[togmaster]

I have fished in better I have fished in worse. But in my opinion knowing the weather was a better forecast for Sunday. they should have postponed it! I was out 32 miles and when you broke the 20 fathom. Curve it was 7 to 10's with an ocassinal 15 footer to boot. I go if its on and I was in a boat under 30 ft. I was also at the tent when The first boat sent out said to call it! then 10 min later another guy said its just swells no white tops. Before you knew it we had to rush to make the Ji before 6:00am. They should have extended the time 1 hr to make up for the call they stalled on. Bottom line is if you have small craft up and you allow 2o ft class boats in the tourney . Then you need to make a good saftey call which was not done here today! By the way when I left at 9:00pm tonight there was a 25' Wellcraft missing. So guys if this is true and god forbid something happened ? We may not all fish when The lawyers of the families come after the great decision of the Hudson Anglers? I hope the Info is false but if true I hope they are safe?
So everyone who did or did not fish ? Please give your opinion of the decision?
Was it the right thing or the wrong thing?
And please keep it civil not the old baby's bashing guys for turning around!
I was out there and like I said it was in my best intrest to postpone it.

 

[621424]

Bad Decision

Very poor judgement on the part of The Freeport Hudson Anglers.What were they thinking when they made the decision not to postpone the tournament?? Could it be they were worried about losing money and having to spend another day working the tournament? One thing i know for sure is that they were not worried about the safety of the boats and their crews when they called the tournament a go. All Hudson Angler members being fisherman themselves should have known better!!!!!!!!

 

[ronzo]

HA tourney should have been called off to today. I was on a 34' and we saw 10's
only 5 outwhen we turned back due to a
smashed window and water in from undetermiable source... I read a post that a 25' wellcraft was missing as of 9pm last night... small cc's with single screws had no business out there.

 

[614512]

rough

Anyone fish the Hamptons Offshore Invitational last summer? They cancelled the friday overnite due to seas, but they let us go overnight saturday. Saturday was worse. A lot of antennas and winshields hit the ocean bottom. We were almost afraid to put down the outriggers in 12 footers.

Seems like it still comes down to money. I don't think they wanted to loose it...

 

[616085]

What the **** were they thinking

They threw everybody to the dogs when they made that decision to go.It must have been about the money, possibly having to be refunded or nobody wanted to wake up early again Sunday.We were stupid enough to think they knew something we didnt,and it might lay down.The further out we got,the bigger the seas were.We fished on a 26 footer and stopped at 20 miles out because we were encountering 10 footers,with some bigger ones coming out of nowhere.We made the decision to head back after a 1/2 hr after setting up.It just wasnt worth the risk,we were getting hammered in every direction.I would really like somebody to chime in from the freeport anglers because they didnt have anything to say.They must Know they made the wrong call.We fished this tournament for 10 years in a row thinking it was one of the best but that has all changed after this.I know alot of people that feel the same way too.Thats it for us.Safety comes first..

 

[noreast]

It's Confirmed - the boat is missing and a massive search is underway!

I just got off the phone with the USCG who confirmed that a member of the Hudson Anglers Shark Tournament has not been heard from since early yesterday morning. The owner operator of the boat is Robert Hammond of Oceanside NY and he has three passengers aboard. There is currently a massive search underway and anyone that may have any information should contact the USCG at the number below. I was told that the search area is covering over 5500 square miles. The following is the official press release from the USCG. All of us here at Noreast.com pray for their safe return.

Massive Search Spans Two States
Rescue Coordination Center, Norfolk is overseeing a massive search from Atlantic City, N.J. to Jones Beach, N.Y. for an overdue pleasure craft with four people on board that was participating in a shark fishing tournament out of Jones Beach.
Pleasure craft Eleni is a 25-foot Wellcraft with a white hull, cuddy cabin, blue canopy and twin 150-horsepower Yamaha outboard engines.
The boat was participating in the Freeport Hudson Anglers Shark Tournament and was last heard from 12 miles south of Jones Beach. The tournament concluded Saturday night at 6:00.
Coast Guard Station Jones Beach received the report Saturday night at 7:00 and immediately launched a 47-foot rescue boat to search. Shortly after, a Coast Guard HU-25 Falcon jet from Air Station Cape Cod and a second 47-foot rescue boat from Station Fire Island, N.Y. joined in the search. Later this morning, Cutters Mako, an 87-foot patrol boat from Cape May, N.J., and Adac, a 110-foot patrol boat homeported in Sandy Hook, N.J., started searching as well.
Air Station Atlantic City has launched two HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopters to aid the search. Station Barnegat Light launched a 41-foot rescue boat, also. Other assets used include an HC-130 Hercules plane from Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C.
The overdue vessel is believed to be connected with a MAYDAY call received Saturday at approximately 9 a.m. by Group Atlantic City. After searching all day finding nothing, the case was suspended. After the overdue report came in, the case was reopened after matching the name of the boat to the two cases.
If anyone has any information, please contact the Rescue Coordination Center in Portsmouth, Va. at (757) 398-6390.

 

[Tarheel]

i

 

[Scalawag]

Oh God

this is horrible , I prey to God they find them & thier safe.
Should be all over the local news soon.

 

[B.Attitude]

A Shame...

This horrible event should of never happened.The person or persons responsible for letting this tournament go on should have to answere for it.What were they thinking.My prayers go out to the families.

 

[613627]

I HAVE BEEN A LICENSED CAPTAIN FOR 20 YEARS, FISHED MANY TOURNAMENTS AND SAFETY HAS ALWAYS BEEN PARAMOUNT. THE HUDSON ANGLERS DID NOT ERROR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION WHEN THEY MADE THER DECISION. FIRST OFF WE WERE TOLD AT THE CAPTAINS MEETING THAT IF THE SEA CONDITION WAS GREATER THAN 5 FT. THE TOURNAMENT WOULD BE POSTPONED FOR SAFETY REASONS. GOOD DECISION !!!!!. THEN ON SATURDAY MORNING WE ARE TOLD THAT THEIR WEATHER BOAT WENT OUT 10 MILES AND ENCOUNTERED ONLY 5 FT. SWELLS. WHAT A COINCIDENCE!!! NO WAY DID THAT BOAT GO OUT 10 MILES IN THE DARK IN THE SEA CONDITIONS WE ALL ENCOUNTERED. NOW I'M HEARING ON THE NEWS 12 THAT ALL BOATS WERE TOLD TO RETURN DUE TO ROUGH SEA CONDITIONS 2 HR. AFTER THE START. I MUST HAVE MISSED THAT EVENTHOUGH WE MADE OUR OWN DECISION TO RETURN!!!!LETS ALL JUST HOPE THAT THE MISSING BOAT AND CREW ARE SAFELY FOUND!!!!!!!!

 

[613973]

DOESN'T LOOK GOOD

Alan,

You're right -- it was all over the six-o'clock news. It's a **** shame something like this had to happen. It could have happened to any one of us.

I was involved in the Star Island Shark Tournament and got my ass kicked. Yet I'm **** happy to be home with my family right now. It's a good thing a lot of boats didn't go it -- who knows what could have happened.

Tarheel, with all due respect, after reading the post before yours, don't believe anyone really cares about your 168lb shark. Sorry to say.

 

[Tarheel]

Im sorry but that post was not in there when i was posting.

That is so scary.
I hope they find these guys and everything turns out alright.

 

[bobbo]

Sorry to here this but there is alesson to be learned. Use your own instincts. Just because someone says everythings cool don't believe it. If your on your way out and the weather sucks turn back, screw it it's not worth it. The Hudson Annglers usued bad judgment for sure but I really don't believe they thouhgt this would ever happen. The ultimate decision is yours. My prayers are with them.

 

[621133]

I just want to add my prayers to all those offered already for the safe return of these people, and say that I'm glad that those of you on this site who fished the tourney made it back safely.

I was wondering, this is for any legal minds out there, could Hudson Anglers be held responsible in any way? I have never fished a tourney like this one, so I am not aware of what sort of liability, if any, the organizers have.
Anyway, God help the anglers in that boat!

 

[Scalawag]

Trip, didnt catch the early news but its almost time for the 10:00

I think its going to be hard to find the Hudson Anglers @ fault as the application clearly states " @ your own risk" as per thier website.
I bet it would be interesting to read what sea heights 44025 reported when the weather scout boat went out 6am & deemed it " fishable"

 

[max171]

sad day

we ran out 19 miles in my regulator and i turned to my crew and said its just not gonna happen today boys..my brother agreed and started back in 8-10 footers..its a true shame and all we should focus on are the lives of those men and there families..laying blame while just,is and should be secondary
join me in praying for there safe return
to hunt the sea again,
Max

 

[HungryJack]

Station 44025 - LONG ISLAND 33 NM South of Islip, NY

40.25 N 73.17 W (40°15'01"N 73°10'00"W)

This is the Wave Height Graph from the buoy.

Wave height at 12am was 6.5 feet
At 6am wave height was registered at 7+ feet.

 

[HungryJack]

Not Clear

The above graph did not display clearly.

You can copy and paste the link below to see a clearer version of this graph.

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/plot_param.phtml?$station=44025$wvht$E

 

[Captain Mike]

My pray's go out to missing. I heard there was a statedment made that shortly after the start they where calling the boats back???? I think FHA are just trying to cover there ass!! I didn't here anything on the radio about it being called off. Did anyone else?? If it was called off, I guess we will be getting some of our entry fee back in the mail. That moring on the VHF they were calling for 9-12 footers! Was the weather boat a 100 footer and mistaked 9-12 footers as 5 footers! And to boot they said it was 5 foot rollers with no white water, when we went out the inlet all you saw was white water!! FHA should have NEVER gave this tournament a GO! Once again my prays go out to the missing and there family's.

 

[max171]

one more thought

just a thought..every boat registered
in the tournament should be requird to
have a class 1 epirb..i am not sure if they do but seems like a no brainer to me,it was one of the first things i picked up ,what are some opinons on this
Max