Urgent help needed to recover abandoned yacht NW Barbados

[Pelagic]

It is a strange dilemma for the OP who has decided to withhold abandon position and details, that would help any passing vessel to identify and locate.

At this stage, do you disclose everything and publicise an award or try to find secretly on your own?

[allwentwrong]

Maybe 250 due east from St Martin

[ErikFinn]

Originally Posted by allwentwrong

Maybe 250 due east from St Martin

That would mean you need a twin engine plane to have a chance to actually be able to do any searching once 250NM out from St. Martin. Even with zero wind conditions these planes typically have about 4 hour endurance, at around 180 to 190 kn speeds at best (some slower, only few faster), unless equipped with extra long range tanks. That means with zero winds you spent about 1 hour 20 minutes to reach your 250NM spot, giving you less than one hour to spend actually searching. Pilot will of course want to leave a required fuel reserve for a safe return. Now, there is no such thing as 'zero wind' in real life so the actual figures will be less than above, as you will also have to return, unless there is another airport available nearer. Pilot would naturally make the required calculations before flight. I don't think there are many single engine planes capable of doing this, unless you go turbine and or much more expensive. The aircraft owner/operator may have policy/insurance restriction on flying over open water.

If I was you I would call every local operator and ask them if they can take you out 250nm and search there for about one hour.

Try google St Martin aircraft rental, flight training, fbo, charter, etc. I'm sure you will find someone who at least knows whom to contact.

If you find a multi operator with extra long range tanks you might be able to spend maybe up to 2 hours more in the air.

[Tricolor]

What i understand, from what is known, that end next week she will be somewhere close to St. Maarten... Prediction for next week Wind 12-15 kn W, Waves also W.

[Scout 30]

A terrible quandary. Clearly the boat is not insured. The owner has a wife & 2 kids & limited resources. Aside from AIS, which has not worked so far and is probably no longer functioning, or a chance sighting which is unlikely, the only way to find the boat is an aerial search which is prohibitively expensive. At what point do you cut your losses & move on?

What are the lessons learned here? It makes sense that a Delorme inReach or Spot Tracker would be a good idea. How about insurance which can be very expensive for blue water. I think one thing we all realize is that if we abandon our boat the chances of ever getting back on it are slim. It sounds harsh but if your boat is not a disposable asset maybe you should not own a boat.

It's a complicated issue but at this point I would make finding this boat as attractive as possible to anyone who might be interested including salvors. Something is better than nothing.

[allwentwrong]

Hi guys yes I'm in a terrible quandary!
The insurance won't cover it. I am willing to offer a finders fee out of my own pocket.
My estimate is with the drift speed and winds, it's possibly 59'W and between 15'30N-18'N. I know it's a huge area, but all depends on whether the drogue lines have chaffed through. As with the drogue out it was drifting NW and without it was drifting more W with the wind.

I can't find any pilots that are willing to take me out. So I'm just hanging on the hope that it's spotted then I can go out by boat. I have left my sat phone contact numbers on board, in case anyone goes aboard hopefully they will contact me.
I know the chances of finding it are slim, but I can't just right it off just yet.
Here's a pic of how I left it, minus the life raft

[ak5609]

I offered you my help a few days ago. I am in St.Martin, in the Lagoon, Nettle Bay, French side.
My boat is a Leopard 38 ready to go sailing with you and me and better one more experienced sailor. It is free of charge, so don't worry.
Anyway, if you want to check it out, come to my boat or cale on Channels 10.
My Name is Alex
Boats name is Apaleo.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by ErikFinn

That means with zero winds you spent about 1 hour 20 minutes to reach your 250NM spot, giving you less than one hour to spend actually searching.

Sounds like you need a WWII carrier pilot that had the cajones carry out his search, and return to his ship running on fumes...

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

It's a complicated issue but at this point I would make finding this boat as attractive as possible to anyone who might be interested including salvors. Something is better than nothing.

My position too... somehow post what you're willing to offer for recovery
by a certain date... something very attractive, like 10-20k?

[allwentwrong]

Originally Posted by ak5609

I offered you my help a few days ago. I am in St.Martin, in the Lagoon, Nettle Bay, French side.
My boat is a Leopard 38 ready to go sailing with you and me and better one more experienced sailor. It is free of charge, so don't worry.
Anyway, if you want to check it out, come to my boat or cale on Channels 10.
My Name is Alex
Boats name is Apaleo.

Hi Alex
Cheers for that, I'm in the lagoon up near the Dutch bridge onboard s/v Ballyhoo at the mo. If I get a fix on my boat I may be calling you for help

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

Sounds like you need a WWII carrier pilot that had the cajones carry out his search, and return to his ship running on fumes...

Great idea although renting an aircraft carrier might be expensive.

[allwentwrong]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

My position too... somehow post what you're willing to offer for recovery

by a certain date... something very attractive, like 10-20k?

Ha yeah up to 10k

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by ak5609

I offered you my help a few days ago. I am in St.Martin, in the Lagoon, Nettle Bay, French side.
My boat is a Leopard 38 ready to go sailing with you and me and better one more experienced sailor. It is free of charge, so don't worry.
Anyway, if you want to check it out, come to my boat or cale on Channels 10.
My Name is Alex
Boats name is Apaleo.

A nice offer Alex.. surprised he's not taken you up on it instead of 'Headless Chickening' it..
Come On OP.. get your **** together and board a Leopard 38.. you've nothing to lose..
Never understand why folks leave their sails up.. really messes with drift predictions.. even more so with drogues out.. to many variables.

[allwentwrong]

Mate the sail was left up with 2 reefs in because the main sheet snapped, the lazy jacks snapped and in my opinion with the conditions at the time it was too dangerous to try and get the sail down. Risk life or leave the sail up??

[allwentwrong]

With days to think about it, there's a lot of thing I wished I'd have done before I left the boat. Hindsight is a wonderful thing