# The superyacht Ecstasea crashing into a bridge in St Maarten **URL:** \ **Category:** Marine Incidents\ **Created:** [December 16, 2019, 10:48pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591 "2019-12-16T22:48:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dutchie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/dutchie/32/170_2.png) [@Dutchie](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Dutchie)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2019, 10:48pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/1 "2019-12-16T22:48:31Z")
The bridge’s control room is efficiently destroyed. The two cool people up front donot bother to stand up but remain seated to watch the show from close by. Azipod ran rampant? ---
**Author:** ![portofdc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@portofdc](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/portofdc)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2019, 11:48pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/2 "2019-12-16T23:48:18Z")
I’ve been through that bridge many times. It gets quite windy sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Phoenix](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/capt_phoenix/32/281_2.png) [@Capt\_Phoenix](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capt_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2019, 12:54am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/3 "2019-12-17T00:54:46Z")
I can hear c.captain’s screeching about “effing yachties” in Puget Sound all the way from Mexico… ---
**Author:** ![Lee\_Shore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Lee\_Shore](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Lee_Shore)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2019, 12:54am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/4 "2019-12-17T00:54:52Z")
All the more reason to pull that sally port closed. ---
**Author:** ![dbeierl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/dbeierl/32/11833_2.png) [@dbeierl](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/dbeierl)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2019, 1:07am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/5 "2019-12-17T01:07:50Z")
Slightly different viewpoint, runs longer: [https://youtu.be/qFJzYuqWtwI](https://youtu.be/qFJzYuqWtwI) ---
**Author:** ![portofdc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@portofdc](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/portofdc)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2019, 1:19am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/6 "2019-12-17T01:19:47Z")
![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/gcaptain_maritime_forum/original/2X/b/bc2f3d623d1dc6d5bffaada7fae6c4ad928bd72e.jpeg) [https://i-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/i/s/i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/scaled/2015/02/26/261AE15100000578-0-image-a-2\_1424931991143.jpg](https://i-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/i/s/i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/scaled/2015/02/26/261AE15100000578-0-image-a-2_1424931991143.jpg) This is a photo of Steve Jobs’ super-yacht going through the draw-bridge some time ago. Note there isn’t a lot of room to spare. Edit: The bridge should have 56’ horizontal clearance and Ecstasea is only 38’ (about the same as Jobs’ in the photo) according to what I found, so there would have been some clearance. ---
**Author:** ![Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Binbag_the_Saylore)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2019, 4:04am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/7 "2019-12-17T04:04:16Z")
It’s tight, and the channel approaching from W (to enter the lagoon) is slightly off line from the bridge. Need a wee kick stern to stbd for final line up, but not so much that you put your stbd running gear on the rocks as your come over. 12-13m beam is the biggest I’ve taken through (17m gap). Seen a few of the yacht club views - here’s another taken from the road bridge of the approach. Watch the deckie duck in from the fwd mooring platform! [edited: [https://www.facebook.com/1176651945/posts/10220323264129849/](https://www.facebook.com/1176651945/posts/10220323264129849/) ] ---
**Author:** ![dbeierl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/dbeierl/32/11833_2.png) [@dbeierl](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/dbeierl)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2019, 11:40am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/8 "2019-12-17T11:40:10Z")
We only got a screenshot instead of a link to a clip… ---
**Author:** ![Dutchie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/dutchie/32/170_2.png) [@Dutchie](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Dutchie)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2019, 1:26pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/9 "2019-12-17T13:26:46Z")
This gives a better overview of the situation, Apart from touching the dolphin at the port side they manage to squeeze through. There is more funny stuff to see at Sint Maarten! I suppose that in any other country they would declare that part of the beach as an off limits area… ---
**Author:** ![Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Binbag_the_Saylore)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2019, 2:02pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/10 "2019-12-17T14:02:46Z")
That’s odd, works here! Try this (uncompressed) url… Unless there’s a blocker of some sort. ---
**Author:** ![Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Binbag_the_Saylore)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2019, 2:10pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/11 "2019-12-17T14:10:10Z")
In the Utopia vid (albeit exiting lagoon, not entering) you can clearly see the offset of the channel to/from the bay. Utopia was dealing with a NE’ly breeze too! ---
**Author:** ![Dutchie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/dutchie/32/170_2.png) [@Dutchie](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Dutchie)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2019, 3:02pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/12 "2019-12-17T15:02:42Z")
It would have been helpful to use the port bowthruster. Maybe they did but it is hard to see. ---
**Author:** ![Dutchie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/dutchie/32/170_2.png) [@Dutchie](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Dutchie)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2019, 3:13pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/13 "2019-12-17T15:13:12Z")
Watch in the first few seconds that guy stepping out of the control room just in time to safety! Why did they leave that forward hatch door in that lowered position? They really messed it up pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Binbag_the_Saylore)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2019, 4:12pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/14 "2019-12-17T16:12:35Z")
![20191217_111006](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/gcaptain_maritime_forum/original/2X/9/978402cb3f9e51eefa4c8f2db012759947c00604.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![cerealspiller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ec8ea/32.png) [@cerealspiller](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/cerealspiller)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 11:35am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/15 "2019-12-19T11:35:04Z")
I hear Chuck Norris is the current owner. ---
**Author:** ![seasmaster](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/seasmaster/32/3160_2.png) [@seasmaster](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/seasmaster)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 6:57pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/16 "2019-12-19T18:57:49Z")
Those two Women: Nerves of steel, or deliciously intoxicated!!! ---
**Author:** ![Steamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Steamer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Steamer)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 7:44pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/17 "2019-12-19T19:44:57Z")
> [@seasmaster](#): > > Nerves of steel, or deliciously intoxicated!!! Neither, they just knew there was no way in the world that boat or any part of it could come anywhere near them. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/quimby/32/3448_2.png) [@Quimby](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 8:21pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/18 "2019-12-19T20:21:16Z")
> [@Dutchie](#): > > Azipod ran rampant? Spec sheet says it has conventional drives plus water jet for the gas turbines (I’m assuming). Says no thrusters either. Must not be complete if the picture shows thruster wash. Unless that is just the wake off the bow and it has no thrusters. That would seem unusual for a 282’ boat. Cut through bridge is 17m wide. Beam is 11.5m so that leaves about 9’ on either side for clearance. > **[Ecstasea Superyacht | Specifications | Luxury Motor Yacht](https://www.superyachts.com/fleet/ecstasea-2619/specs/)** > > Click to view the full table of specifications for Ecstasea superyacht, including accommodation, performance, equipment and amenities. ---
**Author:** ![Kennebec\_Captain](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/kennebec_captain/32/13_2.png) [@Kennebec\_Captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Kennebec_Captain)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 8:29pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/19 "2019-12-19T20:29:01Z")
Looks like a thruster working in the video. The way the thruster wash is trailing aft suggests they were going too fast for it to be effective. ---
**Author:** ![Steamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Steamer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Steamer)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 8:42pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591/20 "2019-12-19T20:42:44Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Cut through bridge is 17m wide. Beam is 11.5m so that leaves about 9’ on either side for clearance. It would if the boat were in the center of the cut, the video clearly shows the bow was far to the right side of centerline - so far that that it hit the bridge within a few feet of the bow. That passage was a lost cause long before the allision. [Next page](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-superyacht-ecstasea-crashing-into-a-bridge-in-st-maarten/53591.md?page=2)