Dave portnoy gets sea tow from u. S. Coast guard after tiny ship was tossed

NANTUCKET, MA— It was a three hour tour that ended with Dave Portnoy stranded just feet from the shoreline in Nantucket harbor.

Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, found himself in a precarious situation off the coast of Nantucket on Monday when his 28-foot pleasure craft lost power and began drifting. Portnoy, who humorously referred to himself as Captain Dave during the ordeal, shared the incident with his followers via a social media video.

Portnoy explained that the outing was intended to show his mother his boat. However, upon reaching the vessel moored in Nantucket Harbor, he discovered it was completely without power, leaving him unable to use the engine, radio, or anchor. As he drifted, he attempted to send distress signals using a flare gun.

“Sector Southeastern New England received a report from U.S Coast Guard Station Brant Point of an approximately 28 ft pleasure craft belonging to Dave Portnoy that broke free of its mooring in Nantucket Harbor and was drifting through the area. Station Brant Point diverted from training and towed the vessel to its mooring,” a U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson said in a statement. “We are glad that he used distressed signals and applaud the Good Samaritan for having a VHF radio ready to hail the Coast Guard.”

The situation took a positive turn when a young woman in a rowboat-like craft noticed Portnoy and contacted the Coast Guard on his behalf. The Coast Guard Station Brant Point, initially engaged in training exercises, responded to the call. Four members of the Coast Guard crew secured and towed Portnoy’s boat back to its mooring.

Portnoy expressed his gratitude on social media platform X, thanking the Coast Guard for their timely intervention and joking about reconsidering future boating ventures. The Coast Guard also issued a statement, praising the Good Samaritan’s use of a VHF radio to call for help and reminding the public about the importance of carrying various forms of communication, like a personal locator beacon or VHF radio, to ensure safety at sea.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.