Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 22-01-2020, 02:40   #16
Registered User
 
Island Time O25's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,034
Re: Merchant Bulker Rescues Four from Sailboat in Mid-Atlantic

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTom View Post
I'd be interested what story they'll try to sell the insurance company...
Depends if the hired skipper had any official credentials. If yes it would be difficult to claim distress with still good sails and solars. If not, probably "the engine broke down" may fly.
Island Time O25 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-01-2020, 02:41   #17
Registered User
 
Island Time O25's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,034
Re: Merchant Bulker Rescues Four from Sailboat in Mid-Atlantic

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cpt Pat View Post
Attack by sea monsters?
Dropped wife's valiums in the water?
Island Time O25 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-01-2020, 02:48   #18
Senior Cruiser
 
atoll's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: gettin naughty on the beach in cornwall
Boat: 63 custom alloy sloop,macwester26,prout snowgoose 37 elite catamaran!
Posts: 10,594
Images: 75
Re: Merchant Bulker Rescues Four from Sailboat in Mid-Atlantic

Quote:
Originally Posted by Island Time O25 View Post
With two solar panels unlikely the batteries would go dead. Unless the boat was rapidly and massively taking on water I don't see a major need for a rescue. The boat looks sturdy enough and in good shape. And they stayed overnight waiting for a better rescue approach.

Most likely psychological or interpersonal breakdown. A couple with a 16 year old and a skipper from another culture. Perhaps one or more of them went mental.
two solar panels in overcast conditions are probably not enough to keep up with demands from the auto pilot,fridge and nav gear.
lack of progress if they are unable to hand steer 24/7,seasickness ,no engine = low morale.
+2 on psychological or interpersonal breakdown
atoll is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-01-2020, 02:51   #19
Registered User

Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Irish Sea
Posts: 1,321
Images: 7
Re: Merchant Bulker Rescues Four from Sailboat in Mid-Atlantic

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cpt Pat View Post
Attack by sea monsters?
The sea monsters I know of, leave significant marks on the solar array...


Quote:
Originally Posted by Island Time O25 View Post
Depends if the hired skipper had any official credentials. If yes it would be difficult to claim distress with still good sails and solars. If not, probably "the engine broke down" may fly.
My next request would be to cough up the receipts for the fuel needed to motor from Las Palmas to St Lucia...
__________________
Useful as a fireproof bottom paint...
GTom is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-01-2020, 02:54   #20
Registered User
 
Island Time O25's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,034
Re: Merchant Bulker Rescues Four from Sailboat in Mid-Atlantic

Quote:
Originally Posted by atoll View Post
two solar panels in overcast conditions are probably not enough to keep up with demands from the auto pilot,fridge and nav gear.
lack of progress if they are unable to hand steer 24/7,seasickness ,no engine = low morale.
+2 on psychological or interpersonal breakdown
With 4 people on board the auto pilot breakdown should not be an issue. Could set up resonable 2-3 hour waches. Overcast means there is wind of some sort so no need for the engine. Perhaps used up all the fresh water and no watermaker. I would count that as a possible rescue emergency. Otherwise - simply unprepared crew/skipper/both.

PS On the other hand overcast skies means rain so water could've been collected.
Island Time O25 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-01-2020, 02:56   #21
Registered User

Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 3,525
Re: Merchant Bulker Rescues Four from Sailboat in Mid-Atlantic

Conjecture, but I bet a kid was sick. The US sent a c130 and rerouted a Navy frigate to get the Kaufman baby off in mid Pacific. The baby’s fever had already gone down by the time it arrived. But the whole family got off and scuttled her. I believe Kaufman was ex-Coast guard. The boat was fine. Even with his experience, he didn’t feel it was safe to singlehand across the Pacific.

Maybe the kid was just one of those few that don’t get over seasickness in three days. Or maybe some emotional/mental breakdown. The parents may have felt it was a survival issue - and with dehydration they could be right. And stressed with worry - the engine packs up.

Once a sick kid is getting off, the parents are going too. What parent wouldn’t? Boats can be replaced like a house or a car. And the hired skipper wasn’t crazy enough to singlehand an ocean crossing — so he got off too.

This wasn’t a situation where SAR was asked to risk their lives in a non-emergency. The ship was nearby.

Maybe a shakedown crew with the whole family would have spotted the problem. Maybe not. I do hope they left AIS on to avoid a collision. When it drifts near shore someone salvor will tow it in.
CarlF is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-01-2020, 02:57   #22
Registered User
 
Island Time O25's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,034
Re: Merchant Bulker Rescues Four from Sailboat in Mid-Atlantic

This crew's predicament should be a required reading for all of those "I took two 1 week crewed charters in the Med and am now looking for a sailboat to circumnavigate right away" crowd.
Island Time O25 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-01-2020, 03:14   #23
Registered User
 
Island Time O25's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,034
Re: Merchant Bulker Rescues Four from Sailboat in Mid-Atlantic

Quote:
Originally Posted by CarlF View Post
Conjecture, but I bet a kid was sick. The US sent a c130 and rerouted a Navy frigate to get the Kaufman baby off in mid Pacific. The baby’s fever had already gone down by the time it arrived. But the whole family got off and scuttled her. I believe Kaufman was ex-Coast guard. The boat was fine. Even with his experience, he didn’t feel it was safe to singlehand across the Pacific.

Maybe the kid was just one of those few that don’t get over seasickness in three days. Or maybe some emotional/mental breakdown. The parents may have felt it was a survival issue - and with dehydration they could be right. And stressed with worry - the engine packs up.

Once a sick kid is getting off, the parents are going too. What parent wouldn’t? Boats can be replaced like a house or a car. And the hired skipper wasn’t crazy enough to singlehand an ocean crossing — so he got off too.

This wasn’t a situation where SAR was asked to risk their lives in a non-emergency. The ship was nearby.

Maybe a shakedown crew with the whole family would have spotted the problem. Maybe not. I do hope they left AIS on. When it drifts near shore someone salvor will tow it in.
Also, unless the dog grew up on a boat it would be literally sh***ing all over once in the rough seas, etc. Another stress trigger factor.

It just too obvious that the family was not prepared and the skipper didn't do his best in shaking that out before departing. Probably saw €€ dangled in front of him and let his judgmenet lapse as a result.
Island Time O25 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-01-2020, 04:13   #24
Senior Cruiser
 
hpeer's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Between Caribbean and Canada
Boat: Murray 33-Chouette & Pape Steelmaid-44-Safara-both steel cutters
Posts: 8,507
Re: Merchant Bulker Rescues Four from Sailboat in Mid-Atlantic

Over the past 2 years I’ve met 2 separate couples who have retired early and bought brand new 45+ foot cats as their first boat to learn to sail. One was a Gun Boat. The other couple were going to do a round the world ralley way to “get our feet wet in sailing.”

Both boats were under warranty, having or just had significant warranty work done. Neither owner appeared to be watching the work and learning. They were all “management” types.
hpeer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-01-2020, 05:01   #25
Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Fiji Airways/ Lake Ontario
Boat: Legend 37.5, 1968 Alcort Sunfish, Avon 310
Posts: 2,749
Images: 11
Re: Merchant Bulker Rescues Four from Sailboat in Mid-Atlantic

Quote:
Originally Posted by Island Time O25 View Post
Here are some more details. French family of 3, plus Portugese skipper and a bulldog. Waves 10 to 12 feet.

https://www.total-croatia-news.com/l...oatian-sailors
Captain of the rescue ship reports sailboat crew “fine” but “tired”.

The shown photos indicate possible 4m rollers, but clearly not short period 4m “boat buster” breakers.

Perhaps they dropped sail when the ship approached, but I wonder if they didn’t sit floundering beam-on anyway.

Looks like the typical combination of too much money with total lack of experience.
Tetepare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-01-2020, 06:10   #26
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: ABC's
Boat: Prout Snowgoose 35
Posts: 1,756
Re: Merchant Bulker Rescues Four from Sailboat in Mid-Atlantic

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTom View Post
I'd be interested what story they'll try to sell the insurance company...
If it's a European boat worth less than €100.000 they probably would not have gotten hull insurance at all.


Quote:
Originally Posted by atoll View Post
two solar panels in overcast conditions are probably not enough to keep up with demands from the auto pilot,fridge and nav gear.
lack of progress if they are unable to hand steer 24/7,seasickness ,no engine = low morale.
+2 on psychological or interpersonal breakdown

On my solo crossing I had 850w of solar, and still it wasn't enough it was overcast a good 50-60% of the time, and dark the rest of the time. I used the engine to charge a little, and also hand steered a little, as well as turing off the fridge and other non-essential items.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Tetepare
Captain of the rescue ship reports sailboat crew “fine” but “tired”.

The shown photos indicate possible 4m rollers, but clearly not short period 4m “boat buster” breakers.

Perhaps they dropped sail when the ship approached, but I wonder if they didn’t sit floundering beam-on anyway.

Looks like the typical combination of too much money with total lack of experience.
Pretty much what I had, between 3-4.8m with a 7-8 second period (definitely not the nice smooth 15 second rollers from the North during the days of dead calm). First on the beam then eventually moving around more to the stern as I got closer to Caribe. I described it as uncomfortable in that you couldn't stand up with holding on to something with both hands.

I think the Weather for the Atlantic crossing has been pretty rubbish this year for those leaving in December on wards. Endless days of calm, waves/swell up to 5m often in on the beam and then a weeks of 30+ knot winds at odds with the swell.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Island Time O25 View Post
This crew's predicament should be a required reading for all of those "I took two 1 week crewed charters in the Med and am now looking for a sailboat to circumnavigate right away" crowd.
And for the hundreds of people that going around the boats in the Canaries wanting to crew. "Do you have any experience?", "No but I can cook and clean". Complete with a Ukelele, and possibly a skateboard or some other piece of crap they expect to be stored. "For ecological reasons I'm cycling around the world and would like to crew on a boat" One of these delusional hippy weirdos even lived a f-ing cave.
mikedefieslife is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-01-2020, 07:15   #27
Marine Service Provider
 
Snore's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Boat: Retired Delivery Capt
Posts: 3,684
Send a message via Skype™ to Snore
Re: Merchant Bulker Rescues Four from Sailboat in Mid-Atlantic

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tetepare View Post
....

Looks like the typical combination of too much money with total lack of experience.
It appears they recognized their deficiency and hired someone.

As posted elsewhere, I will not pass judgement. As a licensed master, my only question is —- why did the delivery guy leave???
__________________
"Whenever...it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off- then, I account it high time to get to sea..." Ishmael
Snore is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-01-2020, 08:11   #28
Registered User
 
Barbaria's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Currently sailing Greece
Boat: Bavaria 40 Ocean
Posts: 92
Re: Merchant Bulker Rescues Four from Sailboat in Mid-Atlantic

According to this article they lost propulsion and parts of the rudder.

RijeĨki kapetan spasio Ĩetvero jedriliĨara i psića na olujnom sjevernom Atlantiku / Novi list

Seems to be a lot of “disabled” sailboats out on the ocean in 2020.

https://www.wkrg.com/northwest-flori...r-near-destin/


https://www.marinelink.com/news/two-...ailboat-474287
Barbaria is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-01-2020, 08:48   #29
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Scotland
Boat: 42ft Moody Ketch
Posts: 643
Re: Merchant Bulker Rescues Four from Sailboat in Mid-Atlantic

Lol its the X files on CF the mud slingers and the crystal ballers are out to , lets critique once the FULL story is out , I know I know its fun to tell stories but its all fantasy until the truth becomes apparent
tarian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-01-2020, 08:50   #30
Registered User
 
Cadence's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: SC
Boat: None,build the one shown of glass, had many from 6' to 48'.
Posts: 10,208
Re: Merchant Bulker Rescues Four from Sailboat in Mid-Atlantic

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cpt Pat View Post
Maybe the batteries went dead after the engine failed -- and they couldn't keep the beer cold.

12 foot seas, no engine. Warm beer (drink Guinness - it's supposed to be warm). Sounds like my sail last weekend.

I shouldn't make light of their situation, but it's hard to believe they would abandon over only a dead engine. But then, it seems to me that too many "sailors" only know how to operate wind-assisted motor boats.
Either there is more to the story or you have it correct.
Cadence is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
boat, rescue, sail, sailboat

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
USCG rescues four sailors off charleston onestepcsy37 Navigation 2 08-06-2013 20:46
Charting Question for Merchant Mariners avb3 Navigation 3 26-06-2012 01:04
Coast Guard Rescues Four People from Sinking Sailboat in NJ hazle Cruising News & Events 3 14-10-2011 18:09
Merchant Mariner Career Track rebel heart Rules of the Road, Regulations & Red Tape 1 16-09-2010 19:22
piracy and armed robbery against merchant vessel ugurcan Meets & Greets 0 21-02-2009 14:09

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:35.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.