Two US women have described how they were “incredibly lucky” to survive a five-month ordeal drifting in the Pacific Ocean after their yacht’s engine and mast broke.

Speaking for the first time since they were rescued this week by the US Navy, the two Honolulu women spoke about how their adventure, two years in the planning, went horribly wrong almost immediately.

Within days after setting off on May 3 for Tahiti, veteran mariner Jennifer Appel and friend Natasha Fuiava, who had never sailed before, ran into trouble.

A massive storm hit the Sea Nymph with winds between 80 to 112 km per hour for three days as they were sailing through the Hawaiian Islands and by the end of the month their engine cut out after being flooded.

They had planned to take 18 days to get to Tahiti, then another six months cruising the islands of the south pacific before returning to Hawaii.

The storm had also damaged the rigging so they were unable to use sails to make any headway.

Losing the mobile phone and a failure for any vessel nearby to pick up their distress signals sent every day for 98 days straight meant they drifted on the ocean currents hoping to be spotted.

As they drifted thousands of kilometres in what turned out to be a five-month ordeal out in the middle of Pacific, the water purifier conked out and sharks started bumping the boat menacingly.

“We were just incredibly lucky that our hull was strong enough to withstand the onslaught … There is a true humility to wondering if today is your last day, if tonight is your last night,” Ms Appel said.

The two sailors, accompanied by their dogs, were resourceful and well-prepared with more than a year’s worth of food, and on Wednesday were finally rescued by the US Navy about 1450km off Japan.

American mariner Jennifer Appel is welcomed aboard the USS Ashland. Photo: AAP

The USS Ashland picked up Jennifer Appel and Tasha Fuiava after a Taiwanese fishing vessel spotted their crippled vessel on Tuesday.

“I had tears in my eyes,” Ms Appel said after being rescued.

“It was the most amazing feeling because we honestly did not believe that we would survive another 24 hours in the current situation. We had no idea what to expect, but when we saw that big grey ship coming it was just, relief.”

Ms Appel said advice from experienced sailors to pack enough food and to prepare well for their trip ultimately saved their lives as they shared rations between them and their two dogs, enough to last for only another 24 hours before being rescued.

Ms Appel and Ms Fuiava said sharks menaced them on two separate occasions.

A group of five tiger sharks up to nine metres long decided to use the sailboat to teach two younger sharks how to hunt, attacking the vessel at night.

Ms Appel’s mother told The Associated Press she never gave up hope her daughter would be found.

They said they have no fear of getting back in the water for some more sailing.

“Well, you got to die sometime,” Appel said. “You may as well be doing something you enjoy when you’re doing it, right?”

—with AP