AUBURN, NH – A water rescue was required on Lake Massabesic Sept. 25, after several 911 calls were made for a capsized boat off of Battery Point.
A broken mast damaged by wind was reported at about 1:30 p.m., which caused the boat to capsize. Auburn Fire Chief Ed Gannon said members of the Massabesic Yacht Club were racing, which is routine.
However, Gannon said the gusty conditions snapped a mast and, in this case, left a father and son in the chilly water.
“One of the sailboats went to go around the buoy by Battery Point, and when it went to turn, the main mast snapped and came down on top of the boats,” Gannon said.
The boaters were wearing safety gear, and were prepared for everything – except the cold water.
“By the time we towed the first boat, and then a second boat that had become swamped, the father and son were in the water for a good 20 minutes, and with the water temperature right now, you have to worry about hypothermia,” Gannon said.
A crew from Auburn Fire and Manchester Watershed Patrol responded, and Derry Fire provided mutual aid. A request was also made for an assist from Manchester Fire as a precaution, but in the end, “all’s well that ends well,” Gannon said.
NH Marine Patrol is investigating the situation, which appears to have been precipitated by winds in excess of 30 mph. The father and son, whose names were not available, refused medical treatment after warming up in the back of an ambulance.
Gannon said in the case of the swamped boat, current drought conditions may have been a contributing factor.
“The water level in the lake is so low right now. There are rocks that are not normally there, so boaters are encountering a whole different lake, due to the drought,” Gannon said.
