The Pelican-State: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

On the evening of October 31, 2015, at 8:28 p.m., the Coast Guard Cutter 'Manowar' responded to distress calls and arrived to assist the disabled yacht 'Money Maker'. This vessel, featuring two crew members, had encountered severe weather conditions that resulted in a torn sail while navigating the Gulf of Mexico. The emergency protocol was initiated after the wife of one of the sailors alerted the Sector Corpus Christi watch team at approximately 2 p.m. on October 30. She had received a distress signal through her husband's SPOT satellite device aboard 'Money Maker', which indicated the yacht was about 110 miles off Rockport, well beyond the reach of typical land communication methods. Prompt action followed as the Coast Guard dispatched the Corpus Christi-based Cutter 'Steelhead', along with an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and an HC-144 Ocean Sentry plane, to investigate the situation. Within an hour, the HC-144 crew reached the scene and established communication with the sailors, confirming they were uninjured and wished to remain aboard the vessel. As a precaution, a life raft was deployed, and the men were instructed to use their SPOT device to signal their status every two hours until further assistance could arrive. The cutter and helicopter then returned to Corpus Christi after determining immediate help was not necessary. On Saturday around 6:30 p.m., the crew of the vessel 'Pelican State' passed by and initiated contact with the stranded sailors via VHF marine band radio. They remained on site for a couple of hours to monitor the situation and relay updates to Coast Guard personnel, ensuring the men’s safety until a more robust rescue was facilitated. For further details, including photographs, visit the Coast Guard news link: http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/2620654/