Three Boats Destroyed by Fire in Piombino

Three boats where destroyed by fire at the Marina Archipelago Toscano in Piombino, to the South of Livorno, with the blaze starting at 0830 on the morning of first February. The fire is reported to have started in the middle motorboat and then jumped to a flybridge cruiser on its starboard side, and a sailing yacht on its port side. Fire fighters and the local coast guard office rushed to the scene, controlling the blaze first, so it does not jump to other boats, and then turning it off. No one was injured as the boats where all reported unattended, although all three boats are fully burned and a wreck.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The boats in this fire are a Zuccon designed 1993 to 97 produced Ferretti 120 Fly to left of the photo, with the sailing yacht to right being a Feeling.  So far I cannot picture the boat in the middle, which looks to be Italian made and from the eighties.

Classic Boat Crashes Into Rockingham Jetty

A classic eleven meter flybridge cruiser crashed, and then partly sank into Rockingham Yacht Club Jetty, in Rockingham, Western Australia on the late night of 31 January.  The cause of the accident are not reported but chats on social media are saying the captain collided with the jetty for a couple times, before eventually hitting bottom, and then partly sinking grounding the cruiser in the spot.  The classic flybridge cruiser was still in the same spot, partly sank and tied up to Rockingham Jetty as at ninth February.

The classic boat in this sinking looks to be a Mariner 38 Mk.I as build in the seventies.  Mariner Boats in Australia was founded by Bill Barry-Cotter in 1969 who he will sell in 1978, to then found Riviera in 1980 and then sell again in 2002, to then establish his third boat building brand Maritimo, which today he manages with his sons.

Two Yachts Destroyed by Fire in Ancorhage Marina, Baltimore

Two yachts were destroyed by fire at Anchorage Marina, to the South East of Baltimore at around nine o'clock morning time of Wednesday 31 January.  Baltimore City Fire Department rushed to the scene to extinguish the fire.  The fire is reported to have started on the flybridge of the smaller thirteen meter boat located on the B-dock which with the fire burned its mooring ropes and left its berth, and then touched a sixteen meter motor yacht located opposite it's berth.  The smaller boat eventually sank, while the bigger yacht was mostly burned with the fire and a total loss, but still floating.  No one was injured in the accident, although the smaller boat was a liveaboard for one person and his dog, who managed to get off board.

The boat above which started the fire and then sank looks to be a Taiwan build 1990's Lien Hwa 42 Aft Cabin, while the other yacht which burned down is a Garroni designed Prestige 550 Flybridge, produced from 2012 to 17 in around 170 units.

Record Snowfall in Juneau Alaska Sinks Eight Boats

Record snowfall in between thirteen to 25 January in Juneau, Alaska has sunk about eight boats, and damage partly sank some more.  The first heavy snow storm arrived on the thirteen January and that did over half a meter of snowfall in one night.  Since then and for twelve days the storms did not stop, with January 2024 reaching over a meter and half of snow fall, sixteen centimetres less to the record set in January 2009, when 191 centimetres of snowfall was recorded for a whole month.  Of the eight boats that sunk two are pleasure boats, with the rest being mostly commercial fisher-craft.  Some pleasure boats suffered a partial sinking, also because most of these are kept in covered slips as the above picture shows. 

Juneau is located to the South-East of Alaska, in the Gulf of Alaska, bordering to the North with the Bering Sea and to the Pacific Ocean in the South.  Juneau has a population of just over thirty thousand with temperatures that reach twenty degrees Celsius plus in Summer and going to below zero in the Winter months.

Sunseeker Yacht Partly Sinks in Haulover

A 22 meter Sunseeker motor yacht partly sank while berthed in a Marina at Haulover, Miami on the late morning of 24th January.  According to reports on social media, the Sunseeker yacht had a sea-cock failure in the forward part of the hull, leading to it partly sinking, with a short video snap showing as rescue operations are underway by Fast Response Marine Towing and Salvage on the Instagram channel Oldhatfishing.  A day later to the accident, on the 25th January the Sunseeker yacht is filmed again, this time by Wavy Boats YouTube channel as its being towed out of Haulover Inlet and into the Atlantic Channel again by Fast Reponse, probably taking her to a yacht yard for repair.

The Sunseeker yacht in this sinking is a 74 Manhattan, as produced from 1999 up to 2001.  Designed by Don Shead the 74 Manhattan, was a new entry into Sunseeker's line up as a filler between the 84 and upcoming 64 Manhattan.  In 2002 Sunseeker updated the 74 Manhattan with the Mk.2 version, additional side profile window, and three vertical hull side windows added to serve the midships master stateroom, with the model replaced by the first generation 75 Yacht in the fall of 2003.

The Wandering Hillybilly Aquila Power Cat Ends Aground

A sixteen meter Aquila power catamaran of the YouTube vlog The Wandering Hillybilly and titled with the same name, ended beached in Mountain Trunk Bay, to the West of Virgin Gorda Island on the afternoon of 23 January.  A Vlog on the The Wandering Hillybilly documented the incident, which happened because the yacht broke from its swing mooring, while the owner, i.e. Alan and five guests just swam to shore for a meal at the Sugarcane Restaurant.  As Alan arrived to the beach, who was the last of the group to make the ten minute swim to shore, the guests advised him that the yacht was following him. Seeing this Alan jumped back to save the Aquila catamaran, which at this time was just about ten meters from the beach.  With high risk Alan managed to get onboard, and as soon as he was on his way to the flybridge to save the Power Catamaran, disaster struck as the hull hit the seabed.  Alan still tried the last hope, firing her up and with the starboard engine tried to move her away from the beach, but all was too late, as the yacht was already grounded and beached.  A great moment came after all this with Alan and his guests managing to tie The Wandering Hillybilly in order to avoid her from hitting the rocks located just a meter to aft.  The day later Alan with help from Aquila dealer MarineMax salvaged the power catamaran, taking her to a boat yard in Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda, some three nautical miles South from the beaching accident.  Unfortunately the damage to the Aquila Power cat was more extensive then anticipated, a few holes in the hull, both P-brackets punctured in the hull, severely bent rudders and propellers, and engine room filled with sand and sea-water.

The Wandering Hillybilly is a 2022 Aquila 54 Yacht power catamaran.  Designed by the Jacep and Jernei Jakopin brothers the Aquila 54 Yacht debuted in 2021, and is offered in a nine different layout options, three for each of the decks, and is powered by three engine choices from Volvo 380 up to Cummins 550hp.

B is for Build Classic Riva Sinks

B is for Build vlog classic twelve meter Riva titled m/y B is for Boat sank on Thursday eighteen January in Riverplace Marina, Portland, Vancouver.  The cause of the sinking as reported on B is for Build YouTube vlog was a raw water inlet pipe in the engine room which froze due to cold weather, and a water filter cannister which cracked open with the ice.  B is for Build made two videos about the sinking, the  first going into the news about the sinking, and the second showing the re-float of the classic Riva.  B is for Boat was floated back in it's berth, with the plan being to take her to a boat yard, and Chris promising a rebuild of his classic Riva sport cruiser. 

B is for Boat is a 1990 Riva 43 Tropicana.  Designed by Giorgio Barilani, the Riva 43 Tropicana was produced from 1989 to 97 in 53 units, a sport cruiser design hull based on the 42 Malibu and 42 Caribe, with all these coming from a length extended 38 Bravo hull released in 1979.  B is for Boat was repowered in Spring 2021 with twin petrol gas LSX 750hp from previous Cummins 420hp diesels.

Lightning Strike Sets Sea Ray Yacht on Fire

A seventeen meter Sea Ray sport yacht titled m/y No Mas went on fire after it was struck by lightning while berthed in the canals of Cape Coral, Florida on Monday fifteen January.  A strong tornado with thunder storms and heavy rains hit South West Florida, causing damage and 64 cancelled and 173 delayed flights on the day.  Cape Coral Fire Department fast responded to the fire, saving the Sea Ray from fully burning down.  

The same Sea Ray seventeen meter sport yacht returned to social media news as it was reported in colliding with piers and other boats in a towing on the thirtieth March.  

No Mas is a 2007 Sea Ray 55 Sundancer.  Launching in the fall of 2007 the 55 Sundancer is a two stateroom hard-top sport yacht which with twin Man 800hp engines reaches speeds up to thirty knots.  The Sea Ray 55 Sundancer came out as a replacement to the 550 Sundancer, and evolved into the 580 Sundancer in the fall of 2009, recognizable by the hull window glazing and the up-down extended bathing platform.

Benetti Super Yacht Partly Sinks in Fort Royal Isle Fort Lauderdale

A 35 meter Benetti super yacht titled m/y Pour Another partly sank near Fort Royal Isle and 34th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale at about 04:00 hours on the morning of tenth January.  The partly sank Benetti was assisted by Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue in the morning who responded with a dozen first responders and also surrounded the yacht with a pollution protection boon, with SeaTow coming later on the scene to re-float the yacht.  SeaTow reported no pollution happened from the partly sank yacht, with a small fuel spill occurring inside the bilges.  After the floating the Benetti yacht was planned to be taken about five nautical miles South at a yacht yard in New River for repairs.  The Benetti yacht was reported as doing maintenance works in its bilges on the evening before, with the crew noticing it going down in the early hours of the morning.  Pour Another is currently listed for sale at 5.2 million US$.

M/y Pour Another is a 2003 Benetti Classic 115 model.  Designed by Stefano Righini the Classic 115 was Benetti's first entry for a semi-production fiberglass series, with the result being a huge success of 27 units sold in an eight year production run 1998 to 2006. The Classic 115 evolved into the Classic 120 in 2007, and then again into the Classic 121 in 2011.

Super Yacht Saved from Fire in Aventura Florida

Fire fighters from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to a 24 meter Lazzara super yacht which caught fire in Williams Island, Island Boulevard, Aventura, Florida on 0600 hours of the morning of Sunday seventh January.  Fire Rescue received a call from a nearby condo which reported that they heard an explosion first, and saw the yacht on fire some seconds later.  When arriving on the scene the Miami-Dade Fire fighters found a fire on the fore-deck of the yacht, with this controlled and put out.  No injuries where reposted with the yacht being unattended during the fire.  The cause of the fire are under investigation.

The yacht in this is fire is a Lazzara 80 SC model as produced from 2002 to 2006 to an inhouse design with interiors by Christian Delashmutt.  Lazzara build five 80 SC and twenty 80 Sky Lounge, for a total of 25 hulls of the series.  The Lazzara 80 SC and 80 Sky Lounge came out as a replacement of the 80, and evolved into the 84 in 2006.

Cruise Liner Breaks Mooring and Damages Marina in Siracusa

Gale force winds followed by a tornado gusting fifty knots of wind on 12:50 hours of Saturday sixth January broke the mooring lines to the MSC Sinfonia cruise liner, with this ending on the Marina Yachting pontoons, Porto Grande, Siracusa, on the East side Ionian sea of Sicily.  With the collision MSC Sinfonia is reported to have sunk two boats, caused damage to other boats and yachts, and to the marina.  No one was injured in the collision, with the 275 meters, 58174 gross tonnage cruise liner needing four tugs to put her back in its place.  MSC Sinfonia was on a technical stop in Siracusa, boarded only by technical crew and without any guests onboard.

In the below photo we can see a Conam 52 Chrono and a Sacs Strider 45 Gran Turismo involved with the pile up at Marina Yachting, following the collision by the cruise ship.  Marina Yachting in Siracusa opened its doors in the early 2000s, and has accommodation for up to 150 boats and yachts.

Bertram Yacht Sinks in San Pedro California

A twenty meter Bertram yachts sank at the dock in San Pedro, California on fifth January.  The Bertram yacht was unattended during the sinking, and fuel loaded of eight thousand litres of diesel in its tanks plus extra tanks onboard, as it was reported to be planning a two thousand nautical miles plus of crossing to Hawaii next week.  Following the sinking the Bertram was protected by a pollution protecting boon.  Unconfirmed social media news said the yacht was taking on water for a day or two before it eventually sank.

The Bertram in this sinking is the 58 Motor Yacht, custom extended with an extra ten foot of hull and cockpit added aft.  Designed by Dave Napier the Bertram 58 Motor Yacht launched in 1976 and was produced for ten years till 86.  Bertram Motor Yacht range featured three models over the years debuting in 1971 with the 46, added with the 42 in 1973, and then the 58 in 76.  The Bertram Motor Yacht series was produced till 1987.

Classic Trojan Sinks in Pittsburgh

A classic nine meter Trojan partly sank on the morning of second January at North Shore, Pittsburgh, Pensylvania.  The Trojan cruiser partly sank only because it rested on the river bed which is just over a meter deep.  Following the sinking Pittsburgh authorities protected the sunk cruiser with boons to avoid pollution from spreading.  The Trojan cruiser was reported to arrive and moor in that particular spot only some days before it eventually sank.  This particular Trojan classic was reported sold in September 2023.  

The Trojan in this sinking is an F-30 Sea Raider the full fiberglass version which arrived after 1974, as initially this series was build with a fiberglass hull and wooden super structure, launching in 1970.  The flybridge in the 30 Sea Raider was an option, to the hard-top express version.

Sport Yacht Ends on Sandbar in Perdido Key Florida

A sixteen meters Cruisers Yachts sport yacht started the year in not a good way, as it ended aground on the sandbar of Perdido Key, to the South West of Pensacola in Escambia County, Florida, on the afternoon of first January.  Many locals from the area complained that the sandbars of Perdido Key, with most of these becoming bars from small islets by Hurricane Ivan from September 2022 are not marked, making it tricky and difficult to navigate and avoid.  

The Cruisers Yachts in this grounding is a 540 Express model, as produced from 2004 till 06.  The 540 Express was offered in two or three cabins layout and is powered by twin Volvo or Cat 715hp engines for speeds up to the low thirties.  Cruisers flagship model at release the 540 Express came as a soft evolution of the 5470 launched in 2002, and was renamed as 560 in 2007 before replaced by the 540 Sports Coupe in 2012.

Larnaca Marina Fire Totals Two Boats Damages Another

A fire which started on a flybridge cruiser of about thirteen meters in length at Larnaca Marina in Cyprus, at 13:26 hours of 21 December has totalled two boats, and damaged another.  Reports say the fire started on a thirteen meter flybridge cruiser, which then with the strong winds jumped to a sport cruiser of similar size to its starboard side, and while on fire also damaged a power catamaran on its port side.  The first two cruisers where towed outside the marina, while the power catamaran received important fire damage on its starboard side.  Larnaca Fire Station responded with two fire fighting vehicles, taking about about an hour to control the blaze, with the two cruisers being towed outside the marina already half burned, after which they sank from the flames and rough sea conditions of the day.  No one was injured in the fire, as the boats where reported unattended, with the cause of the blaze being under investigation.

The three boats in this fire are the Garroni designed Jeanneau Prestige 46 produced from 2003 to 2011, a Pershing 43 as designed by Fulvio de Simoni and produced from 2001 to 04, and a Leopard 39 Powercat as produced from 2012 to 22.  The boat ownerships are reported to be two of Cypriots and one of a Ukrainian national.

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.

South West Florida Hit by Strong Low Pressure

A strong low pressure hit the South West Florida on Sunday seventeen December, with various streets being flooded in the area, a storm surge of one meter, over five centimetres of rain water, and winds up to Force seven Beaufort of intensity.  Punta Gorda which has still not recovered from Hurricane Ian from September 2022, was one of the most hit areas, along with Forty Myers, and Palm Beach.  

Many weather forecast models are saying this and previous recent storms, along with a particularly unusually strong Pacific Hurricane Season are the affect of El Nino which finally has arrived.  The 2024 El Nino is forecasted to be a strong one, because of record heat in recent Summers, and also because it delayed by a year. 

A classic Hatteras 53 Motor Yacht suffered the affect of the storm surge, with crew trying to resolve this.

This is a Chaparral 28/29 Signature which ended beached after breaking free from its mooring.  

A first version Ocean Yachts 38 Super Sport also suffered the affect of the storm, and partly sank.

Classic Benetti Super Yacht Saved from Sinking in Spain

A classic 45 meter Benetti super yacht titled Tumberry C under Spanish flag was ran aground in Carabuxeira Beach, Sanxenxo, Pontevedra, to the North West and Atlantic sea side of Spain on the morning of Saturday sixteen December.  The yacht is reported to having had a leak water intrusion in the engine room while moored in her berth, which prompted the Nauta Sanxenxo, Real Club Náutico de Sanxenxo, Salvamento Marítimo Emergencies, and the Civil Guard towing the yacht and running her aground in order to prevent her from sinking.  In this spot the team of four yacht saviour teams patched and plugged the leak and then towed the super yacht to Juan Carlos I dock were now she is awaiting a full repair.

M/y Tumberry C is a Benetti 45M launched in 1988 and designed by Stefano Natucci for exteriors, with interiors by Terrence  Disdale.  Tumberry C was previously owned by x-Real Madrid vice President Fernando Fernández Tapias, and has guested among many personalities also King Juan Carlos of Spain. She is now reportedly owned by a Chinese businessman.  Benetti build four of the Stefano Natucci 45M semi-customs in between 1987-94, with the last two featuring a totally renewed exterior design but sharing the same hull.

Super Yacht Utopia IV Hits Miami Bridge Barrier

A 63 meter super yacht titled m/y Utopia IV collided with the protective barrier of NE 63 Bridge which leads to the Port of Miami on 18:00 hours of Wednesday thirteen December.  The cause of the collision was caused from current created by a cruise ship prop wash, with twenty knots gust winds not helping the situation.  According to a declaration from the yacht ownership the cruise ship had no departure declaration, putting the super yacht in a difficult spot and causing the collision with the bridge barrier in that time.  Utopia IV was reported as having only the crew onboard, with no injuries to personnel, and yacht and bridge barrier sustaining little damage.  Probably this news made more headlines because ten days short of two years ago, Utopia IV had a collision with the 48 meter cargo vessel Tropic Breeze in Nassau Bahamas.  This is more a case of a wrong place and right time to be filmed and social media shared, with the bang noise coming out of the collision making this sound worse then probably it actually was.  

Super yacht Utopia IV is a 63 meter Rossinavi hull number FR031 and launched in 2018 to a design by Angelo Gobbi Team 4 Design for both exterior and interior, with naval architecture by Arrabito.  Utopia IV is listed for charter at half a million dollars a week and for sale at just under 48 million US$.  Utopia IV is owned by Loren Ridinger, commissioned by her husband and Market America founder JR Ridinger who passed away suddenly on thirty August 2022. 

Floating Yacht Dock Sinks in Kocaeli Turkey

A 145 meter floating dock owned by Yachtley Shipyard and with 24 persons onboard, sank while in the Kocaeli free zone area, Basiskele district, Turkey, on the morning of Wednesday thirteen December.  The Yachtley floating dock was reported in doing yacht retrieval preparation operation before it started to sink down.  All the 24 persons onboard where saved, with two being hospitalized but are reported to be in stable condition.  The 145 meters 4500 tons capacity floating dock had the tall crane booms still visible after the sinking.  The Kocaeli Port Authority reported no pollution from the sinking.

Turkish Yachtley shipyard was founded in 2005, in Kocaeli, and is owned by Saudi Arabian Fal Group.  Since its founding Yachtley has gained a name for refits, although it did deliver two super yachts; 65 meters Nourah of Riyad designed by Donald Starkley in 2008, and the 80 meter Elements in 2019 to a design of Alpha Marine and interiors by Christian Gatto.