Coast Guard Assisting Bermuda-Bound Boat
The U.S. Coast Guard say that they are on scene off the U.S. East Coast with a disabled sailing vessel that was heading to Bermuda with two people aboard. The ‘Raw Faith’ is an 88-foot sailing vessel that departed Salem, Mass., en route Bermuda and is presently located approximately 100 miles southeast of Nantucket.
The Coast Guard say their “Primary concern is the safety of the two people on board the ‘Raw Faith’. With water temperatures in the low 50s F, and the lack of safety equipment on board during a winter transit to Bermuda, the crew is dangerously exposed if anything were to happen to the vessel.”
The First Coast Guard District Command Center received notification yesterday via an emergency position-locating beacon signal from the sailboat. The Coast Guard launched multiple aircraft from Cape Cod and North Carolina to establish communications with the vessel to determine the situation on board.
The crew of the vessel stated they had two life rafts, one survival suit and a hand-held radio on board. A Coast Guard helicopter crew from Cape Cod attempted to deliver additional safety gear to the crew of the Raw Faith, but weather conditions did not permit. The Coast Guard says that currently weather on scene is 25-30 knot winds with seas running 10-15 feet.
At this time the Coast Guard cutters Tybee and Reliance are on scene with the sailboat. The Coast Guard says the crew of the Reliance will assess the situation on board the Raw Faith and determine if it is safe to tow the vessel to port.
Update 6:30pm: U.S. Media reports that a helicopter crew is bringing the men to the Air Station in Mass, and that previous to this “The crew on board Raw Faith had to abandon the ship and jump into the water in survival suits.”
2 people on an 88 ft yacht !!!
That is pretty stupid if you ask me!
Do an image search for Raw faith, “yacht” is too kind.
It has achieved internet fame for its eccentric divinely inspired
builder, and non adherance to naval architecturaland shipbuilding
norms.
I don’t always agree with Pitts Bay but I do this time. Regardless of “norms” , thats a lot of vessel to handle by two persons. Shyte happens and you can have all the technology you want but reefing a sail, taking on water, pumping bilges, adjusting to swells , changing course, et al matter none or do they when the other guy is stuck somewhere on the vessel doing something else.
Hands on is better that technoligy. Then again…..who has the first watch…………….
I just read about Raw Faith on the Wooden Boat Forum and sent an email off to Greg Rossel (Wooden Boat School Maine). God I hope its not the same boat!
http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?78375-Raw-Faith/page9
There was 2 crew presumably as no one else was dumb enough to go with them.
I believe they where kicked out of Salem harbour, hence the trip in this direction.
There was no technology,they profess the “ship” was styled after a 16th cent galleon, but really it would not look amiss on on a Spongebob cartoon.
It is a complete caracature of a ship, a total unseaworthy POS, there wasnt even enough life saving gear for all the crew(2 of them , 1 survival suit) 1 handheld vhf.
it is amazing they made it that far, atleast we didnt have to rescue them.
And I thought M & P were strict. How did USCG allow this guy to leave port? From the pics I’ve seen, she has a huge hogg in her hull. Looks like she’ll break her back at any moment. God be with them (I know I won’t be)
http://forum.woodenboat.com/archive/index.php/t-50151.html
was Capt Jack Sparrow aboard?
Retreat back to Nov 2004 when the same thing happened to that boat.
With that amount of Coast Guard multiple aircraft response I wonder what it will cost the US tax payer.