Sunk at Wrightsville Beach - Anyone Know What Happened ? (pic)

[Tom.B]

Hello Sailors, (I say that because I am a powerboat owner)

We spent the long Thanksgiving weekend relocating our trawler to its new home in Carolina Beach. As we approached the Wrightsville Beach Bridge on Friday November 26, 2010, we saw this dreadful sight. It was only about 8:00am and the radio VHF 16 hadn't said anything about it since we had turned it on at 7:00am. HOWEVER, several hours later, we did see her back upright and floating while being towed by TowboatUS headed south into Snow's Cut.

I'd sure be interested in finding out what happened. Anyone know?

[boatman61]

At a rough guess I'd say she ran aground on the ebb tide and could not get off... or she anchored and the skipper screwed up on soundings and MLWS/N for the area...
Alternatively she could have just broken her moorings and drifted there and grounded...
All pure speculation...

[perchance]

Careening the hull to scrape and repaint?

[Blue Stocking]

That is an interesting photo. Judging by the tide line, high up over the deck, that boat had some way to let the hull flood as she lay down. Maybe a topside, hull mounted portlight, or a submersible bilge pump.
The reason I make this observation is because I recently had Bluestocking chafe thru the bridles in hurricane Igor, and go up on the beach in 40-50 knots, and stay for 2 days. We draw 5'9", with a tide range of 4 ft, she rose and fell with the tide, but always remained with the turn of the bilge bouyant. Not a scratch to the bottom paint.
Be interesting to see how this boat fared. She doesn't appear to have a main boom. Hmmmmmm!!

[Tom.B]

I'm sure she is sitting on the bottom. This is just outside the ICW channel, so I believe that Boatman61 might be right. I was hoping to see if the owner or an acquaintance of this boat might be lurking here that could fill us in on the details.

[boatman61]

Ahhh... the ICW... thats a wicked place... tied up at the free Town Dock in Oriental.... had 3ft under the keel... then the wind shifted W and blew strong... when I came to leave I found I was aground...
The wind influence on tide levels is quite strong so one needs to allow that bit extra....
The Sheriff was well pissed... only supposed to be there 48hrs max... it was 9 days before I floated off....

[Tom.B]

In the Neuse, wind is the ONLY influence on the tide. There have been several times we've watched stick-n-rag boats get stuck in our marina near New Bern that were unable to leave until the wind let's up.

However, where this is going on, it's all lunar tides at work. Funny story though.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by GonzoF1

In the Neuse, wind is the ONLY influence on the tide. There have been several times we've watched stick-n-rag boats get stuck in our marina near New Bern that were unable to leave until the wind let's up.

However, where this is going on, it's all lunar tides at work. Funny story though.

[cdennyb]

"cats" don't do that do they?

[Tom.B]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

Hey... I heard that from a sailor! No offense intended. You have worse name for us stink-boats anyway. ;-)

[rnjpinz]

Glad to hear you are at your new home. Well miss you at NW Creek

Bob and Mona

[Randyonr3]

Originally Posted by cdennyb

"cats" don't do that do they?

We live in the California Delta and you see almost everything here as its a vacataion area for boaters around the state...
And Yes, I've seen a couple cats (new) and a couple tri's go down around here.. One mis conception is that the water will remain at the same heigth around here.. They will pull the cat up to the beach and tie it off to a tree and then the tide will go out.. once part of the boat is on dry ground, you cant move it and as the water continues to recied, the rear drops and letting the rear drop deep allowing water through the hatches and vents further up the hull at the rear..

[molamola]

Here is what happened? Boat aground, boat starts taking on water through bilge pump, porthole left open, tide comes in and boat doesnt right itself. I know this because I work for TowBoatUS in Wrightsville Beach. At the time of the picture, I was inside. Still waiting on survey, but I suspect that is what happend. Shame, great people and nice boat. Aftern some work, she will sail again. Captain Tom Morgan Towboat US Wrightsville Beach

[James S]

Thanks and welcome to the forum.