pursuit sportfish cruiser with one person onboard ran aground on the breakwater of the Thames River, Norwich PI, New London, USA on 0600 hours of fourth August.  The captain and lone occupant was not injured and received immediate help by two Firefighting boats who assisted the sportfish cruiser from the land pumping out the water which was coming from the damaged hull.  Later a TowBoatUS boat was finalizing a tow procedure to be made in high tide, which also meant to seal the hull bottom damage from the collision.

The sportfish cruiser in this grounding is a Pursuit 3800 Offshore produced from 2001 up to 2004.  The Pursuit 3800 Offshore offered sleeping accommodation for four in an open plan layout, and is powered by twin Cats 420hp, Cummins 420 or 480hp, and or Volvo 480hp.  The 3800 Offshore also called the Express evolved in the Open version in 2005 with a sloop stern.  In 2008 Pursuit who decided to focus exclusively on outboard powered boats replaced the 3800 with the similar looking upper structure but completely new OS 375 Offshore.

Sportfish Cuiser With Six Persons Sinks in Cabo San Lucas

A sportfish cruiser of about ten meters in size called Protocol with six persons onboard sank while sportfishing off Cabo San Lucas in the Pacific Ocean, on 1500 hours of eighteen July.  The sportfish cruiser had some technical problem, according to the Captain report coming after a 45 minutes Blue Marlin battle, and the boat taking too much water.  After all this Captain Alex Rogers and the five crew had to abandon the sinking boat and jump in the life-raft.  After this a storm arrived in the area with Cabo San Lucas closing its harbor and making person recovery more difficult. Hearing this Cabo San Lucas Sporfishing Community started a rescue operation, and Captain Pancho Bojorquez with a 24 meter super sportfish yacht eventually saved the six persons in the life raft.  

Protocol is a Rampage 33 Express, a model produced from 2005 till 2008 by the US builder.  The Rampage 33 Express had a huge following due to its four meters plus of beam in a length just over ten meters, and offered accommodation for four or six persons thanks to its convertible sofas and bunk berths coming into play.  Powered by twin Cats 460hp the 33 Express reached speeds up to 33 knots.

The super sportfish yacht which saved the crew is reported to be m/y Hooray a Viking 80 Enclosed Bridge with Skybridge from 2020.

Sport Cruiser Saved from Sinking Near Savona

A nine meter sport cruiser with eleven persons onboard, eight adults and three children was saved from sinking on the late morning of Sunday tenth June, in the Baia dei Saraceni, to the South-West of Savona.  Immediate assistance came from the Italian coast guard, who after taking the persons to safety, starting procedure to safe the sport cruiser.  In the evening of Sunday, tenth June the sport cruiser was taken to safety at Finale Ligure marina facility.  The cause of the sinking are not reported.

The sport cruiser in this accident is an Airon Marine 325, a model produced from 2002 and still in production as at today.  The Airon 325 features an open accommodation layout sleeping five persons plus a dinette, and shower head, and is powered by twin diesel engines from 170 to 220hp or gas petrol up to 320hp.  Top speed is to about 35 knots with the large diesels option.  Airon has sold so far about two hundred 325's, which considering it is a semi custom boat builder, that is a lot. 

Powerboat with Four People Capsizes in South Haven

A nine meter powerboat with four persons onboard, started to sink and later capsized at the entrance which connects Lake Michigan to Black River, in South Haven, Michigan on 18:55 hours of July nine.  According to witnesses the powerboat entered the channel stalled and semi-sunk, with four persons onboard ending in the water as the boat raised its bow before it capsized and sank. The four persons where assisted by a nearby boater who threw life jackets, and then took rescued three people out of the water and onboard, with a fourth being helped out by people from the jetty.  The four people were uninjured. Van Buren County Sheriff Marine Police and South Haven Area Emergency Services responded to the sinking. A salvage operation has been organized to recover the powerboat.

The powerboat in this capsizing looks to be a Wellcraft Scarab 30 Panther which was produced in around the mid eighties.

Sport Cruiser Hits Reef and Sinks in Albania

A sport cruiser of about twelve meters in length, with four Italian crew onboard hit an unmarked reef and eventually sank in Capo Rodoni, Albania on the early morning of Tuesday seventh June.  The crew was saved by the Albanian maritime police and Italian Finance Patrol. The sport cruiser departed Slovenia some days ago, cruising way through Croatia, then Montenegro before hitting the unmarked reef in Albania.  Beside a shock no injuries where sustained to the two men, one woman and the small child onboard, who had to organize operations in order to recover and eventually repair the sport cruiser.

The sport cruiser in this sinking looks to be a Gobbi 38 Sport from the eighties.  Designed by Luca Taddei the 38 Sport was the company flagship when it launched in 1984 with production running till 1992.  The Gobbi 38 Sport offered an interior with two double cabins, spacious galley, and an L-shaped saloon.  She was powered by three engine options with V-drive shafts and or twin or triple engines stern drive, Volvo 175hp at first which became a 200hp in 1986 proving to be the most popular.  The Gobbi 38 Sport was first announced as a 36 Sport in 1983, and was a project ahead of its time being also available in a hard-top version.

Sea Ray Flybridge Cruiser Sinks in Santa Maria, Cabo San Lucas

A fourteen meter Sea Ray flybridge cruiser sank in Santa Maria, Los Cabos at around 1630 hours of Friday 27 May.  The yacht had some mechanical problems and could not turn the engines on, with it drifting to the rocks, and with the impact and rubbing damage which opened the hull, making it sink.  The flybridge crew of the flybridge cruiser where rescued by Zofemat staff, with the Navy and Port Authority taking two hours to arrive.  The boat had a fuel leak during the incident with the beach closed and a black flag indicating for fuel pollution raised.

The Sea Ray in this accident is a 480 Sedan Bridge model, produced for six years from 1998 till 2004.  The 480 Sedan Bridge was a fully cored build, and offered an interior with three double cabins sleeping six.  The 480 Sedan Bridge has a medium-Vee hull shape with propeller tunnels and was powered by twin GM 535hp or optional Cats 660hp engines, with these large units giving over thirty knots.  The 480 was replaced by the 500 Sedan Bridge in 2005.

Hunga Tonga Tsunami 2022

On 14 January the volcano on the Hunga Tonga uninhabited island, part of the Tongan archipelago in the Southern Pacific ocean erupted.  The eruption created a big Tsunami with waves reaching a height up to fifteen meters, and in this process is reported to have killed three persons, injured a lot of people, and many remain missing.  Hunga Tonga is located about 35 nautical miles North of Tongatapu, but the Tsunami also travelled afar in the Pacific Ocean, and doing damage from New Zealand, to Japan, and as far as South and North America. 

The above picture is taken in a Marina in New Zealand which seemed to be one of the most where boats and yacht sustained damages. In this particular marina some small and medium sized boats also sank, with boaters complaining that no alarm or advise was made.  

Azimut Cruiser Sinks in Ischia Island

An Azimut flybridge cruiser of twelve meters in length, sank while in its mooring at the marina in Casamicciola Terme, in the Island of Ischia, in the night between the twelfth and thirteenth January.  No one was onboard at the time of sinking. The cause of the sinking are not reported, but in most cases when a boat sinks this way, berthed in its mooring, it would be a failed water-cock of sorts.  Casamicciola Terme is located on the North part of the Island of Ischia, the largest of the three Naples gulf Islands, the other two being the famous Capri, and less famous but pretty Procida.   

The boat in this accident is an Azimut AZ36 TrentaSei model, designed by Bernard Olesinski and inhouse by the Italian yacht builder.  The AZ36 was a replacement to the long standing and popular John Bennet designed 37 and was produced from the fall of 1993 till 98.  The AZ36 has a two cabins two head layout, and was powered by twin Cats 306hp or Aifo 300hp reaching top speeds up to thirty knots.  The AZ36 followed a family feeling design to the AZ43 presented in the fall of 1991, and AZ40 in the fall of 92.  This trio of models characterized Azimut entry level line sub fifteen meters from 1992 to 98 in extending the Italian builders international success.  Over one hundred AZ36 where made in a five year production run as the model was replaced by the 39 in the fall of 1998.         

Ten Dead in Brazil Cliff Collapse

Ten people died when a cliff collapsed on boaters on Lago de Furnas in Capitolio on Saturday eight January.  Other 32 people where injured in the accident, with Fire Fighters, Rescue Teams, and Brazilian Navy still investigating the area for other bodies.  The giant big rock collapsed from the cliff and fall on two small sized, about five meters speed boats.  In a video some minutes previous to the accident showed online on social media, a lady is heard shouting to some of the boaters telling them to keep the distance from the rock as the water is angry and dangerous.  According to initial reports the rock is believed to have collapsed due to the heavy incessant rain of recent days in the area.

Lago de Furnas is an artificial lake created to the North of Rio Grande in 1958 for a hydro electrical plant, and is a popular tourist attraction located some 250 miles to the North of Sao Paolo, which in weekend sees some 5000 visitors, and goes up to 30,000 in holiday season.

Flybridge Cruiser Partially Sinks Near Venice

A flybridge cruiser of about fourteen meters in length was found partially sank in the morning of nine September in Coarle, Darsena dell' Orologio which translated to English means the Quay of the Watch.  The flybridge cruiser was floated again on the morning of September 11, and according to unconfirmed reports the boat sank for a failure to a raw water tube, which takes water to the engine sea-water pump. Darsena dell'Orologio is located further North East from Venice, and is a marina which offers just short of five hundred berths.

The flybridge motor cruiser in this accident is a Solcio Biondi 44 Fly which was released in 1989 and produced till about the mid nineties.  The 44 was designed by Dall' Abaco and was also offered in Open version.  Solcio was the Italian dealer of Norway's Fjord boats in the eighties and having success with the range of Norwegian cruisers up to 39 feet in length, decided to enter production in collaboration with the Biondi boat yard for cruisers above that size.  The Solcio Biondi 44 first released as Open and then as Fly, had a good success with about thirty units being built in both Open and Fly versions, with the later being more popular to the previous.    

Tornado Sport Cruiser Sinks in Ischia

An eleven meter Tornado sport cruiser hit the Camerate shallow sea rock on the West of the Island of Ischia on the night of fifteen August and sank.   Located just outside the Forio harbour the Camerate sea rock is sometimes visible, while other times when the tide is high it is not.  The Tornado sport cruiser which with the impact had a hole in its hull bottom, was re-floated the morning after on the sixteen August and then lifted up at Forio Harbour.

This Tornado in the accident is a 38 rare Sedan model, called this way for its hard-top.  The Tornado 38 was available in three versions; Classic/Sport, Flush Deck, and Cruising.  It was a huge success for the Rome, Fiumicino based boat builder selling over four hundred units in a production which started in 1985 and continues today.  The main reason for the Tornado 38 success was the similarity to the seventies Magnum 38, with a cheap price and stern drive propulsion.  The standard cabin layout of the Tornado 38 offered a double berth cabin forward, dinette which transforms to a double, galley and head.  A more comfortable Cruising version with midships cabin and a higher freeboard was launched in 2010.  The first eighties 38 had twin 200hp Volvo, as horse power grew on the forty series same happened in the engine room of the classic Tornado.  A Tornado 38 will win the Venice to Monte Carlo race in 1991.  

Sport Cruiser Beached in Favignana

A Salpa sport cruiser of about seven meters in length was beached in Favignana, on the late evening of twelfth August.  Unconfirmed news are reporting that the sport cruiser had stern drive problems and in order to avoid total sinking was beached.  The Salpa was beached at the South of part of Favignana island where there is the Mirasolo beach and the floating airport.  Favignana is the largest of the Egadi islands archipelago located to the West of Sicily.

The Salpa in this accident is a Laver 21.5 model produced from 2000 till 2013.  The Salpa Laver 21.5 was powered by a single engine with stern drive propulsion and power going up to 250hp. Her interior accommodation slept two in a convertible Vee-shaped dinette forward, a galley on entrance to port, and a separate shower head to starboard.  The Salpa came from an inhouse design, though hull architecture is heavy influenced from Renato Sonny Levi, having Salpa bought the Laver brand in 1990.  Most Laver models had hull designed by Vee shape inventor Renato Sonny Levi.  The Laver 21.5 evolved in the Salpa 23 X / XL in 2015.

Sportfish Cruiser Sinks in White Marlin Open 2021

A ten meter Sportfish Cruiser with six men onboard sank during day one of the White Marlin Open 2021 on second August.  The sportfish cruiser sank while fighting a blue marlin, and in backing down had an exhaust fail which resulted in the boat taking water and sinking.  Lucky for them motor yacht Fishbone a sportfish yacht of nineteen meters in length heard the MayDay and went immediately for the rescue with all the 3100hp available, rescuing the six fisherman who at this stage where already to safety on the life-raft, and the Pursuit sportfish nearly all sank behind them.  

The 2021 48th edition of the White Marlin Open is located in Ocean City, Maryland being held from second to the sixth August, and is considered one of the largest Billfish Tournaments.  The 2021 edition had 444 boats entered and a prize money of just over nine million US$.

The sank sportfish cruiser is a Pursuit 3400 Express produced from 1997 till 2002.  The 3400 Express was one of the few Pursuit's with inboard powered, equipped by twin Cummins or Volvo 370hp diesels with shafts.  The Pursuit 3400 Express offered an interior sleeping four with a double berth forward and a convertible dinette.

The sportfish yacht which performed the rescue is m/y Fishbone an Island Boat Works 65ft Custom powered by twin 1600hp Cat engines giving a thirty knots cruise.  This North Carolina custom sportfish yacht was build in cold moulding and offers accommodation for six in three double cabins.

Fairline Sport Cruiser Sinking in Poole

A Fairline Targa sport cruiser named Hayley with a couple onboard was recued in Poole, Sandbanks in the South of England while it started to take on water and sinking on the 21st July.  The circumstances of the accident are yet unknown, but rumours are calling for a stern drive failure.  The couple where rescued by the British RNLI coast guard, who after recusing the two persons and taking them to safety at the nearby Parkstone Yacht Club, cleared the sport cruiser from eventual pollution.  This same Fairline Targa apparently also hit the Weymouth Town Bridge in 2020 with a video showing the accident going viral on social media.

The Targa 40 is a popular sport cruiser model from Fairline produced from 2000 till 2007 in 299 units, which makes it the second most sold Targa model.  Designed as all Fairline's from the eighties till 2012 by Bernard Olesinski she was at the time of lunch one of the few sport cruisers to have a tender garage layout in a twelve meter size. The Targa 40 offered an interior with two double cabins, and convertible dinette and galley.  Power came from twin Volvo 260hp year 2000, with engines which became bigger as Volvo offered more powerful diesel stern drives.  Largest engine choice was for the 2006 and 07 offered twin 370hp taking speeds at about forty knots.  The Targa 40 was based on the hull of the 1993 launched Targa 38/39, and was replaced with the 2006 launched Targa 38 which also used the same hull.