Kekoa lost - 4 rescued off Hatteras

[T34C]

Originally Posted by mountainvoyager

Keoka is sitting high, and waiting for pick up. So many opinions with so little information to form such judgements. The builders/owners are amazing boat builders who build high quality products. Please learn more about the situation and the builders before you make judgements.
And yes, thank goodness the crew was safely and swiftly returned to shore.
God bless the Coast Guard and KEKOA the brave one!

Who was judging? I've read some opinions, but no judgements. I have read some opions that question the judgement of a crew that bails out of a boat that is still intact and floating with rig up... and I'd have to agree with them.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by mountainvoyager

Kekoa's where abouts is being monitored and recovery should come together weather permitting in the next few days. I know the builders personally and they are dedicated to their boat, like a member of the family. It is not thought that her damage is extensive from the photos taken and reports from the crew.

If you know the builders do us a favour and ask them what happened. Surely they must have the story from the crew by now.

[imagine2frolic]

Originally Posted by Vasco

If you know the builders do us a favour and ask them what happened. Surely they must have the story from the crew by now.

Yes, we would like to know

drift
Vasco where are you now?

[gypsysailing]

The two brothers who built Kekoa are friends of my nephew and stopped by the house over Christmas for a visit. Kekoa was located and salvaged by a crew out of N.Carolina...she is now safe and relatively sound in Beaufort, NC. The builders believe it will take two months to repair her. The unstated consensus, I believe, is that 1 - they should have waited for a better weather look, 2 - they sailed her too hard in tough conditions....running 13 knots in 30' seas is just too hard on a big cat built as a day charter boat. These big head count boats are just not designed to be offshore in a gale.
Interesting that the buyers and insurers required that they hire a pro crew.

These are good guys, good builders and knowledgeable mariners.....I wish them good fortune and more fair winds as they move forward with Kekoa in the Virgin Islands where she is destined to be a new day "head count" charter boat.

[northbay]

Thank you Captain White for the update. Once ready, where will
she be working in the BVI's?

Bob

[gypsysailing]

Their deal is with the Ritz Carlton on the east end of St Thomas. They believe that the Ritz is still good with that assuming they can get her to the islands relatively soon...during the high season.

[WheresTheBrakes]

I had a beer with the fellow that rigged her,
he was more than confident that the rigging was beyond spec..
I'm sure he's up there now taking a look ...

[mountainvoyager]

Kekoa update - repairs began today under the watchful eyes of her creators. Estimated time for repairs is one month. Builders/owners are hopeful that she will be on her way to St Thomas soon. And you can be assured that they will take her personally this time, as those who know them, know that none of this would of happened if they had been on board. The experts that examined her agree, it is a miracle that she came through as well as she did from her mistreatment. It is a true testament to the quality the Witbeck brothers build boats.
Long live Kekoa!

[camaraderie]

Well that is great to see the boat will live on!

[imagine2frolic]

FANTASTIC!

What we would really love to know is exactly what caused her to be abandoned. There's a lot of speculation going on. I for one think the crew was the WEAK LINK.........i2f