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Abandon Ship! Coast Guard Rescue Beneteau 523 in the Atlantic
February 3, 2025 · 9 min · 100K views · Cape Hatteras
What this video covers
The 52-foot Beneteau 523 *Taimot* was abandoned by its three-person crew 150 miles off Cape Hatteras in December after they requested a Coast Guard rescue.Watch Despite the owner’s claims of 60-knot gusts and 23-foot seas, official Coast Guard reports and weather routing data indicate conditions at the time of the rescue were 17–23 mph winds with 6- to 10-foot seas.2:13 The vessel remained seaworthy, with a functional engine and no reported leaks or structural damage.0:09 Weather router Chris Parker noted that the crew departed Norfolk into a forecast of strong headwinds, leading to prolonged motor-sailing that likely exhausted the crew.5:03 The vessel was equipped with an EPIRB, life raft, and Starlink, yet the crew opted to abandon the boat 12 hours after a cold front had passed, when conditions had improved enough to allow for a broad reach toward the Bahamas.6:53 The incident highlights the critical difference between a vessel's ocean-rated capabilities and the physical endurance limits of its crew.
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