Whale Stories- Recent /for you nay sayers.

[somedayy]

I love her books. These stories from her blog are real life. She is a very good writer. For those of you that like nautical stories, you need to read her. You wont be sorry.Tales from the boatyard | SailingWriter

[somedayy]

2 boats in the same yard in the south pacific getting repairs for whale damage. Some of you armchair sailors have insinuated that this is a 1 in a million chance? What is your answer if any?

[Sea Frog]

Is says "But here’s the weird thing. Both boats were Swedish". So, I guess the rest of us shouldn't worry too much.

[K_V_B]

Originally Posted by somedayy

2 boats in the same yard in the south pacific getting repairs for whale damage. Some of you armchair sailors have insinuated that this is a 1 in a million chance? What is your answer if any?

May answer is the same one my statistics professor would give me: Inprobably events do happen. Pointing at an occurrance of an event in itself does not disprove a claim that something is improbable.

There is a guy in the UK who won the lottery twice. With the same numbers...

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by K_V_B

May answer is the same one my statistics professor would give me: Inprobably events do happen. Pointing at an occurrance of an event in itself does not disprove a claim that something is improbable.

There is a guy in the UK who won the lottery twice. With the same numbers...

Many events are extremely improbable, but are almost guaranteed to occur. Often it has nothing to do with statistical truth.
Possibly the simplest example is a lottery. These often have incredible odds that seem impossible to beat, but indeed someone (almost) always wins. This is because of the sheer number of people playing. Even though an individual has a low chance of success, overall it's almost certain that it will be won by somebody.

[StuM]

It's balanced out by the millions of other million to one events which haven't happened. It's just that you never here about them

[Trim50]

On more than one occasion I have had to stop for a blue whale sleeping on the surface and alter course for a group of humpbacks crossing in front of me on the way to Catalina Island. We had a Humpback fully breach just a few yards from us while sailing inside the Great Barrier Reef. I've even had a mother humpback and her baby swim directly under my keel in San Diego. So yeah, hitting a whale is highly probable if you sail long enough.

[icemate]

Have met someone who was hit by whale on trip to NZ. Broke rudder and took on water. I myself while sailing from Western Samoa to Tonga encountered 6 whales along the port side of my boat when I woke up. The largest (about 30 feet) was closest to boat and I could reach it and touch it. Others, a little smaller and more active seemed to be kept away by the larger. Sailing solo, I didn't kow what to do so I didn't do anything. They stayed with me for a couple hours and then left. I didn't change course, start motor, or change sail set. Just continued and was thankful nothing happened. Beautiful to watch but made me nervous.

[goat]

There was an interesting thread earlier about hull colour and whale collisions.
Condensed version; to whales, the colour red looks like a school of fish or patch of krill. They're not seeing your hull as a solid object.
Solution; blue bottom paint.

Interesting to see what colour the Swedes' bottom paint was.


goat

[ArmyDaveNY]

"There was an interesting thread earlier about hull colour and whale collisions.
Condensed version; to whales, the colour red looks like a school of fish or patch of krill. They're not seeing your hull as a solid object.
Solution; blue bottom paint.

Interesting to see what colour the Swedes' bottom paint was."


That is very logical. It's too bad since I like the red bottom with a blue hull. I guess I'll keep the red bottom on the coastal boats and use blue for the boat I am sailing on extended trips!

[secrabtree]

Statistics are funny. For instance, in flipping four pennies the odds at the start are that two will be heads and two tails. After you flip 3 times getting two heads and one tail what do you think the odds are for the fourth flip? How about if the first three flips were all Heads? In both cases the odds are even that it will be heads or tails. Whatever the previous results were makes absolutely no difference in the next flip.

[goat]

Originally Posted by secrabtree

Statistics are funny. For instance, in flipping four pennies the odds at the start are that two will be heads and two tails. After you flip 3 times getting two heads and one tail what do you think the odds are for the fourth flip? Even odds that it will be heads or tails. Whatever the previous results were makes absolutely no difference in the next flip.

It's the disbelief in this simple fact that keeps people pulling slot machine handles. The lottery; a tax on people who don't understand odds and statistics.

goat

[mindsofman]

Two Sperm whales swimming close to a couple of tropical bound Yachts,,,,discussion ! Ramming yachts.
One says to the other " i love sinking those things but i just hate swallowing the sea men "
I've hit two of them in small yachts BUT its their ocean,,now i make sure i have music playing at night with a speaker
Up against the hull,,,have'nt hit one since.

[deblen]

Whale watching is a popular summer attraction in Bay of Fundy-no incidents in past that I'm aware of. Humpbacks,Minkes,Fins & Right whales are most common.

https://www.facebook.com/kerry.green...3540803915090/

[Steadman Uhlich]

More Whale Tales here on CF in a recent thread on sinkings, attacks, colors of boat bottoms etc.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...es-150847.html