Abandon Ship! The Rescue of the Crew of Wolfhound

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

“There's no thrill in easy sailing when the skies are clear and blue, there's no joy in merely doing things which any one can do. But there is some satisfaction that is mighty sweet to take, when you reach a destination that you never thought you'd make” - unknown

Written by a landlubber (or weekend sailor)...and never the first words spoken by people I hoisted from sinking sailboats in a storm.

If you want to be a storm chaser great...I don't think most cruisers are unless you are the skipper of the Bounty and chase hurricanes...and look what it got him.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by psneeld

Written by a landlubber (or weekend sailor)...and never the first words spoken by people I hoisted from sinking sailboats in a storm.

But probably felt by many of those you didn't meet..........

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

But probably felt by many of those you didn't meet..........

Yeah...just poking fun...nobody like a close call better than me...like the lightning storm that hits everything else around you but you...what an adrenaline rush..

My last job definitely made me an action junkie...thankfully assistance towing is like an old mans version of rescue helo flying...the biggest plus is knowing I'll probably make it home every night...at a certain age...that becomes a biggie in one's thinking...not for all, but for many of us who almost didn't too many times in life.

If you meant those that tried and didn't make it...yeah..not so sweet for them but I do understand trying...just wish they followed certain CF posts closer....

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

But probably felt by many of those you didn't meet..........

I took that to mean when the spit hits the fan you do what you can, and go below and get as comfy as possible. Trust the boat. Odds are long in your favor that you will survive. Next morning you find the wind down, the sun out, and you get on with what you're about. Doubtless much easier for the solo sailor without the pressure of terrified crew .

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

I took that to mean when the spit hits the fan you do what you can, and go below and get as comfy as possible. Trust the boat. Odds are long in your favor that you will survive. Next morning you find the wind down, the sun out, and you get on with what you're about. Doubtless much easier for the solo sailor without the pressure of terrified crew .

That's a huge maybe.......

[estarzinger]

check out Matt Ruthford's blog for latest on wolfhound . . . .
http://oceanresearchproject.org/

You have to give this boat credit . . . . looking after itself all this time . . . it sure does not want to die.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

check out Matt Ruthford's blog for latest on wolfhound . . . .
http://oceanresearchproject.org/

You have to give this boat credit . . . . looking after itself all this time . . . it sure does not want to die.

Matt nearly died in the rescue attempt though!!!
His boat was lucky not to sustain more damage than it did, given all the problems that occurred.

[estarzinger]

^^

Yes, things went a bit pear shaped. It's good he has a steel boat!

I was a bit curious if Matt could have sailed Wolfhound back (rather than towing), slowly with just perhaps a staysail. Those Swan's sail well. The forestay and backstay were dead, but he set up halyards and I suspect the rig could have taken a staysail. I think I would have tried that, but I am confident in Beth's ability to handle our boat alone. He may not have felt good having his girlfriend single hand his boat.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

I was a bit curious if Matt could have sailed Wolfhound back (rather than towing), slowly with just perhaps a staysail. Those Swan's sail well. The forestay and backstay were dead, but he set up halyards and I suspect the rig could have taken a staysail. I think I would have tried that, but I am confident in Beth's ability to handle our boat alone. He may not have felt good having his girlfriend single hand his boat.

Regarding sailing, Matt commented that after securing it "the mast wouldn’t be able to support a sail but at least the mast wasn’t going to fall down".

I haven't read his whole blog so I don't know anything about Matt's partner's sailing abilities, but I think given the fee offered by the owner and their financial status, had there been any chance of sailing Wolfhound back they would have given it a go.

[estarzinger]

^^

Yea, I will be interested to talk to him when he is back. I am Monday morning qbing here, but those swan masts are tree trunks and it had stood without forestay and back stay for a long while. I suspect the halyards he set up were dyneema, so some stretch but strong. I think I would have given a staysail a try. But that's just second guessing from my safe anchorage, and he was on site.

We have met his girl friend . . . . lovely and intelligent, but a newbie to offshore (but obviously less so now after this time at sea).

[rbyham]

Being a new sailor I tend to Read all of these analysis discussions, in the hope that I can learn from those more experienced. Reading this one, a Mike Tyson quote came to mind - "Everyone has a plan until they get hit."

[captain58sailin]

Too true, however, if you have been hit before then while being unpleasant it is not a new experience.

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by rbyham

Being a new sailor I tend to Read all of these analysis discussions, in the hope that I can learn from those more experienced. Reading this one, a Mike Tyson quote came to mind - "Everyone has a plan until they get hit."

Absolutely true...but as Tyson fought...the experience and determination and brains (at least in the endeavor you are working) is what claims victory.

After 55 years of boating, 23 years though the USCG ranks to a fairly senior position, plus LOTS of safety investigative training and another 11 in the assistance towing salvage business...I really have to say there are a lot of "instant experts" because ONE scenario has taught them something.....NOT!!!!!!!!

In every endeavor there are people with experience upon experience...and other's with an article or book to publish. Learn from every twitch in life but weight the words of those with AN experience...and those with A LIFETIME of experience.

As you quoted Tyson....till you get hit...absolutely the plan goes out the window. The people you want to learn from are those that look around and instantly see any chess piece and figure out how to use it...the ones that have only one or two experiences in their pocket are looking for the next chess piece they think they need..whether its the right one or not.

I've said it so many times I wish I had a quarter for every time....some people wind up in survival situations because their car broke down and they nearly died...trained pros are dropped off in the woods, blindfolded, naked without anything and survive with a smile. Who are you going to look for advice? The guy who wrote a book on how he survived after his car broke down in some remote pass...or the guy who does it for a living and jokes about it?

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Yep. Not surprised.

Without Epirb, sailors tried harder to stay alive. These days the average guy who can buy a great boat but isn't a real sailor knows the big red button brings help. And the button gets mashed when it gets uncomfortable.

Life and death is one thing, uncomfortable another.

Simply where is the evidence for that statement. , where ??

Dave

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by pdf27

Actually, that's another part of it. sailing has gone from a profession to a leisure time activity over the past century. The sort of risks professional sailors of a century ago accepted without a thought would turn the average recreational sailor into a gibbering wreck.

The same is true in coal mining , so what. Death from sailing was more common in the 19th as it was in most industry etc so what. Death that was the result of stupidity, poor safety, bad training , but most of all because a sailors life was cheap


It didnt make them better sailers.
Dave