Drifting sailing boat T-boned by motor cruiser

by Bruce Burdett/Sail-World Cruising on 29 Jun 2010 There but for the Grace...A yacht in drifting air has no chance against a motor boat at speed, and the Beneteau that was T-boned by a motor yacht last week in Bristol Rhode Island (USA) ended up with a large hole and a piece of the motor boat that hit them attached to its hull.

The yacht, a Beneteau 310, was hauled from the water at Bristol Marine with a gaping hole in its port side. Sticking out from the hole was a section of the powerboat’s deck. A bowline and cleat, also apparently from the powerboat, were wrapped around the sailboat’s propeller shaft.

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management investigators took custody of the motorboat. Although the powerboat lost much of its bow and began taking on water, a DEM official said it is now at the DEM base in Wickford.

Steve Hall, chief of DEM’s Division of Law Enforcement, identified the owner and driver of that boat as Peter Sebring, an oyster farmer, of Bristol.

Witnesses say that the sailboat Wavbor, owned by Chris Boutilier, was participating in the Bristol Yacht Club’s Wednesday twilight races. Along with others, it was slowly making its way between Hog Island and the Bristol mainland in a very light breeze when the collision happened

Sandra Sebring, who was on the motorboat with her husband, said they had decided to go out that evening for a ride and they saw sailboats off in the distance.

She said that at one point, her husband pointed out friend’s place on Hog Island. He had turned around again to look at the island as they passed and she was looking at the Mount Hope Bridge when, at the last moment she caught sight of the sailboat right in front of them.

“I screamed out ‘Peter.’ He turned, tried to turn the boat but it was too late. I grabbed him and we hit really hard.”

A witness on shore said, “It was 8:20 p.m., the wind had pretty much died out and the boats were drifting. We were walking away when we heard a powerboat. Then there was an incredible crash — it sounded like an explosion.”

The witness said he turned around and saw the sailboat and powerboat, both badly damaged.

She, the witness on shore and others called for help and the Bristol harbormaster boat was there in six minutes. Also arriving later were a boat from Coast Guard Station Castle Hill and the Rhode Island DEM.

“It appears that the sailboat was T-boned by the powerboat, Mr. Hall said Wednesday.

Ms. Sebring said she suffered bruising and her husband was treated for cracked ribs and a lacerated chin.

Mr. Hall said there is no evidence that alcohol was a factor but said the incident, including speed, remains under investigation.