NY NY - Peter Farrell, 72, & dog, boat left Fire Island enroute to Jost Van Dyke, BVI, 13 Oct 2019

[JerseyGirl]

Peter Farrell, 72, was living on his boat, a 1931 William Atkin-designed sloop built in Huntington. Farrell, a proficient sailor and author of several adventure-related books and travel guides, left Oct. 13 for Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands.

Conflicting reports had Farrell either sailing directly to the Virgin Islands or stopping first in Bermuda, which has led to some confusion as searchers combed a vast expanse of 310,767 square miles of sea.

Farrell's planned arrival date was Tuesday — meaning he's still not technically overdue but with each hour, the search for him and his Rottweiler, "Sunny," grows more urgent. Farrell was sailing to Jost Van Dyke with plans to update his guidebook on the island when he set off last month.

Farrell's sloop was equipped with a working EPIRB unit designed to set off a radio distress signal when triggered either manually or with any contact with water. As far as authorities could tell, the unit has not gone off.

In mystery of missing sailor, focus turns to Caribbean

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

wow. Good article. I like this ending: (and he IS technically overdue now...)

"I can say with authority he's an expert seaman," Tesoro said. "Five or six years ago, about 100 miles off New Jersey, his boat completely rolled over, did a 360, shredding all the sails, breaking all the mounting bolts in his engine, and he managed to hand-sew the sails back together and sail it into [a harbor in] New Jersey. Who does that? He does, that's who."

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

https://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/missing-sailor-peter-farrell-coast-guard-1.38545779\\

Adding to any confusion might be that Farrell changed the name of his boat from Tally Ho to Blue Dog when he repainted the hull from white to navy blue during a recent overhaul at a boatyard in Patchogue. The Coast Guard said it had not received any distress calls from a vessel called Tally Ho, but said it was unclear if anyone had checked for distress calls from one called Blue Dog. Schuhlein said the Coast Guard would check the logs Wednesday for calls under the new name.
...
The area being searched by the Coast Guard is considered to be in the southeast corner of the notorious Bermuda Triangle, Schuhlein said.

 

[rainynights]

Coast Guard suspends search for missing LI sailor

The search included combing about 300,000-square-miles by airplanes between Long Island, Bermuda and Jost Van Dyke in the Virgin Islands. Coast Guard officials told Farrell’s family on Thursday that the search area had become too expansive and the search was being suspended unless they get new leads, Farrell’s sister [AT] of Babylon said.

[...]

“He was an expert seaman,” [AT] said. “If anyone could survive, he can. He never gives up. There’s always the possibility someone hanging on the rail of a cruise ship saw a little blue boat with a red sail two weeks ago and didn’t know someone was looking for him. It’s not a lost cause, not with him. He’s a capable and an amazing sailor.”

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

wow, still nothing?...

 

[YaYa_521]

New York, Bermuda, BVI's SV Tally Ho! Boat Watch - Boat Watch, International search aid for missing & overdue boats.

**********UPDATE 23 JULY 2020*****************************
While speaking with USCG RCC Boston regarding a different matter, it was learned the EPIRB for the S/V TALLY HO was located. Boatwatch was not aware of that development. Here is what RCC Boston told us:

On 20MAR2020 the EPIRB from the TALLY HO! alerted approximately 1200NM east of Norfolk, VA (37°14.400’N, 050°57.400’W). RCC Boston requested AMVER vessels STOLT LOTUS and TORM RAGNHILD respond and search the area. ASEC HC-130 was launched to conduct a search in daylight hours.

ASEC CGR 2001 completed A-1 search of the area with negative results. No response to EGC of any signs of distress in the area. RCC Boston suspended the active search for the S/V Tally HO! pending further developments. The case can be re-opened if new information comes to light that warrants further search efforts.