s/v Elusive Sinks on Way to Fiji

[NoTies]

I'm too busy putting my boat back together to get into a fistfight or carry out doctoral research for keel failures. Go sailing.

[GMac]

It is pretty well known some J boats have had keel issues, as have many of other designs. Specifically which ones and why I haven't had a look. I don't think NT's comment was out of line but may have been worded better.

Any idea how old that one was NT?

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by NoTies

Results for J+Boat+Keel+Problem 460 thousand. Replace the first word with Beneteau =60 thousand. Farr =60 thousand. Hereshoff =14 thousand. Cavalier =96 thousand. Gotta be a reason for that...

Might there not be a multiplicity of reasons for the differing google count statistics?
Observation, without informed analysis, isn’t very useful.

ie: At two possible extremes:
- Herreshoff owners (& prospects) know there are no keel problems with their boats,
or alternatively,
- don’t know enough to be concerned.

Either condition might produce a low search rate.

[KIWI]

It's sad when a boat go's down for what ever reason.

I work for a marina maintenance co in NZ. and 2 week ago we were asked to check a 40, lidgard as they were taking in water not much but enough to be a nuisance as it was not urgent we left it until Monday, Looking at our Monday's schedule we decided to check the lidgard as we thought it might be a keel problem and it may have to be lifted out.
Upon checking the lidgard we found it to be low in the water and the water just over the floor boards , Upon lifting the floor boards near the motor they had a nylon through fitting for the water cooling for the motor and it was weeping badly I could see the water bubbling up I first thought the fitting was loose and gave it a shake and the whole thing came off in my hand and had a 2" fountain of water and it was cold, So here I was with my hand over the hole yelling HELP, Thank god the boss came down to check how I was going and he even had a problem convincing the operators of the travel lift how serious the problem was.
The boat was lifted and the problem was solved but it re mined me just how quick things can change, If this happened at sea who knows what would have happened

[CBinRI]

Originally Posted by Jeff H

Mule said: "Seems like I read somewhere the J's have some keel problems, with bolts amybe or something like that."

The smaller older J-boats were known for problems with the keel stubs for which there were well known remedies. There is some internet footage of a J-35 that lost its keel while pounding on a beach in the surf over a prolonged period of time. I have not heard about any similar or other kinds of keel problems with the larger J-boats.

For what it is worth, Elusive was for sale on Yachtworld listed for sale in NZ. She is a very heavily modified version of a J-44 which had its stern extended and its interior rearranged.

Jeff

There was a well-publicized report of a J-boat losing its keel in an offshore race in the past few months. I don't recall what model J it was but I do recall that the boat was returning to San Francisco.

[daedaluscan]

But chocolate+donut+keel only gets 2990 hits.

So that proves it for me.

[Randy]

It was a J80 during the Farallones race in Feb. It occurred on the return just outside the Goldengate bridge. Just goes to show even a mile offshore is still open ocean. Refer to: Latitude 38 - The West's Premier Sailing & Marine Magazine

[LeftRoamin]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Might there not be a multiplicity of reasons for the differing google count statistics?
Observation, without informed analysis, isn’t very useful.

ie: At two possible extremes:
- Herreshoff owners (& prospects) know there are no keel problems with their boats,
or alternatively,
- don’t know enough to be concerned.

Either condition might produce a low search rate.

ummm ... Herreshoff owners know that all of the boats with keel design problems sank before the internet was launched.

[Scottie2]

From Latitude 38:

Latitude 38 - The West's Premier Sailing & Marine Magazine

John and Renee Prentice of s/v Elusive, arrived safely at Lautoka, Fiji, May 22 aboard Scarlett O'Hara.

[rcmpegasus]

I believe that should be Steve and Wendy Bott of S/V Elusive.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by rcmpegasus

I believe that should be Steve and Wendy Bott of S/V Elusive.

In defense of Scottie2, whom I had asked to delete all but the first paragraph of the 'Lectronic Latitude story from his post so that it would conform to CF Rules, he had originally posted all of the correct information. However, in editing his post, he cut away some of that correct info, leaving an impression that, as you noted, creates an incorrect assumption. The entire first paragraph of the story reads:

"Having been forced to abandon their Ventura-based J/44 Elusive in mid-ocean, the Bott family and their principal rescuers, John and Renee Prentice, arrived safely at Lautoka, Fiji, May 22 aboard Scarlett O'Hara. At this writing, the Botts are recovering from their ordeal ashore, and are planning to see a bit of Fiji before returning to the U.S."

TaoJones