national 10 sailboat

NATIONAL 10 (TURNABOUT) Detailed Review

If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of NATIONAL 10 (TURNABOUT). Built by JG Marine and designed by undefined, the boat was first built in 1953. It has a hull type of Centerboard Dinghy and LOA is 2.95. Its sail area/displacement ratio undefined. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by undefined, runs on undefined.

NATIONAL 10 (TURNABOUT) has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about NATIONAL 10 (TURNABOUT) and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, rig and sail specs, contributions, who builds national 10 (turnabout).

NATIONAL 10 (TURNABOUT) is built by JG Marine.

When was NATIONAL 10 (TURNABOUT) first built?

NATIONAL 10 (TURNABOUT) was first built in 1953.

What is mast height on NATIONAL 10 (TURNABOUT)?

NATIONAL 10 (TURNABOUT) has a mast height of 4.65 m.

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• Sailboat Guide

Turnabout (National 10)

Turnabout (National 10) is a 9 ′ 8 ″ / 3 m monohull sailboat designed by Harold R.Turner and built by Parker River Marine / J.R.Duplin Marine starting in 1953.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

The National 10 class was originally known as the Turnabout class, built in 1953 by Harold R.Turner as a small wooden single or double handed dinghy class. Many boats were kit built by “do it yourselfers” in their garages or cellars.

The boats were initially built as a junior training boat, although adults enjoy the boats as well. The class has grown mainly in the New England and Northeastern regions of the U.S. Fleets are located in Northern Lake George, New York, Boston, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine and New Jersey.

In 1972 the turnabout class formally changed it’s name to the “National 10 “ class. It also decided to refine the class by approving a new mold, designed as close as possible to the original wooden design. This was accomplished by J.R.Duplin Marine in 1972, with some major improvements, including aluminum spars. The minimum class weight of 215 lbs was increased to 255 lbs. to keep both the older Parker River turnabout, the woodies, and the new Duplin National 10’s more competitive.

Current builder: JG Marine 67 Skilton La. Burlington, MA USA

Details can be found on class website.

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National 10 (turnabout).

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• Sailboat Reviews

While not as well-built or comfortable as some other boats, the Ten does her thing--racing--very well.

The Tartan Ten was born out of a popular rebellion against the international Offshore Rule (IOR) in the mid 1970s. This was the worst period in the IOR’s history, when production sailboats were outdesigned even before their molds were finished. Although the IOR has since then gotten its act together, a great many of its early proponents had been lost for good by 1979. The disenchanted went in two directions—PHRF and offshore one-design.

The Tartan Ten is the child of Charlie Britton of Tartan Marine. Britton was one of the first to recognize the market for offshore one-designs. While he was conceptualizing the Tartan Ten, the J/24—soon to become the most successful offshore one-design—was being tooled up for production, although Britton didn’t know it was on the horizon. He was impressed by the Danish-built Aphrodite 101. It’s no coincidence that the Tartan Ten bears a resemblance to some of her features. Sparkman and Stevens designed the boat for Tartan in 1977; production began in early 1978, and ran through 1989.

Most of the boats built went to sailors on the Great Lakes, and most of them spend most of their time racing one-design. There are several hundred boats in the national class association, and the majority of those members race in one-design fleets on Lake Erie and Lake Michigan. According to class officials, there is one-design racing every weekend on Lake Erie, and small fleets in Long Island Sound, Chesapeake Bay, Houston and Jacksonville. Unlike a great many boats that tout themselves as offshore one designs, the Tartan Ten is one of the few boats that has accumulated enough numbers to actually race as a one-design.

When the Tartan Ten was introduced in 1978 at a base price of $21,500, she sold easily. Several boats a week were produced in the years immediately following. Then a steady series of price increases, the recession of 1981 and the first signs of a saturated market began to take their toll on sales. For Charlie Britton, a boatbuilder first and a businessman second, the problems of running so large a business was more than he wished to handle. So in the spring of 1982, production of the Tartan Ten ceased and Britton put his company up for sale. By the spring of 1983 he found a buyer in John Richards and production began again at the rate of two Tartan Tens a month.

Construction

While we wouldn’t consider the Tartan Ten to be one of the better-built racers, she doesn’t have to be. Since she is primarily intended to race against her sisters, consistency between boats is perhaps more important than superior (and hence, more expensive) construction. The major construction criterion she must meet is to be sufficiently seaworthy to endure an occasional short offshore race. She meets this criterion, although, like too many production boats, she barely makes it.

There have been a number of problems with the Tartan Ten over the years. Tartan Marine generally acted responsibly in correcting them. The worst problems occurred in the first 100 boats. For example, the original hollow stainless steel rudder posts were too light and bent too easily. According to Tartan, every boat with that type of rudder post was located and repaired by inserting a second post inside the original one.

A second problem was with the reinforcement of the hull around the keel sump and under the mast step. From 5′ forward of the transom, the Tartan Ten’s hull is cored with 1/2″ balsa, except in the bilge area, which is stiffened by a grid of hollow, hatshaped fiberglass floors and stringers. Because the Tartan Ten has a relatively flat underbody and fin keel, she is more susceptible to flexing of the bilges than a boat with deeper, more rounded bilges.

In the first 90 boats, the grid was neither stiff enough nor attached to the hull securely enough to prevent flexing. As a result the fiberglass tabbing which holds the grid to the hull began peeling off. On a few boats, small cracks developed in the grid and in the bilges. Tartan claimed that it sent repairmen all around this country to track down and fix every boat earlier than hull #84. In most cases the repair consisted of removing the old tabbing and re-tabbing with a heavier laminate. In cases where the grid or hull actually showed damage, more substantial repairs were made. According to Britton, “We got every one of them.”

The mast step has been strengthened several times during the Tartan Ten’s history. The Tartan Ten has a deck-stepped mast, rare in non-trailerable racers, because they offer less control of mast bend. They are no less seaworthy than a keel-stepped mast, provided there is adequate support underneath the mast, such as a compression post or bulkhead in the cabin.

The Tartan Ten’s compression post sits on top of the floor grid. After the initial problems with the first 83 boats, a 5″x4″x1/4″ aluminum plate was used under the compression post to distribute the load. The thickness of the aluminum plate was later increased to 1/2″. Mast step problems still existed to some degree after the first 83 boats. On a hull numbered in the 150s, we observed that the compression post had been moved off the floor grid (presumably because it was crushing it) and lengthened with a threaded extension so it rested directly on the hull.

Unlike most boats, which have shroud chainplates which extend above deck, the Tartan Ten’s shrouds pass through the deck to chainplates in the cabin. Although this may reduce windage and genoa chafe, the hole in the deck is difficult to seal. Many owners report chronic deck leaks around the shrouds.

The chainplates are anchored on a heavy fiberglass “tab” which extends up from the topsides inside the main cabin. According to the manufacturer, there were two chainplate tab delaminations in the first 100 boats. Tartan attributes this to the hull being cored under the tab. Tartan didn’t take steps to correct the potential problem until nearly 100 boats later. One owner of a 150-series boat reported that he had reglassed one chainplate tab after he noticed the telltale signs of delamination—the color of the tab changing from dark green to white where it is anchored to the hull.

By hull #200 Tartan had eliminated the core under the tab and began anchoring it directly to the outer skin of the hull. This didn’t completely solve the problem, according to Britton. Because the section of the topsides around the chainplates was uncored, that section could dimple inward slightly under heavy rig loads, causing isolated incidences of gelcoat blistering and delamination. Tartan corrected this problem shortly afterward—”about hull #270,” according to Britton, by widening the chainplate tab from 12″ to 18″.

Although the Tartan Ten is cored through 80% of her hull, she exhibits a fair amount of structural flexing. As one successful Tartan dealer pointed out, “she’s not overbuilt like the rest of the Tartan line.” We had several reports of the cockpit flexing noticeably while sailing in rough weather. Part of the reason is that the bulkheads under each side of the cockpit are glassed firmly to the hull, but very poorly attached to the cockpit seats. Also the main bulkhead is well forward of the mast and divided by the forward berth. A bulkhead in two halves located away from the chainplates is not very effective in absorbing rig loads. Instead the hull will flex.

The Tartan Ten’s hull-to-deck joint consists of an inward turned hull flange overlapped by the deck and topped by an aluminum toerail. The hull-to-deck joint is bedded with butyl tape, which stays soft and rubber-like for the life of the boat. It has no adhesive properties, but is a good watertight sealant. We have seen it melt and “bleed” out of hull-to-deck joints on occasion.

A strip of aluminum is glassed under the hull flange. This allows Tartan to fasten the hull and deck with bolts, but without nuts, by tapping the bolts through the aluminum insert—a real time saver. The bolts must be bedded, though, or corrosion would compromise the integrity of the joint, especially important since there is no chemical bond to fall back on. Tartan beds the bolts with silicone, which is probably adequate, but a chromate paste would be a better (although more expensive) bedding material. The hull laminate was strengthened when production was into hulls numbered in the early 100s. A heavier mat was added to improve the bond between the balsa core and the laminate. An extra layer of fiberglass was added to the hull laminate as well.

The mast of the Tartan Ten is a “safe” section. It bends easily with the backstay, but is sufficiently strong to sail without running backstays in a strong breeze. The shrouds are swept back.

The mast is not anodized. On early boats, it was finished with clear lacquer; later it was painted black. According to Frank Colaneri of Bay Sailing Equipment, who rigged all Tartan Ten masts until the mid-’80s, finishing with lacquer or paint is cheaper than anodizing.

On the first 150 or so boats the jib and spinnaker halyards are both wire and exit the mast above the hounds. They then lead through “bullseye” fairleads which have a tendency to chew the wire. (Colaneri called them “wireeaters.”) This system was redesigned so that now the wire jib halyard exits below the mast without a fairlead, and the spinnaker halyard, still exiting above the hounds, was changed to rope.

Schaefer booms were used on the first 70 boats, and bent reefing hooks were a problem. Since then Tartan has used Kenyon booms. The Kenyon booms have no outhaul car, instead relying on clew slugs to support leech tension. According to Colaneri, many booms had to be retrofitted with stainless plates over the sail slot because the clew slugs had pulled through the slot.

Handling Under Power

After hull #309 the Tartan Ten was equipped with an 11 hp Universal diesel. Before then a Farymann 7.5 hp diesel was standard. On boats prior to hull #200, excessive vibration and shaft coupling failures were a problem. According to Britton, the cause was poor shaft alignment. Britton says flexible shaft couplings were used on the first 200 boats, because Tartan was afraid the boat would bend under rig tension. The use of flexible couplings meant less attention was paid to alignment—hence occasional coupling failure and excessive vibration. Solid couplings were used on subsequent boats. “We thought we were bending the boat (by tensioning the rig), but we were wrong. Now we know it’s better to concentrate on alignment and use solid shaft couplings,” says Britton.

Because vibration could be a problem, when considering a used Tartan Ten you should check both the engine mounts and the electrical harness on the back of the engine. The covering of any wires attached to the engine should be checked for wear.

Tartan Ten owners report that the Farymann is relatively trouble free, runs well and is easy to hand start should the battery run down. Owners also say it tends to be underpowered. “Doesn’t do well into the wind,” reported one owner. A folding prop is standard equipment.

Access to the engine is excellent. The fiberglass engine box is light and lifts off easily and, because it also doubles as the companionway step, slides forward without obstruction. The box is easy to refit and latch in place. With the box off, all engine parts are accessible.

Handling Under Sail

Tartan Ten owners rave about performance. She may not be a ULDB, but she’s fast for a 33-footer. Typical comments are “Offwind we pass 36′ masthead rigs,” “rides waves well; good control downwind,” and “recorded 15.2 knots, sustained 10.5 knots.”

However, owners do not rave about her handicap ratings. The Tartan Ten was not designed to fit any handicapping rule. She carries an astronomical IOR rating of about 28.5. Under PHRF she rates from 123 to 132, depending on the handicapper. Most PHRF fleets assume that you have a 155% genoa, and the most common rating is 126. Some fleets, such as Detroit, allow the Tartan Ten to sail with its one-design inventory (100% jib) at a rating several seconds slower.

Owners report that she will sail to a rating of 126 in light air with a 155% genoa. However, with her narrow beam, she is tender and becomes overpowered quickly. In winds over 12 knots, she has difficulty winning with a rating of 126. Using a one-design inventory, the Tartan Ten will sail to a rating of 132 in medium winds. Although she is always fast downwind, owners say she has a difficult time making up what she loses upwind in a strong breeze.

Those who want to race both one-design and PHRF have several problems. Until 1982 headfoils were illegal for class racing. The class has dropped this rule to encourage Tartan Ten owners to race PHRF. Running backstays are still illegal for class racing. Although they’re not necessary to keep the spar in the boat, backstays nonetheless will improve performance slightly without rating penalty. Another, more subtle problem, is that a sailmaker will design the working sails of a class inventory differently than he would for a larger inventory. For example, a 100% jib that must be used for both light and heavy air in one-design racing will be a lot more powerful than a 100% jib for a larger PHRF inventory.

Despite its drawbacks the Tartan Ten still makes for enjoyable PHRF racing because its sailplan is so manageable, the boat is so maneuverable, and its cockpit is so easy to work in. It’s hard to believe you’re on a 33′ when you’re racing one; the boat feels much smaller.

As good as PHRF racing can be, one-design racing is even better. Owners report that all boats are extremely well-matched. In this year’s 40′ national championship, the second and third place teams sailed borrowed boats—boats that had not done well in previous regattas. Tartan Ten sailors may push their boats hard, but as a whole they don’t push them hard enough to cause major gear failures. We have no doubt that a hot SORC team could rip a Tartan Ten apart, but for its purpose the boat is well suited.

Before each boat leaves the factory, it is placed in an outdoor pool, and 50-100 lbs of lead is glassed to the hull 5′ forward of the mast to make her float on her lines. Flotation marks are molded into the hull to insure that the lead is not subsequently moved to change the boat’s trim. This helps make the boats equal in performance.

The keels are relatively fair from the factory, although most racers will want to spend a weekend making them smoother.

Most Tartan Tens race with a crew of 5-8. Although she is a light boat, her narrow beam limits the effectiveness of crew weight. Unlike beamier counterparts, such as the J/30, packing on more crew in a strong breeze is not essential. For best performance, the backstay and traveler must be constantly adjusted. Some of the more successful racers routinely barber-haul the jib outboard in strong puffs. As with any light displacement boat, you must be quick on sail trim to keep her level and driving.

Deck Layout

The Tartan Ten is equipped with a tiller, as any boat this small and light should be. With a tiller, though, you need a larger cockpit. The cockpit of the Tartan Ten is 9 1/2′ long, which gives the crew plenty of room for racing. The companionway, though, is obstructed by long stainless steel handrails. When tacking, the crew must all pass through the cockpit.

The cockpit seats have short, outward-angled seatbacks with a small coaming. This provides a modicum of day sailing comfort without sacrificing much racing efficiency. The slotted aluminum toerail does, however, compromise racing comfort. The crew could slide farther outboard for more hiking leverage if it weren’t for the toerail painfully biting into the backs of their thighs. Owners report that the cockpit drains quickly when pooped by a large wave. It nevertheless is worrisome, because its large volume would hold a lot of water, and its 6″ companionway sill would do little to keep that water from rushing below. We wouldn’t race it in rough weather without all companionway drop boards locked in place.

The rudder post exits the deck through a cockpit coaming that wraps around the stern. A tiller is attached to the post; when lifted and lashed to the backstay it leaves the cockpit unobstructed for an extraordinary amount of cockpit space at the mooring. The mast is stepped into a cast aluminum collar on deck. The collar is not hinged. The running rigging exits through the bottom of the mast, then runs through sheaves built into the collar and aft through sheet stoppers to Lewmar 16 winches on each side of the cabin house. Several owners said they had moved or replaced the stoppers made by Delta.

The primary winches are Lewmar 30s. Secondary winches are permitted under class rules, but are not offered as a factory option. Some owners report that larger primary winches are helpful to trim the genoas used for handicap racing. On the boat we sailed, the sheet tracks were backed with strips of aluminum, but the backing plates for the winches were 1/8″ plywood.

The deck gelcoat provides good traction, but this also makes it more difficult to clean. Stanchion bases, made for Tartan by High Seas, bolt through the deck and through the toerail. On the boat we examined there were no backing plates on the throughdeck stanchion bolts, but bolting through the toerail gives the installation adequate rigidity. Several owners reported that the welded sockets for the stanchions have failed.

The boom vang runs in a single part up from the mast step to the boom, then forward to the gooseneck, down to the deck via a 6:1 purchase, and aft to a winch. At the gooseneck, it attaches to a small welded eye, which could be of heavier gauge.

The backstay is split with a 4:1 purchase deadended on the stem. A crewmember would have to sit aft of the helmsman to play the backstay. The ball bearing traveler spans the cockpit and is easily adjusted with its 3:1 purchase. The 5:1 mainsheet deadends on the traveler car.

For a 33-footer, there isn’t much to the Tartan Ten’s interior. Headroom is only 5′ 2″. However, the companionway hatch is in three pieces and lifts off for stowage below, opening a 5′ long “skylight” in the cabin. This feature provides some amount of standing headroom below, without having to sacrifice the clean lines of the deck to a high cabin trunk. Erecting a dodger over the companionway encloses the standing headroom. The hatch cover could be stronger: we nearly cracked it by stepping on it.

There is no icebox in the cabin. A portable cooler stores in one of the two cockpit lazarettes. The standard head is a portable, stowed under the forward V-berth. Nearly every owner we talked to complained of its smell and said that it is difficult to empty. Most had either discarded it for a cedar bucket or installed a full marine head. There is no built-in stove and the chart table is small.

There is a small sink with a hand pump on the port side. On boats prior to hull #200, the water tank was installed under the starboard quarterberth, with the fuel tank under the port quarterberth. With the water tank and sink on opposite sides, all the water in the tank would drain out through the sink on port tack. Tartan’s retrofit was a rubber plug for the sink nozzle. By hulls numbered in the early 200s, they had switched the position of the fuel and water tanks, solving the problem.

The interior of the Tartan Ten is dark. The bulkheads, cabinetry and cabin sole are teak-veneered plywood. We would paint the settees white. The forward V-berth is a comfortable 6′ long. The “filler,” or section of the berth that covers the Porta Potti is removable for access to the head. However, the filler sits on very narrow cleats, so when you climb over it to get out of the berth, the filler frequently falls off its cleats and you tumble onto the head (Ugh!).

Vertical posts from the overhead to both the sink and the nav station make good handrails for moving about below in a seaway. Under both the sink and nav station are small lockers with zippered cloth coverings instead of doors. There is further stowage under the main berths and quarter berths. These stowage bins are not insulated from the hull, but because the boat is cored, condensation should be minimal. The bins are sealed from the shallow sump if they weren’t sealed, any water in the bilge would predictably soak their contents. One owner commented, “There should have been no attempt to create six berths at the expense of adequate storage.”

On the boat we sailed the joinerwork and furniture tabbing were mediocre. The overhead panels were sloppily fitted. The ceiling is covered with a padded vinyl liner. A strip of wood covers the hullto-deck joint.

There were several major changes to the interior after hull #160. In earlier boats, both the main berths and quarterberths were “root” berths. Root berths are somewhat like pipe berths. They consist of cloth anchored to the side of the hull and slung to a pipe running the length of the berth. The pipe fits into notches so that the angle of the berth can be adjusted to suit the boat’s angle of heel. Another piece of cloth attaches with Velcro to the pipe to form a seat back. While the root berth makes for comfortable sleeping underway, it is far less comfortable than a fixed berth to sit in while the boat is anchored.

After hull #160, the root berths in the main cabin were abandoned for fixed berths, with a dual purpose design backrest/leeboard. Additional stowage bins were added over the main berths. A drop leaf table was also added between the main berths. It is doubtful whether it would survive the rough and tumble of hard racing. We suspect most owners remove it for racing.

Conclusions

Like any boat, the Tartan Ten is built to a price for a particular purpose. She is not built as well, nor laid out as lavishly as, say a J/30; but she is also much less expensive. People don’t buy Tartan Tens to make long offshore passages, nor do they buy them for extended cruising. People buy them to day race, either as a one-design or under a handicap rule. Maybe they throw in an occasional weekend cruise.

The Tartan Ten is a joy to day race. It is easy to maneuver and crew on, offers lively performance, and is affordable. We think that one-design racing would be far more fun than handicap racing. At least under one-design you are competitive in all wind velocities.

The Tartan Ten class association appears to be well organized, which should help keep the resale value of the boat high. If you live near a Tartan Ten fleet, you should give offshore one-design racing a try. But beware; you might get hooked.

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Seychelles Islands Charter a yacht and explore the unspoiled islands of the Seychelles with their clear waters and unpolluted coral reefs. You can hire a skipper, and a crew as well, to do the hard work for you, although intrepid, experienced sailors can take the boats out themselves. Usual itineraries around the islands last seven or eight days, depending on the wind. www.indianocean-adventure.com

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Dhow Cruise, Straits of Hormuz, Oman The Musandam Peninsula at the northernmost tip of Oman juts into the Straits of Hormuz at the entrance to the Persian Gulf. Mountains rise straight up from the sea, creating inlets that resemble Norwegian fjords, dotted with villages that can be reached only by boat. Take a trip along this spectacular coast by dhow—a traditional narrow wooden boat—and you can also enjoy swimming and diving off the boat in waters that are rich in underwater life. www.msaoman.com

Lamu Island, Kenya The tropical island of Lamu lies off the coast of Kenya, just south of the equator. Its historic buildings reflect the island’s importance as a port used by African, Arab, and European traders and explorers. A range of dhow trips lets you explore the surrounding archipelago with its isolated villages and ancient ruins. Try a three-hour trip to Manda Island, or a Full Moon cruise with a lobster dinner included. On some fishing trips, you can cook and eat your catch. www.peponi-lamu.com

Évia Island Cruise, Greece Separated from the mainland by only 130 feet (40 meters) in places, Évia is Greece’s second-largest island. A rugged coastline of wide beaches and steep cliffs gives way to mountains dotted with villages and monasteries. Sailing along the coast of Évia in a caique (wooden fishing boat), you can enjoy the remote coves and beaches and the private island of Petali, as well as explore the main island itself. Travel with a group of six to eight friends; a leader and crew come with the boat hire. www.exodus.co.uk

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Man jailed on BUI charges in Hillsboro Inlet crash that injured 4

Chris Gothner , Digital Journalist

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – Broward County deputies arrested a man Wednesday who authorities said was operating a boat with alcohol and drugs in his system and crashed it into a jetty along Hillsboro Inlet last August, injuring four people.

Court records show John Friedrich Higgins, 43, of Longwood, is facing two felony and three misdemeanor charges.

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According to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission report, Higgins crashed the 30-foot, two-engine Sportsman boat “Royal Gainz” into the jetty at a “high rate of speed” at around 9:45 on the night of Aug. 5, 2023.

FWC officers were informed that four people were aboard, one of whom was initially unaccounted for. Additionally, the vessel did not have a valid registration number.

All four occupants suffered varying degrees of injuries, officials said. One passenger had a spinal fracture and a broken leg, another had a broken jaw and a severe laceration; Higgins suffered a brain bleed and broken ribs.

Authorities said Higgins, during an interview in the hospital, was “confused” and had a “strong odor” of alcohol on his breath.

A passenger claimed that the group had been returning from Bimini in the Bahamas and that no one had been consuming alcohol.

However, the report states that toxicology tests taken after the crash show that Higgins had a blood-alcohol content of 0.14%, nearly twice the legal limit.

He also had the prescription benzodiazepine drug lorazepam, also known by the brand name Ativan, in his system, along with over-the-counter antihistamine diphenhydramine, often sold as Benadryl, in his system, according to the report.

Both medications can heighten the effects of alcohol, authorities said.

Higgins is facing two felony counts of boating under the influence causing serious bodily injury, two misdemeanor counts of boating under the influence causing property damage and one count of reckless operation of a vessel.

He was also cited for improper display of vessel number.

Online records show he was being held in the Broward Main Jail on a $25,000 bond.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct a typographical error. The original article misstated the suspect’s alleged blood-alcohol content as .014% rather than 0.14%.

Copyright 2024 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.

About the Author

Chris gothner.

Chris Gothner joined the Local 10 News team in 2022 as a Digital Journalist.

Texas Game Wardens shares tips for boat and water safety

National safe boating week, may 18 through may 24.

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - Texas Game Wardens are celebrating National Safe Boating Week, a week-long campaign emphasizing important boating practices and the use of boat safety equipment.

Texas Game Wardens said last Memorial Day weekend, 13 boating accidents occurred around the state, with two boating fatalities and two drownings.

Game wardens and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department urge boaters to keep the following in mind as they head out on the water:

• Always wear a personal flotation device (PFD) or life jacket.
• Children younger than 13 must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved PFD while underway.
• Use your boat’s ignition safety switch – it’s the law.
• Avoid alcohol while boating as the two can be a dangerous combination.
• Don’t overload your boat.
• Operate at a safe speed.
• Always have a passenger serving as a lookout in addition to the operator.
• Watch out for low-water areas or submerged objects.
• Take a boater education course.
• Leave a float plan with someone you trust.
• Be especially careful on personal watercraft.

Copyright 2024 KAUZ. All rights reserved.

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U.S. Coast Guard shares tips for National Safe Boating Week

The u.s. coast guard is teaming up with fox10 news to keep you safe during national safe boating week..

DAUPHIN ISLAND, Ala. ( WALA ) - The weather is beautiful, and the water is clear as we get closer to Memorial Day weekend. But before you get out on the water, know that the U.S. Coast Guard is teaming up with FOX10 news to keep you safe during National Safe Boating Week.

“So, the number one thing is to wear your life jacket. If you’re not going to wear it, please know where it’s at on your vessel. Where your engine cutoff switch and refrain from consuming alcohol while you’re out there,” Petty Officer Alexander Heishman said.

The life jacket isn’t just a fashionable accessory. It can also save your life.

“In 2022, 75 percent of boating related fatalities were caused by drowning. And 85 percent of those were not wearing a life jacket. You can imagine how that number may have changed if those individuals were prepared with the proper equipment and wearing a life jacket,” Heishman said.

And even the most experienced of boaters can learn new ways to stay safe. And there’s more.

Another tip is to check your equipment. And you can do it for free.

“The Coast Guard Auxiliary provides a vessel safety check for you for free. Prior to you going out there on the water for the summer, I would highly recommend going and getting your vessel inspected, getting your equipment checked, and making sure that you are prepared to handle whatever happens out on the water this summer,” Heishman said.

Another tip is to make sure you have a float plan. That means letting someone on shore know of your trip itinerary. The more people who know, the better. Crucial information includes operator and passenger information, boat type and communication equipment that you have on board.

Copyright 2024 WALA. All rights reserved.

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USA TODAY 10Best

Hikers of all levels will enjoy these 10 hiking trails

Best Hiking Trail (2024) May 22, 2024

The United States, with its diverse landscapes, boasts a plethora of easy to moderate hiking trails that are fun for nature enthusiasts of all levels. An expert panel selected their top picks for scenic trails that are perfect for leisurely day hikes, then readers voted for their favorites.

These 10 hiking trails not only promote physical well-being but also provide a mental respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

No. 10: Hollywood Sign via Innsdale Trail - Griffith Park

Located in Los Angeles, Griffith Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States, spanning over 4,200 acres. In addition to attractions such as the Los Angeles Zoo, the Griffith Observatory, and the iconic Hollywood sign, the park contains a 53-mile network of trails.  Hike up to the Hollywood sign on the 4.4-mile out-and-back Innsdale Trail, which rewards walkers with stunning views.

No. 9: Tunnel Creek Trail - Incline Village, Nevada

Tunnel Creek Trail is a 7-mile out-and-back hike on the eastern end of Incline Village, Nevada. This dog-friendly route presents a moderate challenged for hikers and offers awe-inspiring, panoramic views of Lake Tahoe.

No. 8: Scenic Overlook via Bald Mountain Trail - Ketchum, Idaho

This pleasant 3.5-mile trail leads to the Scenic Overlook on the side of Bald Mountain, where you'll be welcomed with awe-inspiring views of Ketchum and Sun Valley. There's an elevation gain of 951 feet, but the incline is fairly gradual.

No. 7: Cliff Walk - Newport, Rhode Island

Newport's popular Cliff Walk is an out-and-back that covers 7 miles, offering sweeping vistas of the Atlantic Ocean alongside views of architectural gems from the Gilded Age. If you're not wanting a strenuous hike, start at the northern portion of the walk, at Memorial Boulevard, and continue south. The paved portion makes it an easier experience for strollers, young children, and older adults.

No. 6: Indigo Trail - J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge

Indigo Trail is an easy 4.4-mile loop located at the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge in Sanibel, Florida. It's best known for visiting migratory birds and is a favorite spot for hikers, bikers, and trail runners. Visitors can enjoy it year-round and even bring along their pooch, as long as they're leashed.

No. 5: Fairy Falls Trail - Yellowstone National Park

Fairy Falls is a 4.8-mile trail in Yellowstone National Park and is considered an easy hike to one of the park's most magnificent waterfalls. You'll traverse through a pine forest on this hike that takes three to five hours to complete.

No. 4: Bridal Veil Falls - DuPont State Recreational Forest

Situated in DuPont State Recreational Forest outside Asheville, this spot was made famous by two popular movies, "The Hunger Games" and "The Last of the Mohicans." The easy loop sees an elevation gain of only 109 feet and offers breathtaking views of the 120-foot waterfall. 

No. 3: Fairyland Loop - Bryce Canyon National Park

The popular 7.9-mile Fairyland Loop is nestled in Bryce Canyon National Park, offering visitors stunning views as they move along the plateau rim before descending into the canyon. Once there, you'll be surrounded by distinctive hoodoos and vibrantly colored rock formations. 

No. 2: Porters Creek Trail - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Settled in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Porters Creek Trail is an out-and-back that's popular with campers, hikers, and backpackers. Admire the lush, old-growth forest as you make your way to Fern Branch Falls, where you'll be rewarded with stunning views of the cascades.

No. 1: Whispering Cave - Hocking Hills State Park

Whispering Cave is just one of the many hikes in Hocking Hills State Park, which stretches across 2,356 acres. This 5-mile loop is moderately challenging and offers hikers access to a fun swinging bridge, the second-largest cave in the region, and a picturesque seasonal waterfall.

About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards

Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best .

The Experts

Chelle koster walton.

Chelle Koster Walton — the Local Expert for...   Read More

Chelle Koster Walton — the Local Expert for Naples, Florida and the Caribbean — has been covering the destination for 30 years. Her top-selling  Sarasota, Sanibel Island, and Naples  guidebook (Countryman Press) is in its sixth edition. She was contributing editor for  Caribbean Travel & Life  for 12 years and has written guidebooks on the Bahamas. A veteran travel writer, Chelle has published thousands of articles for  Miami Herald, USA TODAY, Latitudes;  has written/contributed to a dozen guidebooks, and produces travel shows for the local PBS station.

Chez Chesak

‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor...   Read More

‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, an adventure travel writer, board member of the Society of American Travel Writers and 22-year veteran of the outdoor and travel industries. While he’s lived all over the U.S. and traveled to more than 30 countries, he has the most fun when he’s exploring with his wife Sally and two daughters. An avid outdoors person, he’s happiest on a trail, on skis, or nestled into a sleeping bag. Learn more about him and his work at www.chezconnects.com .  

Jamie Davis Smith

Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50...   Read More

Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50 countries, many of them with her children in tow. She loves visiting everything from theme parks to ancient ruins and packs strictly carry-on-only. Jamie can be reached at [email protected].

Jenny Peters

Jenny Peters – aka Jet Set Jen – is a Los...   Read More

Jenny Peters – aka Jet Set Jen – is a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist, editor and party columnist specializing in travel, entertainment, film, food, wine, fashion and the other good things in life. She is a founding/voting member of the Critics Choice Association, who present the Critics’ Choice Awards every January. Her favorite places to be are on the beach in Southern California playing volleyball, scuba diving with the sharks in warm tropical waters or strolling the streets and soaking in the atmosphere of one of the world's great cities (New Orleans and Florence are her favorites).

Kristen Lummis

Kristen Lummis is a freelance writer based in...   Read More

Kristen Lummis is a freelance writer based in Western Colorado. The mom of two now-adult sons, Lummis broke into her writing career through snowsports, founding the website  braveskimom.com  in 2010 to provide family-friendly tips across a full range of winter topics. And while skiing is Lummis’ first true outdoor love, she grew up camping, hiking, biking, kayaking and traveling extensively with her family — pursuits that she continues today. She prides herself on unbiased opinions, based on activities and destinations she’s visited and experienced. Lummis is honored to be considered an “expert” for 10Best. Follow her @braveskimom on Instagram and Facebook. 

Meg St-Esprit

Meg St-Esprit is a journalist based in Pittsburgh...   Read More

Meg St-Esprit is a journalist based in Pittsburgh who covers family travel, lifestyle, education, and parenting. With their four kids in tow, she and her husband love to travel anywhere and everywhere — but have a soft spot for camping and outdoor adventures. In fact, her kids are well on their way to achieving their goal of visiting all 124 state parks in Pennsylvania. Meg believes travel doesn’t need to be luxurious or costly to be valuable, and aims to share that with her audience. Meg’s work has appeared in publications such as  The New York Times, Thrillist, The Washington Post, Fodor’s, Yahoo, Good Housekeeping, Romper , and more. Follow Meg on Instagram and Twitter at @megstesprit or check out her work on  https://megstesprit.com/

Molly O'Brien

Molly O'Brien is a Los Angeles-based freelance...   Read More

Molly O'Brien is a Los Angeles-based freelance travel journalist, who writes and edits for a variety of international travel and lifestyle outlets including Fodor’s Travel, Travel + Leisure, and Business Insider among others. She's lived on both coasts from Massachusetts to California and has so far made Greater Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, San Luis Obispo, Barcelona, and Los Angeles her home.  Molly earned her journalism degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on the Central Coast of California and since then has worked professionally in the fields of hospitality and travel PR and most recently, as a freelance travel writer and editor. Molly especially enjoys covering feature profiles about interesting people doing interesting things such as chocolate making, beekeeping, wing-walking, and interesting destinations like under-the-radar wine spots, the best brewery towns, and lesser-known ski destinations.  She also loves to write about a boutique hotel with a good story. When she's not writing, Molly enjoys spending time outdoors, exploring new coffee shops and breweries, and of course, traveling.  Her favorite city in the world (so far) is Barcelona, Spain, but she loves traveling anywhere that offers sunny weather and ample hiking opportunities. She loves spending time in the mountains, enjoys connecting with nature through camping and glamping adventures, and is always up for learning about the world through fun, immersive experiences (and then sharing those stories!).  You can connect with Molly here:  Instagram: @metropolitanmolly Twitter: @Molly_A_OBrien Facebook: @MetropolitanMolly LinkedIn: @mollyannobrien www.metropolitanmolly.com

Tamara Gane

Tamara Gane is an expert panel member for 10Best...   Read More

Tamara Gane is an expert panel member for 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. She's based in Reno/Lake Tahoe and in addition to USA Today 10Best, her work has been published in Travel & Leisure, Fodor's Travel, The Washington Post, SF Gate, Houston Chronicle, Lonely Planet, and more.

10Best Editors

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,...   Read More

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.

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US Coast Guard says Texas barge collision may have spilled up to 2,000 gallons of oil

Residents of Pelican Island, including Texas A&M Galveston students, evacuated the Island after the only bridge to the island remained closed Thursday. A barge crashed into a pillar supporting the span, partially collapsing it.

The U.S. Coast Guard estimates that up to 2,000 gallons of oil may have spilled into surrounding waters when a barge carrying fuel broke free from a tugboat and slammed into a bridge near Galveston, Texas.

Officials patrol the waters at the site where a bardge crashed into the Pelican Island Bridge Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Galveston, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

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U.S. Coast Guard boats patrol the water near the site where a barge hit the Pelican Island Bridge Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Galveston, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

United States Coast Guard boats patrol the Galveston Ship Channel near the Pelican Island bridge, Wednesday, May 16, 2024, as city, county and state officials continue to assess the damage from a barge crashing into the bridge Tuesday in Galveston, Texas. (Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston County Daily News via AP)

Debris and railroad tracks from the Pelican Island bridge in Galveston lie atop a barge owned by Martin Marine on Wednesday, May 16, 2024. The barge crashed into the bridge at about 10 a.m. Tuesday closing the only road access to and from the island. The bridge Wednesday was open to car traffic leaving Pelican Island and pedestrian traffic both ways. (Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston County Daily News via AP)

Spill booms surround a barge at the Pelican Island bridge in Galveston, Texas, Wednesday, May 16, 2024. The barge collided with the bridge Tuesday which caused a partial collapse of the bridge and spilled vacuum gas oil the barge was carrying into Galveston Bay. (Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston County Daily News via AP)

Crews monitor spill booms at the Pelican Island bridge in Galveston, Texas on Thursday, May 16, 2024, after a barge collided with the bridge Tuesday causing a partial collapse of the bridge and spilling vacuum gas oil into Galveston Bay. (Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston County Daily News via AP)

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) — Early estimates indicate up to 2,000 gallons of oil may have spilled into surrounding waters when a barge carrying fuel broke free from a tugboat and slammed into a bridge near Galveston, Texas, the U.S. Coast Guard said Thursday.

The barge crashed into a pillar supporting the Pelican Island Causeway span on Wednesday. The impact caused the bridge to partially collapse and cut off the only road connecting Galveston to Pelican Island, the Coast Guard said.

Video shows splotches of oil had spilled from the barge into Galveston Bay. Jeff Davis of the Texas General Land Office said during a news conference Thursday that early cleanup efforts have not identified any impacted wildlife.

The barge has the capacity to hold 30,000 barrels, but was holding 23,000 barrels — approximately 966,000 gallons — when it struck the bridge, Rick Freed, the vice president of barge operator Martin Marine, said at the news conference. Freed said the only tank that was compromised in the crash was holding approximately 160,000 gallons, which is the “complete risk.”

“We’re pretty confident there was much less oil introduced to the water than we initially estimated,” Coast Guard Capt. Keith Donohue said.

“We’ve recovered over 605 gallons of oily water mixture from the environment, as well as an additional 5,640 gallons of oil product from the top of the barge that did not go into the water,” Donohue said.

The Coast Guard said earlier that it had deployed a boom, or barrier, to contain the spill, which forced the closure of about 6.5 miles (10.5 kilometers) of the waterway.

A tugboat lost control of the 321-foot barge “due to a break in the coupling” that had connected the two vessels, the Coast Guard said.

“Weather was not a factor, at all, during the coupling issue,” Freed said. When pressed for more details on how the two vessels became disconnected, he said: “It’s under investigation right now, and I really can’t disclose anything further until the investigation is through.”

On Thursday, the barge remained beside the bridge, weighed in place by debris including rail lines that fell onto it after the crash.

The bridge, which provides the only road access between Galveston and Pelican Island, remained closed to incoming traffic, but vehicles leaving Pelican Island and pedestrians in both directions were able to cross.

Texas A&M University at Galveston, which has a campus on Pelican Island, urged staff and faculty to leave and said it was closing the campus, although essential personnel would remain.

“Given the rapidly changing conditions and uncertainty regarding the outage of the Pelican Island Bridge, the Galveston Campus administration will be relocating all Texas A&M Pelican Island residents,” through at least Sunday, it said in a statement late Wednesday.

Fewer than 200 people related to the school were on the island when the barge hit the bridge. Spokesperson Shantelle Patterson-Swanson said the university would provide transportation and cover the housing costs of those who choose to leave, but underlined that the school has not issued a mandatory evacuation.

Aside from the environmental impact of the oil spill, the region is unlikely to see large economic disruption as a result of the accident, said Maria Burns, a maritime transportation expert at the University of Houston.

The affected area is miles from the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, which sees frequent barge traffic, and the Houston Ship Channel, a large shipping channel for ocean-going vessels.

The accident came weeks after a cargo ship crashed into a support column of the Francis Key Bridge in Baltimore on March 26, killing six construction workers.

Gonzalez reported from McAllen, Texas.

This story corrects the spelling of the name of a University of Houston’s maritime transportation expert. Her name is Maria Burns, not Marcia.