CHANNEL ISLANDS : Boat Towed In After Taking on Water

A 40-foot sailboat lost power and was towed into Channel Islands Harbor on Monday after it was hit by a wave near the breakwater and took on more than 500 gallons of water, a U.S. Coast Guard official said.

Crew members on the Francesca issued a distress signal at 4:38 p.m. when water began gushing through a porthole, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Mark Stohlman.

Coast Guard and Channel Islands Harbor Patrol personnel found the disabled vessel about 100 yards off the north side of the breakwater, removed the water with two pumps and restored the glass in the porthole, Stohlman said.

A harbor patrol vessel then towed the Francesca into the harbor, Stohlman said. Neither of the men aboard were injured, he said.

A small craft advisory was put into effect Monday afternoon, because winds of 30-40 knots were kicking up large swells, Stohlman said.

The Francesca’s captain was aware of the hazardous seas, Stohlman said, because he had informed Coast Guard officials earlier in the day of a 19-foot catamaran that had capsized. The two people aboard the catamaran were unhurt, he said.

“It was pretty rough because of the wind, which really made it choppy out there,” Stohlman said.