Boston Whaler Rescue in Bahamas

[jimh]

The U.S. Coast Guard 7th District website has a release about the assistance of the USCG on December 10, 2019, in aiding two boaters in the Bahamas. Based on the (grainy) images, the boat appears to be a c.1980 Boston Whaler V-20 REVENGE with twin engines, and the boat has a significant down-by-the-stern trim. The notched transom appears to be almost submerged. The excellent reserve buoyancy of the Boston Whaler hull probably kept this boat afloat and permitted the crew to avoid a capsize while awaiting the arrival of a tow. Based on the production epoch for this model, the boat is likely between 35- and 40-years old. The "Unsinkable Legend" continues.

Fig. 1. USCG image apparently take by helicopter with a long telephoto lens of disabled boat in Bahamas. Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Murray. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

USCG_telephotoImage.jpg (45.63 KiB) Viewed 1857 times

To read the press release and see more images, visit

Coast Guard, interagency partners rescue two overdue boaters 60 miles west of Bahamas
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSCG/bulletins/270e4ee

Curiously, the report identifies the missing boat as described as "a center console." The boat clearly is a small cabin boat.

(My thanks to a forum reader Al for alerting me to this news.)

[NLA01]

There is apparent damage to the Bimini top. It looks like they took a large wave and were swamped.

[The reserve buoyancy and floatation when swamped] is one of the reasons I have always owned Boston Whaler boats.

ASIDE: My 1995 24' Outrage has a bilge and open mid-compartment with a tank open to the transom. Even though i have been boating my whole life, am 50-years-old, and have owned boats since I was 18, I forgot the plug in transom on one outing last summer. I did not even notice the plug was out while boating. Not until I pulled to boat with the trailer and 1,000-gallons came out for like 10 minutes did I realize. I told my wife O though maybe the transom was a little low. Leave the plug out at the very bottom of the transom on any other brand boat and the boat will fill and might even roll over. Owning this boat is good piece of mind.
Archie

[jimh]

The USCG report states the boat was due to return on a Sunday. The rescue occurred on Tuesday. The boaters would have been adrift for perhaps 48-hours. It is difficult to assess what that blue canvas represents. It may have been in use as a sun shade, then quickly removed when the boaters heard a helicopter approaching.

The crew sitting on the boat was probably an effort to correct the trim; the boat looks like it is down by the stern and possibly the Starboard aft quarter of the notched transom is awash.

The report notes the purpose of the boat trip was for fishing. If the hull was lying with its open transom to oncoming waves, it could have been slowly taking water over the transom. Or one or two larger waves would have come aboard over the transom and accelerated the down flooding.