Orcas appear to have sunk a sailboat- what now?

[double u]

...hilarious to me, that so many contributors here, living in a country they got by exterminating the original owners of the land, now argue that "the boats entering the Orcas' living space" of course may not take protective measures that harm the animals as they are visitors

[Franziska]

To those here saying well its just a "normal cruising risk" or who are advocating to "just get the right boat."

This is not about the normal "odd encounter" folks had say until 2019 and which is still happening in other areas of the world.

People cruising here on the European Atlantic coast would surely accept the risks on the old odd encounter level.

Contrary to other areas worldwide there are many interactions per year and primarily with cruising boat sized vessels.

Go to https://www.orcaiberica.org/
To see the level of incidences.
So this is not normal.

Regarding get the right boat.
Most people over here had their boats already long before this started and many simply do not have the funds to "just" change.
Additionally there are many things which come into the material choice of a boat. A possible Orca interaction may be just one them.
Same applies to appendage design. Maybe will see more steel appendages and oversized appendage attachments on non metal boats boats in the future.
Or material inside the appendages which leak out when the rudder gets chewed on and tastes revolting to the Orca.

Who knows.

[hpeer]

Franziska,

I get your point about buying a different, more robust, boat. It is a huge expense and not practical for most.

OTOH how practical is it to expect the whales to change their behavior for us?

At least we have options to change; timing, routes, plans, boats or attitude.

And, I am grinding an old worn ax here; people buy boats based on some set if criteria and then encounter something outside the boats design envelope: storm, bottom, rock. Think about it, if a boat is certified for open ocean crossings should it not be designed to survive all the dangers encountered? Including whales? Whales are surly not a new hazard with written records to Noah, and likely beyond.

Do we not want an Earth that contains its natural beauty and wonder? Like and tigers and bears and whales. If we want these things in our then we need to make accommodations for them. Which means we either prepare ourself for moving amongst them or we stay out of their way or we accept the consequences of the interaction, we (humans) being the “smarter” critter.

[SV Tom Crean]

If you think a heavier built boat will save you think again. Couple of instances last year where "traditional" boats with full keels were munched on , lost steering and had to be rescued. About the only thing that might stop them is an all steel rudder. Good luck with that.

These whales are not fussy eaters.

[hpeer]

^ Tom, both my boats have all steel rudders, oil filled.

I am not advocating people stop sailing in what ever boat they want.

Nor am I advocating it is a birds fault when it poops on your head.

When you go outside….pooo happens. That is part of nature, dress appropriately or stay home.

Maybe this is because we have become a “blame” culture. There is, or should be, no blame here, human or whale. It is what it is, part of the experience of life on Earth. We bought or ticket: now enjoy the ride.

Old charts used to say “Thar be monsters.” Maybe we should bring that back and call it a day?

[LakeSuperior]

Just off the top of my head here...I wonder if an alternating electric field, say 110 or 220 volts or more focused near the rudder would discourage their affections? Perhaps rattle their teeth a little.

I know these fields are tough on human mammals.

[boatman61]

Accept the risks or stay in home waters, the 'Rights' home nations bestow on their citizens ends 12nm from the coast.
After that you are no nations concern till you enter another's 12nm limits.. from then on their rules apply.
Suck it up or... Sail on.

[Diosadelsol]

Originally Posted by SailingInfidels

And no, I am sorry but, whether it's the norm or not, humans do not have the responsibility (or the right) to be the global police for the natural web of life. We seem to think we need to "manage" wildlife, resources, the environment. I disagree. What we need to do is manage our own activity with regard to how that activity affects wildlife, resources, and the environment.

I'm going there, sorry (not sorry). The Bible says differently.

Genesis 1:26-28 (KJV)

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

The definition of dominion is to have sovereignty or control.

Seems pretty self-explanatory to me.

[Manateeman]

Quotes from the Bible? AC electrical shocks?
Is this some yet to be researched injury to the brain post COVID infection?
Goodness gracious. Are there many people sailing out there who have these bizarre thoughts. That’s more frightening than orcas.
Mark and the manatee crew

[NaClyDog]

Originally Posted by Diosadelsol

I'm going there, sorry (not sorry). The Bible says differently.

Now I've seen it all. Someone quoting a work of fiction in a sailing form to justify killing another life form???

[SV Tom Crean]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Accept the risks or stay in home waters, the 'Rights' home nations bestow on their citizens ends 12nm from the coast.
After that you are no nations concern till you enter another's 12nm limits.. from then on their rules apply.
Suck it up or... Sail on.

I think this is the only way. If you can’t accept the risk don’t sail in their front garden. This is their patch, not ours.

Now I did two trips in the last year and the first I hugged the coast (less than 0.5 mile in places ) and into the med. The second time was from La Rochelle to Canaries so went 150M offshore and straight down both with the depth sounder off - both with no issues. Don’t know if that made any difference.

If had got hit then that’s the risk I accepted before pushing off.

[LakeSuperior]

Originally Posted by Manateeman

Quotes from the Bible? AC electrical shocks?
Is this some yet to be researched injury to the brain post COVID infection?
Goodness gracious. Are there many people sailing out there who have these bizarre thoughts. That’s more frightening than orcas.
Mark and the manatee crew

Is self righteousness a CF virtue now. With your focus on running around bare ass you may not be aware that the use electric fence is world wide to contain cattle. Bear fences actually save bears because after a bear attack on humans the bear(s) are hunted down and killed.

It is well known that electric fields are effective at deterring sharks and shark attacks. Although Orcas probably have different sensors, electric fields could be a cheap and effective solution saving both humans and Orcas.

[Sailing55]

Now that supreme beings and electric fences surrounding boats have been introduced into this discussion perhaps it's time to point out that the real problem here is the mentality of the "shake and bake" boaters that are running away from all the insanity they have created in their lives on shore.
The threat from Orcas pales in comparison to the destruction of a lifestyle being brought about by so many of these refugeess from so called civilization.
I seriously doubt that Orcas are plotting the takeover of the oceans of the world...we don't have an Orca problem. We have a human problem.
The only real fear I have after reading some of these comments is that the resident and visiting Orcas here in the PNW might mistake me for one of the new breed Conquistadors.

[Carl-T705]

Are you sure..... Remember the sailing vessel Essex around 1880... Attacked by a sperm whale and sunk, a few survivors survived by eating fellow crew members, if they didn't die from their own poor condition they drew straws to decide who would be shot and eaten. Then there was a sailor who had a video posted of a whale attacking and demasting his boat a couple of years ago. What the video didn't show but was reported by spectators was he had been harassing the whale four hours before the whale attacked his boat. Now Portugal coast attack. That's three whale attacks reported in 142 years.... Those whales are up to no good..... Sailors need whale repellent before another whale goes Rambo on another boat. Be careful when your on the water.........

[Carl-T705]

No real danger if you put 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a cup, two tablespoons of vinegar and mix well well freshwater and sprinkle it off the bow of your boat while three choruses of Kumbyaa. You be safe, whales hate that song and the taste of vinegar . Oh yeah no speaking Spanish conquistador or not