Barstool Sports Founder Dave Portnoy Rescued at Sea After Losing Control of His Boat

Dave Portnoy found himself stranded without a paddle—literally.

The Barstool Sports founder shared that he was recently lost at sea off the coast of Massachusetts after his new boat lost power.

"Your boys almost lost Captain Dave today," Dave said in a video posted to X, formerly Twitter, July 15, adding that he "almost was lost to the ocean, mother ocean."

As the 47-year-old explained, he was planning on showing the new boat to his mother, but had unhooked it from the buoys "before he turned the boat on to make sure the boat wasn't dead."

"No power, no radio, no anchor—no nothing. Heavy, heavy winds," he continued. "Next thing you know, Captain Dave is lost to the sea."

Dave shared that he didn't know what to do and was mostly trying not to crash. He attempted to set off a distress flare, but unfortunately that signal went unanswered. But luckily for him, someone finally appeared who could lend him a helping hand.

"Some girl in what, I don't know, looks like a rowboat comes by Captain Dave," the 47-year-old explained. "I'm screaming, 'Help! Captain Dave needs help!'"

She was able to call the U.S. Coast Guard with her radio, who quickly showed up to save the podcast host.

"Captain Dave lives to tell another tale," he said. "Third time as a captain, already lost at sea. It's a dangerous game, the sea is angry my friends."

Unfortunately, the incident may have turned him off stepping on board for good, saying, "Captain Dave may never go on the boat again."

After the fact, Dave reflected on the stress of the ordeal.

"I don't want to say I stayed calm," he told NBC10 Boston July 16. "The ocean doesn't care how much money you have. It'll drown you quick, it'll humble you quick, so I was very nervous. I didn't know what was going to happen."

And he is incredibly grateful to the woman who called the Coast Guard on his behalf, calling her his "unknown hero for the night."

"I owe her my life," Dave added. "Without her I could still be halfway to St. Barts, who knows?"