Schooner Nina - MERGED 3 THREADS

[svOhana]

Aside from only being able to sit back, and read the updates I would encourage all of us, and all the sailors that we each know to hit the keyboards (Especially current Iridium users). Writing strongly worded letters to the sat providers may not solve future issues, but perhaps...just perhaps they will see the importance of providing both navigational and status information to the proper authorities in a timely manner when a situation dictates. Furthermore, tell them to place a note in your file to release all pertinent information to proper SAR agencies on demand if requested. It may be useful to provide them with a signed and notarized release form/letter.

Also, provide a constantly updated, detailed list of all on board equipment and setup to a close relative or friend that can be forwarded in the event of...

[Friend of Nina]

And I would go as far as make sure someone has the Sat number and acct no. on shore just for this reason. Maybe your cellphone info too. Cherie

[bazzer]

I can't see any ,mention of SSB on board, do they have one?

[JPA Cate]

Hello everyone,
I'm still with Boatie on this one. I think the doomsayers could reasonably hold off for a while, if not out of consideration for the family and friends of Nina, then for the ease of which a satphone communication would be lost in the event of a dismasting, or the phone itself incapacitated from salt water intrusion.

For those of you who have not spent days and days at sea, I want to tell you that your world becomes concentrated within the area you can see. Thoughts about all outsiders are at a minimum. In your small world, there are you, the weather, and your vessel. Furthermore, EPIRBs are really for emergencies, and the fact that the skipper has not set it off quite probably indicates that they don't think there is an emergency.


It is entirely normal for the boat to be "off the screen", goodness knows where she is, jury rig is smaller and hence less visible than the normal press of sail a schooner carries, if she were dismasted, then, she's a close-to-the water poor radar target because she's timber.

Keeping all this in mind, I know it's hard to wait for news, but those of us who are following this are really going to have to wait for it to play out in the fullness of time, and in my opinion, should not write despairingly, no matter how much we want to be "right" and enjoy doomsaying.

Ann

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Hello everyone,
I'm still with Boatie on this one. I think the doomsayers could reasonably hold off for a while, if not out of consideration for the family and friends of Nina, then for the ease of which a satphone communication would be lost in the event of a dismasting, or the phone itself incapacitated from salt water intrusion.

Keeping all this in mind, I know it's hard to wait for news, but those of us who are following this are really going to have to wait for it to play out in the fullness of time, and in my opinion, should not write despairingly, no matter how much we want to be "right" and enjoy doomsaying.

Ann

+1 This would also include the sailing detectives here who want to solve it like some kind of mystery. Sending peace to family and friends is most useful during this time...CS

[djackson]

Thanks Ann,as a parent in Nebr.and not having a clue what the ocean or sailing is about it is really hard to understand,we have the highest of hope here and will continue until we know different.In my heart I feel the crew and Nina will suddenly appear.

[bazzer]

Being realistic is what the SAR are. basing their searches on BOTH scenarios that the boat has floundered and she is still afloat. Whilst comms might have been lost due to a dismasting you all forget that there was a spot on board which is waterproof And needs no external aerial. This was used previously for position reports. This apparently has not been used since the last day phone message. Yes we all hope that they and the boat are alive and well, but as time marches on that seems less likely

[Friend of Nina]

SSB I don't know but maybe people around the Nina would know. Cherie

[bazzer]

Originally Posted by Friend of Nina

SSB I don't know but maybe people around the Nina would know. Cherie

I would expect most boats of Nina's size and age to have one. Maybe Jedi could comment. If she has the Ham community would lend a hand for sure

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by djackson

Thanks Ann,as a parent in Nebr.and not having a clue what the ocean or sailing is about it is really hard to understand,we have the highest of hope here and will continue until we know different.In my heart I feel the crew and Nina will suddenly appear.

I, for one, having known Nina for close to 50 years, believes she has a spirit and a soul. And she will bring your loved ones home.

[Friend of Nina]

Thank you Ann. In my opinion I felt RCC insisted they would have used the emergency signal to let them know position but feel its the last option button as once gone nothing else.

Interesting you mention emergency at hand. I'm an airline pilot and in our simulator training we are immersed in multiple emergencies. Right on, 1st thing deal with the emergency, stabilize. Our world is just that emergency as we get a handle on things the world gets bigger.ie, get crew members involved, then expand to the outside world. Sometimes checklists are the only thing we are worried about besides flying the airplane.

My questions, Evi seemed I thought comfortable with no sails and said new update 6pm. Appears June 4, it was messy but didn't put out a mayday or pan pan.

Wouldn't they have other sails? Would they still have bare poles if rigging down?

If caught in weather with no sails, does the boat bob or not. Would waves overcome bilge pumps. But I thought wood boats don't sink.

Are sailboats like airplanes whereas sometimes releasing controls in a plane it rights itself?

Thanks, Cherie

[goboatingnow]

I'm not a doomsayer, but I find it hard that a vessel as well equipped as Nina remains " undiscovered " , if she had an EPIRB , it would have been used by now.

Just saying

Davec

[lars]

No ssb when she left panama city although david had thought about it.. I think he purchased the liferaft new before they left here

[bazzer]

Cheri, has the SAR contacted SSB users on the cruising net for sightings? I'm sure there are plenty of other boats in the area.

[cloudsail]

Originally Posted by lars

No ssb when she left panama city although david had thought about it.. I think he purchased the liferaft new before they left here

Evi has an amateur license, call sign KC0PWT effective 3/21/2013. But I think it's good news to hear that the boat didn't appear to be equipped with an SSB HF radio, otherwise I'd wonder why 2 forms of non-emergency communication failed at once. It's much easier for me to believe that modern satellite-based coms might fail in this sort of situation. They tend to be all or nothing. With HF radio they should've been able to at least receive news about themselves and fire off the EPIRB.

VHF (typical for near-shore marine radio) only goes the horizon. Maybe 20 miles radius with the mast up? 3 miles dismasted unless an aircraft or satellite is listening.