Last Voyage of the Bounty

[jpwhit77]

Tampa Bay Times is running a 3 part series on the Bounty, the tall ship that sank during Hurricane Sandy. A pretty good sailing read...

The Last Voyage of the Bounty - Bounty Ship Sinking during Hurricane Sandy - Tampa Bay Times Multimedia Feature. IE

[tbodine88]

Saw a story about the coast guard rescue last night on the weather channel, it was sobering. Meanwhile wife is asking me If I'll ever go out in something like that.

Hardly...

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, jpwhit77.

You might be interested in this thread
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...nty-91899.html

[Pilgrimtex]

I would think it very hard to evade a storm moving up the east coast. If possible I would look for a river and sail as far up as I could.
The Loss of the Bounty is a tragedy for all of us.

[S/V Alchemy]

The site gCaptain.com had the best writing I've found on this incident.

Not to be an armchair admiral, but I have no idea why the skipper went to sea knowing Sandy was bearing down on him. There was no compelling reason to do so.

[Panope]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

The site gCaptain.com had the best writing I've found on this incident.

Not to be an armchair admiral, but I have no idea why the skipper went to sea knowing Sandy was bearing down on him. There was no compelling reason to do so.

Given the captain's previous comments (during that video interview that circulated widely), it appears to me that the captain wished to use the massive following winds of the hurricane to expedite his scheduled passage against the gulf stream to the South.

I have not watched the video recently but I recall vividly the captain stating that the Bounty was marginally powered (engines) and did not sail to windward. He also stated that previously he "chased hurricanes" and that 70 foot seas were no problem.

I am certainly not an expert on any of this and have no comment as to weather the captains actions were appropiate or not.

Steve

Edit: I also recall that the captain stated that they "get a good ride out of them". he was talking about hurricanes.

[S/V Alchemy]

Anyone who says 70-foot seas are not a problem is a fool or delusional or the owner of a ship with a 150 foot beam.

I believe the sea had the last word on Skipper's ability to judge what a problem might be.