7 Rescued as Sailboat Capsizes in Race Off Huntington Beach

Seven people were rescued about a mile and a half offshore Saturday afternoon after their 30-foot sailboat capsized during a race.

“No one was injured, but they were very wet and cold,” said Lt. Steve Davidson, a marine safety officer with the city.

According to the Sheriff’s Department Harbor Patrol Division, the keel on the Passion II snapped when the owner, Robert Klein, 39, tried to make a hard port turn during the Newport Harbor Opening Day Regatta, pulling the bottom of the boat out of the water.

“The bow dipped under, and it capsized,” Sheriff’s Lt. Bill Leonard said.

The incident occurred at a point directly west of Bolsa Chica State Beach.

The strong wind then pushed the boat southeast for more than two hours, toward Huntington City Beach northwest of the Huntington Beach Pier, before a crew from a boat salvage company could control it and tow it in.

The occupants were fortunate that a lot of other boats were in the area, Davidson said.

Another boat in the race, the Rowdy, assisted immediately, so those Passion II’s occupants were in the water for just a short time.

“We got the call at 1:56 p.m., and our rescue boat was on the scene at 2:04 p.m.,” Davidson said. “That’s pretty good response time in a situation like that.”

Davidson said the problem was exacerbated by heavy winds at sea, with officials worried that the capsized boat might drift in the strong wind into Oil Island Eva, a pumping station for offloading petroleum tankers nearly 2 miles offshore, which would have made hauling Passion II back to shore more difficult.

However, Davidson said, quick work by cooperating agencies kept the boat free of the pumping station.

Klein is a resident of Incline Village, Nev., who had been staying in Irvine during an annual regatta off Huntington Beach.