[VIEXILE]

Here's the thing about the KP44. Great boat, nice interior room, good speed and comfort. But the hull is put together in two pieces down the centerline with fiberglass cloth connecting the two halves. First thing I thought of was a bow strike. It wouldn't just open up a hole (if single mold layup) it would split the hull. I've seen it twice. The most recent when a KP 44 hit a concrete slipway coming in to haul out. Opened a 2' elongated hole exactly on the centerline of the bow by striking a single point, albeit quite hard on concrete. That "seam" carries from bow to stern right down the middle. Might be a weak point, might not, since I'm not a naval architect. But I've seen two that had to have repairs on that "seam."

 

[VIEXILE]

By the way - kids headed out (friend of eldest son) in a heavy duty center console aluminum outboard boat fishing out of Trinidad, CA. Going for salmon, ling and halibut. 6 miles out to fishing area. About 4 miles out they're lolling along young and dumb at speed and a blue whale surfaces under them. All they saw was a piepan size eye, a "huge fish" looking up at them (boat was tossed sideways vertically) and they miraculously landed without taking on too much water. BIG dent in the bow and undercarriage. The discussion, after a few minutes of panic, went like this ". . . well, it's 2 miles to fish and 4 miles to go back in . . . we're not leaking, let's fish." They got some halibut. I saw the dented boat. Holy ****.

 

[zeehag]

had you read the story in lat 38, you would know the strut is a weak spot in these boats and all boats with struts. .. hit strut bybygone see ye in the water. fact. not first kp to have strut sink it. or come close to sinkingt it. strut equals vulnerability.
happy sails folks.

 

[VIEXILE]

There's no strut on a KP44. The hull is molded with an extension that functions as a skeg and a "skeg hung rudder." But the "skeg" is really integral to the hull. The shaft carries all the way out of the hull and terminates at the prop. Hence, no strut. So Lat 38 got it wrong if that's what it says. Fact. Lemme see . . . here you go. Show me a strut. SailboatData.com - KELLY-PETERSON 44 Sailboat

 

[paulk]

There is a description of the skipper's observations of the events about the strike and sinking. He swam under the boat trying to block the openings in the damaged skeg/shaft area and describes the cracks and holes he saw. (Many and big.) Determined that he was not going to be able to do enough to fix it.

 

[zeehag]

is what i had thought also, so why did the article even mention strut.....so much fake news and so many alleged journlists with lack of cerebral substance

 

[bobmacny333]

A sailboat hit a wbale in the Pacific and quickly sank.
There is a long stories about the event, sounds like a big hull failure.

Anyone know what kind of boat it was?

I Have heard and read q few stories of sailboats attacked by killer whales.They bite rudders like they would a baby sperm whale calf fins. Killer whales packs attack other whale young and hold them under water till they drown. Then share and eat only the baby whale's tongue.
A 30 foot Killer whale at 20 knots, will and can Damage sailboat steering pillars sinking most boats.

 

[hpeer]

I suspect they said STRUT when they meant SKEG?
It is what it is, and that is the simplest explanation, confusion of terms.

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

I will have a large machete lashed to the boat hook.
They can think my rudder is whatever, but they will get a jab they won't forget.

 

[redgar]

I will have a large machete lashed to the boat hook.
They can think my rudder is whatever, but they will get a jab they won't forget.

Smart thinkin' Mister Mark! If they manage to grab your flipper, uh... I mean your rudder, you can also use that machete stock as an emergency rudder! Gotta keep that in mind when buying machetes!

~~ Red

 

[MastUndSchotbruch]

is what i had thought also, so why did the article even mention strut.....so much fake news and so many alleged journlists with lack of cerebral substance

The story made the Washington Post:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2023/03/20/sailboat-hits-whale-pacific-rescue

They point out that this happened in the area where the Essex had its little whale adventure...

 

[VIEXILE]

I will have a large machete lashed to the boat hook.
They can think my rudder is whatever, but they will get a jab they won't forget.

Now, will you be in the water with them off Portugal, or swinging at them from your fantail?
Might not be a good idea to piss them off.

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

Now, will you be in the water with them off Portugal, or swinging at them from your fantail?
Might not be a good idea to piss them off.

In Portugal I won't be in the water. But, yes, on the fantail. It is one pod of orcas doing the damage. And the sinking a month or 2 ago was a boat with a marine biologist on board. I doubt he would have been defending the boat. I would be defending my boat. Theres 2 people on board my boat and they are more important than the naughtily learned antics of the one pod. I will stab the blazers out of any whale attacking my boat. My wife deserves it.

Mark

 

[Ineptune]

In Portugal I won't be in the water. But, yes, on the fantail. It is one pod of orcas doing the damage. And the sinking a month or 2 ago was a boat with a marine biologist on board. I doubt he would have been defending the boat. I would be defending my boat. Theres 2 people on board my boat and they are more important than the naughtily learned antics of the one pod. I will stab the blazers out of any whale attacking my boat. My wife deserves it.

Mark

I would think a pike would be better; just something really pointy.

I also wondered if dropping a waterproof speaker into the water and just blasting some terrible music, anything past 1990 would do. Or a really awful screeching. Something they would not be fond of. Make them want to leave. I have some othre ideas.

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

Bleach in the aft toilet was suggested.

 

[Ineptune]

for future sailors of pacific ocean... View attachment 147058

That's cool, but how would knowing their migratory paths help? It's not like anyone is going to be watching the water 24/7 for whale sign like an aquatic Shai-Hulud (may his passing cleanse the world). That's a big ocean out there and I think knowing I was in a whaling lane would only add stress that I could do nothing about.

 

[VIEXILE]

The whole thing is just plain bizarre. I've been monitoring for a couple years now. I wonder how this particular pod would deal with kayakers?
Bleach out the head while they're chewing might be a good idea. Who knows.

 

[zeehag]

That's cool, but how would knowing their migratory paths help? It's not like anyone is going to be watching the water 24/7 for whale sign like an aquatic Shai-Hulud (may his passing cleanse the world). That's a big ocean out there and I think knowing I was in a whaling lane would only add stress that I could do nothing about.

we know the migratory patterns as they cross cruisers paths. is good to know so we donot come between mom and calf whichj generaly means trouble. also the sighting of whales is exciting and fun. AS LONG AS we stay away fromthe whale we are in good shape, generally.
we sighted 4 different kinds of whale on our sail south in 2011 april. april is migratory season after calving in feb.

 

[Ineptune]

Nobody liked my Dune reference.

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

Nobody liked my Dune reference.

that was the worst movie in that millénium

😂