Ken Barnes ("Privateer") Dismasted at Horn

Without people like him, we would still be eating raw meat, using sticks and rocks to protect ourselves, and living in caves." I find this statement a bit of a stretch. Sailors have gone around the Horn for years. Barnes' attempt will add nothing. There is nothing to be learned from Barnes' trip that wasn't known before he set out.

First, he was setting out to do something that no one has done yet. He was attempting the first solo non stop from the west coast of the US.
Clearly, whatever he did to secure the batteries, didn't work. But, what would? I can't tell you how many times I have designed and installed a system, believing it would work, only to find out that it didn't perform the way I intended. Not for lack of forethought, but for lack of the ability to test in real world conditions. I suppose Ken should have had his boat cradles in a giant pant shaker, and spun around a few times before he took off. That would have ensured he had it set up for the worst conditions? I do not feel he put anymore risk on his rescuers than any of the rest of us. He prepared based on the available information. He set out with a solid plan. Things went wrong. It sounds like, by your comments, you are saying leave it to the pros. I respectfully disagree. We all set off for a first time on some journey, without the tried and true experience of a professional. That is how we become skilled pros.
Your post really seems to say, we should not let recreational boaters sail around Cape Horn, as it has already been done. By that same logic, no one should climb K-2, or Everest. No one should take any trecks to the Poles. In fact, since so many have cruised the ocean's waters, we should all just stay home. There is nothing new to prove.
OK, I know that is not what you are saying, but that is the direction your logic takes us. It is a dangerous precident to start armchair quaterbacking. My thoughts are based on a partial read of Ken's website, and his description of how he prepared. They are also based on the Coast Guard's statement that he was well prepared. With those qualifiers, it is not reasonable to critisize him

[SkiprJohn]

Maybe Trim 50 could invite Ken Barnes to post here and answer some questions?
JohnL

That would be awsome! Really like to hear his story. Moreso, I would really like to hear about what didn't work and why.

[ssullivan]

I agree! If he could add what he has learned to this board, it would be of significant value to the entire cruising community. Hope he hears our wants for an article once he's rested up a bit.

[Alan Wheeler]

If you take on the Deep Southern Ocean and the Horn, you have to be prepared that you are most likely to be rolled. It is just that kind of place. We have "pet" names for the lattitudes down here. NZ sits in the belt called the "roaring 40's". The bottom of the country touches the "furiouse 50's". Then the deep southern ocean close to the ice is in the "Screaming 60's". It is interesting that thw common wind speeds are similar to the laititudes.
Anyway's, it is considered that taking on these latitudes down here, you have a very high chance of knockdowns, a slight wisker of a chance less in being rolled and if you are unfortunate, it is actually possible to get pitchpoled. Now that is some scary waves to be able to do that.
IMO if you take on the horn, you preperation should be for possiblity of loosing the rig and how you intend to sail on under a jury rig. The boat MUST be set up for the likely event of being rolled right over, so heavey objects like batteries and tanks must be strapped in in such away that the can go 360 and stay put.

[S/V Elusive]

Originally Posted by Vasco

... Sailors have gone around the Horn for years. Barnes' attempt will add nothing. There is nothing to be learned from Barnes' trip that wasn't known before he set out.

To him there is.

[Alan Wheeler]

I would like to add that if this fellow partakes here, he should feel most welcome and he will not be ridiculed in anyway. When at sea, stuff happens. I think we all can learn a lot from his encounter.

[Trim50]

If he actually returns to the dock, I will certainly ask. Unfortunately, Ken wasn't the most social individual on the dock. During the 5 or 6 months that he was my neighbor, I only had the opportunity to share a few minutes of conversation with him.

Also, something that everyone took note of was that Ken never was seen taking the boat out for a shake-down. I think this say a lot.

As for anti social, to solo around the world takes a particular personality that does not always lend itself well to social interaction.
As for a shakedown, he spent the fist 7 days within reach of Baja. Seems like a reasonable shakedown run to me. Then he had a full 30 days before he was in the really nasty stuff. If something was gonna break that would have broken on a day or weekend sail, it would have happened during that time. Just my opinion.

[DeepFrz]

First, he was setting out to do something that no one has done yet. He was attempting the first solo non stop from the west coast of the US.

That's not so. A Canadian did it in a 32' boat a few years ago. He set out from Vancouver but had to stop in at San Francisco for repairs. He then did his circumnavigation from SF. He had an article published in one of the boating mags.

OK, First American to do a nonstop solo circ from the West Coast of the US.

[Trim50]

He simply seemed very focused and was probably tired of people, like myself, asking why he wanted to do a solo non-stop.

In reallity, there probably isn't a shakedown worthy of his venture. Nonetheless, from the armchair, I think I would have sailed North and bounced around Pt Conception for a few weeks.

I do know that he had all the electronics, safety and power generation hardware one could desire.

Guess it coulda been too much of a good thing?

[delmarrey]

Did he have a para-anchor and drouge??? It seems those would have reduced the chance of a roll-over.

[Trim50]

He had an enourmous drouge which he was using when he rolled.