Coast Guard advice for all Cat Sailors

[smj]

Originally Posted by smj

If I remember correctly it has flat sterns but I believe the outboard model has spade rudders. Maybe the LRC has skeg hung rudders?

Looked it up and the LRC does have the skeg hung rudders. Must have been some really bad weather as the PDQ 36 is definitely not over canvased.

[Seaslug Caravan]

Originally Posted by smj

Looked it up and the LRC does have the skeg hung rudders. Must have been some really bad weather as the PDQ 36 is definitely not over canvased.

Yes, so may that be a lesson to us all. STAY VIGILANT.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by tomfl

No idea why a cell phone could only text; not to mention why no VHF.

I’ve noticed several times when flying that my phone can send and receive txts, but if you try a voice call, you will always get call failed.
Not sure why but assume when your at the fringe of reception small data packets can get through where a complex voice call cannot.
VHF I’d assume was due to them being inverted?

[smj]

Originally Posted by Seaslug Caravan

Yes, so may that be a lesson to us all. STAY VIGILANT.

No doubt......even when walking across the street.

[Factor]

Originally Posted by Seaslug Caravan

Yes, so may that be a lesson to us all. STAY VIGILANT.

Perhaps a lesson for the inexperienced and ill informed

[catsketcher]

I like to know more about all accidents that occur with cats. Like many incidents this cat
- doesn't seem to have ropes on the underwing, maybe not even deck paint.
- have good attachment points for people to hold onto inverted bridgedeck
- have a good hand held VHF for putting out a mayday.
- access to dinghy inverted

I really don't like the lifejacket mantra. I think I have said on another thread where a lifejacket can make me far less safe but I will use an inflatable in many situations. Having one on does not help you swim faster, get on board easier, swim out of an inverted cat etc.

But I still haven't out the ropes on my cat's underwing. And I have taken off the axe we used to have for making an access hole. I should get out and do these things.

In light aircraft, there is a magazine that covers all accidents. All pilots are supposed to read it. I like knowing about the accidents that befall boats similar to mine. And the excerpt is well produced and informative.

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by tomfl

For those who read the story on the link it seems like the folks on the cat (which I can't ID but it does not look like a Seawind; rudders are different and Seawinds have outboards in wells) were not well prepared.

The weather forecast was for 6-40 knot winds. While I always wonder about any weather prediction that seems on the outer limits of a reliable forecast. I always look for a good weather window; and that does not seem like one. After the cat flipped the folks on the boat (who had no PFDs) used a cell phone which could only text to message a friend who called the USCG. No idea why a cell phone could only text; not to mention why no VHF.

The news narrator said the VHF was in the boat underwater. I assume a fixed mount radio.

[Spartanacus]

well that cements it ... woulda bet they all had spade rudders. Now we start wondering how the hell that can happen ... they have such a conservative rig?

[Spot]

Title of thread should read more like "Ohio Sheriff reminds all Boaters"
40 MPH winds with no PFD's on any of the 8 souls seems reckless regardless of vessel type or location of water.
Miracles abound in that they got a message out and patrol boat was only 2 miles away. Glad all are OK.

Question: what is the procedure for recovering such a upside-down cat?


PS: $tingy Sailor shared this graphic the other day:

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by catsketcher

I like to know more about all accidents that occur with cats. Like many incidents this cat
- doesn't seem to have ropes on the underwing, maybe not even deck paint.
- have good attachment points for people to hold onto inverted bridgedeck
- have a good hand held VHF for putting out a mayday.
- access to dinghy inverted

I really don't like the lifejacket mantra. I think I have said on another thread where a lifejacket can make me far less safe but I will use an inflatable in many situations. Having one on does not help you swim faster, get on board easier, swim out of an inverted cat etc.

But I still haven't out the ropes on my cat's underwing. And I have taken off the axe we used to have for making an access hole. I should get out and do these things.

In light aircraft, there is a magazine that covers all accidents. All pilots are supposed to read it. I like knowing about the accidents that befall boats similar to mine. And the excerpt is well produced and informative.

I sadly picked up a number of dead folks in my prior life and it just so happened not a one was wearing a life jacket. Certainly that's antecdotal and there are certainly situations where someone won't survive, life jacket or not. But to claim they make anyone less safe flies in the face of reason and experience. I worked for a short time in an industrial facility and there was always that guy who claimed that safety glasses or head protection or hearing protection somehow hindered him and made him less safe, funny enough those were generally the same guys suffering off duty accidents that were easily preventable.

The Coast Guard has a universal life jacket policy on any small boat (or helicopter for that matter), and unlike my industrial facility experience I never saw it violated in 20+ years. In fact most folks wear some kind of float coat all the time in cold climates, even walking around on a 378' cutter. In general, if the people who have to handle pretty much every recovered dead body and talk to many of the survivors who live universally wear life jackets, you might want to consider that at a minimum it doesn't put you in more danger! And I'd specifically like to call out the "swim faster" comment because it's nearly universal that those who try to swim somewhere to rescue themselves, die. Unless you are certain you can swim there in less than 5 minutes, it's far far further than you think it is. If you think you could make it there without a life jacket but not with one and your name isn't Michael Phelps then you're almost certainly wrong.

That said, I very much agree with you that we should have the same lessons learned system in the marine world we have in aviation. In the Coast Guard surface fleet there was always a strong pushback to being told to do something because the aviators do it, so unfortunately that's probably delayed that concept. Fortunately aviators have been making flag at a rate sufficient to influence decisions, so hopefully we'll get there eventually.

[jmh2002]

^^^ A sobering reminder.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by cal40john

The news narrator said the VHF was in the boat underwater. I assume a fixed mount radio.

Just my two cents.

I have a fixed mount VHF on my boat. But I also have three handhelds, an InReach, and a personal EPRIB (ResQlink); all are water proof with in easy reach in the cockpit or in the ditch bag which is also in easy reach. If the weather window was 6-40 knots I would make sure I knew just where everything was and most likely have them secured on my person.

But I am Chicken of the Sea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F3pavYwoHE

[malbert73]

Is it confirmed that it was only 40 knots? That’s a lot-but pretty standard squall stuff. If caught suddenly with sail up? I’d be heeled way over but would only be scary and then maybe some sail repair...

[Training Wheels]

Heeled way over in a catamaran is not good......

[Seaslug Caravan]

Originally Posted by catsketcher

In light aircraft, there is a magazine that covers all accidents. All pilots are supposed to read it. I like knowing about the accidents that befall boats similar to mine. And the excerpt is well produced and informative.

That would be a great resource.