The Transportation Safety Board of Canada reports that "During the afternoon of 29 October 2004, the commercial fishing vessel Prospect Point, with a crew of five on board, was fishing for sardines, in Kyuquot Sound, off the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. After pursing in the net, while the crew was in the process of preparing to haul in the catch of sardines, the vessel heeled to starboard and capsized, forcing all the crew members into the water. The crew members were recovered and landed on board a coastal freighter anchored in the vicinity. The vessel was subsequently recovered and towed to Steveston, British Columbia. No injury was reported." "The Prospect Point is a hard-chined, welded aluminum fishing vessel of closed construction, built and certified as "fitted and equipped for drum seining." The transom stern has a hydraulic ramp and roller, used for fishing operations. Below the main deck, the vessel is subdivided by four transverse watertight bulkheads enclosing, from forward, the crew accommodation, over the water ballast tank; the engine room, with fuel tanks to port and starboard; and two forward and two after insulated fish holds divided by a centreline bulkhead. Two additional fuel tanks are on either side of the fresh water tank located in the lazarette. Propulsion is provided by a six-cylinder Caterpillar marine diesel engine, driving a single fixed-pitch propeller. The vessel is fitted with a single-plate centreline rudder. The deckhouse is just forward of amidships and houses the galley, captain's cabin, washrooms, mess, and kitchen areas. From the main deck, three steps lead up to the wheelhouse, and three steps down lead to the crew accommodation. Entrance to the engine room is through the deckhouse. The main mast, located amidships abaft the deckhouse, is equipped with a main cargo boom. The hydraulic Gearmatic power block, fitted to the cargo boom, is used to haul the nets aboard. The Prospect Point also has a pair of outrigger booms equipped with roll-reduction paravanes. The seine winch is located between the deckhouse and the fish holds. The seine drum is located behind the after fish holds. Access to the fish holds is through aluminum hatch covers fitted to the raised coaming above the fish holds. The vessel was engaged mainly in seine fishing." |