FV Nat loaded aboard “Lowboy” for final trip to Yaquina Boat Works – Toledo
FV Nat on last trip of its 41 year career – salvaging at Yaquina Boat Works, Toledo
Bob Edwards photo
The Fishing Vessel Nat, which ran aground Saturday south of Newport’s South Jetty, was hoisted up onto a lowboy flat bed Monday for a short ride to the Yaquina Boat Works in Toledo. The Nat suffered hull damage among other wave smashing trauma that made saving her financially pointless.
The Coast Guard was investigating the cause of the bad heading toward the Yaquina Bay Jaws that put the vessel and its three crewmen up on the beach at South Beach State Park. All three managed to escape the vessel relatively unscathed. An incoming high tide finished the Nat’s journey to shore leaving the craft high and dry at low tide. Heavy equipment hustled in and dragged the vessel to the head of the parking lot at the jetty weather station.
The owner of the Nat is said to have another fishing boat which will likely retrieve the crab pots that were soaking off shore.
