44' Gulfstar Trawler Sunk In Lake Okeechobee

When a retired couple ran aground on the East Side of Lake Okeechobee near Port Mayaca in July 2015, their vessel began taking on water and settled to the bottom quickly. Although TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale’s primary coverage area is South Florida, they are called on many times to take on tough projects in areas outside of their home waters. As tough projects go, this was no exception. After attempting to refloat, pump out and patch the vessel while dealing with crazy weather including high winds and rain each afternoon of the operation, it was determined that the damage was too extensive for patching. A crane barge was contracted to assist with the operation. TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale’s salvage crew prepared for the operation as the crane barge made its way to the scene from Ft. Pierce Florida. The crew tended to environmental issues and formulated a plan for rigging the vessel when the barge arrived. The rigging was executed methodically with the safety of the crew ranking as the top priority. Once rigged, the crane slowly took up strain on the wreck and she was eventually swung onto the deck of the barge. The tug and barge with the casualty perched on top steamed to a yard along the banks of the Okeechobee Waterway where the Gulfstar was transferred to land for storage until the insurance carrier could survey the vessel and determine next steps.

The salvage crew returned to the dock, cleaned and stowed their gear and returned to South Florida awaiting their next challenge!