WINTHROP, MASS. (WHDH) - Five small boats capsized, some sailboats were swamped with water, and many others were damaged after a severe thunderstorm smacked the Winthrop area on Wednesday afternoon.
The boats capsized at Cottage Park Yacht Club on Orlando Avenue, the National Weather Service reported. A pair of 19-foot sailboats were inundated with water, while six other sustained sail damage.
345 PM: Winthrop, MA: Cottage Park Yacht Club – Orlando Avenue – 5 capsized small sailboats, 2 19 foot sailboats swamped with water and 6 sailboats with sail damage per N1PSI-Dave who has had one of his boats damaged. Pics to follow in next 1-2 hours #mawx
— NWS Boston/Norton Skywarn (@WX1BOX) July 31, 2019
About 60 teenagers participating in a youth regatta were evacuated from the water about 10 minutes before the storm hit.
Wind gusts of up to 75 mph were reported nearby at Logan Airport after officials confirmed a microburst had halted flights.
Almost all of the state is under a severe thunderstorm watch until 9 p.m.
Storm damage in #Winthrop where boats are full of water, some capsized and other sails were torn apart #7news pic.twitter.com/q4b9SKWjmd
— Kimberly Bookman (@KimberlyBookman) July 31, 2019
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)