When things don't go as planned
- Thread starter Ka_sea_ta
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Acheron2010
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2017
- Messages
- 151
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Saoirse
- Vessel Make
- 1983 Nauticat 44 Ketch
Sometimes I watch those yacht crash videos on YouTube. Just a horror show, but you can't look away.
Lou_tribal
Guru
I won't dare saying anything against these guys as I have totally no clue about how to sail but looks like they were really not at the right place for this nor in the right meteo condition for them...
dhays
Guru
- Joined
- May 26, 2015
- Messages
- 9,045
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Kinship
- Vessel Make
- North Pacific 43
Yeah, it would be interesting to know what happened leading up to that. Once in that location, in those conditions, there was very little they could have done. Lee shore with large breaking waves is just a disaster waiting to happen.
ancora
Guru
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2007
- Messages
- 4,022
The video was all over the TV yesterday. It actually took place in Redondo Beach, not Los Angeles.
The long video (over 8 min) shows them in trouble 100 m further out, mainsail on the deck, jib wrapped around the forestay. As they approached the pier the jib was just coming under control, but without forward speed and with the rudder hard over, they had no steerage, and it was too late. As it went over, the keel was evidently in place.
Those M242s don't weigh much, so they need a crew of 4 big guys to act as moveable ballast in order to do well on the race course, which is likely where they were coming from.
No time stamps on the video, but it looked like the CGA were on scene in a very short while, standing by just beyond the surf line in case there was anything they could do. By then all of the action was well inside the pier. Sad to see the boat totally demolished in such a short time.
DHeckrotte
Guru
I tried to present us all with a .jpg of Google Maps. Failed. Here's an address that should get you to a view on Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.8420309,-118.393518,847m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en&authuser=0
There's a harbor protected by jetties and the Pier is toward the bottom of the view. Presumably, the stories related above that he was in difficulty earlier are correct. It appears from the video that there was a nice onshore breeze and not all that strong. Waves are only steep and breaking close to shore. Had he not been in difficulty he should have had no problem sailing a very broad reach, mostly downwind, toward the harbor entrance. The boat would have had plenty of speed and he would have been able to sail closer to the wind as he came between the breakwaters. Piece of cake sailing, I'd bet that's a pretty normal wind (onshore) direction. But you don't have many chances for a do-over. (I'd have my pee bucket ready!)
There's a harbor protected by jetties and the Pier is toward the bottom of the view. Presumably, the stories related above that he was in difficulty earlier are correct. It appears from the video that there was a nice onshore breeze and not all that strong. Waves are only steep and breaking close to shore. Had he not been in difficulty he should have had no problem sailing a very broad reach, mostly downwind, toward the harbor entrance. The boat would have had plenty of speed and he would have been able to sail closer to the wind as he came between the breakwaters. Piece of cake sailing, I'd bet that's a pretty normal wind (onshore) direction. But you don't have many chances for a do-over. (I'd have my pee bucket ready!)
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Because there wasn't one. Martin 242s race. They don't cruise well not many do. Those that cruise may carry an anchor, but in a race, that extra 10lb brings along a speed penalty.
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