Tragedy Strikes.

[Lizzy Belle]

Originally Posted by Gone2long

Unbelievable! Our hearts go out to you. Are we talking about an act of piracy or some unexpected weather or tidal event? Not familiar w. your location.

All that info has been posted in this thread already, although reading it all ...
Too many off-topic posts and too many troll posts

His blog is worth a read if you want to know more: SV Dagny.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by Gone2long

...
Unbelievable! Our hearts go out to you. Are we talking about an act of piracy or some unexpected weather or tidal event? Not familiar w. your location... Have u contacted the USCG and/or filed a police report?

Jeez, why didn't we think of that?! Cap, ya been gone too long Mon.

[Rustic Charm]

[QUOTE=Gone2long;2001975]

Originally Posted by gilgsn

I checked in this afternoon at West-End. Since I could not start my engine I anchored off the beach a mile South of the channel. Everything was seemingly fine, forty feet of chain and maybe fifteen of nylon rode, shallow water. Out of the customs office I checked on the boat, I could see the mast over the jetty. I had a late lunch, checked again, no problem. At six or six thirty after using my computer to get on the Internet it was time to head out to the boat on my dinghy. Dagny wasn't there! I found a guy on his boat with a radar. He could see nothing, not a blimp. Hard to spot a sailboat. Three guys on a motorboat offered to go look with me. We spent three hours looking around in the direction of the drift, nothing. I am stranded in West-End with nothing but the clothes on my back and my computer bag. They're letting me sleep in the gym tonight, no idea about tomorrow. Needless to say I am devastated, numb, incredulous.

Unbelievable! Our hearts go out to you. Are we talking about an act of piracy or some unexpected weather or tidal event? Not familiar w. your location.

Have u contacted the USCG and/or filed a police report?

G2L

It went missing last year (12:18 here )

[undercutter]

Originally Posted by brianlara 3

Im in, i indicated to French Embassy a couple of days ago my keeness to help.
Today in Oz it is thursday 31st 5pm.
On 07/01/2016...a week, Im good for a hundred AUD.....about 72 USD.
Make it happen for me someone.
Putting my money where my terrible mouth is.
Laura.

I wonder with all the CF members here whether it would just be better if 300 would donate $72.00 each then Gil could just fly over to Florida and buy another boat. Probably be easier than recovering the one he lost. And just think if 400 members were willing to donate then he could get an ever better boat than the one he had and with everything that he has learned from his unfortunate experiences then he may even have a rewarding experience the 2nd time around.

Must be lots of boats over there that are available and I know that there are lots of experienced sailors in florida that could pick him out a good one.

I'll contribute to this plan.

[Gone2long]

Sorry. Gil's thread showed in my CF view as a new post. Guess I mistook the latest post for his original post.

Thanks for your note,


G2L

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Another technical means is a DSC position request --

Good point. I'm surprised no-one suggested it earlier. Did Gil leave his VHF on? If so, does he have the MMSI?

[puffcard]

The whole VHF/DSC will only work while you're in VHF range. From a handheld maybe 8 miles. From another sailboat 15-20 miles at best. Now the CG towers could maybe reach 40.

[Gone2long]

[QUOTE=Rustic Charm;2001992]

Originally Posted by Gone2long

It went missing last year (12:18 here )

... blokes like you are on the wrong side of the equator, and in the wrong time zone , so it's only a month ago by my calculations : )

On amore serious note - Sorry for my faux pas. Mia culpa.

G2L

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

Good point. I'm surprised no-one suggested it earlier. Did Gil leave his VHF on? If so, does he have the MMSI?

Seems unlikely if he was having a generalized power problem. I think everything was off.

[Sandero]

You won't get 300 or 100 people to contribute from the forum. I think the better approach is to locate CF members in the GA or Carolinas who would be prepared to offer their boat for a search and recovery along with Gil and some CF volunteers. The cost of this could be paid by members.

I think enough would volunteer to crew and enough to send a few bucks. The effort needs to be organized by someone probably in those states on the Atlantic.

I think it would be a remarkable effort and make for quite a story and a video.

++++

I think one very valuable lesson from this thread is the Dockhead DSC suggestion. I am going to definitely get a fixed mount DSC VHF and take the hand held VHF/DSC with me when I leave the boat at anchor. These days I don't anchor in lonely spots because I am not out there all that much... but it's a very good practice. I do believe that if a boat were dragging through an occupied anchorage sailors would at some point try to re anchor or raft the boat until the owner arrived.

But having the fixed mount VHF on is a way to keep tabs on your boat's position even on a mooring. It can chafe, drag or be stolen and this is one way to keep tabs on it.

I think insurance companies should offer some discount to boats with this practice.

[EmilyClar]

Oh... I'm so sorry about this! How did you solve this situation in the end? Are you OK?

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by puffcard

The whole VHF/DSC will only work while you're in VHF range. From a handheld maybe 8 miles. From another sailboat 15-20 miles at best. Now the CG towers could maybe reach 40.

No different than with AIS.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by sneuman

Seems unlikely if he was having a generalized power problem. I think everything was off.

I assumed the same thing, but figured it was worth confirming. You still at West End? Is Gil still there?

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

I assumed the same thing, but figured it was worth confirming. You still at West End? Is Gil still there?

We've been in Lucaya for a few days now. I think Gil is still in WE, but probably leaving soon after the New Year. We are trying to decide now whether to go to Berries/Nassau tomorrow or wait an extra week. We have an incredibly good deal at a very nice marina, so there's no pressure to move on immediately. Except that I am impatient as always.

[Lodesman]

Enjoy your trip Scott. Have to say I'm a bit envious; we're in the wintry north at the moment, and would much prefer to be back in the Bahamas.