Crime & Safety

Scallop Boat Has to Fix 21 Safety Violations, Says Coast Guard

This is at least the second time the boat lost power and needed a Coast Guard rescue

The Ocean One, a 75-foot commercial scallop boat, has to fix numerous safety violations and pass an inspection before they get back in business, the Coast Guard said on Wednesday.

The Coast Guard cited 21 violations which are considered "deficiencies," not criminal charges, and they do not carry fines, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Cynthia Oldham.

The Ocean One, with three men aboard, had lost power about 2.5 miles offshore and hailed for help on Tuesday, prompting the Coast Guard to respond and tow them to a pier in Point Pleasant Beach. That's when Coast Guard crew members inspected the steel hull vessel and found the safety deficiencies.

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"They can't leave the pier until the deficiencies are corrected and the vessel is re-inspected," Oldham said.

This is at least the second time the Ocean One lost power and called for a Coast Guard rescue.In November, the boat lost power and crashed into the jetty on the Point Pleasant Beach side of the Manasquan Inlet. There were no injuries reported in either incident.

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The safety violations cited on Tuesday include:

  • Fire extinguisher not mounted in a marine-approved manner
  • VHF FM radio not working properly and not connected to an emergency power source
  • An excess of items in a walkway blocking an escape route
  • Required hand rails and guard rails not installed
  • Broken ladder extending from one deck to another
  • Training and CPR certifications not up to date
  • Paperwork problems

Oldham said she could not elaborate when asked what type of "paperwork problems" were cited.

"I can't get into their personal paperwork problems," she said.

When asked how the crew hailed for help without a functional radio, Oldham said, "I'm not sure, they may have used a cell phone since they were only 2.5 miles off shore. But we don't recommend relying on cells. The battery can run out, the service can be bad, they're unreliable. The VHF FM radio is necessary."

The men on board included the owner, said Oldham, declining to release the names.

This boating information website says the owner is "Ocean One Enterprises LLC" and that the vessel was built in 1979 by Quality Marine Inc.

Oldham said the Coast Guard notified the media about the boat and its safety violations primarily to make other boaters aware that they have to be in compliance with all safety regulations.

The incident began on Tuesday when the Coast Guard Station Manasquan Inlet received a call from the captain of Ocean One reporting they lost all power and did not have enough anchor line to anchor, the Coast Guard reported in a prepared statement.

47-foot Motor Life Boat crew from the station responded and, once on scene, the Coast Guard crew realized Ocean One’s forward tow bit was broken in half. Using Ocean One’s bridle, the motor life boat crew towed the disabled boat to a pier in Point Pleasant Beach where it was inspected.

“After inspecting this boat, we found several safety violations, making it a hazard for the people aboard and potentially others in the water,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Nicholas Gera, a boarding officer from Station Manasquan Inlet, in the statement.

“The three people were wearing their life jackets, but keeping a boat in a good, safe condition is crucial to ensure safety on the water. The Coast Guard urges all boaters to check the condition and function of their boat's gear prior to getting underway," Gera said.


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