50' Kekoa Dismasted, Abandoned

[Amgine]

A brief breaking news item suggests the 50' Kekoa has been dismasted and taking on water off the North Carolina coast. Coast Guard are en route.

This may be the 50' Searunner catamaran Kekoa. Links on my blog.

[imagine2frolic]

Looks like she was just launched recently? Nice looking vessel. Was this due to weather?

[Amgine]

It's been an hour and a half since the first, and so far only, news report that I'm aware of.

The current weather off North Carolina looks, frankly, boring. Can't tell what the weather may have been, or if I'm just not getting the right weather for the marine regions.

[imagine2frolic]

Last night it was howling in the rigging here. Late this morning it picked up again. I believe I saw this front heading towards Hatteras last night on the news? thanks......i2f

[imagine2frolic]

weather.gov
National Weather Service

NWS Marine Forecast


Local weather forecast by "City, St" or zip code

Cell Phone Weather/Marine Page (wap) URL: cell.weather.gov
PDA Weather/Marine Page URL: mobile.weather.gov

SEAS GIVEN AS SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT...WHICH IS THE AVERAGE HEIGHT OF THE HIGHEST 1/3 OF THE WAVES. INDIVIDUAL WAVES MAY BE MORE THAN TWICE THE SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT. ANZ085-122100- BALTIMORE CANYON TO HATTERAS CANYON OUT TO 36N 70W TO 34N 71W 1000 AM EST FRI DEC 12 2008 STORM WARNING THIS AFTERNOON SW WINDS 25 TO 35 KT BECOMING W TO NW 15 TO 25 KT...EXCEPT FAR E PORTION S WINDS 35 TO 50 KT EARLY. SEAS 9 TO 16 FT SUBSIDING TO 6 TO 10 FT...EXCEPT E OF 1000 FM 16 TO 24 FT SUBSIDING TO 10 TO 17 FT LATE...HIGHEST E. SHOWERS AND TSTMS FAR E PORTION.

[Captain Bill]

There was fairly strong line of thunderstorms with tornado watches that moved off the NC coast last night.

[Amgine]

Talking with CGAS now... okay, in a phone tree just now.

Cute, the operations communications officer is a fax machine.

Call back. Now being transfered between offices... Now getting a number for the public affairs officer. Dang, no area code.

Calling... voicemail left.

If I'm lucky I'll get a call back. Most likely I'll get nada.

[Maren]

Originally Posted by Amgine

This may be the 50' Searunner catamaran Kekoa. Links on my blog.

This is why designers should give different names to different boats in their line.

I saw the Searunner and thought how those are tris, not cats and became confused. Many would argure this is a semi-normal state for me; cataleptic, bewildered and sleeping are a few others. I blame it on public schools and Sesame St.

[Pathfinder]

Check out the weather out there:
PassageWeather - Wind, Wave and Weather Forecasts for Sailors and Adventurers

[camaraderie]

Latest...

Coast Guard rescues 4 abandoning ship 172 miles off N.C.

December 12th, 2008


WILMINGTON, N.C. - A Coast Guard helicopter rescue crew from Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., hoisted four people from a sailing vessel, 172 miles east of Wilmington, Friday.
Coast Guard Sector North Carolina received notification at 9:15 a.m. that the 50-foot sailboat Kekoa was coming apart and taking on water.
A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft rescue crew from Air Station Elizabeth City arrived on scene at 10:53 a.m. to provide aerial coverage for the four survivors in 20-25 foot seas until an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter rescue crew arrived.
The helicopter rescue crew hoisted all four people from their life raft and transported them to New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington. All four people are listed in good condition.
All survivors were wearing personal flotation devices, activated their Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon and used a satellite phone and VHF radio.
The Coast Guard issued a Marine Safety Information Broadcast to inform other boaters of the vessel adrift.

*********
FWIW...I could hear the CG side of some VHF communication with the boat on Thursday evening late as the wicked frontal storms (lightning and wind gusts over 50kt) went over NC and out to sea. At that time (from what I could gather) it sounded like the boat was having some difficulty and was setting up an hourly reporting schedule with the coasties. Glad everyone is OK and I just keep wondering why people are out in the North Atlantic at this time of year.

[imagine2frolic]

If the boat is coming apart. Then it's wise to leave the boat. I would think a brand new cat should be able to withstand this bad weather. I wonder what went wrong? Possibly the build itself was flawed? As always time will tell......i2f

[camaraderie]

It was built in 2001...not new...construction was cold molded epoxy built by a yard in SC

[captfolly]

...the searunner 50 catamaran Kekoa was launched in April 2008 here in charleston, sc.; I was at the launching...

George...

[imagine2frolic]

Originally Posted by captfolly

...the searunner 50 catamaran Kekoa was launched in April 2008 here in charleston, sc.; I was at the launching...

George...

This is what I read if I was at the right site. The information was kind of introductory, but then stopped. I like the look of the boat. Any news on if it sank, or still afloat?

[Hud3]

Here's a link to the boat...

Kekoa