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With high winds and rough surf, several vessels have run aground in west Maui in the past couple of days, state boating officials said today.
Northwest swells and increasing winds have raised combined seas above the 10-foot advisory threshold for Maui, according to the National Weather Service.
Southwest winds were blowing at about 17 to 34 mph.
Officials received a report Monday that the 29-foot sailboat Little Lady was stuck on the reef off Olowalu.
A number of problems was reported today. A smaller sailboat was aground on the reef off Lahaina Harbor, and a 50-foot trawler named “Pacific Maid” broke its mooring and eventually ended up on the shore at Canoe Beach near Wahikuli, the state Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation said.
Nicholas Giaconi, the division’s Maui district manager, said a fire in the trawler was contained to the engine compartment.
He said no one was on board the trawler and the vessel was still intact.
Giaconi said the 62-foot catamaran Aikane V lost power while being moved to Mala Wharf and has drifted onto a nearby beach.
He said the 30-foot fishing boat Molokai Boy II broke its mooring and ran aground on the reef at the north end of Front Street near Canoe’s Restaurant.
“Hopefully, this is all that’s going ashore,” he said.
Giaconi said he anticipates once the winds and rough surf subsides, attempts will be made to the vessels off the beach and reefs.
The Coast Guard said there was no pollution occurring as a result of the groundings.
