yacht wrecked, 2 dead, capetown

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Gaia

Why are the names suddenly mentioned when the next of kin may not know yet? And the comment about whiskey? Seems in poor taste to me.

Jim

the family have been informed,and are fully aware of his fondness for the amber nectar

he was a true blue "sailors sailor".

[ClaudiaJ]

How awful, so sad. I wonder why such an accident was deadly. The impact should not have been so great as to be fatal and I'm sure there were PFD s aboard.... The damage to the boat is obvious but How does crashing upon rocks like this lead to loss of life....?

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

When I go, I want to be remembered with a laugh and a toast, not sadness.
I too took the whiskey comment in that manner.

RE Broadband, I have one, and maybe I just don't know how to tweak it, but to me it is not revolutionary, it is not much different than my old Garmin HD, I'd actually say not any better in my opinion, they both have their strong points.
My understanding is that power usage isn't that much different either, the difference I beleive is the Broadband is a constant low amp draw, while conventional Radar is a high amp intermittent draw, think strobe light vs regular light bulb.
So if you quote peak power draw it looks like a huge difference, but if you look at number of amp hours to run them, I think it's close?
I do have a little experience with Radar

It's a bit off topic, but my experience with broadband radar is exactly like yours.

I also agree about the whiskey comment, which I thought was a nice tribute.

[EvilRabbit]

Horrific. Weather around the Cape Town is unforgiving. Gales almost everyday.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Claudiaandphil

How awful, so sad. I wonder why such an accident was deadly. The impact should not have been so great as to be fatal and I'm sure there were PFD s aboard.... The damage to the boat is obvious but How does crashing upon rocks like this lead to loss of life....?

the southern ocean rollers are massive,even if there is no wind.
there are also very strong currents that converge at the cape.
as they were on an inshore coastal passage,my guess would be that either someone fell asleep on watch or their gps was not working or an inexperienced crew was left on watch and failed to correct the coarse.

generally breakers can be heard from quite a distance,but thick fog might have mitigated this with its sound deadening properties.

[racinejf]

Originally Posted by atoll

the southern ocean rollers are massive,even if there is no wind.
there are also very strong currents that converge at the cape.
as they were on an inshore coastal passage,my guess would be that either someone fell asleep on watch or their gps was not working or an inexperienced crew was left on watch and failed to correct the coarse.

generally breakers can be heard from quite a distance,but thick fog might have mitigated this with its sound deadening properties.

Or sine ce there was no Wind, the motor had a problem and stop ...
Sad news. I didn't know them, obviously since I'm new to this world of cruising. But I'll have a glass of scotch in their memories.

[Rustic Charm]

Condolences to family and friends

The pictures show a 'cat' and yet the report said a 'sloop'. I assume the pictures are correct and it was a cat?

[pdf27]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

The pictures show a 'cat' and yet the report said a 'sloop'. I assume the pictures are correct and it was a cat?

I think the first photos of a smashed up wooden monohull on a rocky shore are the relevant ones - the inverted cat is from a separate news story (the missing Sunsail one which was found a week or two back).

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by pdf27

I think the first photos of a smashed up wooden monohull on a rocky shore are the relevant ones - the inverted cat is from a separate news story (the missing Sunsail one which was found a week or two back).

cheers for clarifying.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by atoll

sad news for the whisky distillers of Scotland as well,george liked a wee dram or too

Maybe a toast to him is in order, just to help the distillers.

[TheThunderbird]

Qs

- why did it capsized!? For the shallow waters, the rocks, or...full steam speed????
- no control on eco!? No better estimate of Position at sea!? No GPS!? No Google earth available?
- what were (3) they doing just before hitting!?

It all sounds too sad, yes, but also quite difficult to catch and to rationalize....

I remember... whilst entering a bay with fog, I decided to drop anchor and wait the day after...

It's time for a tulip of single malt Provenance, by Bunnahabhain distilleries, in their honor. May their souls flee happy and free of loads

[first wind]

Originally Posted by Claudiaandphil

How awful, so sad. I wonder why such an accident was deadly. The impact should not have been so great as to be fatal and I'm sure there were PFD s aboard.... The damage to the boat is obvious but How does crashing upon rocks like this lead to loss of life....?

it is a terrible tragedy. of course, we all have to go sometime. that can't be helped. better to die sailing, doing something you love, than at work or in the line at the grocery store. and far better to go that way than to waste away in a nursing home with drool running down your beard.

it's better to live your life with passion and gusto, and die in the living, than it is to live a drab, gray, meaningless life and just fade away without ever seeing the miracle of the world we live in. you shouldn't really mourn the passing of people who lived with passion; rather you should cheer the boldness of their lives.

as to how it becomes deadly...

no one wears their lifejacket 24/7, especially in calm weather. if people get taken by surprise, there is often little time to prepare. apparently, the age of all involved was between 50 and 70. big rollers and strong currents can be the downfall of strong younger swimmers in the prime of their life. sometimes, people get caught up in lines or sails. they can end up banged around and incapacitated. the first natural reaction when you end up unexpectedly in the water is to gasp for air; which can start the drowning process off if it's water you inhale, instead of air. there are way too many ways in which situations like this can become fatal. there is a Dutch saying that applies: beside the boat is dead.

I don't swim and I taught myself to sail on a small 10 foot dinghy 20 years ago. I have sailed in a lot of stuff, in that boat, over the years, and I have sailed it in waters it was never intended for. but, always, I have been aware of the strong risks my sailing addiction involves. even though larger boats seem (and are) much safer, I never let that lull me into forgetting the risks.

i'd have to say that the large majority of sailors I have met don't really see sailing as really being dangerous. to many, if you capsize or fall overboard, it's just a dip in the water. but, sailing deals with two of the most powerful forces on earth and water is an alien environment where you were not intended to live. when things go bad, there is the always the potential for them to go very bad, very quickly.

stories like this should serve as a reminder of that and make us all think about checking out the condition of our vessels and safety gear more frequently. it should encourage us to take in that reef just a little bit sooner and to give that lee shore a bit wider berth. to keep a better weather eye out and be a bit conservative when we judge the conditions.

[SaltyMonkey]

What makes you think just wearing a life vest is gonna save your monkey end point? Rocks are rocks.

[subie]

Originally Posted by Claudiaandphil

How awful, so sad. I wonder why such an accident was deadly. The impact should not have been so great as to be fatal and I'm sure there were PFD s aboard.... The damage to the boat is obvious but How does crashing upon rocks like this lead to loss of life....?

Along our coast there is quite a few little crosses mostly for anglers who lost their lives falling of the rocks into a breaking surf. Very dangerous
and chances are slim for survival.
Condolences to the family.

[subs57]

Originally Posted by Gaia

Why are the names suddenly mentioned when the next of kin may not know yet? And the comment about whiskey? Seems in poor taste to me.

Jim

N.O.K. are always informed 1st before names are released to the public. As for saluting them in this fashion? It is because everyone who embarks on such passages realises that it could just as well happen to them, but those who are left behind understand that these poor folk were following their dreams. Bit like mountaineering really, if you get my sentiment.