Yacht Manufacturer Settles Suit Filed By Sailor's Widow

Posted on March 31, 2010 by Lisa Sechelski

Cape Fear Yacht Works recently agreed to settle wrongful death and related claims filed by Linda Stone.  Stone's husband, Roger Stone, was killed when the 38-foot racing yacht Cynthia Woods capsized during a 2008 regatta in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Cynthia Woods was manufactured by Cape Fear Yacht Works and donated to Texas A&M University by Galveston billionaire and Texas A&M graduate George P. Mitchell.  Mitchell's son owns and operates Cape Fear Yacht Works.

According to investigation reports, a Texas A&M University-Galveston Sea Aggie sailing team, including safety officer Roger Stone, were en route from Galveston to Vera Cruz, Mexico, as part of a regatta when the 5,000-pound lead keel of the Cynthia Woods broke apart.  The vessel promptly capsized and later sank.  Stone was killed, but his crewmates survived, spending some 26 hours adrift before being rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard. 

Investigations by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Texas A&M University System reached conflicting results as to the cause of the vessel's keel failure.  The Coast Guard attributed the accident to improper repairs after the Cynthia Woods had been run aground, while the university cited inadequate design and construction of the vessel.
 
As noted here shortly after suit was filed, Linda Stone sought damages from several parties, including Cape Fear, boat designer Bruce Marek, and Payco, Inc., which made repairs on the boat.
 
Cape Fear Yacht Works, joined by Marek, entered into the settlement with Linda Stone, while her action against Payco continues.
 
Maritime claims such as Stone's demonstrate the need for aggressive advocacy on behalf of survivors after a vessel is lost at sea.
 
If a maritime injury occurs, it’s crucial for the victim or their family to contact a maritime lawyer as soon as possible.  Relying on a lawyer unfamiliar with maritime law can result in reduced or lost benefits.
 
To discuss a case with an experienced maritime lawyer, contact a maritime attorney online at Arnold & Itkin LLC, or call the maritime law office of Arnold & Itkin LLC toll free at 866-222-2606.
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Texas A&M vows full inquiry into capsize of CYNTHIA WOODS

Posted on June 18, 2008 by Maritime Lawyer

The Houston Chronicle reported today that Texas A&M deputy chancellor and general counsel, Jay Kimbrough, has promised a thorough investigation into what may have caused the keel to break off the sailing vessel CYNTHIA WOODS leading to its capsize and the death of one crew member.  The boat was donated to A&M by the school's biggest benefactor, George Marshall, and was built by a company that is owned by Mitchell's son, facts that Kimbrough assures will not influence the investigation.  The investigation, which is already underway, will include a search for and attempt to recover the boat's keel which lies somewhere beneath 80 to 120 feet of water at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, near Freeport, Texas.  The salvage company T & T Marine towed the vessel to shore and will be leading the search for its keel.

The challenge of locating and recovering the boat's keel merely hints at the complexity of investigating  maritime incidents.  Thorough investigation will require understanding not only the conditions and events immediately preceding the capsize, but also every potentially contributing factor leading up to it, beginning from the time the boat was originally constructed.  The loss of the boat's keel could be an indication of structural issues affecting not only the CYNTHIA WOODS, but other Cape Fear 38 sailboats as well.  Other factors that must be discovered and evaluated include the boat's maintenance history and sailing history, both of which may be documented in logs, service invoices, payment instruments, and other records.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in a maritime accident, and you require the expertise of experienced investigators to unravel the complexity and find answers, the Texas maritime lawyers at Arnold & Itkin LLP can help.  Contact our Houston maritime law firm for a free initial consultation.

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