Loss of KELAERIN Rescue of Crew June 2018

[gmakhs]

Never experienced the engine bilge pump idea , but it's quite easy with a 3 way valve on the intake so you can make it suck water from.the inside as for the derbis a metal filter or.plastic like the bbilge pumps filter would do the job .

We use this system on tankers ships in case of an emergency , and it can remove a lot.of water .

[Bean Counter]

I guess one could also install a solenoid valve operated by a float switch or water sensing switch that would change the water intake from outside the boat to inside the boat (with an alarm). It would also be useful for putting barnacle buster through the system.

[kipwrite]

Thanks Steadman, for posting this.

Many important lessons in this story.

My very best wishes to the survivors.

[philiosophy]

James Cook is absolutely correct in his question would heaving to or a drogue helped. This is a great oppertunity to learn what to do in this situation. Let us have a discussion about how to better cope with heavy weather of this sort. Here is the general policy for heavy weather aboard my boat.
1. Heave To with a third reef in the Mainsail with the Staysail backwinded and rudder hard over into the wind. I put one sideof the boat to weather or the other depending on which way I want to drift.
2. If the wind were to seem to continueto build or if It looked that way before hand Drop the main entirely and put up the Storm Trysail.
3.If I thought it wouldbe even worse than that and now I am talking Hurricane force winds... The drogue would be put out with good chaffing gear.
At no time would the Cockpit hatch be left open.
I took off my wonderfully handy Stack Pack because I could not adaquately see what was going on with the reef points.
My staysail is hanked on to my inner forestay and tacked back and forth with the furled high cut 120.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by LoudMusic

Where is the wave hitting the boat?

Worst case, beam on.
May sound improbable, but if lose steering most will turn beam on to the waves.
Laying ahull is not a good idea in my mind, maybe worked sort of in old design full keels, but still if ti gets that bad, I’m deploying the Storm anchor myself.

[philiosophy]

James Cook is absolutely correct in his question would heaving to or a drogue have helped. This is a great opportunity to learn what to do in this situation. Let us have a discussion about how to better cope with heavy weather of this sort. Here is the general policy for heavy weather aboard my boat.
1. Heave To with a third reef in the Mainsail with the Staysail backwinded and rudder hard over into the wind. I put one side of the boat to weather or the other depending on which way I want to drift.
2. If the wind were to seem to be building even more or if It looked that way before hand, Drop the main entirely and put up the Storm Trysail.
3.If I thought it wouldbe even worse than that and now I am talking Hurricane force winds... In addition to being Heaved To the drogue would be put out with good chaffing gear.
At no time would the Cockpit hatch be left open.
I took off my wonderfully handy Stack Pack because I could not adaquately see what was going on with the reef points.
The staysail is hanked on to my inner forestay and tacked back and forth with the furled high cut 120. so when the wind gets up all I have to do is furl the Jib.
The Storm Trysail is hanked on its mast track ready to be deployed.
Any advice whatever is so very welcome.

[Elie]

In all this terrible ordeal, the USCG is as always in my opinion, the best of the best. What a determination a courage it takes to risk so much to save human lives.
17 years ago, I was 100 miles off the US eastern seabord abord my sailing yacht(47 ft sloop), in big seas, with a broken alternator. So wanted to reach Ocean City, but a needed some navigation information about the way to get into that fishing port(missing detailled charts of this area). So naively, I called the US Coast Gard, with little hope with my failing electrical charge. To my surprise, I got an answer immediately. I gave them my position and simply requested simple information(way points) to get into that harbor. To my surprise they decided to rendez vous with me the next day(a way point offshore was given), after naturally asking a lot of questions about the boat the crew the security, etc... The weather was rough the sky overcast, but I believe that they felt that we were ok to continue trough the night. The next day, after a call from the USCG,to my surprise a jet(I believe a French Falcon) jet made very low passes overhead, and annoncing that a USCG vessel was getting close to us. This boat escorted us into the port at very low speed (poor sailors!) and came to see us into a marina. After a serious inspection of my sailboat(everything was ok) they were very friendly and helped us to find a shop to fix our electrical problems.
As a Canadian, I was amazed at the efforts made by this organisation to insure the safety of my boat and crew. I my opinion the USCG is the best, by far and deserves our appreciation and respect... Worldwide!

[nhschneider]

In 1997, my family and I were sailing from Hawaii to Sitka, Alaska, at roughly the same time of year that Kelaerin was making their passage. We were hit by a 986-millibar low that had generated similar conditions to what Kelaerin experienced. However, when I saw the conditions begin to deteriorate, I chose to deploy an 18' sea anchor off our bow. It was terribly uncomfortable but we felt that we were doing our best to minimize a dangerous situation. When the seas diminished to about 10' we retrieved the sea anchor and got underway. We had no damage whatsoever. Steve Dashew felt our experience was compelling enough to include our tactics in his book, Surviving the Storm.

I'm not sure it would have been better to heave to: I was concerned that we could be turned by a wave and leave ourselves vulnerable to taking a large wave on the beam.

Nor am I suggesting that the captain and crew of Kelaerin didn't take the best course of action. My heart goes out to them. The blow must be devastating. I hope they can find the strength they need to cope with their loss.

Fair winds and calm seas.

[a64pilot]

The engine as bilge pump is often brought up, but you would be surprised to see just how little water your engine uses, compared to a bilge pump. Usually just a couple of gallons per minute?
I think a trash pump may be better, but not many of us have the room etc to fit one.
Me, I guess from my powerboat background, think being in heavy seas stern to the heavy seas is a tactic I’d avoid if at all possible.
My feeling is the Boat can survive more if the pointy end is into the seas. They don’t seem to broach as easily that way, and the rudder and steering isn’t nearly as stressed as when water comes from the stern. We don’t reverse at high speed for fear of rudder / steering damage, why would you want breaking seas from the stern?

I think, and I think the CG report substantiates that this Boat was save able, however the crew was worn out and made the best choice I think.
Not to belittle it, but it was just a Boat. Watching your loved one get so exhausted they die of a heart attack or stroke or something, is not worth a Boat.

[Suijin]

Wow. Just...wow. What a terrible story, and terrible way to lose one's boat. Thank goodness they are safe and sound.

A few thoughts on the incident.

If they were running bare poles, DDW, given their experience I assume that they felt it was a good strategy. I've done that a number of time in heavy weather and if the boat is keeping a moderate speed it can be comfortable and safe. However, at night, it can be difficult and stressful if there is no moon. You can't see a damn thing outside of the boat and need to steer by instruments. A wind vane makes it easier. The wind and water are roaring around you, waves sound like they are going to break into the boat and it's just not fun.

If the wind and seas continue to build, then it's time for the drogue. I'm assuming they had one and did not believe it was needed.

I also assume that they had a good reason for not heaving to. 27 years and 70,000 miles. I think anyone who says "they should have" is missing the mark. We don't have all the information required to know what might have avoided the mishap, and probably never will. I may be possible that being so close to their destination clouded their judgement, or that they wanted to get out of the system. We don't know.

I assume that they either broached or were hit by a "rogue" wave, meaning one that was not in line with the train. If the later, there was not much they could do about it or anticipate it, particularly at night.

I know another couple, on a Valiant, who took an enormous wave over the deck. Broke off their teak handrails and everything tied to them, as well as their life raft that was in a cradle on the cabin top. They now carry the life raft in a cockpit locker.

I replaced my teak handrails with stainless 15 1/4" bolts holding each of four down. Glad I did. But the lesson here is to litter them with as little as possible, ideally nothing, when offshore.

I think this story points up one of the risks of circumnavigators. You live on the boat and you collect stuff, and you find strategies for stowage etc. that works for 99% of your time on the boat. I've been on quite a few boats of long distance cruisers that are packed with mementos of a life lived, books galore, etc. Imagining all that stuff taken flight during a roll is terrifying.

My boat's floorboards to not lock down, and the locker doors have the old style finger holes with levers behind. Both are less than ideal. If inverted the floorboards would become 25 lb. projectiles and content of the lockers would trip the latch inside and open it would go (has happened on occasion). As a result I carry four big rolls of duct tape. If necessary, those floorboards are getting taped down along with the fridge lid and locker doors and anything else that could be secured that way.

Trying to stow your boat so that everything is secure in the event of a roll is virtually impossible. I found it interesting that books could turn into bilge pump killers. Never thought of that, but now won't be able not to. Frightening.

Lessons to be learned all around.

[hpeer]

I’m surprised as to the amount of damage. I see the design weight at about 25,000 pounds. We are 44’ and 40,000 pounds half load.

[El Pinguino]

This.... 'I awoke around 3:30 to first a hard hit by a wave, so hard it literally felt as though we had been hit by a train while sitting on the tracks.'

I don't think it matters if you are hove to, lying ahull, or running..... when a very large bit of solid water... not 'breaking'.....solid ... lands on your boat things are going to break....

Hatches and companionways are going to be smashed in , decks swept clean...

La Rosa was a case in point.

I have seen ships' focsles swept clean, steelwork buckled, and storm doors punched through bulkheads, I once saw the aftermath of a wooden yacht being dumped close inshore.... nothing bigger than kindling came ashore...

Never underestimate the power of **solid** water...

[Pelagic]

What a sad ending for two experiencef sailors, on the final leg of their last Ocean passage, to be overwhelmed in such a cruel way.

I know these waters well, having commercially towed year round from Port Alberni to San Diego and while winter storms can only be described as Extreme , Summer storms create very steep seas due to opposing currents and can fool the mariner in their intensity.

I think the "hindsight lesson" we ALL should take from any ocean passage, is to never assume a summer passage with a favourable weather prognosis, will end up that way.

Prepare for the worst and mentally be prepared to heave too, early enough to keep you safe down below.

I have hove to on a maxi delivery in that same area in a December Storm. Everything stripped down on deck, vents sealed and the yacht falling off seas so high, the bolts on the reduction gear sheared.

Quite a bit of damage, yet we survived.

My point, never allow yourself to be seduced by a good weather forecast, or the mindset, that you have "almost" arrived.
When the weather changes, you hunker down and accept that you will be late for that family reunion.

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

This.... 'I awoke around 3:30 to first a hard hit by a wave, so hard it literally felt as though we had been hit by a train while sitting on the tracks.'

I don't think it matters if you are hove to, lying ahull, or running..... when a very large bit of solid water... not 'breaking'.....solid ... lands on your boat things are going to break....

Hatches and companionways are going to be smashed in , decks swept clean...

La Rosa was a case in point.

I have seen ships' focsles swept clean, steelwork buckled, and storm doors punched through bulkheads, I once saw the aftermath of a wooden yacht being dumped close inshore.... nothing bigger than kindling came ashore...

Never underestimate the power of **solid** water...

Thanks

[tankersteve]

Engine as a pump - how much water is currently exiting through the exhaust when you normally motor?

I'll be honest, as an absolute last resort and you are just 'all in', maybe I'd add that as something to try, but for part of your de-watering plan, I don't really think it is going to help you. Even a small bilge pump moves more water. Plus, if you plan for this, you definitely need a strainer as part of your plan.

Now, an engine-driven pump would be great, assuming you can start the auxiliary. Something like:

Xylem Marine Products | Engine Driven Manual Clutch Pumps - Xylem Marine Products

and this is interesting:

Fast Flow Pumps - Bilge Pump

Crash valves on larger motors have a place, but are they really scalable for the auxiliary on a typical cruising sailboat (i.e., 30-60 ft)? This site discusses them:

Raw water pump as emergency bilge pump? | Club Sea Ray

Tankersteve