Tag Archives: F/V Western Breeze
F/V Western Breeze has been raised
A Newport fishing vessel featured on a spinoff of the documentary series “Deadliest Catch” is back on top of the water, and presumably bound for dry dock, after sinking at the Port Dock 5 fuel dock on Thursday. The Western Breeze is owned by Gary Ripka, who also operates the similarly painted, smaller F/V Redeemer, and in 2016 was featured on the Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch: Dungeon Cove,” a Newport-based spinoff of the Emmy-winning series. Ripka purchased the Western Breeze, previously named Miss Melanie, as a bank repossession and rebuilt it, according to a testimonial on the Oregon Coast Bank website. Photos, >click to read< 07:27
Power to Port Dock 5 has been restored. F/V Western Breeze still on the bottom
12:03pm: Report of someone falling into the Yaquina River at Port Dock 5 in downtown Newport. Fire-Rescue and the Coast Guard are racing to the scene. 12:09pm: Unconfirmed report that a fishing boat leaned over in one direction, tossing occupant(s) into the river. The boat now has no one aboard. Reports from the scene say the boat is the Western Breeze. Photos, >click to read< 12:50
‘Deadliest Catch: Dungeon Cove’ fisherman sued for alleged negligence
A former seaman has sued a Newport fisherman who starred in Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch: Dungeon Cove” show, alleging that the man was negligent and caused severe injury. Gary Ripka, nicknamed “The Ripper,” owns two boats, and has been fishing Dungeness crab for 37 years, he said. He appeared in the first episode of “Deadliest Catch: Dungeon Cove” in September 2016. Nolan Dean, 25, filed a suit in federal court against Ripka on Dec. 6. Dean claims his arm was broken because Ripka was negligent and his ship wasn’t seaworthy. click here to read the story 22:31
