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Ken Bondy
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Does anyone know if the company that owns the Erik also owns the Andrea Lynn?
carpe diem!
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MrBillM
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Posts: 21656
Registered: 8-20-2003
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Excrement Occurs
In a "Perfect" Storm.
A (no doubt) heavily-loaded and marginally-maintained vessel filled with persons, supplies and fuel on the initial stage of a week-long trip.
A LOT of windage above the Deck Line. Hot weather likely resulting in EVERY Hatch and Port being open.
A sudden Squall bringing Seas and Winds late at night when most are asleep and NONE are likely paying a lot of attention.
Some things seem just meant to be.
Years ago, I was reading a story regarding a transit through the Bermuda Triangle wherein they encountered "similar" conditions and it was theorized
that the reason so many well-found sailing vessels went down suddenly with total loss of life was due to the same conditions noted here. Suddenly
forming line Squalls without warning hitting a boat with ALL Hatches and Ports open because of the heat. Too much water below too quickly.
It's one of those "perfect" combinations and not strictly Wind or Seas.
I once sailed through an El Nino Storm in a 26-foot sailboat during which the seas were estimated at 15-20 feet and the winds measured at the Harbor
Masters office were steady in the mid-40s with gusts to 55. It was far too long and truly miserable but without any real incident only because we
were aware of what we were confronting and battened down tight.
And Lucky, of course.
Luck is ALWAYS the BIg ONE.
As a kid, I crossed the Catalina Channel aboard small, ill-equipped boats (often with a drunken skipper) more times than I could count in some pretty
rotten weather and we came out OK for no reason other than DUMB luck.
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mtgoat666
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Posts: 18380
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Bondy
Does anyone know if the company that owns the Erik also owns the Andrea Lynn? |
this circa 2006 article came from the internet (mexfish.com), so it might be true:
By Dana Kerby
The story of the Andrea Lynn began in 1978, when Gustavo Velez of today's Baja Sportfishing, Inc., had 16 shrimp boats operating out of San Felipe,
Mexico.
About 1976, Gustavo had decided to diversify his business and go into the business of tourism and sportfishing when he bought the Santa Monica for his
late father. His father passed away and Gustavo was approached by Tony Reyes to team up and operate the Santa Monica as a sport fishing boat. They did
so, until 1982, when they went their separate ways.
In 1980, Gustavo decided to build a steel-hulled boat, the largest ever built in Mexico as a sport fishing boat. In the little area near the shrine
where boats were built in San Felipe, the keel for the Andrea Lynn, named after Gustavo’s daughter, was laid and the building began. The boat was 125
feet long with a 30 foot beam.
In 1981, the Mexican government nationalized the shrimp business and took all of Gustavo’s boats. He was able to keep the Felipe Angeles and Santa
Monica. Mothership panga fishing was pretty rustic to begin with, but the business evolved into boats with restrooms, showers and air-conditioned bunk
rooms.
The year 1982 came along and the peso devalued by 400 percent, and all work stopped on the boat, and the hull of the Andrea Lynn was left as a
monument to the corruption of the administration at that time. Gustavo was left with a handful of IOUs from the government worth 400 percent less than
they had been the year before. For many years, the hull of the Andrea Lynn sat in the little harbor.
In 1988, knowing he couldn’t finish the Andrea Lynn as planned, Gustavo traveled to the Netherlands where he found the Norvander, which was later
christened the Erik, after Gustavo’s youngest son. So he had the Felipe Angeles, the Santa Monica and the Erik.
In 1995, health problems besieged the Velez family when Gustavo’s wife Barbara was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had an operation, chemotherapy
and radiation treatments.
In 1996, Gustavo slowed down the mothership operation in order to address the problems. Fortunately, after a year of therapy, Barbara was recovering
and is still doing well 11 years later. During that time the gossip was rampant: "Gustavo is out of business," some said. "Gustavo is in jail," others
said. Fortunately, that was not true. Gustavo struggled to fill his boats and decided to shut down the two older boats, the Felipe Angeles and Santa
Monica, due to their age, feeling that those older wooden boats were not safe, and he concentrated on the Erik, a very seaworthy boat, built
originally as a research vessel in the North Seas.
In 1995, Gustavo had sold the Andrea Lynn to a group of Mexican investors who put up over $2 million to have it finished. It was launched on June 1,
2000, and sat in San Felipe for about a year. The boat was then moved to Puerto Vallarta and later to Puerto Penasco. Last year a fire took out the
top structure of the boat, but did not damage the hull or engines and refrigeration units below decks.
Now Gustavo has reacquired the boat and it will be in San Felipe to be refurbished and put into service again.
It will have 10 large staterooms for two or three people, all on the main deck level, and each stateroom will have its own bathroom and shower,
something none of the other San Felipe panga motherships have. There will be a large galley and dining room on the top level, as well as a bar.
The primary use of the Andrea Lynn will be as a mothership panga fishing boat, but it will be equipped to handle kayaking, as well as dive trips and
whale watching. There will be a large, live bait well on board. She will carry ten new 23-foot pangas, which will be equipped with new 75 h.p.
outboards. There will be live bait wells on the pangas and each guide will have a radio to stay in communications with the mothership, as well as fish
finders and GPS.
Plans are in the works for the Andrea Lynn to depart from San Felipe for part of the year, then Puerto Penasco, Magdalena Bay, and Puerto Vallarta
during their seasons.
Injured, but not dead, the Andrea Lynn has come back to the town where she originated, San Felipe, and where she will be renewed and readied to go
back into operation as a mothership early in the summer of 2006.
It is strange how things go full circle; after 25 years, this boat will be back with her originator. She will have first class dining, the crew will
be in uniform, and she will be on a par with the top of the line sportfishing boats.
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JZ
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Saturday was a freaky night for storms in the Southwest. I was out on Lake Mead outside Vegas Saturday evening. That is do North of San Felipe.
Totally flat water. Not even a breeze. Out of no where we saw black clouds towards the West and a little gust of wind (15mph). Storm clouds were
still miles off.
Immediately started back to the marina to the East (away from the storm). Next thing you know it's blowing almost 30mph. That's no big deal. But we
go from 1-3 waves to 5-6 waves with some 8+ footers in 20 mins.
I've had the boat almost 10 years all through the Sea of Cortez and off SoCal. Did a 500 mile trip once from San Felipe to San Carlos on the
mainland. And this was either the worst or second worst conditions I've ever had. It blew boats up on the beach, capsized several boats, had a house
boat up against the docks, and beat the crap out of the marina (broke a dock free, blew the tire based jetty into the docks). How it got so rough so
fast still has me shaking my head.
This was about 6 hours before the accident in the SOC.
[Edited on 7-5-2011 by JZ]
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Desertbull
Senior Nomad
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| Quote: | | Originally posted by DirkEXC EPIRB ? Bring your own " SPOT " I check in 3 times a day, my people would have known by 8am Sunday morning.
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Exactly...I spoke to Troy Getty, Baja Search & Rescue, who is the agency to respond to SPOT alerts and/or notify Military / Police etc in
Baja...and he said they received no alerts.
Bummer, because some of us were less than 30 minutes away from Punta Bufeo as the sun came up there. Its cheap insurance that actually REALLY works.
I'm not a SPOT rep, but I own 2 devices and use them every time I cross the border.
DREAM IT! PLAN IT! LIVE IT!
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O.G.
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Posts: 109
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Location: Ensenada
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Mood: waiting for the green flash
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Rogue waves
In the third weekend of June, my 15 year old son and I were anchored up overnight in Punta Colonet. At o'dark thirty, we were pulling up anchor to
depart when a 10'+ wave suddenly came upon us and hit our stern; flooded the deck, and continued rushing up the beach. Had we been a beam to the wave
it would have been dicey. Came from the SW so probably was a remnant of hurricane Adrian. Our vessel is a 55' trawler and the wave came over the stern
rail. 
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mtgoat666
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Posts: 18380
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Desertbull
| Quote: | | Originally posted by DirkEXC EPIRB ? Bring your own " SPOT " I check in 3 times a day, my people would have known by 8am Sunday morning.
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Exactly...I spoke to Troy Getty, Baja Search & Rescue, who is the agency to respond to SPOT alerts and/or notify Military / Police etc in
Baja...and he said they received no alerts.
Bummer, because some of us were less than 30 minutes away from Punta Bufeo as the sun came up there. Its cheap insurance that actually REALLY works.
I'm not a SPOT rep, but I own 2 devices and use them every time I cross the border. |
and epirb works better than spot, because epirb is automatically set off in sinking situation like this.
spot does not float, spot is not automatic, spot is not registered to a specific vessel, spot is not rugged/waterproof, spot is not linked to noaa
sarsat.
in the US a USCG-licensed vessel like this would have had an epirb -- required by USCG.
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Ken Bondy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3326
Registered: 12-13-2002
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Bondy
Does anyone know if the company that owns the Erik also owns the Andrea Lynn? |
this circa 2006 article came from the internet (mexfish.com), so it might be true:
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Thanks for this mtgoat666. I have some friends who crew on the Andrea Lynn, and I understood they also crewed on the Erik. Hope they are ok.
carpe diem!
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Woooosh
Banned
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Highlights of The Today Show lead story on the Erik: A deck Hand was interviewed who said the Harbormaster TWICE told the Captain not to leave the
dock because the harbor was closed do incoming weather. One survivor said all passengers had life vests and they were definitely not aware the
Harbormaster had warned the Captain not to leave the dock. It would seem the Captains' bad decision played more a role that the boat itself or the
two 40 foot waves they say capsized the boat.
\"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing\"
1961- JFK to Canadian parliament (Edmund Burke)
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bufeo
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Location: Santa Fe New Mexico
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I think EPIRB and SPOT are for two different uses. Yes, EPIRB is all the Goat says it is, but I believe D-Bull is suggesting that maybe a client could
have activated a personal SPOT unit and at least some distress signal could have been sent.
One has to remember that this incident with Erik happened fast. Winds at Punta Bufeo have been reported (an e-mail forwarded to me) to have gone from
8mph to 68mph in less than 10 minutes. And they didn't last long...but long enough.
Had the Erik been equipped with an EPIRB there would have been the automatic signal, but I don't think EPIRBs are the norm among U.S. boaters, let
alone Mexican ones. We had one on our trawler (44') but not many of our neighbors in the Santa Barbara harbor had them at the time. That was 1999, so
habits may have improved since then.
Allen R
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BajaNews
Super Moderator
Posts: 1439
Registered: 12-11-2005
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Capsized Boat's License Was Suspended
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Capsized-Boat-Not-Li...
Boat company's business license was suspended before the accident
Jul 5, 2011
A fishing boat that capsized on July 3 should not have been conducting business.
Baja Sportfishing's business license had been suspended, the California Secretary of State website says. The website did not say when or why the
license was suspended.
The boat, which is named the Erik, plunged into the Gulf of California in the middle of the night after a flash storm upended their boat, killing one
U.S. man and leaving seven others missing. Authorities are still searching for the missing fishermen.
By early Monday, 19 of the tourists and all 16 crew members had been picked up by the navy or other fishing boats after clinging to coolers, rescue
rings and life vests for more than 16 hours.
A fisherman who's been chartering with Baja Sportfishing for over a decade says he's never had any qualms.
"I can't really say this is an unsafe operation. I've done it many times. I've felt comfortable on it. The weather is unpredictable, but I'm still in
shock over hearing about the sinking of the boat," said George Ruble, a former passenger of Erik.
The company didn't respond to an interview request. It said in an announcement posted on its website Monday afternoon that all trips have been
canceled.
However, the company is participating in rescue efforts.
"We have been working with Mexican Navy authorities and the U.S. Coast Guard in the search and rescue," Baja Sportfishing Inc. said in a brief
statement e-mailed to The Associated Press. "Right now our main concern is making sure that everyone is accounted for."
Rescue efforts are still underway, as the warm water may be the saving grace of the missing fishermen.
Three helicopters from the navy, the state of Baja California and the city of Mexicali were searching Tuesday morning, Baja California state Civil
Protection Director Alfredo Escobedo Ortiz told the Associated Press.
Escobedo said authorities are considering requesting deep-water divers from Mexico and the U.S. who can search the wreckage, which is in water more
than 200 feet (65 meters) deep.
Mexican navy Capt. Benjamin Pineda Gomez said that with the warm weather and water temperature in the Gulf of California, it's still possible that the
missing tourists are alive.
"A person who casts away can survive many days. That sea is calm," he said.
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BajaNews
Super Moderator
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San Martin man among those rescued from capsized Baja fishing boat
http://www.insidebayarea.com/top-stories/ci_18411071
By Mark Gomez, Troy Wolverton and Lisa Fernandez
07/05/2011 (updated)
Murphy Ikegami had no idea that her husband's fishing expedition had taken a tragic turn when the phone rang late Sunday night. Her husband, Lee
Ikegami, was calling his wife in San Martin to say his group's boat had capsized in a sudden storm and that he was safe.
However, Lee Ikegami told his wife that two of their friends were missing.
"I was in such shock," said Murphy Ikegami, who lives in San Martin.
Lee Ikegami, 66, told his wife that a "freak storm" hit the boat suddenly Sunday about 2:30 a.m. and flipped it over, Murphy Ikegami said. Her husband
was tossed into the water and found himself very close to a life raft.
"There's an angel on his shoulder," Murphy Ikegami said.
Lee Ikegami was among the 37 people pulled out of the water; 27 people on the boat were American passengers, many from Northern California. One person
was killed and seven people remain missing after the Erik, a 115-foot vessel owned by Baja Sportfishing, capsized in the Sea of Cortez. The U.S. Coast
Guard, which is assisting the Mexican Navy in search and rescue efforts, was launching a C-130 aircraft from Sacramento early this morning to fly
above the waters.
The Mercury News learned Tuesday that Baja Sportfishing's business license was suspended by the Franchise Tax Board on Feb. 1, 2001, according to
records filed with the California Secretary of State's office. However, Baja Sportfishing and Diving does have a fictitious business license out of
San Diego County that's valid until April 2012, according to the county clerk's office there.
Today, the fishing company's website said "due to events occurring at this moment, all further trips are canceled." A request for comment sent to the
company by email Tuesday morning was not immediately returned.
Lee Ikegami was on the fishing expedition with a group of friends, including Don Lee of San Ramon, who organized the annual trip, Murphy Ikegami said.
Lee is one of the missing.
The friends chartered a boat with Baja Sportfishing and set sail Sunday from San Felipe on the Gulf Coast for a six-day excursion. Murphy Ikegami said
it was the first time her husband was planning to sleep on the boat; in previous trips, the group would stay in coastal motels and make day trips out
to sea.
The boat was hit by a sudden storm about 67 miles south, according to Rear Adm. Jorge Bustos of the Mexican Navy. A huge wave capsized the boat and a
second wave soon after caused it to overturn, said Alfredo Escobedo Ortiz, director of the civil protection agency for the state of Baja California.
The boat sank about four minutes after being overturned, he said.
Mexican rescue teams, assisted by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter, searched for survivors all day Monday and planned to continue Tuesday. After
initially saying that they would switch to searching for bodies rather than survivors, Mexican authorities said late Monday that they would widen the
search area. With the warm weather and water temperature, it's possible those missing are still alive, Mexican Navy Capt. Benjamin Pineda Gomez said.
Among the survivors was Charles Gibson, a police officer with the Contra Costa Community College District. People on the boat were awoken by other
passengers and the crew as it began to sink less than 2 miles from shore, Gibson said.
"We are devastated by this tragedy. Every effort is being made to assist the authorities in the search. Our thoughts and prayers are with the
families," Baja Sportfishing said in an emailed statement Monday.
Some of the survivors spent 15 or more hours in the water before being rescued, said Leah Allen, vice consul with the American citizen services unit
for the U.S. consulate in Tijuana. Of the 43 people on board, 27 were passengers, all of them U.S. citizens, Allen said. Most of the passengers were
from Northern California. The man who died and the men who are missing are all Americans, Allen said.
Among those who remain missing was Russ Bautista, a retiree from the Sonoma County city of Penngrove. Bautista is an avid fisher but not an avid
swimmer, friends said.
This was Bautista's third or fourth trip fishing for yellowtail in the Gulf of California. He enjoyed it so much that he convinced his friend Pius
"Pete" Zuger, 74, of Novato, that it was worth the long drive to Mexico, said Zuger's wife, Jacqueline Zuger. The two frequently took fishing trips
together off Bodega Bay.
Zuger was rescued from the capsized ship late Sunday night and made it to shore safely. No one knows what happened to Bautista.
"We're worried about Russ and his wife is quite upset. I just hope he's on that truck coming back," Jacqueline Zuger said. "They won't leave without
their friend."
Another man still missing is Mark Dorland of Twain Harte. Kristina Bronstein, Dorland's fiancee, heard about the accident from the trip organizer's
wife on Monday morning. Dorland, 62, was one of the first people to fall into the water and wasn't wearing a life vest, Bronstein was told. The couple
plan to be married next month.
"I'm beyond concerned," Bronstein said.
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Dave
Elite Nomad
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There it is!
| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaNews
A fishing boat that capsized on July 3 should not have been conducting business.
Baja Sportfishing's business license had been suspended, the California Secretary of State website says. The website did not say when or why the
license was suspended.
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Is ANYONE surprised? 
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Ken Bondy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3326
Registered: 12-13-2002
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What authority does the California Secretary of State have over a Mexican sportfishing business? Does that mean they can't operate in US waters?
carpe diem!
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Woooosh
Banned
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Bondy
What authority does the California Secretary of State have over a Mexican sportfishing business? Does that mean they can't operate in US waters?
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It probably means he hasn't kept his corporate paperwork up to date or paid the fees.
\"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing\"
1961- JFK to Canadian parliament (Edmund Burke)
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KASHEYDOG
Senior Nomad
Posts: 649
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Location: CARLSBAD,CA 619-990-0270
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Mood: SO MANY TACOS, SO LITTLE TIME... Gotta Go, See ya there.... 
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Baja Sportfishing is just a booking agency in San Diego. It has nothing to do with when or how the boat operates in Mexico. Do you really think "The
California Secretary of State" has anything to do with a Mexican fishing boat ?.. .. ..
Jeez, next thing you know, you guys will have the Mexican Army seizing our U.S. Navy vessels for not having a Mexican licence to operate in the
Pacific Ocean. .......
[Edited on 7-5-11 by KASHEYDOG]
Don\'t mess with the old dog...... Age and skill will always overcome youth and treachery! Brilliance only comes with age and
experience.....  ....  ....
Are you getting the most out of life OR is life getting the most out of you ??
Twenty years from now you\'ll be more disappointed by the things you didn\'t do then the things you did.
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Dave
Elite Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Bondy
What authority does the California Secretary of State have over a Mexican sportfishing business? Does that mean they can't operate in US waters?
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This was most likely a corporation set up in California to collect revenues and was suspended for not paying taxes. It would follow that collections
were also not reported to Mexican tax authorities. Probably just the tip of the iceberg. I'd suspect that most permits and legal/fiduciary
documentations are missing or were obtained through corrupt practice.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18380
Registered: 9-16-2006
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Dave
| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Bondy
What authority does the California Secretary of State have over a Mexican sportfishing business? Does that mean they can't operate in US waters?
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This was most likely a corporation set up in California to collect revenues and was suspended for not paying taxes. It would follow that collections
were also not reported to Mexican tax authorities. Probably just the tip of the iceberg. I'd suspect that most permits and legal/fiduciary
documentations are missing or were obtained through corrupt practice. |
dave, you speak out of your butt. where did you learn that party trick?
i suspect the opposite. a mexican business doing substantial business is a large target on the radar -- they were probably in compliance with mexican
law.
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Dave
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6005
Registered: 11-5-2002
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
dave, you speak out of your butt. |
The better for you to hear.
Understanding...I can't help you with.
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krafty
Super Nomad
Posts: 1052
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Why would the US Coast Guard be brought in?
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