Vessel sinks off NJ

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

I think the ballast somehow has parted company, or possibly shifted drastically inside, but I await real info with great interest.

Jim

To lay on her side like that neurally stable sort of defies logic doesn’t it?
You would think the weight of her rigging would take her over to capsize.
Only thing that initially makes sense to me is that the ballast is laying on the side as opposed to the bottom, somehow.

Still you would think she would go down like a stone though?

[zeehag]

ps they have a gofundme... here is the wording that accompanies this fund seeking posting..QUOTE:
At approximately 8 pm on the evening of Wednesday, May 29th, our home and sailboat, The Bertie, was knocked down by a "White Squall," and capsized, 65 miles offshore of the New Jersey coast. We were literally swamped and swallowed under within 60 seconds; water rushed in and we were catapulted off the boat and into the ocean. We were able to climb up on to the bottom of the boat and see if we could dive for the emergency epirb device. No luck, it just was not within reach for the breath we had. About 30 minutes later, the boat started to roll back up, leaving the port side with access, and miraculously with the epirb in view, we grabbed and activated it. That was the last offering of life that Bertie gave us. Peter built Bertie with his own hands and poured years of blood, sweat and tears into her being.

Thanks to the heroic efforts of the US Coast Guard, we are still alive! We were plucked from the water, placed in a basket, hoisted up to the helicopter and shuttled to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center with nothing but our lives and just the cloths on our backs!

Everything we owned was lost to the sea ... our tools of the trade, phones, computers, passports, important documents, artwork, photography equipment, photos, travel mementos, home stuff ... everything. We had literally 1minute from the time the squall hit until we were thrown off the boat.

We are so very grateful that we are alive, sustained no injuries and have family who we love and love us, and that is THE most important part of this whole story. We are so grateful for all the help we received from the coast guard, the hospital administrators and the Red Cross. Any donations that you can offer to help us rebuild our lives and start over is wholeheartedly and grateful appreciated. We will update as we learn more from the Coast Guard and watch events unfold in our lives. Please stop by our BERTIE Facebook page if you want to learn more about who we are and who the majestic Bertie was!! We thank you all for the bottom of our hearts. UNQUOTE.
the gofundme is on facebook if anyone is interested in assisting them to alleviate their mayhem caused in that squall.

[Chotu]

Ouch. The fact that he built that boat makes it so much worse.

I’ve been hit by a similar squall out there off of New Jersey before. I happened to have been running with it most of the way luckily. And did not pitch pole.

[mynameismud]

Was a bad storm that rolled through that night as I am up in NW NJ. Had a few tornadoes hit which is very rare for here.

They were almost done.

[Sailor647]

We met Peter and Heidi in Caleta Partida, Isla Espirtu Santo near La Paz BCS Mexico on May 10, 2017 when these pictures were taken. What sweet people.

So glad they were able to get to and activate their EPIRB. A related article states that their emergency contact information was up-to-date and the contact was able to confirm to the USCG that it was a likely a true emergency so precious rescue time was not lost.

[Acadia Traveler]

They did some really great interviews on their YouTube channel with Allen Ferrell of China Cloud. Truely inspiring stuff. I hope they find a way to get back on the water.

[Cthoops]

We had left Hampton, VA that morning and were en route to Cape May, NJ when a wicked thunderstorm hit us off of Chincoteague Shoals in Maryland around 10:00 pm. Fortunately we saw it coming so we were able to prepare, but the wind went from less than 5 knots to 40+ knots within 30 seconds with lightning everywhere. We’ve only been cruising full time since September 3rd and it was without a doubt the worst weather we’ve ever been in. Scary as hell.

Obviously not the same storm cell but given that it occurred around the same time only around 100 nm away, hearing about this the next day was especially sobering. Reading the articles, they are incredibly lucky to be alive.

[Jim Cate]

Is there any further info about what actually happened?

Jim

[Don C L]

Glad they're ok. Not a very deep drafted boat, and ballast wasn't very low, to begin with. If they had loose ballast under the sole easy to see how it could have fallen, and, with that beam, trapped a good deal of air in her port side.

[AA3JY]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Is there any further info about what actually happened?

Jim

More news regarding the loss of Bertie from Peter Bailey (via Paul Thompson International Junk Rig FB Group)

"Hello all our dear friends.
As some of you may know, our yawl BERTIE was capsized and lost a few days ago, leaving the two of us clinging to the bulwarks as she floated on her side, 65 miles off the NJ coast with darkness coming on and a constant rain falling. The wind went from 15k easterly to 50-60k westerly in an instant, the sky turned white, the sails, 2 reefed main and small jib, were caught aback since the main was vanged and boom tackled in place and over we went in literally seconds.

Heidi had just called me for watch at 8 pm and as I made my way to the cockpit suddenly she was screaming and the boat was going over. I got out the hatch just as she went to 90 degrees, then she flipped bottom up, leaving us in the water. We clambered up the hull past the prop and clung to the keel cooler. The EPIRB was in an enclosure on the pilot house, now underwater among floating debris that smashed back and forth as she rolled sluggishly. We both dived to try and recover it but it was impossible. Heidi, who had a knife on, cut loose the paddle board so we would have some flotation if the ship sank. We got it up on the side of the bulwarks and got on to get higher out of the waves.

Maybe an hour later the hull had taken on enough water to lose her inverted stability and the flotation of the large wood mast rolled her up to where she was at 90 degrees to the water and the EPIRB was a couple of feet under. I grabbed it and turned the thing on. We clung together in the rainy darkness illuminated by the flashing strobe just waiting, glad that the immense amount of wood in the hull was keeping her afloat apparently.

At last the big orange bird appeared out of the night and the rescue swimmer went in and swam over. Heidi went up in the sling first, then it was my turn.
Thank you USCG!!

I’d like to pass on a few lessons learned.
One, always have an EPIRB close to hand, and this means not down below. We had a full ditch bag but everything was inaccessible once the boat capsized, likewise our papers, passports etc were in a folder to be grabbed but there was no time, none at all, since the sea is merciless and will not give you a break, ever. The whole thing was over in 60 seconds or so.

Two, BERTIE was an old design and did not have outside ballast, but she had managed to navigate 30,000 miles including many strong gales with no problem.

Even a newer design with outside ballast will be overwhelmed by the conditions we faced. If the wind pins the boat on her side it is far too easy to flood through the companionway which is what happened to us. She did not go inverted until she flooded and if the hatch was closed she MIGHT have come back up.

Thanks for all the kind thoughts from all our friends at Liveaboard Sailboat and please be careful out there.
Peter, Heidi and BERTIE"

[ShipOfFools]

The weather nearby to NYC has been a bit screwey the past few years in my opinion...

and ive heard the same from people all over the world!!!

[Jim Cate]

A sad story... and I can hardly imagine the feelings of distress when she went from 90 deg to 180. Keeping your cool and staying attached was truly good management of a bad situation, so very well done.

I'm left with wondering what the stability curve of that design might be like. Apparently the AVS must be close to 90 degrees, and to me, that is a frightening idea. Mast in the water knock downs are not all that rare, but most designs will rapidly recover from such events. This Spray did not and I can't but wonder why.

The story does once again show how very effective EPIRBs are, and the admonition to locate them where they can be accessed after a sudden knockdown is well stated. Kudos to the crew for their coolness and for their willingness to share their experience.

Jim

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Are you implying that flooding from a sprung plank is somehow worse than the flooding that this vessel has when lying on her side, essentially awash? Doesn't make sense to me, Zee!

I think the ballast somehow has parted company, or possibly shifted drastically inside, but I await real info with great interest.

Jim

Plank springs while sailing the water rushes in and floods the boat bottom up forcing air out and the fwd drive pushes the bow down.
Some folks I knew back in the 90's had this happen to them in the Med. she went down in less than 2 minutes taking everything with her including their adorable cockatoo..
Luckily they were not far offshore and a nearby boat saw it and pulled them out of the water.
The boat was their home and they had to get Consul help to get back to the UK.

[zeehag]

white squall = nasty lil poofgone. r i p bertie.
you were beautiful strong and more than able.
mother nature was jealous and coveted you.
r i p beautiful

[ShipOfFools]

reminds me of another north atlantic disaster...