Cause Of Sailor's Death Determined In Newport-Bermuda Race: Report

NEWPORT, RI — The sailor who died in the 2022 Newport-Bermuda boat race died because of a lack of proper safety equipment, according to an 18-page report U.S. Sailing issued this week.

Colin Golder, 74, of New Jersey, the captain of the "Morgan of Marietta," went overboard during the race on June 19 about 325 miles off the coast of Bermuda, according to a panel of six sailors who conducted the investigation.

According to the panel, the weather conditions made it necessary to use a person flotation device (PFD), a harness and a tether. All other crew members were wearing the proper equipment, according to the report.

"Had Colin been wearing a PFD, harness, and tether, it is highly unlikely that
he would have been washed overboard," the report read. "The evidence suggests that Colin died due to drowning."

According to the report, a wave washed over the crew just before 12:30 p.m. and knocked Golder off the boat. Golder grabbed a Lifesling, and his crew said he was never more than 300 yards from the boat.

But Golder struggled to keep his head above water, eventually went unconscious and turned blue, the report said. Golder then slid out of the Lifesling and was floating face down near the boat.

"The crew of MOM then attempted to seek help from others outside the boat," the report read. "They initially had some trouble unlocking the boat’s Iridium GO system because it was paired with Colin’s cell phone, and they did not have the unlock code. They contacted other competitors via radio, who helped establish a relay to the United States Coast Guard. Through this relay, the crew of MOM understood that a helicopter was being dispatched to assist. MOM circled Colin’s body, awaiting assistance from the Coast Guard. Approximately an hour later, the crew learned that the Coast Guard would not be coming, and they renewed their efforts to retrieve Colin’s body from the ocean."

The crew then tried to get Golder's body back on board the boat, which took them at least two hours. They then set sail for the vessel's home port in New Jersey.

"The crew of MOM properly executed man overboard procedures and reconnected Colin to the
boat within four to five minutes, never losing sight of Colin," the report read. "Their efforts in this regard are impressive, especially given the conditions. The crew of MOM experienced great difficulty in recovering Colin’s body. Recovering an unconscious body absent a PFD and harness, particularly given Colin’s physical stature and the conditions existing at the time of the incident, would have been extraordinarily difficult for any crew."