Missing yacht near Barbados..

[GTom]

Originally Posted by Jammer

Faced with that, what would you do? Stay home? Find a different wife? I wouldn't be so quick to judge.

I know it's alway easy to give advice afterwards. What one could do: follow safe single-handed practices (safety lines, plb on the life jacket) or employ a competent crew member.

There is no problem with single-handed sailing nowadays, neither with carrying a non-sailing passenger if the boat and the skipper is well prepared for the task.

[barnakiel]

There are all sorts of sailors out there and all sorts of attitudes and all levels of technology applied. What is good or not, desirable or not, is up to the person in the boat. All we can do is respect other sailors' choices, skills and limitations.

Good to hear the woman has been rescued.

barnakiel

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Its a common thing to judge others from the perspective of ones own limitations on risks, skills/capabilities and stamina.. dont sweat it..
Its human nature

Exactly!!!

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Its a common thing to judge others from the perspective of ones own limitations on risks, skills/capabilities and stamina.. dont sweat it..
Its human nature

I couldn’t agree more. 100%

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by GTom

I know it's alway easy to give advice afterwards. What one could do: follow safe single-handed practices (safety lines, plb on the life jacket) or employ a competent crew member.

There is no problem with single-handed sailing nowadays, neither with carrying a non-sailing passenger if the boat and the skipper is well prepared for the task.

Personally I've always believed single handers were taking more risk. In my mind any time you are unable to keep a 24 hour watch going you are taking more risk. I know with modern technology things have improved somewhat but no one will ever convince me that single handing is as safe as a crewed boat. I'm not suggesting that it shouldn't be done, that's entirely up to the individual.
As far as falling overboard I have an extreme view which I pass on to my crew, if it's more than my wife...If you go overboard you are dead. This means we pay attention to staying aboard.
To be fair if we were running in 30 knots of wind and 12 to 15 foot seas and my wife went overboard it's very unlikely that I could return, find her and get her aboard in time. The main is strapped down hard with a preventer... the head sail is poled out and the seas are big enough that a person would disappear in a matter of seconds. I doubt that there are many guys who could stop a sailboat a hell of a lot faster than me in those conditions but it still takes time. Then you have to be able to go upwind in 35 knots apparent in those same 15 foot seas. It's just a hell of a lot harder than most people would believe.

[thruska]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Thruska.....Polux retracted his comments 10 posts ago....it is posts like yours that are continuing to distract from the actual event!

Oh my forgive me dear sir for stepping on your toes !
I didnt notice you scolding anyonee else commenting on his remarks . I see a remark saying he would not further comment , is that a retraction ? Are you splitting hairs or are you picking a bone ?
Whatever, go fish. .

[GTom]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

... but no one will ever convince me that single handing is as safe as a crewed boat.

That wasn't my intention, and I do agree, single handing = more risk. However, there are apparently lots of situations, where a single handed sailor can very well survive.

I absolutely agree, recovery is a hard job even for the skilled. Maybe that PLB can stay on even if the boat has a full & competent crew... BTW, if you do manage to stop your boat even after half a mile, calling in the cavalry can fetch your better half in time - unless you are far offshore. She won't drift too far in a few hours, before a helicopter can sweep the area.

[newhaul]

Ok here is my 2c worth " jacklines always use them when not at a dock or anchor period."
As already stated you fall off the boat you die.

[GTom]

Originally Posted by newhaul

Ok here is my 2c worth " jacklines always use them when not at a dock or anchor period."
As already stated you fall off the boat you die.

Jacklines may kill you too, make them as short as possible...

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Personally I've always believed single handers were taking more risk. In my mind any time you are unable to keep a 24 hour watch going you are taking more risk. I know with modern technology things have improved somewhat but no one will ever convince me that single handing is as safe as a crewed boat. I'm not suggesting that it shouldn't be done, that's entirely up to the individual.
As far as falling overboard I have an extreme view which I pass on to my crew, if it's more than my wife...If you go overboard you are dead. This means we pay attention to staying aboard.
To be fair if we were running in 30 knots of wind and 12 to 15 foot seas and my wife went overboard it's very unlikely that I could return, find her and get her aboard in time. The main is strapped down hard with a preventer... the head sail is poled out and the seas are big enough that a person would disappear in a matter of seconds. I doubt that there are many guys who could stop a sailboat a hell of a lot faster than me in those conditions but it still takes time. Then you have to be able to go upwind in 35 knots apparent in those same 15 foot seas. It's just a hell of a lot harder than most people would believe.

Not wishing to join an argument, but in the conditions you’ve described... I’d be wearing my OceanRodeo drysuit, personal epirb in the front pocket along with my inflatable lifejacket with integral harness tethered to the cockpit or jackline strap. Wife wearing the same.

Other folks may choose to do things differently. Freedom of choice... no right or wrong answers.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by GTom

Jacklines may kill you too, make them as short as possible...

looked to me that the person that went over and was drug to death . His tether was not properly adjusted . Mine is adjusted so while I have free movement if I fall down I will not actually completely leave the deck. ( with the exception of at the bow) . The most that I can go over is to my armpits . Jmho

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Its a common thing to judge others from the perspective of ones own limitations on risks, skills/capabilities and stamina.. dont sweat it..
Its human nature

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I couldn’t agree more. 100%

A followup to my previous post. In this video, watch how my 90 year young Italian friend does what 99% of the folks on this forum can’t do with a 52ft, fifty year old wooden ketch without a bow thruster in extremely tight quarters:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dY299heFrPg

Don’t be so quick to judge the abilty of others based on your own limitations.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Its a common thing to judge others from the perspective of ones own limitations on risks, skills/capabilities and stamina.. dont sweat it..
Its human nature

Mothers teach their children to keep such thoughts to themselves, it's called exhibiting good manners!

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Personally I've always believed single handers were taking more risk. In my mind any time you are unable to keep a 24 hour watch going you are taking more risk. I know with modern technology things have improved somewhat but no one will ever convince me that single handing is as safe as a crewed boat. I'm not suggesting that it shouldn't be done, that's entirely up to the individual.
As far as falling overboard I have an extreme view which I pass on to my crew, if it's more than my wife...If you go overboard you are dead. This means we pay attention to staying aboard.
To be fair if we were running in 30 knots of wind and 12 to 15 foot seas and my wife went overboard it's very unlikely that I could return, find her and get her aboard in time. The main is strapped down hard with a preventer... the head sail is poled out and the seas are big enough that a person would disappear in a matter of seconds. I doubt that there are many guys who could stop a sailboat a hell of a lot faster than me in those conditions but it still takes time. Then you have to be able to go upwind in 35 knots apparent in those same 15 foot seas. It's just a hell of a lot harder than most people would believe.

Yes, yes! I was thinking this today. There was many days this year that would of taken substantial time to stop the boat, trade winds and decent seas from behind...... Stay on the boat! Preferably don't leave the cockpit.

I've never found what I consider a good Jack line setup, they get tangled around Me, I spend do much time concentrating on the lines rather than what I'm doing..... still working on a better solution.

[BlackHeron]

As half of a beginning cruising couple I would like to see an in-depth discussion of the similarities and differences between single-handing, and couple's shorthanding -with added attention to the various flavors in between including this type of situation, which I would perhaps label "Single-hand chartering for one passenger."

One of our main rules as a couple is that no matter what else happens we don't ever fall off of the boat.

Even in the best of conditions this is a disaster. Harnesses, tethers, jacklines, pad-eyes in the cockpit, hard-and-fast rules on not leaving cockpit or even untethering when alone on watch. There is a padeye right at the companionway hatch on the bulkhead for tethering which secures anyone in the cockpit even before they climb out of the cabin.

Falling overboard is always very,very bad. Don't do that. No excuses.