Mystery of Missing Sailor at Brighton Marina UK

[brightontrader]

A couple of days ago 74 year old Len King on his 70' Sunseeker went overboard sometime on his return trip to the marina here and the boat, under autohelm found its way back to near the marina entrance where it washed up on the concrete blocks surrounding the walls.

Its been big news here or was while the unsuccessful search was underway for Mr King.

BBC News - Brighton search for missing yachtsman abandoned
Empty yacht found in search for missing sailor - Telegraph
Family's concern over missing sailor | Pbo

Talking to people who knew him and his boat in the marina it is clear that he was very experienced and it was not unusual for him to single hand this largest boat in the entire marina, this being one of many large power boats he has owned.

There is a lot of supposition as to what happened. I heard one story that there was blood found on the bridge.(don't know if its true though.)

My own thoughts knowing this marina are that: when he left it was flat calm but the wind came strongly up from the south which is not good for entering the marina at certain times of the tide and it may well be that he fell and hurt himself, then went off the bridge area to put out fenders and went overboard right by the marina in the roughest area, sad to say even a young man would struggle there to survive if thats what happened.

Being mainly a single hander myself from this marina I know the dangers and I am sure he did too, so cannot fault his actions as going out in winter on flat seas alone is really what it can be all about (best way I can think of to describe what I get out of it) and can only be sorry for his family that this time he didn't make it back safely.

Goodbye Len..although I didn't know you.