SailNet Community banner
Cancel
  • SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

May 21, 2023, 33' Hits Jetty in Cape May, NJ inlet, 2 rescued, no injuries, boat sunk

782 Views 24 Replies 12 Participants Last post by  boatpoker, 
O
Fairly-newer looking 33' struck jetty and sunk. USCG rescued two. Boat tower tried without success to save the boat.

Water Sky Water resources Boat Watercraft





nj1015.com

Coast Guard rescues 2 as sailboat sinks in Cape May, NJ Inlet

The Coast Guard had to rescue a pair of boaters Sunday night after their sailboat struck a jetty returning to the Cape May Inlet.
nj1015.com nj1015.com
See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 20 of 25 Posts
G
It is stories like this that make me glad I have an Etap. 26 footer with double hull and 100% foam flotation, like a Boston Whaler. Might get your feet wet but you will get home.
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 2
cthoops
We’ve been cruising up and down the U.S. East Coast and to the Bahamas for five years now. We were just reminiscing earlier tonight that hands down, our worst trip ever was from Atlantic Highlands to Cape May our first year, when we had been cruising for six weeks. I still remember that after a horrific overnight (our first), it was pure dumb luck that we entered Cape May at dawn with an incoming tide (and not wind against current). I still remember how the boats exiting Cape May (as we were going in) were having a hell of a time. I don’t know what happened to the Hunter, but we will definitely be the last ones to judge.
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
  • Helpful
Reactions: 3
eherlihy
"Last night a 33’ Sailing Vessel hit the ocean side of the west jetty of the Cape May Inlet and sunk."
- Sea Tow
It seems that this is the area where they hit (yellow highlight):
Map World Rectangle Slope Font


The dashed lines are my tracks through here from my trip south, then north in 2020, and 2021 respectively. The solid black line is my (coarsely) planned route through Cape May.

Is that a Hunter 33?
See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 2
BobT
From the rigging and other details, it indeed looks to be a Hunter 33.
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 1
tempest
High tide was 10:11 p.m. At Cape May on Sunday evening I imagine there was a decent flood current still running when they entered. Coast guard station is right there. So it's great that they got them off safely.
Reply
Save
Like
hpeer
Interesting. On another forum a guy precisely marked where it struck, which was on tHE OCEAN side the EAST jetty, near the light. Right where the wreck is shown.

No clue who is correct.
Reply
Save
Like
eherlihy
Regardless of which jetty (east or west), the boat's presence on the ocean side of the jetty would minimize the effect of any tidal current on the vessel.

My guess is that the skipper was unfamiliar with this inlet, and the chart that i posted above - which has the jettys clearly labeled.
Reply
Save
Like
tempest
nj1015.com

Coast Guard rescues 2 as sailboat sinks in Cape May, NJ Inlet

The Coast Guard had to rescue a pair of boaters Sunday night after their sailboat struck a jetty returning to the Cape May Inlet.
nj1015.com nj1015.com

if you scroll down through the photos, the boat is on the outside of the jetty
Reply
Save
Like
eherlihy
I am not trying to be argumentative, as I really don't have a dog in this fight. But, these pics seem to indicate that the boat struck nearest the GREEN daymark (see the square?) in the right pic. You can see the red triangle in the background, across the channel, in the picture on the left.


If this is correct, the boat must be nearest the west jetty.
See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 1
OntarioTheLake
Don’t know about cape May, but our home port jetty lights (yes, including the big lighthouse) are generally drowned out by shore lights. And, aside from the lights on the ends, they are unlit and invisible at night.
Reply
Save
Like
tempest
I have no new news of what happened here. But the Jetty, extends probably another 50 to 100 yards past the light. One possibility is that they were focused on the light and were cutting the corner coming North and didn't see the end of the jetty.
Reply
Save
Like
  • Helpful
Reactions: 1
Barquito
Google shot showing the light and rip-rap beyond.
See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
  • Wow
Reactions: 1
MarkofSeaLife
Wow. Navigation can get tricky in ports and especially at night. Those rocks go a long way out past the light.
Reply
Save
Like
hpeer
Yes. I grew up a few miles further up the coast, our inlet was Barnegat Light. This kind of thing was pretty regular.

The other thing about coming in from the sea bouy, or there abouts, is it should set you up to cross the bar, if any, correctly.

But you can't explained some of these incidents.

Some years ago, up the Delaware River, a local volunteer firefighter took their fireboat out for a spin. Decided to not use nav electronics, and ran it up onto the HUGE jetty for the C&D Canal.

The salvaged the boat, took a year to repair it, he broke up his leg.

But WHY?
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 1
tempest
MarkofSeaLife said:
Wow. Navigation can get tricky in ports and especially at night. Those rocks go a long way out past the light.
Click to expand...
Along this coast (N.J. ) the inlets are marked with Sea Buoys positioned anywhere from 1/2 mile to 1 1/2 miles offshore.
Cape May's is a Flashing Red #2 , 35 ft about 1/2 mile off. Some are MoA's ( I think that's not uncommon) I meet a lot of transients, and always suggest that they time the currents and line themselves up with the inlet from the sea buoy. That allows you time to see how you're getting set by wind. waves or current.

Some of the jetties can be awash at high tide , Barnegat in particular. ( North Jetty) I don't know what happened here, but it's usually not a good idea to try to cut the corners on these inlets.
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 2
MarkofSeaLife
Theres loads of reasons why sailboats can get nervous on these sort of approaches:

1) People tell them not to go in the shipping channel... thus they stay away from a Sea Buoy, they try to cut in at the ned of the channel or try to stick far too far to one side of it. I maintain we are fully allowed to use shipping channels.

2) People get scared when the weather is changing and want to'run' home before it (understandable)

3) they got caught out at sunset and are too scare to stay out overnight... or everyone on board has plans "i gotta get home'. Fear instilled by people who say "you're inexperienced" I say "stay out overnight and then you'll be experienced".

4) Entering a long channel on an incoming tide and following breeze. You can be going much faster than you think. And wind against tide when its shallow can be hair-raising. And where theres breaking waves on either side of the channel due to shallow water and be terrifying.

5) You're clearly in the correct spot in the channel, sails up and working nicely, when suddenly a gust broaches you and suddenly you are 100 yards/meters into dog do-do. And in this channel 100 yards/meters is all it needs!

Theres a zillion reasons why a well intentioned person can come a cropper.


Mark
See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
OntarioTheLake
Things look a LOT different at night. It's very easy to get turned about in the head, despite what instruments may say. Dark jetties and seawalls disappear completely into the blackness. The far-side light looks like it's on this side; one or more lights get washed out by shore lights; people think they're already in the channel; etc. I've seen it many times, boats hit the jetty despite one or two big lights on the end.
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 2
tempest
Good list Mark. In this case, the sea buoys are nowhere near the shipping channel. While it may be tempting it's not a good idea to sail into any of these inlets. ( N.J.) I sailed into Block Island once, on a challenge, but I had the engine on in neutral just in case ;-)

I hear alot of complaints about Sailing down the coast of N.J. I will suggest that those that have bad experiences, leave port in the wrong weather. So, I'll add to your list: "I have to be in so and so by such and such a date".
The weather doesn't care about your schedule.
Reply
Save
Like
  • Helpful
Reactions: 1
MarkofSeaLife
And heres a real fandango you would be very familier with, @tempest Entering New York. Ive done this a number of times and its amazing how they can hide a 1,000 foot long container ship. But all of a sudden, when I think I'm safe, out of the gloom pops another from some weird direction. Any local can probably avoid this area by miles, seriously, miles.

See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
  • Wow
Reactions: 1
1 - 20 of 25 Posts
SailNet Community
A forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
General Discussion - Sailing Related Gear & Maintenance Boat Review Forum Cruising & Liveaboard Forum Seamanship & Navigation
Top