Locating Sunken Boat

[subdude]

Drum, 25 foot trimaran, completed from a kit in Portland, OR in 1972
Owners: Michael and Cordelia McMinn. The two sailed to Hawaii and lived on various islands before departing in May of 1976 from Hanalei Bay, Kauai for Port Angeles, WA. Both were extremely skilled and resourceful sailors. They would both be 60 years old today.

The RCMP and FBI document four reputable sitings around the ETA (June) in the area of northwestern Vancouver Is and as far south as 25 miles north of Port Angeles in Canadian waters. Positive sitings are only of the boat and of one individual not matching the description of either owner.

Many other details exist which are not appropriate to post in this forum but which lend heavily to the theory of hi-jacking.

It was of course a long time ago, but as Michael's brother, I'm partial to keep searching for a lead. My aim in this and other forums is to perhaps jog the memory of the person(s) who might still be able to provide any missing pieces to the puzzle. Obviously, the window for this likelihood is swiftly closing.

[Stillraining]

Sorry for your loss...Good luck.

[FSMike]

It is indeed a long time ago but I wish you success.

[Charlie]

The author Clive Cussler has a foundation called NUMA where he looks for sunken ships of historical value. He wrote a book about his searches though I can't remember the name. It talked a lot about how expensive they were and how hard it was to find the boats. I'm sorry to say that the currents in those areas would make it very difficult to find the tri even if you knew exactly where it was.

[Pelagic]

I can understand your desire and wish you the very best in your search.

If you had any photos of the boat and suspected area it might help to jog a memory.

In those days (1976) Vessel Traffic Management would often call up us commercial guys…(I used to run tug boats then out of Vancouver) to get an identification on small craft.

May often had fog banks and they would be extra prudent about identifying non-reporting traffic, so perhaps they may have something of use in their radio archives..

As you know, those water can be very deep and the composite material of the boat not a very hard return. There are quite a few companies in that area who develop remote submersibles who may be willing to donate some time to visually investigate a promising site for a good cause.

Good luck!

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by subdude

Positive sitings are only of the boat and of one individual not matching the description of either owner

Speculating wildly here........

But if foul play was involved, not automatic that the vessel itself was sunk. Might have been later sold on or even abandoned somewhere.

Just because it would seem sensible to have scuttled her doesn't mean that actually happened. Criminals tend towards the disorganised, even the more organised groups (big and small) - especially at the f#ckwit end of the drugs trade (anyone in day to day contact) as even if not tasting the product personally f#ckwittery nonetheless tends to rub off . on decisions both big and small.

I would consider doing your own boat trip along their (likely) route and talk to folks in person (albeit I wouldn't start with the drugs story ) and try to get a feel for 1976.

But unless your info has them with personal linkage to the drugs trade (rather than simply that drug smugglers were known to have been active in the area at that time) my money would 99% be on bad luck & bad weather - a thousand small boat / weather / bad luck events that could together have caused their dissapearance.

Some mysteries are never solved. some are best that way..........

[GordMay]

I wouldn't be overly surprised that a home-built Searunner (circa 1970's) didn't make it home.
Best of luck in your search!

[David M]

Originally Posted by Stillraining

So David M...please explain your posted examples...I must fail the test I don't see anything but what looks like scratched metal.?...or is that a close up of the left quarter panel of a 100,00 Mercedes..

What you see in those images are sand waves. I pulled those images from Google Images to show people what a typical side scan image looks like. The vertical part down the middle is essentially a blind spot for the instrument.

Here are some images of objects sitting on the bottom....




On the last one, you can see that the shadow sometimes helps in defining the shape of the object. Without it you would not really see the bridge.

[David M]

Originally Posted by Charlie

The author Clive Cussler has a foundation called NUMA where he looks for sunken ships of historical value. He wrote a book about his searches though I can't remember the name. It talked a lot about how expensive they were and how hard it was to find the boats. I'm sorry to say that the currents in those areas would make it very difficult to find the tri even if you knew exactly where it was.

The way it sometimes works is that you take a lower frequency side scan, set up a grid and start what is called "mowing the lawn". The lower frequency units cover a much larger surface area. While mowing the lawn, you tag all the contacts that might be the object you are looking for. You then come back with a higher frequency side scan, which have much better resolution, to better confirm the shape of the tagged objects.

I have done this in SF Bay which has high currents and found what we were looking for. Things can be found as long as they were not buried by their own weight in a soft bottom or buried by shifting sediment.

Its amazing all the man made stuff that is down there. Much of it is stuff that looks like it was originally designed to float.

It would be cool to make a map of all this stuff with images but I don't think anyone would be willing to pay the cost.

The Corps of Engineers made a map of the bottoms topography a number of years ago but the resolution of the end product is not good enough to see the smaller man made objects that are down there.

[Charlie]

I defer to David M because he has actual practical experience. OTOH my son dropped a screwdriver, with a bright orange handle, over the side while we were at dock and I couldn't find it when I went down with scuba gear.

[David M]

Yup, I know how that goes Charlie.

Its amazing how that soft mud under the boat makes tools disappear real fast. And even more frustrating, how a big magnet can never seem to find it.

I guess its like jam on toast where when you drop it, the tool probably goes under the boat somewhat where a magnet on a line will never get to it.

[Auspicious]

Kudos to David M for clear information. I spent a decade working on side-scan sonar and was the project manager for development of one of the first multi-beam side-scan systems.

Some fine points:

1. the higher the area rate of coverage the greater the cost.
2. the higher the resolution the greater the cost.
3. 1 & 2 are in conflict so if you want both you will spend a lot.
4. Boat and tow winch operation can be a very significant challenge if the depths vary quickly, particularly at higher boat speeds. Side-scan towbodies make interesting and expensive anchors.

As David M pointed out, imagery interpretation is nontrivial. Klein Associates in New Hampshire, now part of L3 used to give first-rate classes in side-scan interpretation. I suspect they still do. There is a copy of their training manual on EBay for $100.

There is also an EG&G towfish for sale for $5000. No tow cable, no topside processor. Decent bit of equipment but you can miss a lot with a 100kHz system. For a fish, winch, rotating coupling, and processor I'd expect to pay around 50k used and 200k or more new for entry-level stuff. Lease costs are commensurate with the capital investment.

It is very cool technology and there isn't a better way to find stuff in open water. Bob Ballard used side scan to find the Titanic, laser optics to map out the debris field, and ROVs for the detailed imagery.

[David M]

Thanks for the post Auspicious. That really helps define what is involved with a side-scan survey.

[LynnMarie]

My name is Lynn Hudak from Sumter SC....this morning in our paper The Item there is a unsolved death from 1976 of a male and a female that were killed in 1976 on Interstate 95 in Sumter County. They were buried as John and Jane Doe.

As of this morning there is a possibility that they are Michael McMinn and his wife Cordelia McMinn from OR.

Please notify Rob Cottingham rcottingham@theitem.com
(803) 774-1225

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, LynnMarie.