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What a waste..Sad, very sad

5K views 27 replies 16 participants last post by  Mcpsych 
#1 ·
#7 ·
Saw those vids over at SA.... what blew me away was the all those guys in the water trying to hold a 12,000 lb boat off the beach in those breaking waves... What where they thinking? No news of anyone being hurt but sure could have been.

Can you say "lee shore?"
 
#12 ·
From what I recall the wind direction was unusual and really kicked up. The bottom was all sand and none of the anchors would hold in those conditions.

Where exactly is the "poor seamanship" part?
 
#13 ·
From what I recall the wind direction was unusual and really kicked up. The bottom was all sand and none of the anchors would hold in those conditions.

Where exactly is the "poor seamanship" part?
Judging by the usual refrain...it would be:

1. Anchoring in sand.
2. Not seeing the weather coming in the first place.

Just goes to show, even the pros get caught.
 
#17 ·
According to some people who were on the boats in the bay, including one that went aground, the bay has no protection from that quarter, & no moorings or dock facilities to speak of. The racers set heavy anchors and buoy them, so they don't have to carry that weight around the course.

Apparently the sudden blow kicked up some surf that may have lifted one or more anchors out of the sand. There are dark rumors one particular boat either tripped its anchor or chafed its rode, and many of the beached boats had their rodes cut by this fellow as he bounced thru the crowded anchorage. Also, apparently, many of the affected boats had few or no crew standing watch at the time. Most people were on shore. Bummer! But I ain't prepared to question the general seamanship of people with 10 Sydney-Hobarts under their belts.

Question: We know multis have a tendency to drag in bouncy anchorages, due to their buoyancy and windage. Is the same true for ULDB monohulls? Would their light weights, wide sections, and short rotational period make them difficult to anchor?
 
#21 ·
These are race boats. On race boats, it's all about weight (Offshore race crews cut the handles off their toothbrushes to save weight). My guess is their anchors are a small as could get by with and their rodes are short, skinny nylon with a bare minimum of chain, if any.

There's really nothing wrong with anchoring in sand, if you've got the right ground tackle. I'll bet they didn't. Add to that, the impact of a lot of boats anchored together where it only takes one guy dragging the anchor to create a horror show.

Did the storm come up at night? For the life of me I can't understand why these boats didn't have anchor watches aboard. Afterall, this is a race week and everyone knows sailors get to bed early before a big race. And it is Phuket, and we all know there's nothing to do at night in Phuket. :rolleyes:
 
#23 ·
... For the life of me I can't understand why these boats didn't have anchor watches aboard. Afterall, this is a race week and everyone knows sailors get to bed early before a big race. And it is Phuket, and we all know there's nothing to do at night in Phuket. :rolleyes:
Once, on 30k winds on a crowded anchorage (Minorca) I had to stand watch on my boat, not because I was afraid of dragging but because I had to dodge (with the help of the engine) the boats that were dragging towards me. Those didn't have anybody on watch and even a powerful horn blast was not enough to wake up the crew. They only appear on deck when they finally hit another boat.

Regards

Paulo
 
#26 ·
They may well all have been partying/recovering/passed out ashore....
 
#28 ·
dont need a multi - just a steel hull and a bilge keel :) ( of course racing it might be a problem)
 
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