Bermuda Race Week J24 Erwin sunk on Tuesday - will race Thursday

7:46 PM Wed 28 Apr 2010 GMT

'Erin raised from the bottom of Bermuda's Great Sound. The J24 sloop sank in Race 5 of Bermuda International Invitational Race Week.' Talbot Wilson Click Here to view large photo

Tim Patton and his crew from Bermuda Marine Services rescued the J24 Erwin from the bottom of Bermuda's Great Sound today. The boat sank Tuesday (yesterday) in Race 5 of the J24 Class competition in Bermuda International Invitational Race week.

Erin had been on the last leg of the last race on Tuesday. She was flying her spinnaker in a building 30-knot breeze. As the boat rounded up in a massive broach, she put her mast in the water and flooded the cockpit and cabin. The boat didn't right herself and just sank to the bottom, sails and all.

No one was injured. Chase boats on the course picked up Lynch and his crew of Barry Surbuchen, Steven Musicant, Natalie Luthi, Tiffany Wardman as the floated near the mast of the sunken boat. Several racing boats diverted to render assistance as well.

A diver retrieved sails and personal items and the motor shortly after the sinking. About two feet of the mast was sticking above the water and Erin was standing straight up with her keel resting on the sandy bottom. She was marked with a buoy overnight.

On the event Layday Wednesday morning, Patton and crew took two work barges to the site. It was quite windy and the Great Sound had a two-foot chop, so after attaching a chain to the boat's hoist ring they lifted the boat just off the bottom. Moving at about a half-knot, they took Erin into the lee of Long Island to get out of the wind and waves.

They couldn't just lift the boat out of the water because the weight of all the water inside would have broken the boat in half. A diver positioned two straps under the boat, one in front of the Keel and one behind it. the winches on the two barges lifted Erin so her deck and cockpit companionway were just above the water.

They lowered a high capacity pump into the cabin. As the water was pumped out, the boat rose out of the water.

The mighty little J24 was back at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club marina by 2:00PM Wednesday afternoon. When racing in Bermuda International Invitational Race Week resumes on Thursday Erin will race again. (probably with another motor on her stern, while her own is still being washed and polished.)

Erin resting in her berth,with her fellow J24's after a night at the bottom of the Sound - Talbot Wilson Click Here to view large photo

A low North of Bermuda is bringing a series of troughs over the area Wednesday. Winds will be strong to near gale force with gusts to gale force, especially in showers. High pressure builds in on Thursday easing winds and seas. The Forecast for Thursday is WNW 18-22kts and Friday WNW 15-20kts.

by Talbot Wilson

Click on thumbnails to enlarge and find more photos:

Newsfeed supplied by

#News #Cruising #North

Nearby
North Head, NSW	6 kn SE
Little Bay, NSW	6 kn SE
Cronulla, NSW	4 kn ESE
Windiest in Australia
Maatsuyker Island, TAS	44 kn WNW	9°
Most Windless in Australia
Gympie, QLD	Calm	17°
Hottest in Australia
Fitzroy Crossing, WA	7 kn NW	35°
Coldest in Australia
Mount Wellington, TAS	28 kn WSW	-1°
Wettest in Australia
Mount Magnet Airport, WA	10.0 mm

Bermuda Race Week J24 Erwin sunk on Tuesday - will race Thursday

Live Weather

Nearby

Windiest in Australia

Most Windless in Australia

Hottest in Australia

Coldest in Australia

Wettest in Australia

Buy & Sell

2026 F-One F-One Eagle V2 Uhm With New T2 Connectio

2023 Duotone Fish Dlab

2025 Foil Drive Nolimitz/Code

2025 Neo Dlab 9M

Naish Jet 1250

2025 Duotone Skybrid Sls

2023 Duotone Evo

Weather

Activities

About

Other

Support