Lost at sea..

[boatman61]

Coast Guard searching for missing mariner*near Frisco, NC
WILMINGTON, N.C. – The Coast Guard is searching for a man whose sailboat was discovered aground*near Hatteras, Monday.
Missing is Richard Tomlinson, 82, of Clearwater, Florida. Tomlinson*was reportedly sailing from Clearwater to Maine.
An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Elizabeth*City*and the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Rollin Fritch are currently searching for Tomlinson.
If you have any information related to the search, please contact our Command Center personnel at (757) 398-6390.*

[SV Bacchus]

That doesn't look good. I certainly hope it ends well.

We had some wicked storms move through central Florida early morning hours Monday night/Tuesday morning. Wonder if the same was in the Carolinas and contributed to this?

[MarkJ]

Why do people sail in the wrong season?

Furled main and tiny jib means he was motoring in a storm.

Constant stream of lows been heading off Hatteras.

Nuts.

[LoudMusic]

Looks like the blades are missing from his wind generator. How hard was the wind blowing?

[Jason Flare]

I don't see a mains'l. I do see a dinghy tower off the stern.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Jason Flare

I don't see a mains'l. I do see a dinghy tower off the stern.

My screen us too small.
Have a look at the dinghy davits. Does it look like the dinghy was lowered?

How else does one explain going overboard?

Why would u get off a good boat?

[Seeking Solace]

I just finished a routeing through there...on the inside near the cape. Maybe he'll turn up, hopefully alive.

[Jason Flare]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

My screen us too small.
Have a look at the dinghy davits. Does it look like the dinghy was lowered?

How else does one explain going overboard?

Why would u get off a good boat?

Mine too. I have an iPhone with a 4" x 2 1/4" screen. It looks like there are line hanging down from the end of the davits.

Maybe as he was getting blown ashore he launched the dinghy thinking he could make a shot through the surf.

[zeehag]

in the cockpit in a storm males when they have to pee stand to pee off side of boat. SOMETIMES they MIGHT get the wind direction correct.(snarky answer. ha ha ha ha )
unfortunately, this ends poorly.
sometimes cruisers sail a storm without tethers and get knocked down or washed over in a pooping sea. not all poops are from directly astern. had the sea that broke over our stbd quarter been a foot higher, i da been swept overboard at 0300 am in gom when i sailed there for that year.

had i been swept over, owner would not have heard my calls, even tho i am LOUD, and
i da been swimming with the fishie that slapped my face. i think i prefer the slapped face to the alternative.
breaking seas over beam --knockdown-- relieves you of your footing long enough to sweep over side. it is hard to see these seas in darkness.
there are many logical reasons and even more illogical ones for this man being mia.
storm conditions explain more than 3 of those .
it would be awesome if he survived.
i do hope he shows up soon.

wrestling with a dink in storm conditions is not the best idea...and a breaking sea into dink would snap lines and bend tubular davits. (impressive. )

[toddster8]

Fully enclosed center cockpit. Looks all zipped up. No dinghy.
Anyone who could pee from that cockpit would be quite a hero...

[cofc]

Originally Posted by toddster8

No dinghy.

Wait, isn't that the dinghy about a half a boat length behind the boat?

[toddster8]

By Jove, you're right. Even appears to have the motor still on it. Maybe. Black square that looked like a motor is amidship in the dinghy.
(Had to go to a bigger screen.)

[Island Time O25]

Another view of the beached boat.

Coast Guard searches for missing boater off North Carolina :: WRAL.com

[Steadman Uhlich]

This is sad to see any boat in that situation and sad to hear of the loss of a sailor, of any age.

I respect those who single hand. But, it does have some undeniable higher risk.

I also see this as a reason why having competent crew aboard is a good idea and most especially on offshore passages where conditions may be adverse and you are stuck in them. It can be safer than single handing. Even if I were mostly a singlehanded sailor, I think it prudent to have some extra competent crew aboard for long passages offshore, due to fatigue and possible conditions. As one ages, I think that would be even more important.

If you are MOB, you have a better chance of getting back on the boat if someone (other crew) is aboard to notice you are missing and to do an immediate search and MOB recovery. That is no guarantee, but it sure would increase the odds versus being alone on (or off) the boat.

Let's hope he is found in some local house warming up under some blankets and with a hot drink after stepping ashore.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Here is a photo from the news..
In one photo an inflatable dinghy is shown behind the boat. That may or may not belong to the boat (it could belong to people who boarded the boat to investigate.)


Notice the bottom. Keel?

I will post an enlargement of the bottom. Keel?

It looks like a nicely equipped boat (arch, radar, solar, swim step).