It’s Showtime

Sent to Dauntless at 7:36am
Glad you are underway again.
What do you think bent the pole?
Have you had time to check fuel remaining?

Received from the crew at 8:31am est:

A conservative fig 80gal
Use 3.6 nm/gal
I now have an asymmetrical roll, but tried it without the good one in water and it was worse as an oscillation srarts

Richard Bost sent this message from:
Lat 50.555263 Lon -10.029617

Edit: added at 8:47am
Also sent to Dauntless at
5:46 est.
Hope you are OK, see you turned to the East.
No AIS seen yet.
Both vesselfinder and marine traffic show you in the Azores.

Just looking at the rather large wind driven beam seas hes facing...

He'll have to turn east and get the seas more aft.

Landfall will almost have to be Cork

I dont think he can make Castletown bere due to the beam seas.

I bet he will kiss the Blarney stone when he gets in. Of course that is after some long rest and some cold ones!

Dang. I can't say that I didn't think of the possibility of one of those poles bending or snapping under that much work. Although it's clumsy and adds weight, reinforcing the poles with angled struts, not unlike the shrimpers, adds enormous bending resistance. The whole principal of the pole transferring the weight is keeping the pole perfectly straight. If, for whatever reason, the pole has any weakness in construction, or, is momentarily pulled out of alignment anywhere along its length while the force is being transferred, it can snap or bend.

I'm sure glad this didn't happen three or four days ago.

What's next, running low on coffee?

There is some nasty stuff coming later today, now is the time for prudence.

I think I just went sphincter factor 7.

Godspeed Dauntless.

healhustler said:

Dang. I can't say that I didn't think of the possibility of one of those poles bending or snapping under that much work. Although it's clumsy and adds weight, reinforcing the poles with angled struts, not unlike the shrimpers, adds enormous bending resistance. The whole principal of the pole transferring the weight is keeping the pole perfectly straight. If, for whatever reason, the pole has any weakness in construction, or, is momentarily pulled out of alignment anywhere along its length while the force is being transferred, it can snap or bend.

I'm sure glad this didn't happen three or four days ago.

Click to expand...

Larry, what about spreaders and stainless steel cables like on outriggers?

Moonstruck said:

Larry, what about spreaders and stainless steel cables like on outriggers?

Click to expand...

Yeah, same principal....I was also thinking of that. No-stretch SS cable and spreaders would work too, but one would have to use a tension meter to get the wires equal.

You guys may not realize this but Richard is really getting pounded right now.

The K2 bouy in his area is showing 28 knot winds, and 15' seas at 7 seconds.

Few TF members have been in seas this large and close together. I have not and hope never to.

Having his stabilizers messed up is not a good situation.

Just going out on deck of that boat to work on them puts you in a survival situation.

Going abeam to the seas like this is not an option. The boat cannot do it. You have to get the seas behind you.

ksanders said:

You guys may not realize this but Richard is really getting pounded right now.

The K2 bouy in his area is showing 28 knot winds, and 15' seas at 7 seconds.

Few TF members have been in seas this large and close together. I have not and hope never to.

Having his stabilizers messed up is not a good situation.

Just going out on deck of that boat to work on them puts you in a survival situation.

Going abeam to the seas like this is not an option. The boat cannot do it. You have to get the seas behind you.

Click to expand...

So close, yet so far. 7 seconds gives little time to recover between waves. This is the worst he has faced. This kind of stuff puts stress on the boat, equipment, and crew. He has got to be very tired. Hopefully, the adrenaline from being near landfall will carry him.

I've been in seas 20' with 65kt gusts but that was just a 20 mile crossing. It was quartering stern seas as well and I would surf over 13kts. I can't imagine having them 24/7 like Richard. If I wasn't on the flying bridge and it was daylight, I'm not sure I would have made it.

From Dauntless at 10:06am est:

Emergency repairs with 12' seas is an eye opener.
As I'm fiddling with the bird & see this tremendous wave coming right at you on the beam even made me nervous

Richard Bost sent this message from:
Lat 50.693503 Lon -9.95975

10:15am
Sent to Richard:
Thanks for sharing with all of us. Those here watching know you are headed into nasty weather and…..

...weather and know you are in some ugly conditions. And yet you are so close to "home". still no AIS.
We are all watching, wishing you well.

I received some texts about 0330-0447 EST from Richard.

He stopped or slowed down early today and changed three Racors. He also found time to type up a long post about "today shenanigans" that he will publish when he has Internet access. I am really curious about the "shenanigans." I wonder if the fuel filters clogged and/or he is talking about the paravane pole.

At 0339 EST her reported 6-8 foot seas and winds at 25 knots from 225 degrees. Last night I noticed there was a front near him and this morning he said,

This morning there was a beautiful red sky sunrise.
Well, we all know what that means and sure enough as I look west I see very dark clouds and seas are

Click to expand...

I guess the forecast was correct about the front location.

The Irish M3 buoy that is closest to Dauntless but maybe 50-75 NM away, reported at 1400 Irish time winds from 238 degrees at 21 knots. Wave height was 3.8 meters at 6.8 seconds. That would be very steep.

There is a energy platform NNE of Richard that is reporting similar conditions, wind from 230 degrees at 28 knot with gusts to 36. 3 meter waves with a 5.7 second period.

Looks like Richard has turned a bit to the NNE to keep the waves to his stern.

I sent weather information to him this morning but I don't think he needs it. I have not had a response yet. Me thinks he is busy. It looks like this wind is going to continue for at least the next 24 hours as the low moves to the NNE. Ironically, once he does reach port, it looks like the weather will be nicer.

Later,
Dan

From Dauntless's DeLorme, at 11:15 est,
position 50.79697 -9.877716

My calculation to Castletownbere, 51nm, 8 hours.

Geeze: Just north of me here in Longboat Key is a the old fishing village of Cortez. It was used for many scenes as the backdrop for Glouchester in the movie "Perfect Storm". I feel as though I ought to head down to that dockside bar/restaurant and watch the rest of this on TV.

Changed 3 Racors?

Rough weather and lower fuel levels, the ultimate fuel polishing system.

bluebyu said:

From Dauntless's DeLorme, at 11:15 est,
position 50.79697 -9.877716

My calculation to Castletownbere, 51nm, 8 hours.

Click to expand...

My prediction is that he cannot make Castletownbere due to the waves on his beam, and the winds shifting even more from the west.

I think he'll either head to Cork, or another port on the south east side of the island.

This appears to be his current course of travel, and I think he will be forced more towards the east as the day progresses.

Today is not a good day for Richard. Its got to be very unpleasant today.

ksanders said:

My prediction is that he cannot make Castletownbere due to the waves on his beam, and the winds shifting even more from the west.

I think he'll either head to Cork, or another port on the south east side of the island.

This appears to be his current course of travel, and I think he will be forced more towards the east as the day progresses.

Today is not a good day for Richard. Its got to be very unpleasant today.

Click to expand...

I would agree. At this point making it to the nearest down sea lee and pub would be my top priority.

Then a hot meal and lots of sleep.

Of course all that may come after entering a strange harbour at night. So a hot meal and sleep may come first.

Capt.Bill11 said:

I would agree. At this point making it to the nearest down sea lee and pub would be my top priority.

Then a hot meal and lots of sleep.

Of course all that may come after entering a strange harbour at night. So a hot meal and sleep may come first.

Click to expand...

I would tuck up close to a lee shore, go out in the rain (it's in the forecast), and dump my shorts.

Moonstruck said:

I would tuck up close to a lee shore, go out in the rain (it's in the forecast), and dump my shorts.

Click to expand...

My shorts would need it for sure.

Maybe "Any port in a storm" is appropriate here?

"any SAFE port in a storm" should be the mantra....to many have died seeking quick refuge rather than safe refuge.

His three ports on that side of the island are...

Baltimore. I think that is again too far west for him to make it to

Kingsdale. This one is doable and is the next port east. it is 65NM from present position bearing 49 degrees. It is a small town but its a safe harbor. Satellite shows a small boat harbor there.

Cork Bay. I do not know the name of the bay that Cork is in but there are several harbors in that bay. This is 75NM at 48 degrees.

Landfall update is 11-12 hours from now which will make it a night entrance but close to sunrise. Good thing is once he tucks in close to the island the seas will abate significantly.

Sent to Dauntless at 12:31pm:
Hi Richard,
Care to share your plan for this evening?
Much concern on the board for you and the sea state/weather. All wishing you well.

From Richard 12:41 pm, est:

I've taken so many stupid pictures of these seas and waves. In part bc I know I'm not coming out in These conditions if I have a choice.

I know. The problems I had today could have occurred earlier and been harder to deal with.
I'm 44 miles from destination after 3000 m and I'm complaining. Not.


All in all though, having the boat lie "A hull"? Wallowing in the trough, 12 footers on my beam, is not something that I would risk, yet now that it happened

It's nice to know that should it happen again, it's not sudden death.

I'm streaming one bird sans pole. It is certainly better than nothing.

Richard Bost sent this message from:
Lat 50.918542 Lon -9.77648

From Bluebyu: Richard has several/many? folks texting him. He has said he likes the company. From time to time the answers don't match the questions, I think it can become easy to mix up who asked what question.

If Delorme can be believed, he is hauling ass at almost 9 mph, which could accelerate landfall.

Edit at 1:40 EDT: now back down to 7 mph, but still moving well for these conditions.

bluebyu said:

...
I'm 44 miles from destination after 3000 m and I'm complaining. Not.

Click to expand...

I got a text at 1242 EST. He answered a question about his arrival time and he said it would be after dark. From my Google Earth positioning, which is not that accurate, I came up with 39 NMs as the sea gull flies to make port from his position listed in the text.

Yes, I think he does get the answers mismatched to some questions. Which is perfectly understandable.

I think lying ahull is not a good idea. Heaving too with a sea anchor would/should work in his conditions but I don't know if he has the equipment. I suspect I would be strongly inclined to keep moving given how close he is to port.

The text had his reported position at Lat 50.922338 Lon -9.777167.

Later,
Dan

I just sent this to him:

Many folks helping w/ wx. Here's another angle: Closest pub to ur current location appears to be Jacob's Bar on Baltimore waterfront. Yes, Guinness on tap!!

I just looked at Baltimore and there are so many mooring balls it looks like landmines.

Bet, he's so close now he can smell fresh cut grass.

Many prayers being sent to you Richard.