Tragedy East of Florida

[kapnkd]

FYI....A short text from my son today (3/7/21) regarding an E-38.... (hopefully others of you may have more information to post.)

“Solo sailor on his Ericson 38 was rescued ~150 miles east of Florida yesterday when his boat sank. USCG rescued him in storm conditions with observed wave heights 30-35 feet. The sailor was able to communicate with responders via Garmin InReach for a quick rescue effort.”

 

[goldenstate]

Great to know the InReach worked for him and that he was okay.

Scary situation for sure.

 

[goldenstate]

Coast Guard News

Semper nostra optima

coastguardnews.com

Presumably the same incident.

 

[Filkee]

It was Richard Bonilla. He posted about it on Ericson Yachts Facebook group.

 

[Christian Williams]

I don't see it there on Facebook's "Ericson Sailboat Owners" . Can you direct me?

Latest from USCG:

UPDATE: March 7, 2021 7:30 AM​

The USCG Rescue Coordination Center, Miami, FL issued the below EGC Message at 0349 Hrs UTC, 07 MAR 21:
Evidently the SV sank at position 29-33.73N 078-51.81W, or approximately 120 NM East of Palm Coast, FL.
A 63 year old male was rescued from the water by a USCG helicopter.
The name of the sailing vessel is unknown at this time. We will issue an UPDATE when that information is available.

 

[Slick470]

Christian, it's a different group that Richard has set up. https://www.facebook.com/groups/EricsonYachts/

 

[Christian Williams]

"It sank," is what he says--he'll explain why when he "can do it justice."

Lots of comments, no information. He was in the water. His arm was injured but apparently not broken. Big seas.

Waiting for the real story.

 

[Sean Engle]

That would be rbonilla - he's one of our's. I'll send him a note.... Glad to hear he's safe....

 

[rbonilla]

Thank You everyone - for the support...I will post more details, and tell the story..once everything calms down..I am fine ( thanx to my team, USCG, emergency room personnel ) ... glad to be alive ++

 

[JSM]

Wow ! glad you mad it. Looks like the cavalry showed up just in time.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref...ab7a-b5215e1eca4a&q=u s coast guard southeast

 

[Loren Beach]

Quite a video!
Odd that they choose to call a sinking boat a "capsize". It appears to have sunk in a mostly upright position.
I will be really interested in the story when it appears here.
Also, Really Glad for the survival of the skipper!!

 

[rbonilla]

Wow ! glad you mad it. Looks like the cavalry showed up just in time.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=search&v=434558231130741&external_log_id=dfd88d64-6aac-4ccb-ab7a-b5215e1eca4a&q=u s coast guard southeast

yes - indeed

 

[rbonilla]

Quite a video!
Odd that they choose to call a sinking boat a "capsize". It appears to have sunk in a mostly upright position.
I will be really interested in the story when it appears here.
Also, Really Glad for the survival of the skipper!!

it sank bow first..straight down..I jumped off the stern..as it went under ++..not capsized...

 

[Christian Williams]

Why did your boat sink? Please give us the specific causes so we can stay afloat. Collision? Rudder? Seacocks?

 

[1911tex]

Why did your boat sink? Please give us the specific causes so we can stay afloat. Collision? Rudder? Seacocks?

Yes PLEASE !!!

 

[K2MSmith]

Saw the coast guard video that was posted. It would surprise me that the sea conditions would have sank the boat because it doesn't look like (at least from my arm chair that the cockpit was flooding. The good news is that it looks like owner was not seriously hurt and he was able to come home !! I am very interested in the Garmin sat communicator he had also . I'm sure he will tell us the story when he is ready.

 

[frosero7744]

https://twitter.com/USCGSoutheast?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

you can see the rescue helicopter video here on the USCGSoutheast twitter feed. Look for March 9th.

update. sorry guys i see that it has been posted already like 3 times.

 

[Valkyrie]

Why did your boat sink? Please give us the specific causes so we can stay afloat. Collision? Rudder? Seacocks?

In Richard's FB group, he reported that he began to take on water and suspected a failed seacock.

 

[Christian Williams]

His statement in total:

Richard Bonilla

"took on water below the waterline..likely failed through hull valve..."

 

[nquigley]

In Richard's FB group, he reported that he began to take on water and suspected a failed seacock.

If that's what happened here, it gives pause to the notion that one could easily find and block a broken seacock.
I imagine that, unless detected and identified very quickly, a completely failed seacock would fill the boat so quickly that most skippers couldn't get to it in time to block the leak. We probably also imagine in our mind's eye that the sea will be calm and the boat will remain essentially level, so that the water would rise slowly and evenly inside the boat.

Pairing that info (failed seacock) with the USCG video showing the boat very much bow-down in the water, one can imagine how difficult and dangerous it would be at that stage to go down below, in an angry seaway, duck under perhaps 3ft of water in the forward end of the boat, in a steeply angled cabin, to search for and block a broken seacock in a forward head.