On july 15, 2011 at around 11:50am, Operator was navigating to cape lookout from beaufort, nc on his vessel (vessel 1).  Vessel 1 was cruising east about 15 mph in the atlantic ocean in 3-5 ft seas and wind blowing 15-20 from the ene.  A quarter mile from bardens inlet the six inch pipe that connects the motor to the stern broke in to.  The six inch pipe is the boat's exhaust pipe.  When the exhaust pipe broke, the water that was being pumpled from the outside through the engine to keep it cool and then back outside was being pumped into the engine room of vessel 1.  Operator realized that vessel 1 is quickly taking on water and contacted the uscg.  Operator told the uscg his location and of the situation.  At the rate that vessel 1 was taking on water, it would sink in minutes.  Operator told the uscg that was going to beach the vessel.  With no time to spare, vessel 1 sank in four feet of water at the tip of the hook at cape lookout, which is the mouth of bardens inlet.  Operator and his wife put on their pfd and waited for the uscg and other boaters.  When the uscg arrived on the scene, operator and his wife were recovered safely with no injuries.  With the engines flooded out, there was no more water being pumped into the vessel's engine room.  Tow boat us was able to float the vessel and pump the water out.  Tow boat us towed the vessel to town cr marina where it was taken out of the wter.  Considering the situation, the quick thinking of operator to beach the vessel kept it from sinking in 30 feet of water.
BEAUFORD                      