Three dead children after "Yacht" capsizes of LI

[MouseTrap]

This is a continuation from a discussion started about the Sally G Capsizing. I thought it deserved it's own thread,

3 dead in capsize of NY yacht, all children | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

This is not a pic of the "yacht" that sank (I don't think it is), but is a pic of a 1984 Silverton. What a tragedy! The victims were the three children the captain was supposed to be protecting. "Uncle Sal just got a new yacht, let's go see the fireworks"

How many rogue waves are there in Oyster Bay? Dollars to donuts it was a confused sea, with many intersecting wakes from similar yachts motoring in different directions (just under planing speed) after the fireworks have ended.

Here is another rogue wave casualty in our local paper the same day.

 

[ianbw]

Of the 27 people aboard that yacht, how many were on that flybridge? Off balance, overloaded by nearly double, initial stability gone to pot, a hard turn in a soupy wake-filled sea...

Though not "home waters", I have spent a fair bit of time in and around Oyster Bay. I am reasonably sure it wasn't a rogue wave.

Actually, in follow up reports, the captain seems to have dropped the rogue wave theory and is slowly coming to grips with the horror.

 

[Rearmount]

With that many people aboard, I am sure some of the thru hulls were completely under water which could allow water back into hull. Just a theory.

 

[MouseTrap]

Here is an update to the story.

John Byrne, a spokesman for Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice, told Newsday that a county police investigation uncovered a "unique combination of circumstances" that led to the capsizing of the 34-foot cabin cruiser.

A report on the accident and recommendations will be issued later, Byrne said Thursday.

Although no evidence of criminal wrongdoing was found, the investigation uncovered "gaping holes in the maritime regulatory system and contributory design flaws in the vessel," Byrne told the paper. He declined to elaborate.

Preliminary findings had the vessel meeting basic safety standards, including the number of life jackets, but investigators have since determined that the vessel's design made it unstable in certain conditions, a source familiar with the probe told the newspaper Thursday.​

 

[RKrough]

27 people on a 34' pleasure boat? The only "contributory design flaw" was the nut holding the wheel.