Vancouver 34 Helena in trouble

Wansworth said:
He seems to have no spars left,maybe a case for stowing at least the jib booming out spar on deck to form the basis of a rig,difficult to position on deck without a semblance of a tabernacle........all from my armchair of course!
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I was wondering about that, then thinking about my own boat, both the spinnaker pole and whisker pole are stored vertically on the mast. As you suggest loss of mast, certainly increases the likely hood of loss of these poles or badly damaged if mast breaks but remains attached. There have been A frames supported from the gunwales using poles and booms, as shown in some books, but I can't remember. I can imagine that the first priority would be to save the hull from being damaged by a mast thrashing about.
 
BlowingOldBoots said:
I was wondering about that, then thinking about my own boat, both the spinnaker pole and whisker pole are stored vertically on the mast. As you suggest loss of mast, certainly increases the likely hood of loss of these poles or badly damaged if mast breaks but remains attached. There have been A frames supported from the gunwales using poles and booms, as shown in some books, but I can't remember. I can imagine that the first priority would be to save the hull from being damaged by a mast thrashing about.
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Maybe previous thought put into an arrangement for a recovery rig should get as much attention as a standby rudder,with a wooden boat probably something can be cobbled together with some hand four inch nails and internal woodwork but grp is difficult to bodge something
 
I was wondering, if the skipper was uninjured, the hull watertight and the steering gear still working, it might have been possible to lie ahull till the weather changed, then motor onwards, perhaps with some extra fuel dropped. Much easier way to do the last 500 miles than carrying a spare rig.
But, as noted, the skipper seems experienced so perhaps one of the above factors, or something else, meant abandonment was essential. I am not going to second guess from my arm chair.
 
From the photos it looks as if he has left the main hatch open, perhaps he scuttled her, a painful thing to have to do, if she had been closed up she might have turned up somewhere in a few weeks?
 
graham said:
Amazing bit of seamanship to manouver a 229 meter long tanker alongside a small yacht close enough to throw a line and enable him to climb up the pilot ladder .
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It is possible that the engine was still working so he may have driven up to the ship.
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If the engine was working and the hull intact there should have been no reason to abandon if his tanks were full he would have had close to 3 days motoring ability. So there is more to the story than is available at the moment.
 
Fr J Hackett said:
If the engine was working and the hull intact there should have been no reason to abandon if his tanks were full he would have had close to 3 days motoring ability. So there is more to the story than is available at the moment.
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Iirc the tanks on these are about 180 litres and assuming it was full and consumes 2.25 litres an hour at 5.5 knots it would provide about a 440 miles range. Not far off the 500 mile range required.
 
E39mad said:
Iirc the tanks on these are about 180 litres and assuming it was full and consumes 2.25 litres an hour at 5.5 knots it would provide about a 440 miles range. Not far off the 500 mile range required.
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And from data I have seen, the range would likely be 50-100% more if keep speed to perhaps 3.5 knots which, plus prevailing Westerly winds (if patient), would provide a good chance of covering the last 500 miles.
But again this suggests other factors caused decisions
 
Wansworth said:
Maybe previous thought put into an arrangement for a recovery rig should get as much attention as a standby rudder,with a wooden boat probably something can be cobbled together with some hand four inch nails and internal woodwork but grp is difficult to bodge something
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I was lucky enough a while back to share a meal with Tony Curphey, the 73 year old who recently sailed his Nicholson 32 round the world non-stop. Not sure of the exact circumstances but in the southern Ocean the boom broke. He managed to use a spare booming out pole, cut down, as a splint. It was good enough for him to complete the circumnavigation (some 12,000 miles?) back to Chichester harbour.

(as an aside, the mainsail was now loose fitted, and and could not be used to adequately collect rain water, and dehydration became a problem.)
 
Minchsailor said:
I was lucky enough a while back to share a meal with Tony Curphey, the 73 year old who recently sailed his Nicholson 32 round the world non-stop. Not sure of the exact circumstances but in the southern Ocean the boom broke. He managed to use a spare booming out pole, cut down, as a splint. It was good enough for him to complete the circumnavigation (some 12,000 miles?) back to Chichester harbour.

(as an aside, the mainsail was now loose fitted, and and could not be used to adequately collect rain water, and dehydration became a problem.)
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I kept my boat in the same yard as his very unassuming person
 
So the boat was rolled causing the loss of rig - was making 7 to 7.5 knots under stay sail alone downwind in 45-50 knots of wind. All was fine and boat tracking perfectly and it is believed that a large rogue wave caused the roll. The prop became entangled when the ship turned up and was attempting to transfer diesel so could make landfall.
 
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