Pleasure boat pulled from depths of bay

Steel Away sank during sudden thunderstorm in late July

By HEATHER RAWLYK, Staff Writer

Published 09/03/08

It was an "all-heck afternoon" just outside the mouth of the Magothy River in late July, and the waves that were crashing over the stern of Mitchell Raup's 45-foot recreational trawler had reached 8 feet.

Courtesy photo

Crews from Curtis Bay-based Smith’s Shipyard and Deckelman’s Boat Yard of Essex pull Steel Away, a 45-foot recreational trawler, from a shipping channel in the bay last week. The two-deck trawler sank during a severe thunderstorm near the mouth of the Magothy River on July 27.

Before he knew it, Mr. Raup, his wife Marian and a 12-year-old passenger were standing ankle-deep in water, said Sgt. Ken Turner, a state Natural Resources Police spokesman. It was too late for the bilge pump to be of any use.

"Basically, it was at the point of no return," Sgt. Turner said. "The boat was quickly sinking."

As the boat sunk, Mr. Raup, his wife and the boy clung to a...

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Operator Error - 2008-09-05 17:59:28

Apparently the operator wasn't paying attention to the weather OR the radio. If he had, he would have had plenty of time to turn the vessel into the wind and seas. Even taken abeam, the seas would have not have capsized the vessel.
I've seen boats founder from a following wake from another larger vessel passing astern. Lack of Situational Awareness caused this sinking.

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Paul Flanagan - Shady Side, MD - Karma: Bad

Brian - 2008-09-05 15:31:24

There are a lot of great oppertunities to restore lighthouses in our area, visit the Chesapeake Lighthouse Society's web page ....... they are currently working Thomas Point, and plans are under way to resote Point Lookout, which is my families favorite light .....

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Kristina P. - Easton, MD - Karma: Bad

Mr. Jeffries - 2008-09-05 09:54:08

You never know what you'll find on the internet. The video is great, but the pictures of the Baltimore Light on your web page are fascinating. I'm jealous of anyone who gets to visit/restore that light house.

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Brian Nurmi - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

The conditions that day - 2008-09-04 12:53:28

From the somewhat protected vantage point of onboard Baltimore Light we observed winds out of the north, of over 47kts, and waves of 4-5ft. Steel Away passed our location, headed southbound, close enough that we could see her, and comment on her. Sometime after she disappeared into the rain, she went down. Video we took during that storm can be viewed at www.BaltimoreLight.org/videos

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Mark Jefferies - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Bad

seriously? - 2008-09-04 07:59:17

Do you really think he presented the stern of his boat to the high waves? Looking at the size of the rudder and prop, I doubt he had time to turn that thing 180 degrees into the wave during a serious storm. That would be some serious skill to turn a boat that size, that quickly, in that situation. In the process of turning it, you would also present the side of the boat with waves that big, which could have capsized it. Lets just be thankful everyone is OK and hope he can get his ship back in order.

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G N. - Cumming, GA - Karma: Neutral

Yacht Sinking - 2008-09-03 17:49:36

A lesson to be learned: Never present the stern of your boat to high waves. That trawler had a substantial bow and should have survived if operated properly.

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Wayne Flanagan - denton, MD - Karma: Bad