The League

barto1,

Remember, those are professional sailors on those 21 footers. These guys are/were amateurs who had no business being 38 miles from shore on that small a boat.

I wouldn't take a 21' into Lake Superior, much less the Gulf. They probably had no nav devices or radio and probably didn't check with the Coasties about the weather. Their actions were reckless.

Barto 1 - as you know, sailboats are displacement hulls. The sport-fisher that capsized on these guys is a modified vee planing hull designed to go pretty fast over the sea to get to a fishing spot. This type of boat is especially vulnerable to steep running seas and high wind.

It's fair to point out that, regardless of the outcome, going far offshore without an extensive review of the three-day marine forecast, including satellite images and is never a good idea.

The rescued man was wearing a PFD. I have seen nothing as to whether or not the others were. The Coast Guard will scour every square foot of ocean in all the probable areas looking for these guys. Nobody beats the Coasties at saving people.

Here's hoping the missing are strong enough and have the PFDs on, in which case, there is some hope.

A couple of things jump out at me on this story:

Timing: These guys went out into the gulf at about the same time the recent weather we experienced up here was forming down there. This must have created rough conditions for a 21 foot boat.

Anchoring: the article said that the boat was anchored. In my experience you would not want to anchor in really rough seas in deep water. This is a recipie for disaster particularly for a small boat with limited anchor line in that it makes the boat vulnerable to swamping and then capsizing.

Not good.

CYBERGAP, Many people have circumnavigated the earth on boats that small. In fact there is an annual race for 21-foot boats (called the mini-transat) that runs from France to southern Brazil.

It would be wise not to speculate on the judgment of the boaters before more is known. One was rescued and is alive - the story of what happened is going to be told.

TSNOICH.... Actually Washington played the University of Texas in the 2001 Holiday Bowl, and Washington State played Texas in the 2003 Holiday Bowl.

Texas beat Washington 47-43, but lost to Washington State 28-20, I believe. The other poster is correct in stating that Vince Young was not the Texas QB in 2001. That honor belonged to the great Major Applewhite.

Vince Young split time with Chance Mock in the 2003 Holiday Bowl. Had the Texas coaches known what they had in Vince Young, Texas would've beaten Washington State.

OK, if it's not obvious, I am a Texas Homer.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the three remaining missing men and their families and loved ones. It does not sound promising at this point.

Washington State, not University of Washington played Texas in the 2001 Holiday Bowl.

May the God of the Heaven and the Sea be with them!

Pictures of the Coast Guard rescue .. damn that looks cold.. http://www.fotoglif.com/f/z0dawyxa2r5w

I dont feel so confident about their rescue. It seems as if they would not have purposefully split up so there is a good chance that they lost contact to the boat or were not wearing life jackets and went under. Not to mention they are in the gulf so they are subject to being attacked by whatever. I soo hope I am wrong. It seems the NFL loses someone young every year these days.

We can only all pray that they be found alive and well enough to recover to full and productive lives. I am not so sure that those whom the Gods love die young.

Some good news. I have worked with the Coast Guard in the Seattle area and up in Alaska. I know that the Coast Guard are highly trained for this type of situation. The Coast Guard will not stop until all areas are fully searched. Hopefully, all men were wearing lifevests.

35 Miles in the open sea with a 21 foot boat??? I wouldn't go that far out in my 36 foot boat. It's sad, but it's not a tragedy. It's poor judgment.

Courtney44: Vince Young redshirted at Texas in 2002 before leading Texas to a national championship win over USC following the 2005 season. Marquis Cooper could not have intercepted a Vince Young pass in 2001, so either John McGrath's story contained factual errors or you have confused the facts in the story. In any event, let us all pray that the other three men are somehow found alive.

John McGrath of the Tacoma News Tribune reminds us that Marquis Cooper was a UW Husky freshman in 2000, and appeared in every game on a team that won the Rose Bowl. He intercepted a pass thrown by Texas quarterback Vince Young in the 2001 Holiday Bowl. His 31-yard touchdown return of a Purdue fumble was a defensive highlight for the Huskies in the 2002 Sun Bowl. I remember very well Cooper sealing the UW victory over Washington State the next year with an interception returned for a 38-yard touchdown in the final play of his college career. I pray for one more return for him....one more return home.

It is good news. I hope there is a timely update from the St. Petersburg Times on when the boat capsized, what happened and whether the others were wearing flotation devices. I note that this report does not mention whether the located person had one on. The Coast Guard has been out there through the difficult conditions since the first report because when they get a report like this one, it is inbred that they have to go out.

This is better news. I hope all four were wearing their life jackets. The Coast Guard will not stop searching until it is clear no more help can be given, and they will do it for anyone in peril on the sea.