32 sundancer goes down off FLA

Never boated in Florida. Do a lot of people take small boats that far off shore?
 
C3B49088-512B-4AB9-94F5-014A419D1003_sRGB.JPG

More information about the circumstances would be interesting and educational. Wonder what the root cause of the mishap was.
 
FB1676E8-EF4C-4571-84A2-53E8BD606EBC.jpeg


No mention of the cause but I did find this pic taken from the rescue vessel.

He didn’t have much time left.
 
I don't see that he's wearing a life jacket and yet I see them laying around the boat in the picture posted in the article. I wonder if it just went down so fast that he didn't have time to grab one.
 
Hard to tell. He looks bulky in the pic but that could mean nothing.

Hard to believe that anyone on a sinking boat wouldn’t grab a jacket or put one on at the early signs.
 
Soulshine said:
Hard to tell. He looks bulky in the pic but that could mean nothing.

Hard to believe that anyone on a sinking boat wouldn’t grab a jacket or put one on at the early signs.
Click to expand...
Sounds like he was in the cabin and was awoken by it filling with water, lucky to get out alive if that was the case
 
I am really surprised it stayed afloat considering there are very few sealed areas that have any floatation on Sundancers. It looks like the cabin must have held air for a while before it leaked out through the anchor locker access panel at the bow end. For you all that are boating on the ocean, might make sense to run a bead of silicone sealant around the perimeter of that panel to buy some extra time in an emergency. Or maybe there are so many other places for air to escape it wouldn't matter much.
 
One thought is the stern went under forcing him to escape through the hatch over the berth. That brings up a potential safety issue on my own boat. My Life jackets are all stored under the companion seat in the cockpit. I think I'll move a couple of them into the cabin. There should also be either a portable VHF or a remote mic in the cabin for similar reasons.
 
86 miles off shore? He really is past his limit if he intended on coming back! Max range on that boat is probably no more than 140 miles.
 
Could he have experienced the problem then drifted further out?

I have been along the coast - typically just skirting those shoals. Don't really have any perspective on what the current is like in that area, if there is any.
 
ocgrant said:
Won't travel without it...priceless!!!

View attachment 95707
Click to expand...
Agreed, we have a Epirb mounted in the cockpit but they are a larger investment. For Less of an investment ( but should have even with an Epirb) is a ditch bag with a smaller PLB, (I have the one I had for my 340DA in there) food, water, and portable VHF. If I am making a longer run I always have the ditch bag near me ready to go. Takes 2min to put everything in it. I have a list of what goes in it written on a floating water proof bag in sharpie so I don’t forget anything.
 
FootballFan said:
Could he have experienced the problem then drifted further out?

I have been along the coast - typically just skirting those shoals. Don't really have any perspective on what the current is like in that area, if there is any.
Click to expand...
If he was in the stream, that's typically 6 knots Northbound. He should move to Ft. Lauderdale where the stream is about 1/2 mile offshore.
 
And so, in another thread about a first time boat owner asking about what is the first thing he should learn, and I said "learn to swim", and i was right. Huh, Huh, damn right i was right. can i get a high-fiver! well, maybe dont leave the bilge plug out when going 86 miles offshore. really dont need one when on plane and rocking, but coming to a stop? different matter. You are welcome.
 
16 years in South Florida near Lake Worth Inlet/Jupiter Inlet diving boating with my brother in laws.
Didnt have my 300 then but 86 miles is beyond my 1/3 rule. 1/3 fuel out, 1/3 back, 1/3 for reserve would have me at 70 miles out maximum.
We plan to take her to the Bahamas next year but one way is only 95 miles.
I have an EPIRB mounted inside of the radar arch behind the helm in a hydrostatic release.
DSC-VHF has remote in the forward cabin it has an intercom function and remote speaker. Just installed it for convenience. Never thought of emergency below deck but it has the DSC emergency button on the remote too. Also have an older ICOM VHF and a ICOM M600 SSB mounted in salon.
Just paint me paranoid...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,099
Messages
1,425,909
Members
61,018
Latest member
IslandGirls1020
Back
Top