Sailboat sunk in Delaware Bay

[Kettlewell]

A crew of personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard and Tow Boat US, and a dive team from New Jersey started salvage efforts Sept. 25 for a 52-foot sailboat that sank Sept. 22 in the middle of the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. It was towed to Angler’s Marina, where work to remove it continued.

https://www.capegazette.com/article/...l-lewes/264853

[Chotu]

They were soooooo close!!!

[Kettlewell]

Here's a report about the rescue of the crew. https://www.news.uscg.mil/press-rele...elaware-river/

[HeywoodJ]

Let the COLREGS discussion begin.

Watchstanders from Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay received a report from the mariners aboard the sailing vessel that they had been struck by a tanker vessel and were taking on water. source

https://www.dvidshub.net/image/80368...sailing-vessel

I wonder if the tanker captain reported being struck by a sailing vessel? Or being constrained? I hope we eventually get to see the actual report rather than CF speculation.

[Kettlewell]

The CG report says in the vicinity of Brandywine Light. In that area there is no reason for a sailboat to be traveling in the ship channel. You can stay well out of the main channel almost all the way to the C&D Canal.

[Love2 boat]

"A person aboard the sailing vessel, Pegasus, used a cell phone to call Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay watchstanders early Friday morning and report the Pegasus was hit by another vessel and taking on water."


Is it me or did they not think to use a radio? How is a cell phone the proper equipment on a boat - sure in a pinch but in a May Day scenario - I don't get it...

[NYSail]

Assume the sailboat did not have AIS otherwise he would have been in contact with the ships captain. I love AIS……

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Love2 boat

"A person aboard the sailing vessel, Pegasus, used a cell phone to call Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay watchstanders early Friday morning and report the Pegasus was hit by another vessel and taking on water."


Is it me or did they not think to use a radio? How is a cell phone the proper equipment on a boat - sure in a pinch but in a May Day scenario - I don't get it...

A lot of times the CG will call you on a cell phone to continue a conversation anyway. In this case, they knew exactly who they wanted to talk to and were in cell phone range, so either option was usable.

[Kettlewell]

Is it me or did they not think to use a radio? How is a cell phone the proper equipment on a boat - sure in a pinch but in a May Day scenario - I don't get it...

I've noted that the Coast Guard frequently asks people in distress to switch to a cell phone call when possible. I suppose that way you get off of channel 16 with the possibility of interference and unhelpful people blocking transmission. OTOH, I have picked up Maydays a few times not directed at me and proceeded to hightail it towards the boater's location to see if I could help. One time someone was taking on water quite close to where that boat was hit, but the CG beat us to the location. I wouldn't have known about it if they weren't talking in the open on the VHF radio.

[malbert73]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

The CG report says in the vicinity of Brandywine Light. In that area there is no reason for a sailboat to be traveling in the ship channel. You can stay well out of the main channel almost all the way to the C&D Canal.

Having done this trip many times- and seeing that this happened at 1am…
I first try to avoid low visibility transit of DE Bay. I believe it to be one of the most possibly treacherous parts of the run between points north and the chesapeake.

If I decide to transit at night, it must be a clear, not foggy night.
At night I always stay in the ship channel but right at the edge. This is due to occasional fishing/crab floats outside of channel that won’t show up on radar. It’s a major safety risk with the currents and ledges to risk wrapping the propeller and disabling the vessel.

At night It’s very easy to track commercial vessels on AIS and radar, coupled with eyeball/ visual tracking. Hence clear visibility at night being important to safely pass close to commercial vessels. It’s really easy to exit the channel to the side to allow vessels to pass. At Brandywine shoal the east side of channel is tight but there is plenty of room to the west.

So, I am interested to see if there’s anything to learn from this incident. It sounds like operator error. COLREGS would clearly expect the sailboat to keep clear given limited room to maneuver with a very narrow ship channel.

[marcjsmith]

Originally Posted by HeywoodJ

Let the COLREGS discussion begin.



I wonder if the tanker captain reported being struck by a sailing vessel? Or being constrained? I hope we eventually get to see the actual report rather than CF speculation.

No where in the link did it mention anything about a tanker????

just that it was hit by another vessel....

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

I've noted that the Coast Guard frequently asks people in distress to switch to a cell phone call when possible. I suppose that way you get off of channel 16 with the possibility of interference and unhelpful people blocking transmission. OTOH, I have picked up Maydays a few times not directed at me and proceeded to hightail it towards the boater's location to see if I could help. One time someone was taking on water quite close to where that boat was hit, but the CG beat us to the location. I wouldn't have known about it if they weren't talking in the open on the VHF radio.

Even from a cell phone call, the CG will generally put out a Pan or Mayday on 16 on the boater's behalf.

[HeywoodJ]

Originally Posted by marcjsmith

No where in the link did it mention anything about a tanker????

just that it was hit by another vessel....

Apologies, guess I had the wrong link in my clipboard:

source

I asked the mods to change the original since editing time it past, if they do this conversation may not make sense to anyone else.

[psk125]

Originally Posted by Love2 boat

"A person aboard the sailing vessel, Pegasus, used a cell phone to call Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay watchstanders early Friday morning and report the Pegasus was hit by another vessel and taking on water."


Is it me or did they not think to use a radio? How is a cell phone the proper equipment on a boat - sure in a pinch but in a May Day scenario - I don't get it...

If they were dismasted in the collision, their antenna at the top of the mast might not have been working too well.

[JPA Cate]

@love2boat,

There is also sometimes the desire to keep it to one's self. Why use a public means when one can use a private one? But psk125 is right, once the stick is in the water, that antenna is finished. That may not have happened till it ran into the dock, though, but someone just did what they thought was best at the time, or was asked by the skipper to do it.

Ann