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Crewmembers from Coast Guard Station Marblehead, Ohio, work to tie a vessel to the dock May 29, 2013 at Catawba Island Club in Port Clinton, Ohio. The crew was dispatched to the vessel when it was reported to be taking on water in Lake Erie. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Lee Durfee |
CLEVELAND — A Coast Guard rescue crew assisted two boaters Wednesday morning after their vessel began taking on water near the Catawba Island Club entrance in western Lake Erie.
The names and hometowns of the boaters are not being released.
At about 9:20 a.m., a watchstander at Coast Guard Station Marblehead, Ohio, was notified by a commercial salvage vessel that a 21-foot boat with two people aboard was taking on water near the entrance of Catawba Island Club.
A Station Marblehead boatcrew launched aboard a 33-foot Special Purpose Craft-Law Enforcement and responded to the vessel.
The SPC-LE crew arrived on scene and dewatered the vessel. The two people were taken aboard the SPC-LE, and two of the Coast Guardsmen went aboard the 21-foot boat to keep a dewatering pump running.
A commercial salvage vessel placed a smaller dewatering pump aboard and took the 21-foot vessel in tow.
The vessel was towed by commercial salvage to Catawba Island State Park, where it was trailered and removed from the water.
The SPC-LE crew determined the cause of the flooding to be dry rot near the transom of the vessel where a swimming platform was mounted.
“This was the station's second taking-on-water case in 12 hours,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Lee Durfee, a coxswain at Station Marblehead. “This is a reminder to all mariners to inspect their vessels prior to getting underway, especially after being stored and out of operation during the winter months."
Tuesday night, another Station Marblehead boatcrew assisted two boaters when they reported their boat taking on water near Kelleys Island. Click here for more information.
The Coast Guard reminds mariners that even experienced boaters need a vessel safety check. Mariners can receive a free vessel safety check from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. For more information about free vessel safety checks, click here.