Terrifying Night at Sea! Responding to a Mayday Call

Mayday! Mayday! Last night as we traveling up the Florida Coast to Annapolis on our Catana OC 50 we were woken up to some cries for help so we hopped into action to help a fellow sailor.
Our takeaways:
1. When you know we’re at sea and we all have to take care of each other and when there is a vessel or mariners in distress, it’s your duty to make sure that you stay and help them, never leave them alone, always help as much as you can, it could be you one day.
2. Shout out to the Coast Guard they were really really professional. Their communication was absolutely fantastic, they dispatched the cutter, they kept updating us on the ETA, they kept checking in with us, they kept taking positions so that they could block the drift.
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[@heartofjosiah444]

Yes! Proper boat etiquette! Always help others because you never know when it might be you. Our old 29' Fountain with twins was nicknamed "Tow-mator" because we towed in so many. 😂 I loved that boat. Glad you all didn't collide! Sounds like it was close! Safe travels!

[@Catamaranguru]

Thank you! Yes, it can happen to the best of us! LOL

[@Catamaranguru]

Yay for the Coastguard! They are such a professional outfit.

[@jeandobkowski8571]

Hurray for the Coasties,. We in Alaska love our Coasties. They make some amazing rescuses

[@Catamaranguru]

🤗

[@dougmarder]

A little confused. I thought Mithril had radar? You "narrowly missed" this powerboat and were close enough to hear his cries for help, even thinking they were coming from your own crew, but you did not pick up the contact in advance on radar? I assume the other boat did not have AIS broadcasting, or it was off because the vessel had lost power. In this day and age there is definitely something fishy about an offshore boat (power or sail) that does not have AIS Tx. If he had AIS Tx, even without a VHF, he could have used DSC to call for help (and who goes out without a working VHF, at least a portable handset?). Am curious to know what the USCG found aboard.

[@Catamaranguru]

Doug, yes. The only reason we could hear him was because we were sailing. If the engines were on, we would have missed him. The boat had no lights, no VHF and obviously no AIS. Apparently there was only one man onboard and he has been drifting for at least two days or so according to him. It was about a 30ft powerboat. We also thought that it was a little strange and did not want to approach. Not only was it a little rough, so not safe to come alongside but it was a pitch dark night and we did not know what we would find. We decided to simply circle the boat at a distance and wait for the Coastguard. It took about two hours or so for them to arrive. But we don't know yet what the problem was.