© 2026 ABC News

As they neared the vessel, they realized that it was \"too odd shaped and too big\" to be a jet ski, Cook told WTVG. They then saw the man straddling the hull of the boat, Langermeiser said, describing the man's eyes as \"big as saucers\" as they approached.

The man was suffering from mild hypothermia but was in otherwise good spirits, Langermeiser said. Customers aboard the boat donated their extra layers of clothing so the man could change out of his wet clothes.

\"He was capsized, had no radio, lost his cellphone, and it happened so fast that he'd lost his life jacket,\" Langermeiser said.

\"PHOTO:
Port Clinton Fishermans Wharf
PHOTO: Boaters from the Port Clinton Fisherman's Wharf in Ohio found a man who had been clinging to his capsized sailboat for 12 hours on Monday, Aug. 19.
>

Another vessel had passed him earlier that morning but hadn't noticed him, according to the local station.

The man was about 4 miles offshore when he boarded the Waterfox, WTVG reported. He then boarded a boat from the U.S. Coast Guard at Marblehead, Ohio, and was brought for treatment at a local hospital.

\"The individual was very lucky that he was able to make it through the night,\" U.S. Coast Guard at Marblehead Chief Petty Officer Dave Turner told WTVG.

\"PHOTO:
Port Clinton Fishermans Wharf
PHOTO: Boaters from the Port Clinton Fisherman's Wharf in Ohio found a man who had been clinging to his capsized sailboat for 12 hours on Monday, Aug. 19.
>

Coast Guard officials reminded boaters to check the weather before going out and to always wear a life jacket.

\"If your boat capsizes, try to climb on top of the hull or stay with the debris; which aids us in detecting you in the water,\" a the Coast Guard wrote in a Facebook post.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/US/man-clinging-capsized-sailboat-12-hours-rescued-boaters/story?id=65074564","legacySlug":"/news/story/man-clinging-capsized-sailboat-12-hours-rescued-boaters-65074564","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"16:31","publishDate":"08-20-2019","updatedTime":"18:17","updatedDate":"08-20-2019","socialImage":{"alt":"Boaters from the Port Clinton Fisherman's Wharf in Ohio found a man who had been clinging to his capsized sailboat for 12 hours on Monday, Aug. 19.","credit":"Port Clinton Fisherman's Wharf","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/US/boat-1-ht-er-190820_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"8/20/2019 16:31:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":65074564,"headline":"Man clung to capsized sailboat for 12 hours","mediaAssetTitle":"LAKE ERIE CAPSIZE_jacobo_200819","description":"Strong winds sent the man into the water the night before.","duration":"1:39","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2019/08/190820_wtvg_sailorMIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["132306053","132266872","132055565"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"April 23, 2026","headline":"Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","section":"News","slug":"/video/132306053","id":"132306053","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 22, 2026","headline":"Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","section":"News","slug":"/video/132266872","id":"132266872","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 15, 2026","headline":"American influencer found dead in Tanzania","section":"News","slug":"/video/132055565","id":"132055565","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Man clung to capsized sailboat for 12 hours","description":"Strong winds sent the man into the water the night before.","duration":"1:39","uploadDate":"08-20-2019","publication":"08-20-2019","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2019/08/190820_wtvg_sailorMIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2019/08/190820_wtvg_sailorMIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/man-clinging-capsized-sailboat-12-hours-rescued-boaters-65074564"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132281378","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132283010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132273278","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132231169","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132206748","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132200241","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131432442","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131121474","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131247079","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131228784","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131178806","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"Man clung to capsized sailboat for 12 hours","pubTime":"12:31","pubDate":"08-20-2019","modTime":"14:17","modDate":"08-20-2019","taxonomyTags":"none","id":65074564,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Man clung to capsized sailboat for 12 hours","mediaAssetTitle":"LAKE ERIE CAPSIZE_jacobo_200819","videoId":65074564,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/man-clinging-capsized-sailboat-12-hours-rescued-boaters-65074564"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/65074564","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/65074564","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};