Singlehander Missing Near Little Creek Inlet, VA

[nv5l]

I heard something on the Maritime Mobile Service Network earlier today, and found this on the web this evening. Looks like the guy was alone and the boat was found adrift with it's lights on and the engine running sometime this morning.

[John A]

Dang! hate when this happens. Please keep us informed.

Always use a safety harness and attach the tether someplace on the boat.

[btrayfors]

Very sad.

Believe this may be the boat: 1980 40' Irwin for sale in Annapolis, Maryland USA

Bill

[nv5l]

I think you're right. Apparently, he's from Australia and only bought it a few days ago. This might have been his first trip on it.

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

How could the boat be listed for sale the same day he went missing? Sounds to me like he's faking his death and she's selling the boat to meet him somewhere.

[callmecrazy]

Originally Posted by Hannah on 'Rita T'

How could the boat be listed for sale the same day he went missing? Sounds to me like he's faking his death and she's selling the boat to meet him somewhere.

He had just bought it, they just haven't taken the ad down.

very sad indeed...

the water is very cold this time of year.

[nv5l]

I suppose anything's possible, but it's a bit early for that. According to some of the reports, he'd just bought the boat -- he wasn't the one trying to sell it.

Anyway, let's hope for the best.

[nv5l]

My greatest fear is falling off the boat and watching it sail or motor away and not being able to do anything about it.

[hpeer]

Seven years ago I bought my first sailboat and took it out single handed with virtually no experience up the coast of Nova Scotia.

That could easily have been me.

[hanschristian38]

Originally Posted by John A

Dang! hate when this happens. Please keep us informed.

Always use a safety harness and attach the tether someplace on the boat.

I am not sure that a tether will do much good if you are alone.

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by hanschristian38

I am not sure that a tether will do much good if you are alone.

Worry about that myself. I can easily see myself dangling along the side, unable to get onto the boat. I try to figure out how to not let that happen. Hope I never test it out.

[Minggat]

Originally Posted by hanschristian38

I am not sure that a tether will do much good if you are alone.

As basic as this sounds, I don't think trying to make it anything other than basic would have more impact.

While you may be right, you may also be wrong.

Thinking of the odds of a tether being counter-productive, I'd say you're way better off using a tether for the very reason they were invented. .... IMHO

A proper tether setup would allow the "dangler along the side" to undangle (release) himself.

[Unicorn Dreams]

6' tether, 13' beam, where are you going to go.

[Bergovoy]

im guessing it would be bad form to throw out a lowball offer on the boat??


:{

[Starbuck]

hansChristian38 posted:
I am not sure that a tether will do much good if you are alone.

It will, if it's short enough to keep you from going over the side in the first place.

Boat found adrift, engine on but not in gear, running and/or steaming lights on. So it was sometime during the night.

The presumption must be that the boat was similarly drifting during his last dry moments. New owner who takes off the day after purchase, not familiar with his yacht. My intuition tells me he was a non-swimmer how somehow was either knocked off the side deck by a loose boom in a swell, or under similar sea conditions simply slipped over the side while relieving himself or leaning over the side to observe something like exhaust water coming out the back. How you gonna re-board this, with the swim ladder up, from a treading-water position, and what is there to hold onto and fend off exhaustion/hypothermia once you discover that you can't?

Anyone know if he had any boating experience?

What's the water temp. off Virginia Beach now?