Sailboat about to be clobbered by a 100-foot rouge wave (pic)

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Interesting post. Any idea what happened next? Was the crew still onboard?

I am surprised they were dismasted by a knockdown. A knockdown shouldn't cause one to loose the rig; a capsize quite possibly would.

As you say, the foreground wave doesn't look too serious and the post suggests this was the "normal size" at the time.

Presumably the 100' figure has been calculated and is approximately correct but again, it doesn't look like it is seriously breaking or is "hollow" or "backless" so shouldn't cause anymore structural damage to the boat.

Regardless, I would rather be the photographer than the subject this time!

You bet. I'd like to know what year and what hurricane that was, too, and why such a small boat was out in it.

I'm assuming the people on board were rescued (assuming they survived to that point) since someone was up in the air taking pictures.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

What is the source of this pic? Something doesn't look right.

Interesting thought. You can do just about anything in photoshop. Expanding the size of a wave could be done.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by atoll

step up to the liferaft.............

If it survived the roll. I don't see one on the deck. There's a scary thought -- oh dear, we've lost the life raft ...

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

As Zeehag says its not a rogue wave its a storm wave.
As RoverHi says its not breaking. Nor did the previous wave. Yes it fluffed up a white cap and there would have been ten feet of foam, but thats not a breaking wave.

You dont need warps because the dismasted vessle has no way up.

I can't see a wind pattern on the wave.

I would chuck a sea anchor or whatever I could (or just the normal anchor ) out over the bow and try to get the bow into the waves. The its just a matter of hanging on till its calmer and clearing lines under the boat to start the engine and sail off into the nearest port.

Yes its scary, very very scary. Fatal? No.



Mark

If the engine still runs after being rolled ... But I think what you would do is theoretical, because I doubt you would go sailing out into a hurricane in a 30' sailboat!

Thank you, Zeehag and Mark, for the information. I thought I was hearing sensationalism in the media. To them I think "rogue wave" just rolls off the tongue, especially after the word "rogue" has already been used so much in politics.

Still, one of the posts has me wondering about photoshop.

[Capt Rottnest]

The pic looks to be dragged from sites describing the '98 Sydney-Hobart, so I'd say its from that race, where 5 boats sank and 6 lost their lives. A rough year that one.

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by Teknav

In a case like this, he/she should have had a pair of oars on board. You'd be surprised how much maneuverability you can do with old fashion oars; place one by the tiller and the other one to row and change the boat's direction. Simple canoeing principles! That's all folks!

Mauritz
Knows and sees all...

I really hope that this was meant as humor If, so, pretty funny! If not, there's absolutely no way that a couple of oars could be used to manuever a dis-masted sailboat of this size in a hurricane

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

Never mind and thanks to all -- question answered.

Here was your original response:
---Quote (Originally by Palarran)---
There are about 20 threads on CF which describe rogue waves if you are interested. In any case, I would guess that is more like a 50' wave, not a 100'er. Not that it matters much as your still in deep poo poo.
---End Quote---

Here is my very specific question. As we've seen in the seasickness thread, sometimes (always so far for me), searching old threads doesn't quite get to the heart of what I wanted to know. I think my question is specific and simple. Palleran doesn't have to answer but if anyone would care to: Given that it's a hurricane, does that monster wall of water (http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/tags/water.html) still qualify as a rogue wave?


If you do a google search on CF, or any search engine, you will find in less than 5 seconds the answer to your question.

You posted 5 times right in a row. Are you trying to set a new CF post record?

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Capt Rottnest

The pic looks to be dragged from sites describing the '98 Sydney-Hobart, so I'd say its from that race, where 5 boats sank and 6 lost their lives. A rough year that one.

Oh good gracious. I've heard about it of course but what a picture ...

And that's why they'd be out there. Racers don't like to give up.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Palarran

Here was your original response:
---Quote (Originally by Palarran)---
There are about 20 threads on CF which describe rogue waves if you are interested. In any case, I would guess that is more like a 50' wave, not a 100'er. Not that it matters much as your still in deep poo poo.
---End Quote---

Here is my very specific question. As we've seen in the seasickness thread, sometimes (always so far for me), searching old threads doesn't quite get to the heart of what I wanted to know. I think my question is specific and simple. Palleran doesn't have to answer but if anyone would care to: Given that it's a hurricane, does that monster wall of water (http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/tags/water.html) still qualify as a rogue wave?


If you do a google search on CF, or any search engine, you will find in less than 5 seconds the answer to your question.

You posted 5 times right in a row. Are you trying to set a new CF post record?

And now I either answer you and make it six or ... what?

You could just filter me. Forgive me for finding it interesting.

[Neo]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

You dont need warps because the dismasted vessle has no way up.

I can't see a wind pattern on the wave.Mark

What do you mean, "no way up?' Do you mean nothing to drive them up the backside of the wave?

[Teknav]

Hiya Paul! When I see a thread that's getting way way too serious/depressing, I like to interject with some light-hearted humor; albeit outrageously silly sometimes. Life is too short!

Mauritz
Knows and sees all...ONLY a Dullah

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by Teknav

Hiya Paul! When I see a thread that's getting way way too serious/depressing, I like to interject with some light-hearted humor; albeit outrageously silly sometimes. Life is too short!

Mauritz
Knows and sees all...ONLY a Dullah

Darn! I've been looking for an argument lately and was hoping this was it!

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by zeehag

if , as they said, it was a hfurycame situation, that wouldnt be a rogue. it would be a storm sea. the sea doesnt have breaking tops so it isnt as bad as a breaking huge sea on the beam.

Correct. It's very hard to judge wave height from photos, but I would guess that's no more than 10 to maximum 15 meters -- 30 to 50 feet, and a fairly benign shape -- long period, no breaking crests. We get that kind of sea in the Channel fairly often.

My guess is that the photo was taken long after the worst was over.

[Capt Phil]

I'm with Dockhead on this... no rogue wave in sight. Looks more like the aftermath of a big storm, probably force 9-10. Obviously the vessel got caught and lost her rig and maneuverability (no engine), perhaps abandoned.
Not a good position to be in but appears the worst is over and just a bumpy ride until the sea flattens out which it does over time.
Hope the crew is OK... Phil

[RazAU]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Correct. It's very hard to judge wave height from photos, but I would guess that's no more than 10 to maximum 15 meters -- 30 to 50 feet, and a fairly benign shape -- long period, no breaking crests. We get that kind of sea in the Channel fairly often.

My guess is that the photo was taken long after the worst was over.

You'd be wrong in those guesses I feel...!

The yacht in that boat is/was VC Offshore Stand Aside, and at 12 metres (40') long you can get an appreciation of how big the seas actually were. Stand Aside was the first to issue a mayday in the 1998 Sydney to Hobart after being rolled and dismasted by an estimated 80 foot wave.

The images of the race do not do the sea state any justice. They were truly huge seas and yes, many of the waves had no backs to them.