Posted this on another board and thought I'd add it here as well:

I was about 70 yrds away fishing between fuca's pillar and the hole when this went down. Heard the call from the rescue boat (great presence of mind whomever was on the radio and patience with a coastie that just wasn't getting it that the boat actually sank). We pulled gear and ran right over to help look for the 3rd still in the water. Concentrated on looking along the rocks on the flattery side in case he was able to swim to shore and looked like the other two boats had the outflowing tide drift covered in their search pattern. Third guy was pulled in and CPR started a few minutes after we arrived and a few minutes before the coast guard boat arrived from the south. Was heartbreaking to see the CPR continuing after the first couple critical minutes and continue after coasties boarded the rescue boat and they headed for port. A very sobering event to be sure.

I too have really struggled understanding how a boat that is easily twice as seaworthy as my 21' underpowered Trophy went down and would love a first-hand report from the captain if/when he is able so that others can learn.

What I can comment on is my first-hand observations of the sea conditions there at that time and potential associated risks. I'm almost hesitant to share my observations as it may be taken as critical of the captain's judgement and i'm sure he's dealing with enough right now. However, I'll say my piece in case it may help prevent a future accident.

First off - no life jackets on! There is no excuse for that especially in ocean waters. If you have the need for a life jacket at all you need to have it on! [Bleeeeep!], obviously, happens fast and there is no time to don a jacket unless you think your only risk of being in the water is a slow leak you see coming. As a captain, no one on my boat has the option of not wearing their life jacket. Don't want to wear one, you're staying on the dock. The two survivors were very lucky as was the family of the deceased that he was still floating and was found. Would he have survived if wearing a life jacket? We'll never know but it could have helped keep his head out of the water and allowed him to be spotted sooner which could have made all the difference.

Sea Conditions:
Visibility wasn't an issue at the time as some gamies were implying at the dock when talking to people headed out giving them safety warnings. The strait side of the passage wasn't an issue and the outside ocean had large but consistent swells moving through at a good rate of speed. The general area just past the wash rocks is always a washing machine with confused seas caused by swell bounce-back and crisscrossing. Can be nasty when fishing and I could see a boat being flipped if overloaded or everyone leaning over one side of the boat while a nasty hits the other. However this was not the most dangerous condition happening at the time.

There was a strong outgoing current coming through the passage undercutting and standing up the swells coming in forming what I call "sawtooth" waves that were moving fast and with short spacing (period). Not quite breakers but with a nasty steep face on them. When heading out into them you might bury a bow but unless you're really mishandling your throttle timing you're probably not going to flip your boat. Running with those waves (following seas) is a whole nother story and the most dangerous. I could see running in from table top with no issues running in the trough or even cresting and surfing down the swells and making the mistake of just continuing on in through the hole without being cognizant in the change. With those conditions of heavy swell meeting strong outgoing current it's much more like a traditional bar crossing that Neah Bay anglers typically don't encounter. You can't just point your bow square with the waves and power through. Once the following sea behind you starts to lift your stern you have to be very decisive about what you do next. You do NOT just let it overtake you or it may lift your stern, push it to one side and roll you quicker than you think possible (look up pitch-pole). Without a firsthand account from the captain this is what I would guess happened.

When that following wave starts to lift your stern you either need to pour on the power (if you have enough) to quickly get out in front of it running in the trough or preferably on the back of the wave in front. If you don't have enough power (or experience) to do that then you need to cut power and allow the wave to pass under you quickly pouring it back on once the crest has passed to give you a little time before the next one overtakes you. Be careful to keep your stern squared up while the face and crest is passing under you and for god's sake, NEVER run in following seas with your trim tabs down as they will give the seas leverage to pitch-pole you or swamp you from behind.

Some have commented above about the possibilities of following seas being a factor in this accident and knowing that they were the most dangerous conditions in this area at the time I thought I'd break it down for those that may learn from the discussion.

In summary, I don't believe the general weather conditions were a specific factor that day, especially for a 24' Duckworth, but rather a 100-yard stretch of dangerous localized sea conditions and a boats running position in the waves.

That said, I'd never encourage anyone to go out in conditions they are not comfortable in no matter the boat you're in as experience, confidence, knowledge and skill of captain counts for a lot more than size, hull design and power of your boat. There's captains I'd be comfortable fishing with in an 18' Whaler in Fridays conditions and captains I wouldn't be comfortable fishing with in a 28' Grady.

BTW - running closer to Tatoosh or the Flattery wash rocks in either the north or south passage through the hole in those conditions, while being unintuitive, is actually safer than running in the middle of the passage where the current is the strongest and waves stacked up the steepest. This requires being intimately familiar with that area and learning it in safer conditions. If in doubt wait for calmer conditions or go around the island.

In closing, with no first-hand account from the captain, no disrespect or pre-judgement made. I just wanted to break down what MAY have taken down such a seaworthy boat in the conditions present at the time so others may learn. I've been handling boats from 14' skiffs to 28' bad ass sportfishers in ocean conditions for the past 40 years and I still learn new things every season that keep me and my crew safer. Even though I've met very few from this site I thank those captains that have shared their experiences good and bad here that i've been able to learn from.

Wear those life jackets! learn the water and specific localized conditions you're likely to encounter and know the capabilities of yourself and your boat!

Needless to say this was a very sobering accident for many and I'll never view that beautiful stretch of water quite the same.