Merchant Bulker Rescues Four from Sailboat in Mid-Atlantic

[OldKetch]

Four rescued mid-Atlantic by bulker. Boat abandoned. Crew offloaded in Brazil.
https://www.maritime-executive.com/a...n-mid-atlantic

"We made contact through VHF radio and found out that everything was fine with the crew, only they were tired" Capt. Versic told media.

This makes little sense. Boat looks fine. Sails look fine. There is reference to "engine failure", an unlikely reason to abandon mid-ocean. I am wondering if anybody knows more about this story.

[Paul L]

Article says they rescued four people and a bulldog. No info on which one was captain.

The yacht is flying an interesting set of signal flags.

[Michael Cobbe]

If I was on that yacht I would have put the sails up, which we did when had engine failure. We stopped off a marina and called them on CH16 and a marina boat came out to tow us in.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Michael Cobbe

If I was on that yacht I would have put the sails up, which we did when had engine failure. We stopped off a marina and called them on CH16 and a marina boat came out to tow us in.

There's gotta be more to the story. Steering issues, illness, or something.

[Island Time O25]

Here are some more details. French family of 3, plus Portugese skipper and a bulldog. Waves 10 to 12 feet.

https://www.total-croatia-news.com/l...oatian-sailors

[OldKetch]

Originally Posted by Paul L

The yacht is flying an interesting set of signal flags.

Yes, it looks strange. There is a Spanish courtesy flag (mid-ocean??) and a Negative signal, but cannot make out the rest.

[Island Time O25]

From Sunda's fb page:

Our Good Captain Ivan Versic, with his officers and crew members of M/V Sunda, recovered from the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, a skipper along with a family of four members due to engine malfunction of their sailing boat. Congratulations to all our crew members for this successful, safe, and rescue operation!

[Cpt Pat]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

From Sunda's fb page:

Our Good Captain Ivan Versic, with his officers and crew members of M/V Sunda, recovered from the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, a skipper along with a family of four members due to engine malfunction of their sailing boat. Congratulations to all our crew members for this successful, safe, and rescue operation!

Maybe the batteries went dead after the engine failed -- and they couldn't keep the beer cold.

12 foot seas, no engine. Warm beer (drink Guinness - it's supposed to be warm). Sounds like my sail last weekend.

I shouldn't make light of their situation, but it's hard to believe they would abandon over only a dead engine. But then, it seems to me that too many "sailors" only know how to operate wind-assisted motor boats.

[OldKetch]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

From Sunda's fb page:

recovered from the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, a skipper along with a family of four members due to engine malfunction of their sailing boat.

That is exactly what makes little sense

[atoll]

youtube sailors!
cherie,lets buy a yacht,we can hire a skipper and learn to sail on our way to the caribes.........day 15 skipper has had no sleep for 2 weeks,crew dehydrated and have not left their bunks since leaving las palmas due to the strong trade winds.
fuel filters clogged,no engine,no power,1000 miles still to go.............

[Island Time O25]

With two solar panels unlikely the batteries would go dead. Unless the boat was rapidly and massively taking on water I don't see a major need for a rescue. The boat looks sturdy enough and in good shape. And they stayed overnight waiting for a better rescue approach.

Most likely psychological or interpersonal breakdown. A couple with a 16 year old and a skipper from another culture. Perhaps one or more of them went mental.

[UFO]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

With two solar panels unlikely the batteries would go dead. Unless the boat was rapidly and massively taking on water I don't see a major need for a rescue. The boat looks sturdy enough and in good shape. And they stayed overnight waiting for a better rescue approach.

Most likely psychological or interpersonal breakdown. A couple with a 16 year old and a skipper from another culture. Perhaps one or more of them went mental.

Maybe a Shining or Dead Calm when not so calm situation then......

[GTom]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

With two solar panels unlikely the batteries would go dead. Unless the boat was rapidly and massively taking on water I don't see a major need for a rescue. The boat looks sturdy enough and in good shape. And they stayed overnight waiting for a better rescue approach.

Most likely psychological or interpersonal breakdown. A couple with a 16 year old and a skipper from another culture. Perhaps one or more of them went mental.

I'd be interested what story they'll try to sell the insurance company...

[Island Time O25]

Pretty sure the first to complain about anything and everything was the 16 year old. Then one or both of the parents. Then the skipper got fed up with all of them and told them he's getting off. The broken down engine was perhaps an insurance related made up reason.

[Cpt Pat]

Originally Posted by GTom

I'd be interested what story they'll try to sell the insurance company...

Attack by sea monsters?