{"id":5249,"date":"2024-09-23T13:48:01","date_gmt":"2024-09-23T13:48:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oceansignal.com\/?post_type=survivor-stories&p=5249"},"modified":"2024-10-17T16:17:19","modified_gmt":"2024-10-17T16:17:19","slug":"lone-sailornarrowly-escapes-disaster-as-storm-smashes-boat-onto-rocks","status":"publish","type":"survivor-stories","link":"https:\/\/oceansignal.com\/us\/survivor-stories\/lone-sailornarrowly-escapes-disaster-as-storm-smashes-boat-onto-rocks\/","title":{"rendered":"Lone Sailor Narrowly Escapes Disaster as Storm Smashes Boat Onto Rocks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gusts were reaching seventy knots, but I was sheltered from the waves aboard my Rival 34, Soldemar<\/em>. The intensity of the situation caused my snubber line to brake, and the anchor began to drag. I wasn’t too concerned at first, but within minutes I found myself in much rougher water. The anchor windlass couldn\u2019t handle the drag of the anchor and chain along the seabed, and eventually, the windlass motor burned out.<\/p>\n

Being alone, I couldn\u2019t steady the boat with the engine while winching at the same time. The adrenaline rush was intense\u2014I was too busy to feel scared, though the situation was terrifying. The boat was being tossed around like a rag doll.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, the chain jumped out of the windlass gypsy, unspooling all the way out to the rode that connected the chain to the boat. With a sound like an explosion, the rode then snapped.<\/p>\n

Due to the wind and waves, I couldn\u2019t make any progress to windward and reach safety. Before long, the boat hit submerged rocks. The keel heeled nearly 90 degrees\u2014the sound of it splintering and crashing was beyond words. It felt like the end. I gave the engine full power, and slowly, painfully, it dragged the boat off the rocks.<\/p>\n

Then the engine gave out.<\/p>\n

My mind almost broke. I was surrounded by chaos\u2014too much wind for any sail\u2014and was heading straight for a rocky shoreline.<\/p>\n

I managed to pull myself together, called a Mayday on the VHF, and activated my rescueME EPIRB1<\/a>. Minutes later, I was blown onto the rocks on the Isle of Fuday<\/a>. Nothing in life had prepared me for this\u2014it was like a waking nightmare.<\/p>\n

The RNLI arrived on the scene along with a Coast Guard helicopter. My EPIRB had transmitted my exact coordinates. I scrambled off my wrecked boat and into the water, making it to a small RNLI inflatable with two lifeboatmen aboard, battling the surf. The larger Severn-class lifeboat, Edna Windsor<\/em>, was holding in deeper water, and within minutes, I was safely aboard.<\/p>\n

I spent a few days in the hospital on Barra due to exhaustion and to monitor my Type 1 diabetes. Right now, I\u2019m waiting to see if my boat can be recovered.<\/p>\n

But I\u2019m alive! A huge thanks to the Barra lifeboat crew, the Coast Guard, and my Ocean Signal EPIRB.<\/p>\n

\u2014Matt<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Being alone, I couldn\u2019t steady the boat with the engine while winching at the same time. The adrenaline rush was intense\u2014I was too busy to feel scared, though the situation was terrifying. The boat was being tossed around like a rag doll. Suddenly, the chain jumped out of the windlass gypsy, unspooling all the way out to the rode that connected the chain to the boat. Then, with a sound like an explosion, the rode snapped.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2393,"featured_media":5248,"template":"","survivor-stories-category":[10],"survivor-stories-cause":[43],"survivor-stories-event":[35],"survivor-stories-rescue":[82],"survivor-stories-terrain":[24],"class_list":["post-5249","survivor-stories","type-survivor-stories","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","survivor-stories-category-boating","survivor-stories-cause-weather","survivor-stories-event-thunderstorm","survivor-stories-rescue-rnli","survivor-stories-terrain-ocean"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nLone Sailor Narrowly Escapes Disaster as Storm Smashes Boat Onto Rocks - Ocean Signal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Solo sailor rescued by RNLI after 70-knot storm wrecks boat. 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