Sailboat Sinks After Hitting Cape May Jetty

[gonesail]

wow total loss. now a navigation hazard I guess

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Ah damn. It’s not in Kindle unlimited right now? I might have to wait a little bit until it gets in there. I am very cheap. I already pay for the Kindle unlimited subscription. Ha ha.

It does look interesting.

No, Russel Shorto is not the Kindle Unlimited type of writer It’s worth the $4.99 though

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by HankOnthewater

...I used to blindfold helmsman or skipper, asked them to put the helm hard over for a couple 360 degree turns or a couple of figure eights, removed the blindfold and then asked to steer the boat back into the harbour...

I used to do the same thing on "night nav" exercises. Only I was sneaky about it. The crew would be chatting and generally not paying attention on the way out. Once it got dark I'd have the helmsman take a few random turns until we were on a heading to nowhere, and ask the crew to set a course back to the harbor. It's amazing how foreign your own home waters can look at night.

As for the cockpit lights, I assumed that was the reflection of the spotlight shining on the boat. Yeah, those would have killed their night vision. Bright lights were always popular with the commercial fishing boats around here. Now the recreational guys all want to look like the "big boys" so they go around in a bubble of the brightest LED lights they can buy. It's amazing this sort of accident doesn't happen more often. Luckily they're mostly day boaters.

[sailingharry]

I don't know what situation caused him to end up there. I've heard enough stories about competent people getting confused when entering a new port at night in less than ideal conditions, that I try to keep those lessons front and center when I think about where and when my next port will be. Our own Matt Johnson and Skip Gundlach have two stories that I try to never forget. And I try really hard not to judge -- I may be next!

[malbert73]

I’ve been in and out of that inlet Not sure what conditions were. If current exiting and onshore breeze there can be some decent standing waves at entrance. Nothing one couldn’t handle, but perhaps in dark an unseen stern wave could cause a sudden veer into the rocks. Or autopilot was engaged and went on fritz.

But it’s an all weather harbor so some preventable error happened

[Chotu]

take a closer look at the chart I put up. The red X is where they were.

Definitely a navigation error. Probably an eyeball navigation error.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Chotu

take a closer look at the chart I put up. The red X is where they were.

Definitely a navigation error. Probably an eyeball navigation error.

If there was no emergency before this happened then it’s more than an error… incompetence. Unfortunately this is common.

[Old Bay]

Unfortunately, money can't buy experience.

[mjscottinnc]

I’ve been in and out of there a number of times, my recollection is that there is a range on the inlet… might have gotten the lights confused.

[Franziska]

Cautious thought, might it have been a European skipper?
"Right red return" is just the other way around over here, so someone from Europe chartering in the US might get confused in a push or when exhausted.

Doesn't explain it when looking at the chart though.

[Old Bay]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Cautious thought, might it have been a European skipper?
"Right red return" is just the other way around over here, so someone from Europe chartering in the US might get confused in a push or when exhausted.

Doesn't explain it when looking at the chart though.

So are you saying that in Europe, when returning to port, the green (odd number) markers are on your right (starboard) side?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Old Bay

So are you saying that in Europe, when returning to port, the green (odd number) markers are on your right (starboard) side?

Yes, and in most of the rest of the world as well.

Jim

[malbert73]

Originally Posted by Chotu

take a closer look at the chart I put up. The red X is where they were.

Definitely a navigation error. Probably an eyeball navigation error.

Are you sure they were there? Because the picture in the article looks like the inside of the channel. I was thinking they veered into their side of the rocks

[malbert73]

Never mind last post. “North side of north jetty”
Yep, lost awareness

[carstenb]

I've been in and out of there a few times - lots of nasty currents that can surprise you (surprised us first time). Nothing that an awake helmsman can't handle although it sure shoved our 40 footer around

I suspect that a 33 footer would have been tossed around quite a bit.