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Oh no, Another Sailing Tragedy

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by sunchaserv, Apr 30, 2012.

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  1. sunchaserv, Apr 30, 2012
    #1
    sunchaserv

    sunchaserv Member

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    I just read where the recent Newport - Ensanada race saw the loss of a racing participant. Sailboat with 4 on board and a debris field. It appears to have been in Mexican waters. Speculation at this time as to cause.
  2. PropBet, Apr 30, 2012
    #2
    PropBet

    PropBet Senior Member

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    Yes, this is very sad news in the sailing / racing world.
    This even follows another accident just two weeks prior in Northern California of 5 sailors perishing to the sea.
  3. Capt J, Apr 30, 2012
    #3
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I think they're starting to get greedy in the name of racing and building them lighter and lighter.......at the expense of strength......
  4. Pascal, May 1, 2012
    #4
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Neither accident has anything to do with building them light.

    In the Farallon accident, it's unlikely any boat would have survived the wave they encountered without rig damage. If you look at the picture, the boat is sitting on the rocks in one piece. In the mexican accident the boat was a production hunter, not a purpose built racer, and i don't think any small boat can survive a collision with a ship, since it appears it was the cause
  5. Robertoman, May 1, 2012
    #5
    Robertoman

    Robertoman Member

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    Tragic loss of experienced crew

    Today, the local news, said the racing sailboat was chopped up into small pieces and might have been chopped up by the propeller of a freighter. The investigation will continue to trace the track of ships transiting the area in the shipping lanes. The area was becalmed at night and the radar signature of a 37' Hunter might have been overlooked by a large freighter and appear as clutter with all the small race sailboats more or less stopped in the same area
    The search was ceased after three bodies recovered.
    The crew had participated in this same race several times before.
  6. Ward, May 2, 2012
    #6
    Ward

    Ward Senior Member

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  7. Chris W, May 2, 2012
    #7
    Chris W

    Chris W Member

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    so you wanna go offshore?

    its a shame that things like this happen all to often. to try to pin blame on someone after the fact is the definetion of monday morning quarterbacking.. no witnesses,certainly any ship that may have ran them down didnt do it on purpose, sometimes there is no answer. all of us who go offshore in any size boat have to accept,and prepare for and mitagate risks,as best we can. but, just like driving down the highway,bad things can happen anytime..
    i solo sailed across the atlantic on my own 10m sailboat. while i did the best i could to prepare and rig my boat out to help me keep myself alive, i had to accept the fact that i had made the choice to put my life in my own hands.. any production glass boat would look like it went thru a blender if it got in front of a steamer. im sorry for the families involved,but,i bet the nights before were some of the best that the crew shared..
    RIP.
    and dont sleep on watch.
  8. dennismc, May 2, 2012
    #8
    dennismc

    dennismc Senior Member

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    The downloaded gps track of the destroyed vessel shows a more than likely collision with Coronado Island.