Disabled sailboat 100 miles off virginia

[powsmias]

https://wtkr.com/2019/02/09/coast-gu...a-beach-coast/

incidentally, is this considered a real late start for southern waters?

[Montanan]

Broken tiller aboard the aptly named vessel, C'est la vie.

"Minor disappointment", that's life. Okay, so a bit more than a minor disappointment when 100 miles off the Virginia coast.

Kind and quick response by the Navy and the USCG. And to provide a tow now that is fortuitous indeed.

From the pictures the vessel was lying a hull and rocking mightily in the moderate sea with sails furled. I hate lying a hull in anything but calm sea ways. Life was likely much more pleasant aboard the rescue ship.

I have practiced sailing by steering by active sail trim and also with trailing of a drogue as you just never know when the rudder will not be working or lost. And I find that running down wind there is not much need for a rudder if you just use the foresail to pull the boat along.

I haven't tried rigging an emergency replacement rudder from items that are on any of my boats but should give the boats inventory of items to think through how something could be cobbled.

Hurrah for the Coasties. But then they are back being paid for doing their job [well at least for the time being].

As to being rather late for heading south. Well at least its not hurricane season and the ground hog did indicate we are to have an early Spring. Doesn't seem to Spring like back east at this moment. Living in Montana, any month other than June, July or August is a good time to head south for a trip.

[Boatguy30]

Would be interesting to hear if they would have tried to be self reliant if not in VHF range. Or would they have pulled the EPIRB? Certainly not life endangering for quite some days of trail and error on any jury rig

[TheOffice]

Yes, it is a VERY late start.

Boat looks more like a Bene and looks bigger than 32.