Storm drives sailboat into power lines near Eau Gallie Causeway
Storm drives sailboat into power lines near Eau Gallie Causeway
A sailboat became entangled in overhead power lines during severe storms in Brevard County on Sunday after its owner tried to ride out the weather aboard the vessel, authorities and the boat owner said.
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A sailboat became entangled in overhead power lines during severe storms in Brevard County on Sunday.
The owner tried to ride out the weather aboard the vessel, authorities and the boat owner said.
Video captured by a viewer showed the sailboat's mast repeatedly striking electrical wires near the Eau Gallie Causeway as firefighters responded. One man was seen jumping from the boat while another stood nearby with emergency crews.
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What they're saying:
Boat owner Todd Ramstead said he remained aboard as strong winds and waves battered the vessel.
"The captain goes down with his boat, and I wasn't going to go down in three feet of water," Ramstead said.
Ramstead said he struggled to keep the sailboat steady as waves broke over the side.
"It was a storm," he said. "I had waves breaking over the side of my boat."
He said a companion attempting to secure a kayak was pulled to safety by firefighters.
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Ramstead said he has lived aboard the sailboat, the Argonaut, since retiring eight years ago. The vessel had been stranded on a sandbar for five to six weeks while he saved money for a tow, leaving it vulnerable when the storm developed.
"For the last five or six weeks, I was in four feet of water," Ramstead said. "It was enough to float my boat upright, but it wasn't enough for my boat to get off of the sandbar."
Although the mast became tangled in power lines, Ramstead said neither he nor the boat suffered significant damage.
"I got no water intrusion at all," he said. "It sounded horrible, sounded terrible. But that boat is a beast."
No injuries were reported. The sailboat remained anchored in the water after the storm.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by boat owner Todd Ramstead