Kai Sato improvised repairs and collected small amounts of drinking water before a container ship’s crew spotted his disabled sailboat.
HONOLULU — A California sailor who spent weeks adrift in the Pacific Ocean after his sailboat lost its mast was rescued by a container ship about 900 miles from Hawaii, according to the mariners who brought him aboard.
Kai Sato, 39, was traveling alone from Southern California to Hawaii when his 32-foot sailboat became disabled. Watchstanders aboard the M/V George III spotted the small vessel in distress July 21, prompting the ship’s crew to change course and organize a rescue. Sato climbed aboard after crew members pulled his sailboat close to a pilot ladder.
The rescue ended a voyage that began June 7 and became a long fight against isolation, limited supplies and equipment failures. Sato told Hawaii News Now that he left from the Catalina Islands to attempt his first solo Pacific crossing. The Seafarers International Union, which published an account from the George III’s captain, said he departed from Long Beach. The reason for the difference between those accounts was not immediately clear.
Reports also differ on when Sato’s mast broke. Sato told Hawaii News Now that it happened about two weeks after his departure. The union’s account said strong winds and rough seas snapped the mast July 20, one day before the rescue. Both accounts agree that the vessel was dismasted when the George III found it. No independent voyage log or official investigative report was publicly available to resolve the timeline.
Sato said his navigation phone stopped working and he ran out of fuel after trying to use the boat’s motor to return toward land. With the vessel drifting south and away from his intended route, he began assembling makeshift sailing equipment from PVC pipe and kayak paddles. He said the repairs helped him work his way toward the commercial shipping route between California and Hawaii.
Fresh water became another major concern. Sato told the television station that his supply ran out July 11. He said he filled buckets with seawater and covered them with plastic bags to capture small amounts of condensation. He survived mainly on oatmeal and also ate fish and squid that landed on the boat, according to his account. The union reported that he collected some rainwater and at times prepared food using seawater.
Sato also described a severe emotional crisis during the ordeal. He said he spent days crying and at one point considered ending his life before deciding to focus on repairing the vessel. News reports quoted him describing feelings of hopelessness as the current carried him farther from his planned course. He later said meditation and memories of sailing with his late uncle helped him continue.
On July 21, third mate D’Abreu and able seaman Jaden Radcliff spotted the disabled sailboat from the George III, according to the union. Crew members prepared the ship’s engines for maneuvering and rigged a pilot ladder, life rings, messenger lines and other rescue equipment. The container ship then moved close enough for the crew to send a line across to Sato.
Sato secured the messenger line to the stern of his sailboat. Crew members pulled the smaller vessel toward the pilot ladder, allowing him to step away from the boat and climb onto the George III. The operation took about 90 minutes, according to published reports. The union identified him as Kaichi Sato, while Sato and news organizations have generally used the name Kai Sato.
After reaching the container ship, Sato received food, water, clothing and a place to recover. He later stayed with a relative in Hawaii and expressed gratitude to the George III’s crew. Sato told Hawaii News Now that he still hopes to sail to the Philippines, but plans to use a larger vessel. No serious injury or hospitalization was reported following his rescue.
Author note: Last updated July 27, 2026.