Craziest night ever in the canyons

shipmate bill · 08-13-2008, 03:17 PM

So yesterday started as a typical canyon trip. Ice the boat, load all the gear check and recheck and head for the deep blue. We start trolling and put a nice 50-60 lb yellowfin in the box right at sunset. We set up on the drift and we're sliding down the wall and eventually we're going to drift into the deep. Perfect!! Set the lines and almost immediately we hook another fish which ends up being a ~70 lb hammer head. We release him and continue fishing. Then the crazy starts. Radio starts in around 1230 with we're taking on water, bilge pumps can't keep up, engines won't start here's our position. We punch in the numbers and we're less than 5 miles away. We immediately clear the decks and start running. We get to the last position and there's nothing. We start heading downwind and 1/2 mile down we hit the debris field - someone sunk. we keep going and see a faint red light and start heading towards it for another 1/4 mile and a flare blows up less than 100 yards in front of us. From the tower in the red light of the flare i can see the life raft and guys waving their arms. We come down on them and all my captain and AB training kicks in. We're asking all the appropriate questions and find out everyone on the sunken vessel is in the life raft wearing life jackets, no medical conditions no injuries. We pick up the guys and i find out the second captain who called the mayday is a friend of mine and was never happier to hear the Fat Cat was coming to assist. After everyone was on board and calmed down we checked them to make sure no one was shocky and headed for the barn. I've never been in a life raft but from what my buddy said it was the longest 15 minutes of his life, especially after watching the self deploying epirb get tangled up and go down with the ship. These guys were well shaken and wouldn't take their life jackets off until they were on dry land. I've fished offshore since i was a little kid. I learned more last night about safety and fishing offshore than i ever wanted to. You never know whats going to happen out there and last night was a night i'll never forget.

sportfishingusa · 08-13-2008, 03:20 PM

What a good group of guys!! That is a really good thing you guys did! WOW!!

What was the name of the boat that sunk? did not hear any word if it in the new or anything...

shipmate bill · 08-13-2008, 03:25 PM

I don't want to give the name of the boat until i hear back and know all family members are aware that the crew is safe but it happened at 1 this morning so it probably wouldn't be in the news yet.

Dobie1966 · 08-13-2008, 03:28 PM

What an unbelieveable story!Thankfully everyone is ok.By the way...someone owes you a LOT of beer!

JimmyC · 08-13-2008, 03:31 PM

Wow. Unreal. Do you know the cause of the accident? Glad everything went OK for you all.

Russell A. Jost · 08-13-2008, 03:33 PM

Way to go Bill !!! I'm sure you will getting thanked for years to come.

sportfishingusa · 08-13-2008, 03:34 PM

1AM THIS MORNING!

WOWWY MAN!! you are a great person! good job for doing that!

Remember that is why the epird needs to be mounted with no obstruction on the highest point you can get it on!

Glad the raft worked and you got everyone on board!

Tunaman40 · 08-13-2008, 03:34 PM

Shipmate, good karma will come back to you in spades. Good on ya Capt.

shipmate bill · 08-13-2008, 03:40 PM

I'm a big believer in karma and all i hope that know i'm +5 in the Big Man's book and that if i ever find myself in a similar situation someone will return the favor and pull me out of the water, plus the guarantee of "if i ever see you in a bar you drink on my tab forever" isn't bad either.

Double D · 08-13-2008, 03:41 PM

Awesome job Captain. You saved a few lives last night.

Standing by for the details

08-13-2008, 03:17 PM	#1
shipmate bill Just bought a 65' hat! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: on da beach Posts: 79 Credits: 1,335.8 Home Port: Highlands/Belmar NJ Best Catch: 750 lb dressed bft, 300 lbs swordie, 50 lbs tilefish Occupation: Charter boat captain and mate	Craziest night ever in the canyons So yesterday started as a typical canyon trip. Ice the boat, load all the gear check and recheck and head for the deep blue. We start trolling and put a nice 50-60 lb yellowfin in the box right at sunset. We set up on the drift and we're sliding down the wall and eventually we're going to drift into the deep. Perfect!! Set the lines and almost immediately we hook another fish which ends up being a ~70 lb hammer head. We release him and continue fishing. Then the crazy starts. Radio starts in around 1230 with we're taking on water, bilge pumps can't keep up, engines won't start here's our position. We punch in the numbers and we're less than 5 miles away. We immediately clear the decks and start running. We get to the last position and there's nothing. We start heading downwind and 1/2 mile down we hit the debris field - someone sunk. we keep going and see a faint red light and start heading towards it for another 1/4 mile and a flare blows up less than 100 yards in front of us. From the tower in the red light of the flare i can see the life raft and guys waving their arms. We come down on them and all my captain and AB training kicks in. We're asking all the appropriate questions and find out everyone on the sunken vessel is in the life raft wearing life jackets, no medical conditions no injuries. We pick up the guys and i find out the second captain who called the mayday is a friend of mine and was never happier to hear the Fat Cat was coming to assist. After everyone was on board and calmed down we checked them to make sure no one was shocky and headed for the barn. I've never been in a life raft but from what my buddy said it was the longest 15 minutes of his life, especially after watching the self deploying epirb get tangled up and go down with the ship. These guys were well shaken and wouldn't take their life jackets off until they were on dry land. I've fished offshore since i was a little kid. I learned more last night about safety and fishing offshore than i ever wanted to. You never know whats going to happen out there and last night was a night i'll never forget.

08-13-2008, 03:20 PM	#2
sportfishingusa I think Admin is going to let me have this space Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Toms River, NJ Posts: 3,064 Credits: 6,282.3 Boat: 24 proline cc and 33 pace express Home Port: Forked River NJ Best Catch: EST. Grander In Toms Canyon/ 145lb allison/ 250lb mako/58lb cobia, 1st place 1996 miami metropolitan Occupation: Self Employed Repossession	What a good group of guys!! That is a really good thing you guys did! WOW!! What was the name of the boat that sunk? did not hear any word if it in the new or anything... __________________

08-13-2008, 03:28 PM	#4
Dobie1966 Got fish Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: boston Posts: 183 Credits: 1,561.1 Boat: not mine Home Port: Duxbury Best Catch: 80lb bigeye	What an unbelieveable story!Thankfully everyone is ok.By the way...someone owes you a LOT of beer! __________________ I fish therefore i am

08-13-2008, 03:34 PM	#7
sportfishingusa I think Admin is going to let me have this space Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Toms River, NJ Posts: 3,064 Credits: 6,282.3 Boat: 24 proline cc and 33 pace express Home Port: Forked River NJ Best Catch: EST. Grander In Toms Canyon/ 145lb allison/ 250lb mako/58lb cobia, 1st place 1996 miami metropolitan Occupation: Self Employed Repossession	1AM THIS MORNING! WOWWY MAN!! you are a great person! good job for doing that! Remember that is why the epird needs to be mounted with no obstruction on the highest point you can get it on! Glad the raft worked and you got everyone on board! __________________

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

08-13-2008, 03:25 PM	#3
shipmate bill Just bought a 65' hat! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: on da beach Posts: 79 Credits: 1,335.8 Home Port: Highlands/Belmar NJ Best Catch: 750 lb dressed bft, 300 lbs swordie, 50 lbs tilefish Occupation: Charter boat captain and mate	I don't want to give the name of the boat until i hear back and know all family members are aware that the crew is safe but it happened at 1 this morning so it probably wouldn't be in the news yet.

08-13-2008, 03:31 PM	#5
JimmyC Got fish Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 193 Credits: 1,347.3	Wow. Unreal. Do you know the cause of the accident? Glad everything went OK for you all.

08-13-2008, 03:34 PM	#8
Tunaman40 Sit down Shut up And fish Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Belmar NJ Posts: 470 Credits: 1,694.5 Boat: What everone is closest Home Port: none to speak of Best Catch: BFT 1985 1,035lbs Occupation: Devoted father	Shipmate, good karma will come back to you in spades. Good on ya Capt.

08-13-2008, 03:40 PM	#9
shipmate bill Just bought a 65' hat! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: on da beach Posts: 79 Credits: 1,335.8 Home Port: Highlands/Belmar NJ Best Catch: 750 lb dressed bft, 300 lbs swordie, 50 lbs tilefish Occupation: Charter boat captain and mate	I'm a big believer in karma and all i hope that know i'm +5 in the Big Man's book and that if i ever find myself in a similar situation someone will return the favor and pull me out of the water, plus the guarantee of "if i ever see you in a bar you drink on my tab forever" isn't bad either.

08-13-2008, 03:41 PM	#10
Double D I think Admin is going to let me have this space Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Point Pleasant, NJ Posts: 2,440 Credits: 5,610.7	Awesome job Captain. You saved a few lives last night. Standing by for the details