Tragedy Strikes.

[Ocean Girl]

Sorry for the delay. I'm getting over the flu and my poor hubby now has the flu also. We've been cruising and have not been exposed to all the landlubber germs. Come ashore for a month and we both pick up the bugs, land is so dangerous!! Full of plague riddled people. :-) sorry fo the rant.


I sent out a mass email today. Active captain is very handy to email marinas. The reviews usually have a link to the harbor master's email. For the folks who want to help, pick a port and email away. Post what ports you've covered here on this thread.

Ok, here is the revision. I still think we should at least use leaseonlife's chart showing the full drift analysis.

Flyer:


Please be advised that the 26-ft sailing vessel, DAGNY, dragged anchor from West End, Bahamas on December 22, 2015. Dagny is suspected to be drifting north in the Gulf Stream, possibly near the U.S. East Coast. *She is showing no lights and is a hazard to navigation.

Contact info
If sighted, please contact the Coast Guard, and if possible email the persons below:

SSCA recovery coordinator, Glen KPK@ssca.org
Owner - Gil gil@keskydee.com

Vessel Info
26ft sailboat, Morris Francis, 1977
Flush deck
Light tan deck, white hull with dark green stripes
Double ender
Boom Gallows
Sails stowed on deck
Windvane, stern hung rudder
All ports and hatches closed and locked
Bubble viewing hatch ( companionway slider)
Flying yellow quarantine flag

image1.JPG
image2.JPG


USCG reports Dagny was spotted December 23rd at 5:30pm, at 27-03.7N 79-16.1W.


Estimated drift route per Chris Parker

image1.JPG



*****************

[japarker11]

Originally Posted by gilgsn

Hello everyone.

My hat is off to Erika for her help. Being an EU citizen I registered Dagny in the BVI. Port of call is Road Harbour. The ensign flag was up, on top of the small Q flag. The name is on the stern on both sides.

About the engine.. It takes two hands to crank the motor by hand, and a third hand to flip the compression lever at the right time.. Otherwise it is very difficult to start a cold engine by hand. I did not succeed..

Gil

Sent from my A1-830 using Tapatalk

Gil,

We are somewhat familiar with UK registry of US produced vessels as one of our boats of interest was similarly flagged. A lot to be said for that as a native of an EU country.

What about you? As a nonresident alien for over 20 years, your status in the US was established long before Homeland Security and such things as "No Fly" lists. As you left the US by sea will you need to present special documents or be subject to new HSA procedures before reentering the US, hopefully, to recover Dagny?

Just another item on the To Do list.

As for hand cranking, we had a single cylinder diesel that was very easy to hand crank start. Complacency, however could result in a broken wrist. It is also good to hear that the crank was rotating. This month, we are picking up our new/old 3 cylinder genset that locked up with raw water entering the exhaust manifold and flooding the cylinders due to the lack of a vented loop in sea states very similar to your GS crossing and anchorage.

Lastly, attached is a NOAA Ocean Prediction Center Gulf Stream comparison graphic of stream location and direction of real time data on Dec 29, 2015. It roughly corresponds to conditions at Chris Parker's last guesstimate. If his guess is anywhere close, in white water rivermen terms, Dagny has "eddied out" into waters moving less than a half knot. In the last four days, winds have swung to the north and may drive her back onto the escalator.

Absent another sighting, it may be a long wait to break tube five fathom line.



Sent from my LG-V410 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[gilgsn]

Here is an update on svdagny.com:

Thoughts and Lessons Learned. - SV Dagny

Gil.

[GordMay]

Thanks Gil!

[Sandero]

Gil,
Interesting thoughts. Thanks for that! I too single handed down in the Caribbean and did a few passages single handing back and forth. But on most passages I found crew and that made a world of difference. With 2 on board you still are alone a lot because the other crew is asleep etc... but it is much safer and more pleasant for many reasons. I need not go into them.

Before I left I stepped up my ground tackle to all chain and an electric windlass. My reasoning was I would sleep more secure if my anchor was well set and I would not not be concerned about chafe. Of course Shiva is a larger than Dagny so this was almost a necessity. I am crazy about the windlass and don't think twice and resetting or moving the anchor if something is not right. Manually I probably would rarely reset. I added a remote cockpit switch so I can also have some helm control when using the ground tackle. Good ground tackle and technique is mission critical.

You're spot on about hand holds.... you can't have enough... I added a bunch of them and use them all the time. A hand grasping is always more secure than one's shoes gripping. Never thought about a helmet but it's not a bad idea.

The other thing of course is spares (batteries and tools and filters, fuel, oil...) and the right gear for the weather... and now all these tracker locator devices are sensible. I'd bet your story has inspired a number of CF members to add that to their boats.

Prudence demands we take all sorts of measures which may seem unnecessary to secure the safety of the vessel and its crew.

Dagny will be found...

The best us yet to come...

[Blue Crab]

Good read, Gil. Thx

[monte]

I can relate to the Nord pad Calais 'black hole' comment. Ca va malut

[Polar Opposite]

Originally Posted by dwedeking2

I've debated the value of having one of these for backup/emergency.

Startwell Engineering | The Startwell Mini

Thanks for sharing that link. That is an extremely clever device.
Not yet available in my application, but given the sheer number of crappy Volvo engines out there, it's probably only a matter of time.

[sneuman]

Thanks for the update, Gil. Best of luck however things work out. We are still hoping for Dagny's safe return!

[Prairie Chicken]

Thanks for the well-written update Gil. Safe travels, and please keep us updated if there are any new developments. Of course, we're still hoping for Dagny's discovery safe & sound & you being reunited with her.

[Littlechay]

Originally Posted by dwedeking2

I've debated the value of having one of these for backup/emergency.

Startwell Engineering | The Startwell Mini

They are ok . All the high latitude boats that I have worked on and others that I know carry one. More appropriate to bigger engines though as they are a little bulky and you need space to crank the handle.

Generally we carry a spare starter motor though and I have had to change one in anger under a little pressure once. Doesn't take long when your mind is properly focused

I carry a spare starter-motor on my own boat as I have no way of hand cranking my engine.

Good luck with the search everybody.

Chris
--
SY Morgane
http://www.tweedsworld.com


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by gilgsn

Here is an update on svdagny.com:

Thoughts and Lessons Learned. - SV Dagny

Gil.

Nicely written Gil. Other potential singlehanders should give it a read.
Don't give up, you boat will eventually find it's way ashore on it's own. The abaondoned boat in the Perfect Storm did , on the beach in North Carolina IIRC.

[Lizzy Belle]

Originally Posted by gilgsn

Here is an update on svdagny.com:

Thoughts and Lessons Learned. - SV Dagny

Gil.

Thanks for the update - very much worth the read imho

Quick question: what's "in the works" to find Dagny? I see Ocean Girl putting in a lot of work and I assume (dirty word ) you're keeping track of all that's being done, who's been informed etc.
Could you please post that info as well? Thanks in advance!

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Nicely written Gil. Other potential singlehanders should give it a read.
Don't give up, you boat will eventually find it's way ashore on it's own. The abaondoned boat in the Perfect Storm did , on the beach in North Carolina IIRC.

He may not want her anymore, if she ends up on the beach. Let's hope she's found while still drifting, or anchors herself.

[thruska]

Originally Posted by gilgsn

Here is an update on svdagny.com:

Thoughts and Lessons Learned. - SV Dagny

Gil.

Gil, what would you say to a fixer upper if someone gave one to you ?
It does seem obvious that you are committed to visiting your parents and I wouldn't suggest not visiting them.
I've had boats given to me in the past, and that's not turned out bad for me.
I'm just brainstorming here ... That's all.