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.

Lurssen Bremen Yard Damage Injures One Employee

A 130 meter plus Lurssen super yacht currently under construction has injured one employee when falling and damaging the shed doors in the Bremen shipyard, Germany on the afternoon of Thursday seventh December.  The one employee was reported slightly injured in the accident, with the super yacht fall damaging the shed doors and the bridge connecting the dock, which partly sank in the water.  The accident was assisted by rescue workers, which included a helicopter, water rescue units, and fire brigade teams.  The 150 meters floating dock was later secured by the Bremen police, and fire department.  Lurssen reported the accident with a press release on the same evening.  This is the second incident for Lurssen in 2023, following a fire on June 28 at the Lemwerder facility which involved one worker. 

According to unconfirmed reports the Lurssen super yacht in this accidental fall is the 142 meters Project Alibaba which is set to launch in 2024.

Baywood Marina Boat Fire

An unattended ten meters sports cruiser went ablaze at Baywood Marina in Brick, New Jersey at 04:46 hours of Thursday seventh December.  Jersey Shore Fire Response and Pioneer Hose Volunteer Fire Company responded to the blaze, while East Dover Fire Company came to the scene with Fire Boat 28 from the water.  It took over an hour to extinguish the fire with no damage to other boats and property being sustained thanks also to the quick response of the fire fighting crew.  The boat was later removed and towed away from the dock, with the cause of the fire being under investigation.

The sport cruiser in this fire is a Wellcraft 3200 Martinique, produced from 1994 to 2000.  The 3200 Martinique sleeps six in a typical North American express-sport cruiser open layout, and was powered by twin stern drives or V-drive line shafts for speeds up to the mid thirty knots.  The 3200 Martinique came as a replacement to the 3200 St.Tropez and was replaced by the 3300 Martinique in 2000.

Super Yacht Ends Aground in Dubai

M/y Indigo Star I, a 38 meter super yacht ended aground and beached in Dubai, near Marina Harbor on the evening of Friday first December.  Indigo Star I is reported to have had a technical fault, with the captain losing controls of the engines and the super yacht ending beached.  With high tide coming in, the super yacht was towed away on the same night, with the yacht reported to have received no damage from the grounding.  

Indigo Star I is owned by German fashion designer Robert Geiss since about ten years, who have used the yacht to cruise around the World since taking ownership.  Robert and his wife Carmen have been cruising on Indigo Star I in the Persian Gulf for over a week, with the yacht attending the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix the previous week-end.  The Geiss's where in Dubai when the accident happened but not on the yacht, and were informed about the accidental grounding over the phone, with Robert Geiss joking on Instagram that now he has a private beach club.  Indigo Star I is currently available for sale for 3.9 million US$.

M/y Indigo Star I is a custom Siar-Moschini 38, launched in 1995 to a design of Andrea Bacigalupo with interiors by Studio Vafiadis. Siar-Moschini from Fano was a joint venture founded between Siar a yacht interior fitment specialist firm, and Moschini a high-end large sizes advanced fiberglass builder in 1986, which will build a dozen yachts from 21 to 43 meters, launching its first yacht in 1988, and its last in 2004.  Carlo Moschini was also one of the three founders of Ferretti Custom Line brand in 1996, with this lasting two years after he sold his yard to Azimut-Benetti Group in 1998, sale completed in 2002.

Ferretti Yacht Sinks in Baker Beach San Francisco

A fifteen meter Ferretti flybridge yacht with two persons onboard sank two hundred meters away from the shore of Bakers beach, to the North of San Francisco at around 12:00 hours of Thursday thirtieth November.  San Francisco fire department said they received the call of the yacht sinking just before noon, with the two boaters jumping in the water and then rescued by three rescue swimmers from Bakers beach who took them to a nearby San Francisco Police Department boat.  The two boaters where then taken to San Francisco Marina Yacht Harbor for a health evaluation.  The Ferretti Yacht cause of sinking was not reported, with the yacht sitting in about four meters of water and its flybridge still visible. 

The Ferretti Yacht in this sinking is a 510 model, designed by Zuccon and introduced in the fall of 2007.  Mimicking the features of the two years before presented 630 bigger sister in a smaller size, the 510 was a yacht ahead of its time for its full beam owners midships cabin, and astern galley layout.  The 510 came out as a replacement to the 500 and 530 models, and was renamed as 530 in 2010 and produced till 2014, then replaced by the Ferretti 550 model.

Apreamare Ends Aground in Fiumicino

A sixteen meter Apreamare traditional yacht with two persons onboard ended aground at the entrance of Fiumara Grande, Fiumicino to the outskirts of Rome on the early afternoon hours of Tuesday 21 November.  The Fiumicino Harbour Master and Civil Protection was immediately on the scene, saving the two boaters, who had no injuries.  The Apreamare yacht was coming from Sardinia direction to Fiumicino, when at the end of its trip had trouble with one engine, making manoeuvring in the Fiumara entrance difficult and ultimately ended aground.  An operation to remove the yacht is scheduled for tomorrow morning.

The Apreamare in this grounding is the 16 model presented in the 2002 Genoa boat show. The 16 is a design of Tommaso Spadolini with naval architecture by Umberto Tagliavini featuring three lower deck layouts, in three or two double cabins, and was powered by twin Man 730 up to 800hp engines for speeds up to 32 knots.  The Apreamare 16 evolved into the 54 in 2005 with the standardized patio door, and a renewed stern bathing platform design and then produced till 2009.

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.

Tropical Storm-Force Winds Hits South Florida

Tropical storm-force winds hit South Florida and the Treasure Island on Thursday, sixteen November.  The winds started gusting at over fifty knots at around 04:00 hours of the morning with the storm calming down jest before 18:00 local time.  The storm caused a lot of damage in the area, toppled a lot of trees, destroyed tents, broke loose a few boats, and three hundred power cuts happening during the day.  In Jensen beach a catamaran ended slamming in a dock, while a ketch finished beached and aground and partly toppled into a seawall after it broke loose.  The picture above shows also a sport-boat-cruiser of about eleven meters in length which partly sank, and was hanging with the dock near Gateway Boulevard in Boynton beach.

The sport-power-boat-cruiser in the above sinking is a Formula 419 SR-1.  Designed by  Formula designer John Adams, the 419 SR-1 was introduced in 1991 as a flagship of the range, with triple engines for speeds up to seventy knots, and the trademark 24 degrees deadrise aft.  In 1997 the 419 evolved into the FasTech updated with a three-step hull, and produced till 2001.  Formula never really replaced the 419, with the 382 FasTech taking it's place as flagship, 

Fifty Foot Sportfish Yacht Lost to Fire in San Pedro Harbour

A fifty foot sportfish yacht was lost and destroyed by a fire in Berth 85 just outside Harbour Boulevard near the Los Angeles Maritime Museum in San Pedro Harbour, California on 16:08 of Saturday eleventh November.  One person was admitted to hospital following smoke inhalation during the accident, although the yacht was reported unattended when the fire started.  Los Angeles Fire Department controlled the blaze in just fifteen minutes, with investigation on what started the fire currently ongoing.

At this stage I cannot decipher what this fifty foot sportfish yacht was, but it looks like this was also wooden build.  If someone knows more, send a message and will update.

Princess Yacht Burns and Sinks in Isle of Wight

An eighteen meter Princess sport yacht titled m/y Peroni with two persons onboard caught fire near Ventnor, to the South of the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom at 10:20 hours of Saturday eleventh November.  The coast guard responded to the May Day call with Bembridge RNLI picking the two persons onboard, while Sandown and Shanklin independent lifeboat and its crew monitored the yacht on fire, and its debris, as it drifted to the South East until it eventually sank at about 13:30 local time.

M/y Peroni is a 2017 Princess V58, an eighteen meter sport yacht designed by Bernard Olesinski with a three double cabins accommodation and a DS saloon patio door or full Open main deck option.  Peroni had the enclosed Deck Saloon option and was powered by the large Volvo 900hp for speeds up to 37 knots.  Produced from 2014 to 18 the V58 came out as a replacement to the V57, and was replaced by the V55 in 2019.

Viking 92 Beaches in Delray Beach Following Black-Out

A 28 meter Viking super sportfish yacht titled m/y Pastime under US flag with three crew onboard ended beached in the East area of Delray Beach, Florida on about 15:00 hours of Friday third November.  The 28 meter sportfish yacht lost total electric and mechanical power while underway from Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale, with the engines stopping to run and all electrical systems going in black out South of Boynton inlet, becoming an incapicated vessel, in three meter wave seas, and thirty knots Easterly winds.  As it stopped without power and already beached TowBoatU.S arrived on the scene trying to tow the yacht, with no success as Pastime snapped multiple lines in all the towing attempts, with over tens of tries in pulling the ninety tons behemoth failing both on Friday and Saturday.  Success for the towing arrived on Sunday fifth November, at about 15:15 as finally with a higher tide, and removal of fuel and liquids, Pastime was removed from Delray beach and towed for a three hour trip by TowBoatU.S to the Viking Yacht Service Center in Riviera Beach, Florida.  TowBoatU.S used twenty persons and five vessels to clear the Viking sportfish, in what was a delicate, difficult, and unusual operation.  No one was injured in the beaching and operation of towing, with Pastime reported to lose power because of a malfunction to the fire suppression system which switches all electrical and mechanical systems off.  According to photos from the Viking Service Center, Pastime had both rudders bent, minimum prop damage, and a scratch to its Vee bottom.  On ten November Viking Yachts released a press statement about this beaching incident, which to be fair has little to do about them also because this a seven year old yacht. 

Pastime is a Viking 92 Convertible from the fall of 2016, hull ten and the first to launch with the open bridge layout.  The 92 Convertible offers accommodation for five double cabins sleeping ten, with two crew cabins, and is powered by twin MTU 2600hp for speeds up to 36 knots.  Launched as the Enclosed Bridge in 2014, the 92 was Viking's flagship at launch, expanding its size by ten foot from the 2009 launched 82.  21 units of the 92 have been made till 2022, with the model replaced by the Viking 90 at the start of 2023.

Previously named m/y Sweet Tuna, this Viking 92 Convertible was sold in 2022 for under nine million US$, and renamed to Pastime and according to some reports was displayed just one week ago at the 2023 Fort Lauderdale boat show as a brokerage.

Fire Burns Five Boats in La Paz Mexico

A fire which broke out the early morning of second November burned down and sank five yachts from eleven to 32 meters at Marina Palmira, in La Paz, Mexico.  The fire is reported to have started on a seventeen meters Azimut yacht, which then moved to the other four burned out boats, and damaged at least five more.  Tim Prouty gave an account of the accident on the Latitude38 website, when he saw the first seventeen meters flybridge yacht starting to burn on its stern port side at about 03:00 hours early morning time.  With a soft breeze blowing starboard to port the fire eventually jumped to the next boat, then the other, until five boats totally burned down and sank, including of which, and last to get the fire a 32 meter Hatteras super yacht.  Fire fighting crew response came at about 03:30 but an hour later to this the fire had already engulfed the five boats and yacht which burned down and sank.  

The yachts in this fire are an Azimut 58 Full a model produced from 1998 to 2002, the one that looks to have started the blaze, followed by what look to be two Riviera models, and then jumping to another Azimut 43S.  The Hatteras super yacht which burned was a 2019 100 RPH m/y Optimus and hull number five, which was also the last build of this Enrico Gobbi designed series which debuted in 2013.

Sunseeker Yacht Destroyed by Fire in Haulover

A 26 meter Sunseeker super yacht went ablaze in Bal Harbour, Haulover Park Marina, 10800 Collins Ave, Northeast Miami-Dade County, Florida on 04:45 early morning time of Saturday 28 October.  The yacht was reported unattended at the time of the fire, with Miami-Dade Fire Recsue finding it difficult to arrive to the yacht due to the length of the dock.  The fire was controlled at about 07:00 hours although fire controls and checks where still ongoing, in order to avoid the possibility of a second burn out from the heat and fumes that had not yet stopped.  Miami-Dade Fire Rescue dispatched a total of 24 units including a few fireboats to control this fire.  No one was injured on the fire, with the cause of the blaze being under investigation.

The Sunseeker super yacht in this fire is a first generation 86 Yacht produced from 2008 till the fall of 09 in nine units.  The 86 Yacht has an interior with four double cabins and two crew cabins, and is powered by twin Man or Cat 1670hp for speeds up to thirty knots.  The 86 replaced the Sunseeker 82 Yacht, and evolved into the 88 Yacht in 2010 with standard hard-top and glazed hull windows replacing the three and four part large port holes.

Viking Sportfish Ends Aground in Long Island, Bahamas

A fifteen meter Viking sportfish yacht titled Oh Reely under Montenego Bay, Jamaica flag ended aground on Long Island, Bahamas reportedly on the morning of Friday 27 October.  According to reports the Oh Reely was navigating from Jamaica on the way to Florida, where it developed a technical mechanical problem which unfortunately ended the sportfish aground and on the rocks.  Unfortunately for Oh Reely things got even worse as with the tide going up and waves rolling, the sportfish became a total wreck splitting in the aft cockpit side, with the starboard hull side completely opening up with the wave-rock crushing.

Oh Reely is a second generation Viking 50 Convertible produced from the fall of 2008 up to 2013.  The 50 Convertible offers a three double cabins layout with a midships starboard side owners stateroom, and is powered by twin Man 1100 or 1360hp engines, with top speeds up to forty knots from the large engine option.  The 50 Convertible came as a replacement to the Viking 48 Convertible and was replaced by the 52 Convertible in 2014.

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.

Hurricane Norma 2023

Norma is the ninth hurricane of the Pacific 2023 season.  Forming from a low pressure appearing on the fifteen October to the Southern Coast of Mexico, which on the seventeen became a Tropical storm, and becoming a Hurricane the morning after of the eighteen. For the next 24 hours Norma will increase speeds from sixty to 112 knots becoming a category four Hurricane and causing chaos in the Southern Western Coast of Mexico.  Norma started to weaken on October 20, but made a second round of seventy knots winds on the 21st doing damage to the West-North-West of Cabo San Lucas, with a third round on the 23rd at Sinaloa near El Dorado.  After this Norma became a remnant low pressure.  

Hurricane Norma has caused major damage to La Paz and Marina Cortez to the East of Baja California Sur, with about fifty boats reported lost or damaged.  Above is a photo screen from a one of the videos circulating on social media showing the damage to La Paz marina.  This video showed a few catamarans and sail yachts sank, with the above motor yacht looking like a Hampton 490 Pilothouse semi-sank, and other motor yachts showing damage to the bathing platforms and hull sides.  

A video on YouTube by Your Saltwater Guide also showed a Cantieri di Pisa Akhir 30 S which was taken aground by the storms surge power.

While Alan Flores Ramos on Twitter showed the 2021 Ferretti Custom Line Navetta 33, hull #16 m/y Ricacha mostly sank vertically with its port side anchor out.  It is reported on some sources that Ricacha sought refuge in La Paz only for it to sustain damage in a collision and then sink.  The crew were rescued, with an operation to salvage Ricacha being underway.

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.

Sunseeker Sport Yacht Runs Aground in Pijavica, Croatia

A 28 meter Sunseeker sport yacht titled Code, with a captain and two crew ran aground in the islet of Pijavica, near Trogir Bay in Croatia at 06:35 hours of Monday 23rd October.  No one was injured in the grounding with Telegram news reporting that the captain of Code deliberately ran the yacht aground in order to save her from sinking. During the preliminary inspection by Split harbour master, Code is reported to have its hull fully resting on the island cliff, and carrying just over 3,000 liters fuel, and as precaution was surrounded with floating dams by the Voluntary Fire Company of Kastela.   

M/y Code is a Sunseeker Predator 92 Sport from 2009 powered by twin MTU 2434hp engines for top speeds up to 38 knots.  Designed by Don Shead the Sunseeker Predator 92 offers an eight double cabins, plus two crew layout.  The Sunseeker Predator 92 was produced from 2008 till 2010 in ten units, with the same hull evolving into the slightly shorter Predator 84 in 2009.

Ghost Motor Yacht Ends Aground in Fregenae Beach

This starts as a ghost thriller, when an eighteen meter motor yacht titled Carpe Diem under French flag and without crew, ended aground in-front of Controvento, on the sands of Fregenae beach, to the outskirts of Rome on the Eastern water-front at about 16:00 hours of Sunday 22nd October.  At the grounding the crew-less motor yacht gathered a group of curious persons, with a first under-water inspection coming from the Centrovento establishment staff, and then later in the afternoon followed by that of the Police.  Finding some clothes and a confused messy interior, with a fishing rod at the stern, and following the yacht registration the Italian police found that Carpe Diem was previously owned by a Croatian who sold it in 2022, to the current ownership.  Later on in the evening the thriller was partly solved with the investigation telling that the yacht was navigating to Marseille with three Croatian crew, when it developed a mechanical problem seventy nautical miles offshore from Anzio on the fifteen of October.  Calling a May-Day also due to the rough seas, the three crew abandoned the yacht with assistance and boarding on the Excelsior ferry, who dropped them in Genova harbour.  Following further investigations by the Rome Coast Guard and of receipts found onboard it was also discovered the itinerary for the yacht before it was abandoned, berthing in Lecce, and Marina di Camerota harbours.  The coast guard is now organizing the removal of the yacht from Fregenae beach to avoid any environment and pollution damage.

Carpe Diem the yacht in this grounding is a Guy Couach 185 Fly from 1999.  Produced from 1996 to 2000 the Guy Couach 185 Fly offers a three double cabins layout with a full beam owners stateroom, plus a crew cabin located forward, and is powered by twin MTU 767hp for top speeds up to 28 knots. A replacement to the 1901, the 185 Fly was replaced by the Guy Couach 1900 model in 2001.  Guy Couach or as is known recently as Couach Yachts is a yacht builder from Cujan Mestras to the West of France, which started in 1897 by building the World first marine engine, and entering production boat building with the Arcoa brand in 1947, and then with Guy Couach in 1968 and the 1200 model for bigger boats.  Two years after this, in 1970 Couach also entered into the supply of military and surveillance vessels, which is still a part of its business today.