Catamaran Captain Rescued Six Miles Off Cape May

A catamaran adrift in churning seas off Cape May Inlet is rounded up with no injuries or incidents, and the captain's being credtied for prelaunch prep and quick thinking.

Coast Guard officials say the man at the helm of the 44-foot Empire State issued a mayday call in Tuesday's foul weather after losing his ability to steer about six miles offshore.

Watchstanders dispatched a 45-foot response craft. A crew member and the captain guided the craft thorugh six-to-eight-foot waves, Guard officals said.

"The boater made this case smooth," sid Petty Officer Second Class James Pappas in a released statement. "He had a VHF-FM radio aboard." The unit was the communication link that quickened response, Pappas continued.

The Coast Guard maintains a Boating Safety Resource Center with a compendium of tips for seagoers of all skill levels.