Us Coast Guard

Yacht Fire Triggers Oil Spill in California

Cleanup efforts are underway after a 105-foot yacht caught fire, capsized and spilled oil in Marina del Rey, Calif., the U.S. Coast Guard said.The motor yacht The Admiral reportedly went up in flames around 8:30 p.m., Wednesday, and a crew from Los Angeles County Fire Department was able to extinguish the fire. No injuries were reported.By Thursday morning, the yacht was discovered to be discharging red-dye diesel. The vessel’s fuel capacity is said to be 6,000 gallons.A Unified Command including members of the Coast Guard…

Fuel Removed from Yacht that Struck a Reef in Puerto Rico

Salvors have lightered bulk diesel fuel from a luxury yacht that grounded on a reef just off Flamenco Beach in Culebra, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Coast Guard said.The 72-foot sailing catamaran Obsession was reportedly traveling with four people on board from Puerto Rico to the British Virgin Islands when it struck a reef during a stop in Culebra on July 21. No injuries were reported.The fuel removal was conducted by Resolve Marine and Clean Harbors, LLC crews and consisted of the estimated 800 to 1…

Mack Boring Parts Ways with OXE Diesel

Somerset, N.J. based Mack Boring & Parts Co. on Tuesday announced it has discontinued its representation of OXE Marine diesel engines effective immediately.Mack Boring was an early investor in the OXE brand, originally signing on as a distributor in 2015 and secured the first orders of OXE diesel outboards for the U.S. Coast Guard following joint management of a CRADA research project in 2017.“Current OXE distribution strategy for North America is not a match for Mack Boring going forward…

Multiple Boats Catch Fire in Baltimore Marina

Emergency responders on Wednesday battled a blaze that engulfed multiple vessels in the Anchorage Marina, on the Patapsco River in Baltimore.A good Samaritan alerted U.S. Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region watchstanders to the fire at approximately 9 a.m. and reported that he heard a popping noise and saw two 55-foot boats engulfed in flames.Baltimore City Fire Department said its units arrived on location to find heavy fire and smoke conditions coming from multiple vessels docked at the marina.

Tug and Yacht Collide Near Bay St. Louis, Miss.

Three boaters were rescued Wednesday after their yacht collided with a tug near Bay St. Louis, Miss.The U.S. Coast Guard said its watchstanders at Sector Mobile received a report Wednesday of a 53-foot yacht and a tug vessel pulling two barges were involved in a collision. Sector Mobile watchstanders coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard Station Gulfport 45-foot Response Boat–Medium boatcrew to assist.The response boatcrew arrived on scene, embarked the three boaters from the yacht and transported them to Bay St.

Yacht Runs Aground and Spills Oil Off Maui

The U.S. Coast Guard said it is responding to a 94-foot motor yacht that grounded off the north side of Honolua Bay, Maui, Monday.Eight boaters onboard the vessel were safely returned to shore by the Maui Fire Department.The Coast Guard Marine Safety Team are working with the owner of the vessel to arrange for salvage and the removal. Due to the urgency of the response needed, the Coast Guard Federal On-scene Coordinator opened the National Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, federalizing efforts to mitigate potential pollution to the environment.Sea Engineering Inc.…

Towboat Pushing Barges Strikes Pleasure Boats in Texas

Six people were rescued from the water after a towboat pushing barges struck two pleasure boats near Goat Island, Texas, Saturday.U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received notification at 9:26 p.m. via VHF-FM channel 16 that the towboat and barge collided with two recreational boats, one with two people aboard, the other with four people aboard. in the Galveston Bay. The captain of the towboat reported that the people had fallen in the water and had either…

Electrical Fire Destroys $3.9 Million Yacht

The engine room fire aboard a yacht was likely caused by an electric source within the sound enclosure for the starboard generators, the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday.Marine Investigation Report 22/16 details the NTSB’s investigation of the March 16, 2021, engine room fire aboard the yacht La Dolce Vita while anchored near Marquesas Keys in the Gulf of Mexico. The crew unsuccessfully attempted to extinguish the fire. The crew of four and two passengers on board abandoned the yacht into the vessel’s tender boat. They were then assisted by two U.S. Coast Guard boats.

U.S. Coast Guard Rescues 15 Mariners aboard Disabled Yacht off Hawaii

U.S. Coast Guard rescued 15 mariners aboard the disabled 72-foot sailing vessel Lucky, 26-miles east of Makapu’u Point, Oahu, Hawaii, Saturday.The Lucky was adrift due to a disabled rudder and crews aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Berry (WPC 1124) and a Station Honolulu 45-foot Response Boat-Medium towed the vessel to Honolulu Harbor.“With any towing evolution there is risk involved," said Ensign Michael Meisenger, the operations officer aboard the Oliver Berry vessel.“Our crew trains constantly to ensure we are prepared when called upon. Last night that training paid off.

New US Law Requires Use of Engine Cut-off Switches

Operators of recreational vessels less than 26 feet in length will be required to use an engine cut-off switch (ECOS) and associated ECOS link (ECOSL) as of April 1, 2021, as the U.S. Coast Guard implements a law passed by Congress.The ECOS and ECOSL prevent runaway vessels and the threats they pose. The ECOSL attaches the vessel operator to a switch that shuts off the engine if the operator is displaced from the helm. The ECOSL is usually a lanyard-style cord that attaches to an ECOS either in close proximity to the helm or on the outboard motor itself if the vessel is operated by a tiller.

NOAA Begins Transition Exclusively to Electronic Navigation Charts

NOAA will begin to implement its sunset plan for paper nautical charts this month, starting with the current paper chart 18665 of Lake Tahoe. After August, NOAA’s electronic navigational chart will be the only NOAA nautical chart of the area.This is the first traditional paper chart to be fully supplanted by an electronic chart as part of NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey Raster Sunset Plan, which includes a new process to notify mariners of the transition of individual paper charts to electronic charts.

Sailors Rescued in Storm Sally off Key West

Two people aboard their sailing vessel Preston Point were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard, Sunday, after they were in distress in heavy seas about 14 miles west of Ponce de Leon Bay off Key West, Fla., during Tropical Storm Sally.The sailing vessel's owners called Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders at approximately 6:30 p.m, Saturday, stating the vessel's engine was disabled and that they were adrift and in danger of capsizing. The watchstanders directed the launch of an…

Abandoned Fiberglas Boats are Harming the Marine Environment

Where do old boats go to die? The cynical answer is they are put on eBay for a few pennies in the hope they become some other ignorant dreamer’s problem.As a marine biologist, I am increasingly aware that the casual disposal of boats made out of fiberglass is harming our coastal marine life. The problem of end-of-life boat management and disposal has gone global, and some island nations are even worried about their already overstretched landfill.The strength and durability of…

Man Rescued from Boat Fire on Lake Tahoe

The U.S. Coast Guard and a good Samaritan came to the rescue of a 43 year-old-man whose vessel went up in flames on Lake Tahoe, Monday evening.Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders received notification from Coast Guard Station Lake Tahoe reporting a 26-foot Cobalt boat on fire near Dollar Point.Watchstanders dispatched a Station Lake Tahoe 29-foot Response Boat-Small crew to the scene.When the crew arrived on scene, the man had been retrieved by a good Samaritan and the man was transferred to the RB-S.“It’s unfortunate the fire escalated so quickly…

US Warship Assists Distressed Sailing Vessel

A U.S. Navy warship came to the aid of a sailing vessel drifting about 150 nautical miles east of the Bahamas on Saturday.After the distressed vessel radioed for help on Friday morning, U.S. Coast Guard District 7 coordinated with USS Mitscher (DDG 57) , the closest ship able to render aid. Mitscher rendezvoused with the vessel later that evening and towed it overnight to the closest port of San Salvador, Bahamas.The 51-foot sailing vessel had a damaged steering shaft and was unable to maneuver.

i911: Tapping Cellphone Location Data to Save Lives

In recent years the U.S. Coast Guard has identified an increasing trend in the use of cellular phones by the maritime public when communicating distress. In 2018, leadership in the Office of Search and Rescue (SAR) at Coast Guard Headquarters asked the Research and Development Center (RDC) to investigate available technologies that could assist Coast Guard responders in adapting to this trend by leveraging the cellphone’s internal GPS. The RDC, located in New London, Conn., has been serving the Coast Guard for nearly 50 years through research…

Salvors Removing Vessel Aground Off Waikiki

The U.S. Coast Guard said it is working with salvors and the State of Hawaii to remove a sailing vessel that ran aground off Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Sunday.The owner’s insurance company has hired a salvage team to remove the 35-foot, double masted vessel Steady Beat.Coast Guard and State of Hawaii responders continue to monitor the situation for environmental and public safety impacts.Based on mitigation activities, at 10:38 a.m., the federal on-scene coordinator determined the vessel no longer presented a substantial threat of discharge.

Sailing Vessel Runs Aground off Hilo, Hawaii

One mariner has been rescued from a 63-foot motor-sailing vessel that ran aground near Ale Ale’a Point, Hilo Bay, Monday evening, the U.S. Coast Guard said.At 5:33 p.m. Monday, Coast GUard Sector Honolulu watchstanders received a report from Hilo Fire Department of the grounded vessel, named Midway Island, on the rocks northwest of Hilo Harbor with a mariner aboard.Hilo Fire Department responded with engine, fire boat and aircrews Their aircrew arrived on scene and hoisted the…

Three Rescued from Burning Fishing Vessel

Three people were rescued from the water after their fishing vessel caught fire near Dauphin Island, Ala., on Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Coast Guard watchstanders in Mobile were alerted at 5:55 p.m. of three people aboard a 36-foot sport fisher Beach S that caught fire in Dauphin Island Bay, approximately a half a mile north of Dauphin Island.The Coast Guard directed the launch of a 29-foot Response Boat-Small crew from Coast Guard Station Dauphin Island to assist the people.The boatcrew arrived on scene at 6:35 p.m.…