Loss of 'Moonduster'

[S/V_Surya]

I am surprised no one has posted this link to the loss of the boat.
Latitude 38 Features: The Loss of Moonduster

Interesting read.

[Solitude]

Great read! Infomative and analytical.

[Pelagic]

I know that area and anchorage well and can just imagine the dilemma the captain was faced with.

Reading his well written and experienced analysis of how he found himself shipwrecked, it is not our place to criticize his decisions, since he chose to be in the “adventure zone” and was never careless…. but just very unlucky.

The lesson’s learned about locking the anchor chain to keep it from paying out under that kind of stress is a good one to remember. (I have a “cat’s claw” specific for that purpose)

His Conclusions and self re-evaluation shows a master mariner who is very much in his element and I hope he will be able to return one day

[Ram]

yes a very good read! Sorry for the loss

[sailorboy1]

What a read! Sad to think that they basically were on the boat "knowing" what was coming.

[Gene :^)]

Could someone post a waypoint where Moonduster was anchored? I see Waya island and the southern Yalobi bay, but where is Likuliku bay that he anchored in? Google doesn't seem to find it.

[Meridian]

West side. Google "Octopus Resort"
John

[IslandHopper]

A lot more info here Moonduster lost - Sailing Anarchy Forums with Wayne (Moonduster) taking part in the thread discussion...

Sad to see stuff like this but thankfully Wayne and his GF are ok...

[Gene :^)]

Google maps show Octopus resort in the center of Waya island, so that doesn't help.

From the story, he was blown onto shore. Sounds like he was anchored on the north east side of the island and was exposed to the NE wind which blew him into a lee shore.

I want to make sure I am reading it correctly.

Knowing the first snubber broke from the load and not chafe, knowing the wind was getting worse, knowing the anchor winch had no strain relief other than the snubber... I would have put on several snubbers, as large of line as I had.

The anchor held and the chain rode held, but it wasn't fastened well enough to the boat.

I am not trying to be mean, I am trying to learn from the situation.

[Highlander40]

Very sad and I have never been in such difficult weather but the snubber described seems way too stiff.
I don't use a snubber that stiff in summer in New England.

This is so sad but so many cruisers keep doing the same thing that will fail again and again.

The energy generated by a storm is huge and controlling the boats motion and shock loads on the rode is a big job. 20 feet of nylon is not even close.

[btrayfors]

Very interesting reading, and very illuminating. Wayne and his friend are very very lucky to have escaped unharmed. So sad though to have lost such a beautiful vessel.

Lots of post hoc analysis by readers and by Wayne himself re:

1. his decision to anchor where he did (bay which was open to the west);
2. his choice of a single anchor;
3. why the nylon snubbers failed;
4. failure to secure the bitter end of the chain;
5. appropriateness of his ground tackle;
6. anchoring techniques; and
7. his strategy to move when the wind swung 'round.

One thing not mentioned, however, is the use (or non-use in this case) of the simple but much neglected chain stop. I've been meaning to fit one to my own boat for years, and just haven't got round to it yet. But, I certainly will this year.

While a chain stop may not have saved his boat when the hurricane-force winds came round to the west, at least it would have bought some more time and he wouldn't have lost his chain the way he did.

Here's a good view and writeup on chain stops: Chain stops (Rocna Knowledge Base)

Bill

[Gene :^)]

His chain was connected to more nylon rode and the rode bunched up and got stuck in the hawse pipe which effectively worked like having the bitter end connected. However, the nylon rode parted just like the nylon snubbers did.

Seems the answer would have been chain locks to buy time between each breaking snubber to put on a new one. And also larger or several snubbers to share the load.

I am also wondering if it would be better to have chain hooks on each end of the snubber and have it in the water as opposed to one end on the boat? This way there is no chafe at the bow roller and the nylon is in the water for cooling action.

[BubbleHeadMd]

You guys can Monday morning quarterback all you want. The story was riveting. I'm glad he's ok and hope he finds another vessel.

[Highlander40]

After reading the story, some tech talk about snubbers seems apropriate.

The perfect snubber would be very stiff on deck and through any chafe points. The middle part of the snubber would be very flexible and shock absorbing while not melting or parting.

Nylon stretches 30 or 40% before failing? (from a prior post) The Idea of increasing line diameter only makes the snubber less effective, transfering higher shock loads to the rode. Smaller diameters just fail.

How about 300% stretch with the ability to do it all over and over untill the storm is past? The answer is polyurethane elastic mooring pendants that have weathered big storms. When big gusts hit the boat sits back softly. When the bow veers of the wind the change of direction is slow and smooth. I have seen video of this in high winds and have been using one for several years.
These things are used to secure moorings with little scope and high surviveability in storms. To date the cost has limited widespread acceptance. Just like air bags in cars.

These things are not toys like the rubber things that you wrap a line around. When I brought mine to a class, somebody said "is that for a tug boat?"

The total lack of information about this technology in the cruising world just blows me away.

After reading the story, I am considering doubling the length of my snubber.

We use a chain lock on deck but with out an effective shock absorber, something will fail.
Our boat does work well with a 4 foot diameter drogue fixed to the aft end on short tether and I am curious about the Idea of hooking one to the anchor rode too.

[NoTies]

Octopus is in the last bay on the NW side. The winds came in from the south in this cyclone and AFAIK stayed in that quadrant for the duration. (we were 30nM down stream in the same path and that's what happened for us) I don't understand why he didn't go onto port tack and get the hell out of there. OK, some reefs with "position approximate" to leeward but widely spaced, easily navigable and would have led out of the cyclone path and into deep water. Does nobody nowadays know how to get into the safe semi circle? Wayne probably never bothered learning as he has been heard to say he doesn't let the weather influence his sailing. A good sailor but should have stuck to round the cans.