Soon after, the "Speedwell" crew reported that their ship was taking on water, so both were diverted to Dartmouth, Devon. The crew inspected "Speedwell" for leaks and sealed them, but their second attempt to depart got them only as far as Plymouth, Devon. The crew decided that "Speedwell" was untrustworthy, and her owners sold her; the ship's master and some of the crew transferred to the "Mayflower" for the trip. William Bradford observed that the "Speedwell" seemed "overmasted", thus putting a strain on the hull; and he attributed her leaking to crew members who had deliberately caused it, allowing them to abandon their year-long commitments. Passenger Robert Cushman wrote that the leaking was caused by a loose board.