Boat Capsizes..good Results

[WMalloy382]

Yikes. I wonder how rough it was when they capsized. A 25 foot Grady should be able to handle pretty rough stuff. The only time I was in crazy weather -- when a squall line hit in Block Island Sound and I instantly had 12 foot waves and lightning everywhere, I had my ditch bag next to me and my life raft as well. Fortunately I didn't need them. It just shows you that even after the EPIRB distress signal is sent, it is extremely difficult to be seen at night. These guys were super lucky since they didn't seem to have had a life raft. Floating in the Bahamas isn't that much fun. They were also lucky to find rocks to grab onto.

I agree,... depending on the year. I am a Grady owner and love the boat, but Grady played slick with the numbers a few years back and a 25 footer is not the same 25 footer we all loved as the toughest 25 footer from the 80 till mid 90's. They call that boat the 27 now..

The current 25 foot grady is roughly the size of an older 24 and I would not be bringing my 24 footer from the mainland to the Bahamas. But I would a 27 (old 25)

Glad they were okay

[blackfinmike]

wmalloy, you think an extra 2' or 3' would have helped. NO. Thankful things worked out for these guy's. A 25' grady is not what I think of as an offshore boat, lets be real here. Good luck

[bstnsportsfan]

Good story to hear. Now that they activated the EPIRB, do they have to throw it away or can they have it reset for another use?

[welder]

I'm sure a EPIRB can be sent in to the factory to be refreshed for use again but I believe theirs went down with the boat.

[MyGal]

Any more info on what actually happened other than the "bad weather" report? Thxs

[v70cat]

Our local paper reported today that two boaters from Land O Lakes, Florida (N of Tampa) were found safe by the Coast Guard. The two boaters were in the Bahamas when their 25' boat capsized. Their EPIRB was activated and the Coast Guard dispatched a plane from Miami. They were not located that night and a helo was dispatched the following morning and found the two men clinging to a rock. A nearby pleasure craft was vectored in and made the rescue. The men's condition was not known.

Much better result than from the 4 football players. Not much detail was given, other than they were off Andros.

I question why it took them so long to locate them?

[Back-Lash]

just glad they were found , it had to have been 1 long night

[r.waddill]

From the news paper article they were in the Abacos not the Andros a big difference. From the paper it seems as if the boat went down in Abaco Sound which sound extraordinary in my opinion. that is a sheltered area unless your in a hurricane. there is a lot more to this story than we know. Glad it had a good outcome

[dreamsfloatjoe]

... A 25' grady is not what I think of as an offshore boat, lets be real here. ...

blackfinmike (or anyone), what are your thoughts on what is an 'offshore boat'? Minimum requirements/length? Thanks.

[r.waddill]

blackfinmike (or anyone), what are your thoughts on what is an 'offshore boat'? Minimum requirements/length? Thanks.

A 25 ft Grady should handle the Abaco sound and bahama bank with no isssues at all. I ran my old 25 Bluewater with a single 250 yami from West palm to marsh harbor without a second thought. The biggest hurdle is the gulfstream and that only 50 miles. Where this boat went down sounds like it was in the sound which well protected for the most part. The only thing that could have happened was they were coming through a pass from offshore possibly in an "abaco rage" which no boat should try. it sounded to me like they were on the way home to the states in which case they would not be outside the Abaco sound or bahama bank. Something else had to occur for the boat to sink other than rough weather. Highly doubtful in my opinion.