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44'cruisingcat · 20-04-2007, 02:57

Saw some video of the boat. The headsail was shredded, the dinghy was still on the targa, and what was weird to me was that there were fenders hanging on the side of the boat. (one on stbd side, but 2 or 3 on the port side) Maybe they had another boat alongside at some point? It's certainly very strange.

**FrankZ** · 20-04-2007, 04:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by delmarrey

This is the third time this has been posted today..........

Should we merge them all together????????????

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...lead-8049.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...este-8046.html

Yes. (Oh, was this not some poll to vote on? Drat.)

hammerfelt · 20-04-2007, 07:26

Hi everyone -- is this someone we know?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/australia/...061935,00.html

maxingout · 20-04-2007, 07:46

The plot thickens. Engine running. Shredded headsail, fenders out. Looks like its time for some forensics. I hope coastal radar and coast watch airplanes have pictures of all the vessels in the area for the last week.

Australia has an impressive coast watch system, and if these experienced sailors were checking in with volunteer coastguard as they headed up the coast, there's a good chance they will be able to figure out approximately where the problem happened. I hope so.

S/V Elusive · 20-04-2007, 09:09

Yes ... One location -

ssullivan · 20-04-2007, 10:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Saw some video of the boat. The headsail was shredded, the dinghy was still on the targa, and what was weird to me was that there were fenders hanging on the side of the boat. (one on stbd side, but 2 or 3 on the port side) Maybe they had another boat alongside at some point? It's certainly very strange.

This bit of data (fenders out) makes it very interesting. My vote is insurance fraud. 3 guys go for a cruise, another boat ties up and plucks them off, then they point the boat toward say... Fiji and ride safely home.

Sinking might have been better, but seems a lot like a deliberate action when there are fenders tied up.

Well, either that or a boarding.

SkiprJohn · 20-04-2007, 11:20

I think the fenders were on deck. A small bit of a squall came through and knocked the fenders over the side. The crew was trying to get the jenny down and no one was wearing a harness. One guy went over and the other two tried to save him. They went over too.
"That's my story and I'm sticking to it."
JohnL

rebel heart · 20-04-2007, 16:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

I think the fenders were on deck. A small bit of a squall came through and knocked the fenders over the side. The crew was trying to get the jenny down and no one was wearing a harness. One guy went over and the other two tried to save him. They went over too.
"That's my story and I'm sticking to it."
JohnL

That sounds about right. If they didn't stow the fenders properly they definatly could get knocked loose, especially with that thing flailing around with a genoa up and no crew.

That's horrible that they had to go that way.

slomotion · 20-04-2007, 16:50

"The crew was trying to get the jenny down and no one was wearing a harness."

Yeah, that was my first thought too. Accidental jibe while trying to manhandle a torn foresail - or whatever. But, this is a roller furling sail, and it's still winched down. Even if the winch jammed (assuming it's in or near the cockpit) unless you cut the line, why go forward and what would you do there? I think it's still very much a mystery.

schoonerdog · 20-04-2007, 16:59

STOP THE PRESSES - I know what happened!

Nice evening, some drinks on deck, they all went to take a leak off the side before a nice dinner, got hit by a random wave, and bye-bye.

NICE BOAT! hmmmm, so is it up for grabs now?

**sneuman** · 20-04-2007, 18:44

My $0.02:

The table set and cabin (apparently) in order seems to discount a sudden squall that would have had the power to shred the foresail and/or pitch all three over the side.

Fenders out could have just been a lazy oversight. I am thinking an earlier suggestion about swimming still could be plausible if this was an incredibly stupid bunch of people. Maybe we give them too much credit.

As for the genoa, if it was old, it could easily have been battered to pieces by repeated flapping in the days(?) after the crew was lost.

Either that, or insurance fraud.

**sneuman** · 20-04-2007, 19:03

latest from Brisbane (AP):

...
¶ "We do believe they had a mishap on Sunday and the crew ended up in the water," police superintendent Roy Wall told The Australian newspaper for its Saturday edition. "No one has been steering since Sunday."
¶ Marine authorities towed the Kaz II back to shore overnight, and forensic inspectors began examining the vessel's global positioning system and laptops early Saturday.
¶ Media reports said the missing men are skipper Derek Batten, 56, and two of his neighbors _ brothers named Peter and James Tunstead, ages 69 and 63, from Western Australia state's capital, Perth. Police would not confirm their identities.
¶ The daughter of James Tunstead said her family was hoping the three were in a dinghy and that the catamaran had drifted away because they forgot to anchor it.
¶ "That's what we are hoping, that they forgot to anchor it (the catamaran) and it's drifted off _ the three idiots _ and (they have) not been able to get back to it," Keryn Grey told the Seven Network television Friday.
¶ But emergency officials said a dinghy was found on board the catamaran, along with its emergency beacon and three life jackets.
¶ The men had set out from Airlie Beach on Sunday, and were planning to sail around northern Australia to Western Australia state.
¶ Grey said the trip was supposed to take the trio six to eight weeks.
¶ "They were just going to stop every night, anchor close to shore all the way back around the top and down the coast," she said. "It was going to be their trip of a lifetime."
¶ The men are reportedly keen fishermen.