Barstool Sports’ was rescued by the United States Coast Guard in Nantucket, Massachusetts, after his boat lost power.
“Captain Dave was almost lost to the ocean, Mother Ocean,” Portnoy, 47, said in a video shared via X on Monday, July 15.
The businessman explained that he was just hoping to take his mom for a boat ride when the incident occurred. “Captain Dave unhooked himself to the buoy before he turned the boat on to make sure the boat wasn’t dead,” Portnoy continued. “Well, no power, no radio, no anchor, no nothing. Heavy heavy winds. Next thing you know Captain Dave is lost at sea.”
Portnoy said he didn’t know what he was going to do as the boat was “heading out to the channel.” He eventually used the flare gun on the boat to send a distress signal. (Portnoy noted that he’s “not really a flare gun guy, or really any type of firework guy” in the video as well.)
“Captain Dave shoots his f—king gun into the sky, distress signal. Still nothing,” he continued. Portnoy signaled toward a girl in a rowboat who eventually boarded his boat. Because her radio worked, they were able to call in the Coast Guard. (Portnoy’s clip is quite reminiscent of the viral Snapchat videos posted in 2015 after getting lost at sea on his jet ski. If you know, you know.)
“The Coast Guard comes, four burly dudes,” Portnoy recalled. “Captain Dave’s out at sea going back and forth rocking, thinks my life is over.”
We almost lost Captain Dave to mother ocean today. Thank you to the #uscoastguard for saving Captain Dave’s life. pic.twitter.com/hF5gYbmkSY
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) July 15, 2024
He added, “Thankfully, the Coast Guard, God bless their souls, tied me up. … Captain Dave lives to tell another tale. Third time as a captain, already lost at sea it’s a dangerous game. The sea’s angry, my friends.”
The video ended with Portnoy declaring he “may never go on the boat again” after that situation.
The video quickly went viral, and the official First Coast Guard District of Boston responded to Portnoy’s social media post.
“You’re welcome, Dave,” the message read, before offering a shout-out to the Barstool founder’s famous dog. “Tell Miss Peaches we said hi and remember to boat safe!”
A local Boston news outlet also reported the rescue on Monday, complete with a statement from the Coast Guard.
“We are glad that he used distressed signals and applaud the Good Samaritan for having a VHF radio ready to hail the Coast Guard,” a spokesperson said.
