Another lost keel

Another question - why did it take 15 hours drifting out to sea.

Jonathan
The scuttlebutt seems to be that the off watch crew barely made it out of the boat and didn't get time to get her PLB. The PLB on the on watch crew failed.

I stress that is second hand info from another forum.
 
No doubt there will be plenty of time for the armchair yacht designers to suggest improvements once the facts are established and a report issued. I simply find speculation and mindless gossiping (quoting) to be in poor taste.
Oh I agree. Which is why I found that article so entirely awful. Especially as the author dried to dress it up as "you might say this, but you shouldn't". Whilst only throwing negative things towards the crew who spent 15 hours in the drink.... And not the boat that put them there....
 
The scuttlebutt seems to be that the off watch crew barely made it out of the boat and didn't get time to get her PLB. The PLB on the on watch crew failed.

I stress that is second hand info from another forum.

I thought there were other devices being used now offering 24/7 tracking. If you capsize then you would simply disappear, no mobile, no VHF etc The weather has been appalling and one might have thought they would have pushed up the reporting frequency and watch for issues (like yachts disappearing). I do understand that if your keel falls off - you are lucky to escape at all.

As you stress speculation - is really just speculation and not useful.

I was not speculating but wondering what normal protocol were now.

Jonathan
 
I thought there were other devices being used now offering 24/7 tracking. If you capsize then you would simply disappear, no mobile, no VHF etc The weather has been appalling and one might have thought they would have pushed up the reporting frequency and watch for issues (like yachts disappearing). I do understand that if your keel falls off - you are lucky to escape at all.

As you stress speculation - is really just speculation and not useful.

I was not speculating but wondering what normal protocol were now.

Jonathan
They weren't in a race, they were out doing a 100 mile sail as part of a qualifying requirement for a race. You wouldn't track that....
 
We watched Pete Goss' catamaran Team Philips towed past us, astern, after breaking a hull. As we passed astern (ahead...?) we could see up inside the broken hull. An open oval section, which resembles a circular section on the way to failure, very long, unsupported outside the hull, with no transverse horizontal stiffening that we could see. Certain to fail IMO. From Wiki: "40-foot (12 m) unsupported wave-piercing bow sections. "

....but hey, the pic here, down the page, seems to show indeed a transverse deck within the for'd hull, but we were looking into the aft part.
Rick Tomlinson : "Behind the Lens" Part 22 - Pete Goss & Team Philips

still a long bendy thing.....and nine miles beyond Scilly wasn't very far
 
We watched Pete Goss' catamaran Team Philips towed past us, astern, after breaking a hull. As we passed astern (ahead...?) we could see up inside the broken hull. An open oval section, which resembles a circular section on the way to failure, very long, unsupported outside the hull, with no transverse horizontal stiffening that we could see. Certain to fail IMO. From Wiki: "40-foot (12 m) unsupported wave-piercing bow sections. "

....but hey, the pic here, down the page, seems to show indeed a transverse deck within the for'd hull, but we were looking into the aft part.
Rick Tomlinson : "Behind the Lens" Part 22 - Pete Goss & Team Philips

still a long bendy thing.....and nine miles beyond Scilly wasn't very far
I remember thinking the same thing when I first saw it.
 
No doubt there will be plenty of time for the armchair yacht designers to suggest improvements once the facts are established and a report issued. I simply find speculation and mindless gossiping (quoting) to be in poor taste.

Am I alone in thinking 'speculation and mindless gossiping' perfectly acceptable in a forum such as this (provided it does not purport to be fully informed/definitive and is not defamatory)?

Otherwise why have this thread? A full and proper investigatory report will presumably be published in the fullness of time. We can none of us do anything practical in the meantime.

I have found this and similar past threads engaging and very informative about boats, accidents, rescues, the boating industry, people's concern and sympathy for those affected, and the range of views and experiences of those who participate. I do not expect the speculation I find in such threads to necessarily be well founded or reasoned, and would be a fool if I did, but I do find them interesting and thought provoking.

I don't see why such speculation should be thought in poor taste. If others do think it so, I have no argument with that, but they are not obliged to either post or read such threads, and I don't see why others should be silenced to conform to their tastes.
 
Am I alone in thinking 'speculation and mindless gossiping' perfectly acceptable in a forum such as this (provided it does not purport to be fully informed/definitive and is not defamatory)?

Otherwise why have this thread? A full and proper investigatory report will presumably be published in the fullness of time. We can none of us do anything practical in the meantime.

I have found this and similar past threads engaging and very informative about boats, accidents, rescues, the boating industry, people's concern and sympathy for those affected, and the range of views and experiences of those who participate. I do not expect the speculation I find in such threads to necessarily be well founded or reasoned, and would be a fool if I did, but I do find them interesting and thought provoking.

I don't see why such speculation should be thought in poor taste. If others do think it so, I have no argument with that, but they are not obliged to either post or read such threads, and I don't see why others should be silenced to conform to their tastes.
Certainly space for a few comparison comments with Colin Archer keel design?
 
With such a drastic happening ,which fortunately did not involve any loss of life, there will always be comment and speculation on the forum, it’s human nature, as long as all those commenting accept that until a full investigation has been completed, their comments are simply personal views on what may have happened and they do not try to throw blame in any direction, then it seems reasonable to comment and question.
 
True, but wasn't the "Teddy" pitchpoled off Africa and Moitessier had some problems with the same thing.

Perhaps you can have too much keel.....
I would have to go to my tomes but I think Teddy hit the rocks and the same with motessier,but Hiscock does mention
a Colinin Archer pitch poling with the loss of one crew
 
And Smeeton - twice!

Amazing how the supposed superior "seaworthiness" of these designs persists despite the evidence to the contrary, but then of course there were no forums then to disseminate the information and prompt discussion.
 
I would have to go to my tomes but I think Teddy hit the rocks and the same with motessier,but Hiscock does mention
a Colinin Archer pitch poling with the loss of one crew
I think you are right - the Teddy sank on rocks and he acquired another Colin Archer which was the one that pitchpoled with the loss of a crew member. Amazing guy though and a great read.

Tranona - you are right, and the techniques used in severe weather differ as much as the boat designs. At least nowadays there is more thorough and independent investigation from which we all learn.
 
There is more to keels and their function without looking too far probably a long keeler will take the ground in some harbour without travel hoist whereas the keyless racer would be tricky standing it up toantifoul
 
And Smeeton - twice!

Amazing how the supposed superior "seaworthiness" of these designs persists despite the evidence to the contrary, but then of course there were no forums then to disseminate the information and prompt discussion.
Although in both cases they got themselves and the boat back to port, to sail again.
 
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