The Wellfleet Naviator has sunk at the Wellfleet Pier. The most likely cause was hull damage from the ice that was packed into the harbor. In the late 2015 the Naviator was broken up at the Wellfleet Transfer Station. RIP
The Naviator was re-floated by using a crane to pull its stern out of the water allowing pumps to pump her out.
Naviator refloated, Wellfleet Harbor, Cape Cod, Ma
This has to hurt the old girl …to be underwater for a few hours. How old is the Naviator? What is its history? Chartering, fishing and shellfishing has to be a tough business these days. Fishing has been tough in Wellfleet Harbor lately but lower gas prices could help in 2015 if Merrill can bring her back to seaworthy. Good luck old girl!
She’s been in Wellfleet Harbor for five decades, we’re not sure when she was actually originally built.
I believe my grandfather may have owned that boat for a period of time, Lloyd Taylor. Very sad! Hope she makes it to see another day at sea.
Breaks my heart. I have wonderful memories of fishing on that boat with my daughters when they were kids.
What happened to the Naviator. Now missing from it past location at Wellfleet harbor.
Many memories with Captain Jack years ago.
It was broken up early this spring at the transfer station.
Went fishing on the Naviator with my dad back in the ’70’s several times. Can’t recall the name of the captain at that time but ge was a great guy, Portuguese fisherman I think, with a lot of experience and very entertaining. A shame if this vessel is no more.
As Kids in the 70’s our family went on many fishing trips when Captain Jack was there….He knew us Lynch Kids and looked forward to seeing us every year
Every year we would go out on the Navigator. My Dad was close friends with Caot. Jack. My sister Lori worked for Caot Jack in the early 80’s
I’m saddened to see this.
And greatfull for the memories.
DiTomaso Family
We’re is capt jack does he still have a boat my kids went out for year’s
Are you doing anything with a new boat kids went out on your boat for years
I grew up around Captain Jack Papetsas in the 1960s. Our family had a cottage where we would vacation out on Indian Neck. I would go out fishing and crewing as often as possible on the Naviator. My wife and I honeymooned on the Naviator in 1976. That vessel was a proud and hard working just like Uncle Jack.
I last saw Uncle Jack in 2005 when I was on leave from duty in Iraq. When I was finally back and free to travel I went to see him at Sal’s Restaurant. I had some good friends with me and we were going to enjoy a nice dinner and they could meet the legend of Wellfleet. As we approached the front of the building I sensed that something was very wrong. When I walked through the front door Lora gave me the news that Jack had passed away a short while ago. Needless to say, I was devastated. We did have dinner but, I don’t remember it.
Now, the Naviator is history! From what I can tell, the “bubblers” that prevented ice and jams from forming around larger boats in the harbor were not deployed. If so, then the harbor master was not doing his job. I hope that is not the case and that it was just a bad stroke of luck and bad weather, not human error. I believe it would have been wiser to put the old gal up on the hard for the winter. Oh well. Hind sight is 20/20 and foresight is always blind.
I’m going to miss that old vessel almost as much as I miss Jack.