Unattended Bertram Sinks in Fort Lauderdale

An unattended seventeen meter Bertram sportfish yacht sank while berthed near Esplanade Park at 4200 Southwest Second Street, Fort Lauderdale just before 16:00 hours of Tuesday 23rd July.  Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue responded to the sinking which at this stage did not impede any marine traffic, while SeaTow was called to refloat the yacht.  Incidentally a Jupiter center console of about seven meters in length also sank like some one hundred meters away.  The investigation for the sinking is under investigation.

The Bertram in this sinking is a 540 as produced from 2009 till 2012 to a design of Giovanni Zuccon.  Coming as a replacement to the 570, the 540 introduced some more cruising features like a forward windshield and lower helm option, although over its three production years Bertram returned the model into more sportfishing amenities.

Hurricane Beryl

Hurricane Beryl was a deadly and destructive Atlantic hurricane that impacted parts of the Caribbean, the Yucatán Peninsula, and the Gulf Coast of the United States, forming on 28 June and dissipating eleven July 2024. It was the earliest-forming Category 5 hurricane on record and the second such storm in the month of July, the other being 2005's Hurricane Emily. Beryl was also the strongest hurricane to develop within the Main Development Region of the Atlantic before the month of July. The second named storm, first hurricane, and first major hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, Beryl broke many meteorological records for the months of June and July, primarily for formation and intensity.  Beryl caused catastrophic damage on Grenada's northern islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique and on several of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines' southern islands, such as Union Island and Canouan. In Venezuela, six people were killed and one person missing. Sustained damage was also recorded in the Yucatán, although it was generally limited to trees, power poles, and roofs, as well as some flooding. In the United States, the state of Texas experienced severe flooding and wind damage, with reports of at least 22 dead in the Houston region. Additionally, the outer bands of the hurricane produced a tornado outbreak, with tornadoes confirmed in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, Indiana, New York, and Ontario. As of July 18, a total of fifty fatalities have been confirmed, and preliminary damage estimates are more than US$6.2 billion.

Boating wise Hurricane Beryl major damage came in Carriacou and Petit Martinque, were it landed on second July, pilling up yachts in the boat filled area of Tyrell Bay and the island of Plaza Santos.

In Texas the damage was minimum though some boats and yachts still suffered to Beryl storm surge, with this Azimut 54 ending sinking on eight July.

Pershing Yacht Saved from Sinking Near Gaeta

A 23 meter Pershing sport yacht titled Miotus and under Italian flag was saved from sinking near Serapo, Gaeta, Italy on the late morning of Thursday twentieth June. The Pershing yacht had departed Gaeta yacht marina with seven persons onboard direction to the island of Ponza when four nautical miles offshore, water starting to come into the hull. Seeing this, the yachts captain called a mayday and then turned direction, and anchored the yacht in a scheduled beach near Sirio, with the Guardia Costiera coming to the rescue with two boats; one to retrieve the yachts passengers to safety and a second to assist the yacht. A specialized firm followed, rescuing the yacht and taking it to safety in Gaeta for investigation on this near sinking.

Miotus is a Pershing 76 as designed by Fulvio de Simoni and produced from 2002 till 08.  Similar styled to the 88 flagship which debuted in 1999, the Pershing 76 came out as a replacement to the 73 and was replaced by the 80 model.

Yacht Sinks After Running Aground in Vilano Inlet

A seventeen meter down east inspired lobster yacht with two persons onboard, partly sank after it ended aground following water ingress in rough seas at Vilano Inlet, St. Johns County, Florida at about 15:15 of Wednesday nineteen June.  A St. Johns County Marine Rescue crew member noticed the yacht in distress, with the two persons onboard making a mayday call and then putting their life jackets.  At this stage the two persons ended in the water pulled into the seas by the rough conditions, with St. Johns County Fire Rescue rescuing them about two hundred meters away from the yacht position.  After this the boaters where taken to Vilano Boat Ramp but both declined further medical treatment.  A salvage operation to save the seventeen meter yacht is currently being organized.

The traditional yacht in this sinking is a Palm Beach Motor Yachts PB55 model as designed by Mike Richards and debuting in 2012 and still in production today.  Founded in 1995 Palm Beach Motor Yachts has grown in popularity in the last fifteen years, for its combination of high tech construction and ageless classic inspired looks with modern amenities.

Two People Rescued from Sinking Sunseeker 80 Predator

Two people where rescued when a 24 meter Sunseeker sport yacht tilted m/y Atlantis started to take on water three nautical miles off St Augustine Beach, Jacksonville, Florida on 11:37 morning of Saturday 25 May.  US Coast Guard sector Jacksonville responded to the distress call from Atlantis on channel sixteen, with assistance also coming from St. Johns Sherriff Office, St. Augustine Police Department, and St. Johns County Fire and Rescue who also transported one of the persons onboard to the Vilano Boat Ramp and then to a local hospital for minor injuries treatment. The causes of the sinking are under investigation though it is reported that the yacht struck a dredge pipe piling when under way, breaching its hull in the lower bow area with the collision and started to sink.  A navigational warning has been issued as the yacht is apparently still floating submerged, and currently a hazard with the owner instructed to organize a salvage.

M/y Atlantis is a 1999 Sunseeker 80 Predator as designed by Don Shead and John Braithwaite and produced from 1996 to 1999 in 21 units.  When released and for a year the 80 Predator was the Poole builder flagship model, and the largest production yacht build in the United Kingdom.  Sunseeker will replace the 80 Predator with the bit smaller 75 Predator in 1999.

Maritimo Yacht Sinks in Baja Mexico

 

A sixteen meter Maritimo yacht titled m/y Sea Horse ended aground and partially sank in Baja, Mexico on the tenth April.  The video of the yacht aground and partly sank was shown on the YouTube channel Cruising Mexico with Jimni, the day after the accident was reported on happening, who showed both outside and inside of Sea Horse.  The yacht had its stern fully destroyed with the collision to the rocks, and was stripped of anything of value.  A hundred meters away to the yacht grounded on a beach was also the yacht's tender, which was also stripped of everything of value.  The causes of the sinking of this Maritimo yacht are not reported.

The Maritimo in this grounding is a M54 Flybridge Motor Yacht model, which debuted in 2016 and was produced till 21.  Featuring a signature down under enclosed bridge design the Maritimo M54 offers a three double cabins, and is powered by twin Volvo 725hp up to 900hp engines with line shaft propulsion.  The M54 was introduced as a replacement to the M53 and was replaced by the M55 which launched in 2021.

Six Persons Saved from Sinking Super Yacht Near Sines

Six persons and a dog were saved when a 31 meters super yacht titled m/y Sandalphon had water ingress in its engine room and started sinking near Sines, to the South of Lisbon, Portugal on the dawn of third April.  Following the water ingress the super yacht went out of power with the call coming to the Portuguese Navy, the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center and the Captain of the Port of Sines to rescue Sandalphon and its crew.  The Sines Lifesguard Station responded to the call, collecting three of the passengers and transferring them to the port of Sines, while the remaining three crew members stayed onboard to save the vessel and prepare an organized towing.  Ultimately Sandalphon was saved as SuperYacht Times reporting the yacht being towed back to its home at Balk shipyards for repairs on 27 June.

Sandalphon is a 31 meter super yacht build by Balk Shipyards in the Netherlands and delivered in 2017.  Designed and naval architected by Azure from the Netherlands to an expedition long distance trawler style.  Sandalphon has an intriguing story, starting life in Brazil at Fortaleza, then at 27 meters in length and running late without a completion date in site, that is until Balk Shipyard came to the rescue.

Classic Motor Yacht Sinks in Ostia Italy

A twenty meter motor yacht with one person onboard sank just about one nautical mile in front of the Plinius Beach Club on the Duillio water front, in Ostia the beach city of Rome Italy, on the morning of seventh March.  The motor yacht with its 65 year old captain had just left the Tiber river direction fifty nautical miles South to San Felice Circeo, when just at the start of its trip it started to take in water from a hull breach, reportedly into its engine room.  The captain called for help and was assisted, saved and taken to shore by CP381 of the Guardia Costiera of Rome, with the yacht later sinking in nine meters of water.  No pollution occurred from the sinking, with a salvage of the yacht being organized.

The motor yacht in this sinking is a Sanlorenzo 20 as produced from 1984 to 87.  Wooden build and designed by Della Rolle the Sanlorenzo 20 came out as a replacement to the 19 model and was replaced with the fiberglass build 70 in 1989.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.