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Old 17-01-2014, 19:36   #61
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Re: Westsail 32 "Blue Mist" Grounded on Rocks

A sad ending to a comedy of errors.
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Old 21-01-2014, 09:45   #62
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Re: Westsail 32 "Blue Mist" Grounded on Rocks

Word received today that valuables were salvaged and hull went to landfill.
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Old 21-01-2014, 10:47   #63
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Re: Westsail 32 "Blue Mist" Grounded on Rocks

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Word received today that valuables were salvaged and hull went to landfill.
Sad ending to a good boat... We should keep this thread handy for linking to all of the "I'm inexperienced, but... I'm ready... What do you think?" new posts...
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Old 21-01-2014, 13:19   #64
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Re: Westsail 32 "Blue Mist" Grounded on Rocks

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Word received today that valuables were salvaged and hull went to landfill.



Another "it's only a soccer ball sized hole, just patch it and keep going" turns into "this boat is broken" moment.
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Old 21-01-2014, 13:20   #65
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Re: Westsail 32 "Blue Mist" Grounded on Rocks

Amen.

Perhaps we should have a single thread with links to all such threads - no such lack here of bad examples...

Greg
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Old 21-01-2014, 14:06   #66
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Re: Westsail 32 "Blue Mist" Grounded on Rocks

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Sad ending to a good boat... We should keep this thread handy for linking to all of the "I'm inexperienced, but... I'm ready... What do you think?" new posts...
This guy was going aground, it was just a matter of time but not necessarily because he was ill equipped. San Simeon was mentioned as his destination. I don't recall ever seeing a light or nav aid into SS. Making a night approach into a 'black hole' (no lights onshore to use for range and bearing) would have likely met with the same fate. A full moon night would have been acceptable but he didn't have anything approaching that.

While he may have been inexperienced and ill equipped the thing that got him was not standing off from the coast. His poorest decision was not standing off. Just like the aviation adage to stay in the middle of the air, boats need to avoid hard objects. I wonder if he hadn't lulled into complacency due to reliance on electronics (phone). Even ill equipped he could have successfully made it into Morro Bay harbor although I realize it may seem romantic to wake the next morning at San Simeon.

I don't know how far he stood off the coast on the way down but there are wash rocks a good distance off shore north of where he grounded. Cape St Martin and others are notorious for rocks as far as 3 miles off the beach. A grounding further north would really have put him in jeopardy. In that light I would say he was quite fortunate to ground where he did.
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Old 22-01-2014, 11:19   #67
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Re: Westsail 32 "Blue Mist" Grounded on Rocks

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This guy was going aground, it was just a matter of time but not necessarily because he was ill equipped. San Simeon was mentioned as his destination. I don't recall ever seeing a light or nav aid into SS. Making a night approach into a 'black hole' (no lights onshore to use for range and bearing) would have likely met with the same fate. A full moon night would have been acceptable but he didn't have anything approaching that.

While he may have been inexperienced and ill equipped the thing that got him was not standing off from the coast. His poorest decision was not standing off. Just like the aviation adage to stay in the middle of the air, boats need to avoid hard objects. I wonder if he hadn't lulled into complacency due to reliance on electronics (phone). Even ill equipped he could have successfully made it into Morro Bay harbor although I realize it may seem romantic to wake the next morning at San Simeon.

I don't know how far he stood off the coast on the way down but there are wash rocks a good distance off shore north of where he grounded. Cape St Martin and others are notorious for rocks as far as 3 miles off the beach. A grounding further north would really have put him in jeopardy. In that light I would say he was quite fortunate to ground where he did.
With regard to the outcome, it most likely was overconfidence... Nobody like to read stories like this...

I could not agree more about standing off... I've had a tiller or helm in my hand since I was 4 years old.... The number of harbors I would pull into on a limited vision night without previous daylight experience ... is pretty close to zero...
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Old 22-01-2014, 12:04   #68
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Re: Westsail 32 "Blue Mist" Grounded on Rocks

There are many harbors we have visited on the california coast, all by day the first time. San Simeon is on of a hand full on the Cali coast that I always time arrival durning the day. Many times while pulling in the buoy making the shoals to the north is missing or not in the correct spot. So a word of caution to anyone wanting to go to San Simeon, get there with light for your first time. Eel grass make certain spots in the cove more difficult to get good holding as well. Defiantly worth it and is one of my favorite spots on the coast.
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Old 23-01-2014, 17:32   #69
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Re: Westsail 32 "Blue Mist" Grounded on Rocks

Further information was revealed during an interesting phone call today. The other party took part in the salvage operation. He described the condition of the boat before and during the operation. He also described the sea state at the time of salvage plus briefly the days between initial grounding and salvage.

By the time the operation had begun (Tuesday, not Wednesday as stated previously) the boat had suffered additional damage which was quite extensive. Most notable was a 'washing machine-sized' hole just abaft the beam on stbd below the waterline. Also, there were many deep gouges below the waterline and the keel had suffered what appeared many point impacts with large boulders. The keel was deeply crazed.

He was one of several who entered the hull to shovel out tons of sand to prepare for the crane lift. He noticed bulkheads had shattered and/or separated from the hull.

There is more to it but basically the damage is as I had written previously. About the lift, the combination of high tide and wave action had carried (bounced?) the hull right up against the bluff so the crane was able to extend the boom above the boat for a clean lift. From his observation from the debris field and overturned rocks it was his opinion the boat had initially rested beyond the reach of a crane boom.

He said he would send pictures to me. I am awaiting his permission to post those pictures.

DISCLAIMER: the above is written in my words. It is my intention not to falsely portray the words of another person. Any misunderstanding or confusion or apparent misleading is my sole responsibility.
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Old 23-01-2014, 17:36   #70
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Richard,
Looking forward to the pictures
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Old 23-01-2014, 18:07   #71
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Re: Westsail 32 "Blue Mist" Grounded on Rocks

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There are many harbors we have visited on the california coast, all by day the first time. San Simeon is on of a hand full on the Cali coast that I always time arrival durning the day. Many times while pulling in the buoy making the shoals to the north is missing or not in the correct spot. So a word of caution to anyone wanting to go to San Simeon, get there with light for your first time. Eel grass make certain spots in the cove more difficult to get good holding as well. Defiantly worth it and is one of my favorite spots on the coast.
It is interesting you mention a buoy. I suspect what you had seen was placed by a private person or was part of the concession. Or, perhaps I never paid much attention to buoys because of familiarity with the place.

The reef that juts out from the headlands can hold a fantastic wave although fickle to the wind, swell direction, and tide. The swell needs to be big but it is a fun wave for surfing. It is so fickle that in 3 decades I only caught it 2 times. Right place/right time sort of thing.
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Old 23-01-2014, 18:13   #72
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Re: Westsail 32 "Blue Mist" Grounded on Rocks

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So, what happened with the "indestructable keel-hung" rudder?
So what's your point Jedi?
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Old 23-01-2014, 18:19   #73
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Re: Westsail 32 "Blue Mist" Grounded on Rocks

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So what's your point Jedi?
A question for a question? Try an answer before expecting one in return
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Old 23-01-2014, 18:34   #74
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Re: Westsail 32 "Blue Mist" Grounded on Rocks

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So what's your point Jedi?
Don't feed the troll Will
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Old 23-01-2014, 20:12   #75
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Re: Westsail 32 "Blue Mist" Grounded on Rocks

I have received the pictures and he gave permission to post them. BUT...

he sent them in a pdf and I don't know how to share that. I'm using Win8 on a laptop.
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