Solo Sailor in 34 footer died thursday on lake Ponchartrain.

[kpgraci]

not much on details maybe others know more.

http://www.nola.com/traffic/index.ssf/2014/06/boater_who_drowned_in_lake_pon.html

We've had several days of pretty severe t-storms come through, not sure what he was doing on the lake during this, but the mornings were mostly calm.

Very sad.

 

[kloudie1]

Re: Solo Sailor in 34 footer died thursday on lake Ponchartr

sad indeed.. The lake's reputation for getting nasty very quickly is not undeserved.

 

[kpgraci]

Re: Solo Sailor in 34 footer died thursday on lake Ponchartr

This is my harbor so I'm familiar with the approach. The rock jetty is imposing, can't imagine the wave action in high winds. At first I was thinking this was a sailboat, that's 85% of what's there, a 34 foot blue water fishing boat seems fairly substantial. You enter the harbor SSE which I figure would put the winds from most of these gust fronts we've had on your starboard side and the rocks on your lee.

He sounded like quite a character, did what he wanted how he wanted to do it, that's not a bad thing. My condolences to his family and all who know him.

 

[shemandr]

Re: Solo Sailor in 34 footer died thursday on lake Ponchartr

Sad, yes.
A slight clarification in that a 34' Hatteras is not a sailboat. It is one of my favorite powerboats and I'm sure capable of weathering severe weather (Don't know anything about that lake except that it is shallow and hence subject to steep waves). There must have been a pretty major failure to take on water at a rate to sink that would prevent someone from escaping. He had time to radio so it doesn't seem like the boat was suddenly overwhelmed by seas or even a health problem on top of whatever happened. I know speculation is frowned on but I wonder what could have happened.