2015 Another bad year in the Azores..?

[Polux]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

Polux,

The early reports mentioned something about a fire aboard one of the yachts.

I am curious about that detail.

If you or others see any other mention of this or the cause, please let me know (a PM would do). Again, I am curious and wonder if that report will be augmented by some after-action report from the coast guard or navy or the yachtsman.

Everybody seems very interested by what happen to that Lagoon 400, including French sites but nobody knows more than what I had posted some days ago: There is a report of a collision with the ship that was helping them, there is a report of a fire, that was first reported as a small fire.

The first report talked about a capsize and all say that the boat sunk. These reports can be contradictory or not since several of those things can have happened and lead to the sinking.

I guess that the only ones that know are the survivors of that terrible accident. They have posted on their blog recently thanking to all that have helped them. Maybe with time the skipper will post about what really happen.

revesdo.over-blog.com - Partir en Famille sur un Catamaran Ã* la découverte du monde...

In meantime some images of the boat and crew. It breaks my heart to know that nice happy little girl died and I cannot imagine the pain and sufferance of that family. I am deeply impressed with all this as I think most of us are, specially the ones that had the luck of sailing with our kids.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHc0yJ7Wyzw

[monte]

Originally Posted by arsenelupiga

Is wave frequency/height/trains forecast included in this ?



50 kn winds are not that horrible but combination with waves from elsewhere was likely problem.



Assuming confused seas, surges of pressure where diesel fuel travels are great. Is one meant to run on motors in such circumstances ?



Maybe the reason fuel line to start leaking and/or large sudden pressure delivers much larger volume of fuel in pistons ...

Yes the small curser can be moved and the details shown in the data box, top right. The grib below is showing 8.7m waves from 290 degrees at 10.6 second intervals where the crosshair is located. 34-43kn from 292 degrees (WNW). I would usually expect an additional 5kn or more than most grib forecasts. The low was very large and with the isobar compression from the high following you can see that there was the unfortunate increase in wind strength. Combine that with the speed of the low and you have the conditions experienced. Coming into that area from the west there would be little a skipper could do to avoid it and battening down the hatches would be the only option for most.

[boatman61]

One reason I never sail to Europe via Bermuda.. done it once and did not enjoy it..
I'll hang on South for as long as possible.. only reason I went North with the Lagoon 420 and made for the Azores last Feburary/March was because of elec failure and bottled water shortage..
But then I'm chicken...

[SaltyMonkey]

Boaty You also found a really nice northern slot heading from the South, and to approach that, you tucked in and out of the weather by zigging beneath the weather as you read the clouds in a mystical cornish way.

[barnakiel]

There are sources online that show wind waves and swell directions (1st train and 2nd train). Google some and you will find.

Cross swell (x swell) can make conditions hell. Winter 2013 we got wiped up and suffered considerable (boat and morale) damage on our way out, some 300 miles off the Cabo Verdes. Area that is considered silk and milk by ARC organizers.

I always tend to accredit such events to my poor driving skills and stupid sailing decisions. Alas, some 3 weeks after our landfall at Martinique we talked to a skipper of almost exactly same design except this one twice our displacement (and some extra 7ft LWL). This guy got exactly the same treatment in generally the same area and wave set-up.

You have been warned. X swell is bad for you, even when you sail a boat that looks very very seaworthy from the dock.

Cheers,
b.

[hasse_A]

Missy can now be seen on MarineTraffic. They are 55 nm west of La Palma (Most westerly of the Canary Islands) making a slow progress eastward.

/Hans

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by hasse_A

Missy can now be seen on MarineTraffic. They are 55 nm west of La Palma (Most westerly of the Canary Islands) making a slow progress eastward.

/Hans

Grand news...

[hasse_A]

Regarding Missy. They are having trouble reaching the port Puerto de Tazacorte on La Palma. They are out of diesel, are exhausted and they got head wind. Simply, they don't know if they will manage to overcome the remaining 55 nm. There is a Norwegian boat, also a OE 32 in the harbor I now have contact with. We will see how this turns out.
/Hans

[boatman61]

They got this far.. they'll manage the rest methinks..
How do you know they are out of diesel..?

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Polux

Everybody seems very interested by what happen to that Lagoon 400, including French sites but nobody knows more than what I had posted some days ago: There is a report of a collision with the ship that was helping them, there is a report of a fire, that was first reported as a small fire.

The first report talked about a capsize and all say that the boat sunk. These reports can be contradictory or not since several of those things can have happened and lead to the sinking.

I guess that the only ones that know are the survivors of that terrible accident. They have posted on their blog recently thanking to all that have helped them. Maybe with time the skipper will post about what really happen.

revesdo.over-blog.com - Partir en Famille sur un Catamaran Ã* la découverte du monde...

In meantime some images of the boat and crew. It breaks my heart to know that nice happy little girl died and I cannot imagine the pain and sufferance of that family. I am deeply impressed with all this as I think most of us are, specially the ones that had the luck of sailing with our kids.

I know how you feel. The tragic loss of the little girl is touching, especially if one sees a photo or video of those lost.

I watched the video you linked and this one, which shows more of the girl with her parents and brother, which shows their first transatlantic passage in 2014 from East to West. On that crossing it appears they had very mild weather, smooth sailing, and a lot of fun together, an ideal time cruising as a family with young children aboard. I was also touched to see the father and son reeling in a dorado together., such an ideal memory of togetherness.

Watching that easy crossing of the Atlantic would inspire anyone to try the same, in any kind of boat, as the sailing conditions seem so mild and easy. The big cat looks like a nice home, with a happy family aboard, on the water too.

It is another tragic reminder to enjoy life and the times we have with our loved ones to the fullest possible extent, as the future is never sure, and the seas may change.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h2w...NbwZYshf1Qg1eA

[hasse_A]

Originally Posted by boatman61

How do you know they are out of diesel..?

One of their sons are in contact with them through sat phone.

I have been trying to make the rescue center contact one of the passing freighters but they are unwilling to do that unless the crew of Missy request assistance. The freighters are out of VHF distance so they can not themselves ask.

This is very frustrating. The Norwegian OE 32 has no self steering, is single handling the boat and is reluctant to go out and assist with some diesel. It's his decision but if it would have been me I think i would have no second thoughts about going out. The forecast is NE turning to N settling sea and wind speed declining to less than 20 knots.

[barnakiel]

I hope Missy will come down to Las Palmas now. Huge Swedish community here. Plenty of friendly hands available to help, should any repairs be required.

I will look up the vesseltracker now see how they are doing.

Cheers,
b.
Las Palmas

[Polux]

Originally Posted by hasse_A

...

This is very frustrating. The Norwegian OE 32 has no self steering, is single handling the boat and is reluctant to go out and assist with some diesel. It's his decision but if it would have been me I think i would have no second thoughts about going out. The forecast is NE turning to N settling sea and wind speed declining to less than 20 knots.

Single handing without autopilot for 100mn, 50 of them against the wind on a small 32ft slow boat is complicated. Going downwind he would probably average 5.5/6k but coming directly upwind with 20K winds and waves, even with engine probably the average speed would be around 3/3.5K. Even considering the better average that would be about 21 hours sailing solo continuously steering the boat.

And that for what? For perhaps 2 or 3 more k speed on Missy that is sailed by two and has autopilot? Even with head winds that 50 nm should not take more than 20 hours (2.5K average). I know that after all what they got it seems a lot but than it is very little compared with all the rest. With the engine they would made it in 10 hours instead of 20, just a 10 hour difference.

I hope they can take away the stress and fatigue and finish this Odyssey in good spirits.

[hasse_A]

Originally Posted by Polux

Single handing without autopilot for 100mn, 50 of them against the wind on a small 32ft slow boat is complicated.

I say, it's really not that bad. Going against the wind these boats do not need an atopilot or wind vane. Lock the rudder and with a little slack in main the boat will sail just fine by itself. I have done this numerous times in our boat even if we got autopilot and a vane.

[robert sailor]

Given a reasonably steady wind almost any boat with properly set sails can be made to sail upwind without anyone on the helm no matter the keel or rudder type. As to the earlier keel discussions there are fin keels that are very well built and extremely rugged and then there are those that are built just good enough to get by in most conditions. For cruisers crossing oceans I personally like a proper keel stub and a keel with a cross section that is more about strength than performance.