44' Cat found up-side-down

[Intentional Drifter]

Long Beach, WA reported winds of 100 mph, Vancouver Is of 119 mph. I've attached a sat image of what they had to deal with. At least in the tropics, the hurricanes are warm. Not so, here.

ID

[BambooSailor]

Yes, it was cat 2 hurricane strength wind, not just gale. I looked at the surface weather chart about 12 hours before the wind hit Puget Sound and chart showed 95kt sustained wind (with big-lettered hurricane-wind warning) and 970 mBar pressure in the center. Not really what one calls a gale.

[unbusted67]

yeah, that looks really dangerous

[smm]

Originally Posted by Intentional Drifter

Long Beach, WA reported winds of 100 mph, Vancouver Is of 119 mph. I've attached a sat image of what they had to deal with. At least in the tropics, the hurricanes are warm. Not so, here.

ID

Well, since observations are gold, here's the bouy data from the Tillamook bouy:

http://seaboard.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/realtime2/46029.txt

At the time in question, 11 Dec, maximum sustained winds were 19 m/s gusting
to 24 m/s, or 37 knots gusting to 47, wave height was 9 meters, wave period, 11 seconds. The wind had shifted about 40 degrees from S to SW, which, combined with the 6 meter NW swell probably caused a sea state which could safely be called "unspeakably vile." But not a hurricane.

Winds dropped off briefly, backed and then came back up 35 knots on the 13th, the day of their last log entry. Winds were on the way down at that time but the swell came back up to 8 meters, but at 17 seconds, it shouldn't have bothered them unless they were in shallow water.

-Scott

[DeepFrz]

The third blast on December 15 produced the biggest punch and proved to be the worst of the season, surpassing the others in intensity and in the number of blackouts. In the early morning, winds shattered speed records as they howled in from the Pacific, toppling groves of trees seeded two centuries ago. The storm's destructive power was compared to that of Typhoon Freda in 1962. Winds topped 124 km/h in Victoria. At Race Rocks in the Juan de Fuca, winds hit 157 km/h prompting hurricane-force wind warnings.

The Top Ten Canadian Weather Stories for 2006 - Top Ten Weather Stories - [Meteorological Service of Canada - The Green Lane]

Observations again.

[pbmaise]

Why did you ask for a delivery in your area that time of year?

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by Absolute Wind

Why did you ask for a delivery in your area that time of year?

It was reported on local news that the boat was being delivered for The Seattle Boat Show.

Steve B.

[charley]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

Interesting point about dying at sea. I have considered the possibility, especially when working under another captain aboard a vessel that is on an owner's schedule. Since I have drowned before as a child, I do recall what that was like. It was surprisingly calm once you are underwater and breathing the water. I drifted off (out of conciousness) and next thing I knew I was on the beach upside down with water spraying out of my mouth. There is no pain. We all have to go sometime. Best that they were doing something they loved rather than clutching their chests while sitting at a desk and keeling over.

I would have to agree with Sean on this one having come very close to death from drowning several times as a child. I would much rather die doing something fun than in my living room at 110 from playing it safe.

On another note I have someone in my office named Sean Sullivan and everytime I see the name I think its him.

[hglad]

Personally I would rather die old doing something fun than die young doing something foolish. Consequently I don't sail the PNW or climb Mt. Hood in the winter even though both are in my back yard.
HG

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by charley

I would have to agree with Sean on this one having come very close to death from drowning several times as a child. I would much rather die doing something fun than in my living room at 110 from playing it safe.

On another note I have someone in my office named Sean Sullivan and everytime I see the name I think its him.

Maybe it is?

Also had a few "close shaves", agree that once you have accepted the certainty of death that things brighten up. However I am not too keen on the absolute terror that can proceed this point........

I don't regret ANY of the stupid stuff I did when I was younger. Just not doing them again Probably

[charley]

Originally Posted by hglad

Personally I would rather die old doing something fun than die young doing something foolish. Consequently I don't sail the PNW or climb Mt. Hood in the winter even though both are in my back yard.
HG

I do agree with this as well I pretty much stopped doing the foolish things that you can kill or mame your self doing when my daughter was born 12 years ago. I grew up in south FL where when you see the kind of weather patterns, that caused this horrible accident, we would board everything up and store water. Not to mention stay far away from any source of open water as even lakes and rivers flood and tidal surge is nothing to laugh about. I have learned to respect the ocean and its powers so yes it would be foolish to take even a 100 footer in the ocean when it looks like that.

[senormechanico]

Parable of the Cautious Man

There was a very cautious man,
who never laughed or cried.
He never risked, he never lost,
he never won nor tried.
And when he one day passed away,
his insurance was denied,
For since he never really lived,
they claimed he never died.

Foolish risks aside, imho, the above says it all.

Steve B.

[Limpet]

Is there anymore to this grim story?
Were the bodies ever found?
What became of the boat?
Did the owner ever make a comment?
Did the boat manufacturer comment on the capsize?

[DtM]

One body has been found.

[pbmaise]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

It was reported on local news that the boat was being delivered for The Seattle Boat Show.

Steve B.

Actually both our statements appear to be true.
Anderson was the owner and it was going to be on display at the Seattle Boat Show.
OREGON / Search ended for lost sailors

The Lattidtue 38 article states that weathering Cat Shot in California was discussed by the late captain John Anstess. It also stated that two crew members that apparantly came all the way from Cape Town made an "unexpected departure" in San Diego. Other people reported on this site what weather conditions were like. Yet Cat Shot still sailed.