Racing yacht's near-miss with large whale captured on video

[flyingwelshman]

[cupper3]

Yikes, that had a pucker factor of 8.9!

[aeaston]

Wow, that guy had a good eye and crazy reaction time. Good on them, though I suppose it was less out of concern for the whale, and moreso the integrity of the boat.

[newportermike]

Jeez, what a good eye. Well done.

[Chadfunk48]

I wonder if they knew it would be an obstacle course?

[SchockT]

Considering they are probably going over 20kts that is some smooth driving!

Damn I would love to go for a sail on one of those beasts! (maybe not in the southern ocean though!)

[puddinlegs]

Originally Posted by aeaston

... though I suppose it was less out of concern for the whale, and moreso the integrity of the boat.

It would have been catastrophic for both.

[weinie]

Whale, that was close.

[jackdale]

While broad reaching at night off the West Coast of Vancouver Island using the moon's reflection just under the boom as a guide, I saw "funny" wave. It was a dorsal fin. I missed.

On the 2007 Van Isle 360 we had a whale within 5 feet of the boat at night on the leg between Winter Harbour and Ucluelet. I think we disturbed its sleep. We heard a large commotion and saw a lot of froth in the water.

It does break up the rhythm.

[CBinRI]

I have sailed near -- but not too near -- whales. There is a much higher probability of contact with these racing machines moving along silently at 20+ knots. I like to think that at the slower speeds at which I sail each of the whale and I will have a bit more time to react to each other.