Sailor seeking to reach Bermuda rescued off Cape

He had begun his solo journey from Nova Scotia

Coast Guard Petty Officers Chris Engstrom (left) and Dominic Heggarty put a blanket around Jean Raymon Collin after he was rescued yesterday from his disabled vessel off Cape Cod. (COAST GUARD)

A Canadian man attempting to sail alone from Nova Scotia to Bermuda was rescued by the US Coast Guard 350 miles off Cape Cod at about 7 a.m. yesterday.

Jean Raymon Collin was navigating his 29-foot vessel, the Grail Pilgrin, from Halifax southward when the boat became disabled on Thursday, Coast Guard officials said yesterday.

Collin called the Halifax Joint Rescue Coordination Center on Thursday evening and reported that his engine had failed and that he was operating on battery power, said Ray McFadgen of the Canadian Coast Guard.

"Due to fatigue and seasickness, he didn't feel he could handle it by himself any longer," McFadgen said.

Collin was too far out to sea to be rescued by helicopter, officials said, so they sent a large cutter with a smaller rescue craft on board.

The Coast Guard cutter Tahoma, based in Kittery, Maine, made radio and visual contact with the Grail Pilgrin on Friday morning

Several attempts to rescue Collin Friday were unsuccessful, said Petty Officer Third Class Connie Terrell.

Yesterday morning "the weather had subsided somewhat, and they were able to launch the small boat," Terrell said.

The smaller boat retrieved Collin from his vessel and brought him back to the 270-foot Tahoma, which was expected to arrive in Boston by 10 a.m. today.

When the rescue center determined Collin's position, officials notified the Coast Guard, which took over the rescue operation.

The Halifax center also provided translation services for Collin, who speaks primarily French.

Terrell said Collin's boat has not sunk, and the Coast Guard placed a locator on board so that the Grail Pilgrin can be tracked.

Terrell said she did not know if Collin would attempt to recover his boat.

"He's really relieved to be off the vessel and on his way back to land in time to see his family for the holidays," Terrell said.