PORT HURON, Mich. – U.S. Coast Guard Station Port Huron rescued two men, Saturday, from their sinking 10-foot sailboat approximately 400 yards offshore, here, at approximately 5:15 p.m.
A Coast Guard 25-foot small response boat crew rescued 22-year-old Jamison Shaw and 24-year-old Ben Skinner, both of Port Huron, after their boat flipped and took on water as it re-righted.
“When we arrived on scene, they were trying to use their tiller to make their way back to shore in eight feet of water,” said Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Andrew Bartos, Station Port Huron 25-foot crewman.
After declining commercial salvage to recover their sailboat, Shaw’s father arrived on scene in an eight-foot john boat to attempt to tow the sailboat back to shore.
“We realized it was going to be too dangerous for him to try to tow a larger boat that was already partially submerged, so we had the father come aboard our boat as well,” said Bartos.
The station crew transferred the men safely to shore at the Port Huron Yacht Club.
The 22-year-old Shaw, his father and Skinner had no medical concerns or injuries.
At approximately, 4:45 p.m., a woman on shore observed the two men, who appeared to be in distress in their sailboat, and contacted the station on her cell phone.
The Coast Guard recommends all boaters to wear their life jackets at all times and for all boaters and citizens near-shore to have a communication device such as a cell phone or marine band radio to alert authorities when they see anyone in danger.
