Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet assists disabled sailboat off of Avon
The U.S. Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet received a report on Friday, December 4, of a 35′ ft. disabled sailboat with two people on board, roughly 1.5 miles off the coast of Avon.
With 15 knot winds, which was projected to increase to gale force through the night, the station’s 47 Motor Life Boat (MLB) quickly launched to assist the distressed vessel.
Once on scene, the crew set up to put the sailboat in a stern tow with a Kevlar bridle. The two forward cleats on the bow of the sailboat were covered by a rubber zodiac, hindering the tow from being set. The Coxswain of the 47 MLB instructed the sailboat to cast the zodiac overboard, and the 47 MLB then recovered the zodiac, placing it on the bow of the Coast Guard vessel.
After passing the bridle to the sailboat, the Coast Guard crew paid out 700 feet of tow line to distribute the tension for the 20-nautical-mile transit to Oregon Inlet. While approaching the Oregon Inlet Bar, the station’s second 47 MLB launched to assist with the crossing. During the transit across the bar, both crews utilized MK-127 Illumination Parachute Flares, which allowed the crews to spot dangerous swells and breaking shoals.
Once safely across, the 47 MLB continued the tow to Wanchese, where they put the sailboat into an alongside tow and moored them to the dock. No injuries were reported during the incident.
