Contributed Photo
Firefighters bring boat to shore.
Students at New Haven’s maritime-themed high school got to watch a real-life boat rescue — and then got a hands-on onboard lesson.
The lesson took place Thursday morning.
It began when the students came outside to watch the fire department tow an abandoned 34-foot catamaran to shore.
The trimaran had been found abandoned months ago off Morris Cove. During a heavy rainstorm the city received calls about the craft sinking, according to city emergency management chief Rick Fontana. So “we pumped 15,000 gallons of water” out of the boat, with three pumps “going 300 gallons a minute.”
A week ago the department towed the boat to a mooring 1,000 feet from the Sound School in City Point. Then on Thursday the fire department’s heavy rescue crew took the boat to shore and hoisted it onto the boat ramp by the school, according to Assistant Fire Chief Daniel Coughlin.
The plan now is to have public works chop up the boat on Friday and dispose of it.
But first officials decided to give the school access to the craft. Students spent the day on board taking apart the motor and generally learning about the boat.
“A bad situation” turned into an opportunity “to help kids learn,” Fontana said.
Can the owner of this vessel be found so the taxpayers don 't have to pay for this junking?