Multiple boat capsize off Mobile

[jhstacy]

What marina are you in. We just checked our boat at the pensacola shipyard marina and all was good, though I could tell she had moved around as the dehumidifier had rolled to the center of the salon.

[JPA Cate]

I'm a bit confused by these reports: what sort of regatta was this? Sounds like at least some of the boats must have been dinghies, beach cats and other small craft. Were any larger yachts lost? A knock down in a decent keel boat (IMO) should not be described as a capsize unless it inverts, and that is almost never an action caused by wind alone but rather by large wave action... something lacking in a sudden squall, no matter how intense.

But an intense squall can indeed wreak havoc in a fleet of racing dinghies!

Just curious...

Jim, using Ann's computer

[RainDog]

Sounds like there were a large number of dinghies and beach cats. Also 10 foot waves.

[Stumble]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

I'm a bit confused by these reports: what sort of regatta was this? Sounds like at least some of the boats must have been dinghies, beach cats and other small craft. Were any larger yachts lost? A knock down in a decent keel boat (IMO) should not be described as a capsize unless it inverts, and that is almost never an action caused by wind alone but rather by large wave action... something lacking in a sudden squall, no matter how intense.

But an intense squall can indeed wreak havoc in a fleet of racing dinghies!

Just curious...

Jim, using Ann's computer

The regatta is traditionally one for small dinghys, beach cats, and <20' keel boats. Recently it has expanded to include larger boats, but a large percentage of the fleet is very small.

Originally the race was run to Dauphin Island, you pulled your boat ashore, partied and camped for the night, then raced back on Sunday. This is still the sequence of events, but there are now some small boat harbors close by that keels boats dock at then drive to the party.

Hobies, Tornadoes, F18's, Flying Scott's, Lightnings, J-22's, Rhodes 19's, ect are more the norm than big keel boats traditionally. In recent years the fleet has grown in leingth, but there are still a lot of small boats that do the regatta.

The results for 2014 are a pretty good guess at what the scratch sheet looked like for this year. But the regatta pulled all the info from their website for 2015 already.

http://fairhopeyachtclub.com/wp-cont...IR-Results.pdf

It's probably the worst possible fleet for something like this to happen to.

[Polux]

Terrible news and a tragedy. They talk about 50 sailors rescued from the water 2 death and 5 missing.

2 bodies recovered from Mobile Bay, Alabama - CNN.com

2 Dead, 5 Missing After Sudden Squall Hits Alabama Sailing Regatta : The Two-Way : NPR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BymcO144DO4

A video of the squall here:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/sailors-...-hits-regatta/

[sailsunfurled]

Originally Posted by jhstacy

What marina are you in. We just checked our boat at the pensacola shipyard marina and all was good, though I could tell she had moved around as the dehumidifier had rolled to the center of the salon.

We keep her at the marine at the foot of 3 mile bridge, on the Gulf Breeze side of the bay. No protection from a NW blow. Cant wait till the new bridge is built so I can park it behind the house.

[boeing1]

I did not race in it this year, but had several friends that did,

[patn44]

The annual Dauphin Island Race was held on Saturday 4/24. 119 boats were registered to race. There was some delay in the start but most classes got underway by 11:30. The winds were reported to be around 30knts. At 3:20 a sudden storm blew out of the west with winds measured at the Mid Bay Light of 73mph and wind shear of 97mph. Waves build very quickly in the bay with a controlling depth of only 9 feet. Many boats were capsized, at least 2 Catalina 22's were rolled and sank. The crew of both were rescued though they were in the water 2 hrs. Reports of around 24 rescues from the water and two deaths with 4 still missing. I've sailed the race about 10 times and have been in bad weather. Never have we seen anything like this.

[Ndavies]

Prayers to everyone affected. We were supposed to go out today but got delayed and decided against it. We are on a protected canal near Pieates Cove. We saw 60mph coming and going over a 30-45 minute period. Our 42ft heeled at the slip and was damaged by a piling. I just spent the day doing a gel coat repair while thinking about those less fortunate.

Neil.

[mario f]

I feel for those who suffered during this storm....
But.... this storm was obvious if you checked radar tracks and while we were in Mississippi I saw it coming at least 3 to 4 hours before it hit us.
Not to sound callus or uncaring, but the responsibility of the idividual captains and of race organizers to inform fleet should be addressed. Conditions in Mobile bay during heavy weather are known to be a bit treacherous (common knowledge for this area)
These casualties are more a result of poor seamanship IMHO. NOHA radio alerts were transmitted regularly. I saw this storm coming from Texas and anyone with a phone and radar app would have access to this information.
Again my prayers and sympathy go out to those who suffered loses.
There are many sources to evaluate the weather and I feel this was irresponsible of captains to put their crews in danger.

[Cap Erict3]

Originally Posted by mario f

I feel for those who suffered during this storm....
But.... this storm was obvious if you checked radar tracks and while we were in Mississippi I saw it coming at least 3 to 4 hours before it hit us.
Not to sound callus or uncaring, but the responsibility of the idividual captains and of race organizers to inform fleet should be addressed. Conditions in Mobile bay during heavy weather are known to be a bit treacherous (common knowledge for this area)
These casualties are more a result of poor seamanship IMHO. NOHA radio alerts were transmitted regularly. I saw this storm coming from Texas and anyone with a phone and radar app would have access to this information.
Again my prayers and sympathy go out to those who suffered loses.
There are many sources to evaluate the weather and I feel this was irresponsible of captains to put their crews in danger.

Although winds at the high end of a sailing dinghy's range were predicted, I expect that the gusts near 100 mph (95mph was the highest recorded) were the result of a micro burst.
Winds of these speeds were not predicted.

We lost members of the sailing community. Looking for fall guys is cheap.


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Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

[LEOCAT66]

YH

Originally Posted by Cap Erict3

Although winds at the high end of a sailing dinghy's range were predicted, I expect that the gusts near 100 mph (95mph was the highest recorded) were the result of a micro burst.
Winds of these speeds were not predicted.

We lost members of the sailing community. Looking for fall guys is cheap.


------------------------------
Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

You are so right Erict3 !

Had conditions been as forecast this would have been just another race on a rough bay. Even though wind and rain were expected, as on most days here lately, our first severe alert here at Pirates Cove, near Mobile Bay, gave us no more than five minutes warning, before it hit us. The sailors already out there had no where to run or hide or the time to do so.

Every cruiser/sailer who leaves the dock to venture out is exposed to chance weather which has not been, and cannot be, predicted or forecast with total accuracy with the current tools of the trade.

On the morning of the race the forecast was for a 20 percent chance of rain and light winds. Later in the day the rain chances and wind forecast increased, as is the norm for the gulf coast area this time of year.

I was on Lake Pontchartrain on the 4th of July 1970 on a Sunfish. It was very hot and the forecast was for very light winds all day as it had been for days. It took us an hour to go short distance out. We began to suspect and expect and a problem. We headed in, but did not make it.
Within 20 minutes a system developed and a black cloud came rolling in from the North. It blew 110 that day. That storm is well documented. It happens, and is sometime just the luck of the draw. Many were caught out, none were fools or irresponsible sailors to be out there that day either.

Had I needed or desired to leave my current location to cross Mobile Bay, on that day, which I have done many times in the past, without an issue, with that type forecast, I would have been there too.

[rgscpat]

Many of those affected were not race participants.

[jessehunt]

Latest I heard was evening news tonight. Two confirmed dead and 5 missing. A real tragedy. When the system came through here, it was moving east at 65 mph.
I pray for those lost and missing!

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Cap Erict3

Although winds at the high end of a sailing dinghy's range were predicted, I expect that the gusts near 100 mph (95mph was the highest recorded) were the result of a micro burst.
Winds of these speeds were not predicted.

We lost members of the sailing community. Looking for fall guys is cheap.
------------------------------
Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

I don't think that's fair to suggest it's being 'cheap'. CF is about learning from others and from a news report over hear in Australia there are a lot of questions being asked about why the regatta continued to proceed when there were warnings?

Can others comment on the predictability of this sudden weather disaster.