SALEM, Mass. — Two New Hampshire men whose boat capsized off the Massachusetts coast prayed and sang gospel songs as they survived a 15-hour ordeal that ended with them being rescued by a passing fishing boat.

George Reynolds, of Derry, and Fred Schaeffer, of Raymond, spent Friday night sitting on a plank over two hulls of his 25-foot trimaran as waves crashed over them through the night.

Reynolds tells The Associated Press the friends sat back-to-back and prayed for strength, calm seas and calm winds as they shivered violently, cramped up and tried to stay warm.

Reynolds says a passing fishing boat spotted them about 7 a.m. Saturday and took them to shore, where they were checked over by emergency medical technicians before going home.

Overnight temperatures Friday fell into the 40s.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.