Lessons learned from sinking of Sean Seamour II (Oceanis 44 CC) After the sinking of Sean Seamour II during Andrea many have asked me to publish my lessons learned from this harrowing experience, I encourage all fellow mariners to read these ten points and other valuable information for mariners. The lessons leaned canbe read at: http://artseaprovence.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2007/7/30/3125662.html The log of May 7th can be read at: http://artseaprovence.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2007/6/27/3049534.html Related link http://artseaprovence.blogharbor.com/blog
Lessons learned from sinking of Sean Seamour II
- Thread starter seanseamour21292
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Thank you for sharing.
My God, what an experience, and in May no less. I'm very glad you all got out safely. What are your future sailing plans? Gary Wyngarden S/V Wanderlust h37.5
My God, what an experience, and in May no less. I'm very glad you all got out safely. What are your future sailing plans? Gary Wyngarden S/V Wanderlust h37.5
what's next?
Lost too much to go to a new hull, going to look for a Nauticat this winter, likely to stay in the med for the years to come. The wife has been insisting on a cat and I always told her no boat that only does a 180° - that fight is over...
Lost too much to go to a new hull, going to look for a Nauticat this winter, likely to stay in the med for the years to come. The wife has been insisting on a cat and I always told her no boat that only does a 180° - that fight is over...
Its the real thing
The Coast Guard made a 30 minute video of the extraction, this is a still the leading French sailing magazine used in their four page spread on the topic, the two text pieces say crest of the wave, below that the life raft we were in. The helicopter measures sets of waves beyond 70 feet, the GLERL and another lab simulating the "maxwave" estimate it was a minimum of 82 feet, likely 50% above as it hit us, and higher as it reached Flying Colors due to the gulf stream. We had a night of waves like the one in the photo, three hours of them in the liferaft after Sean Seamour went down.
The Coast Guard made a 30 minute video of the extraction, this is a still the leading French sailing magazine used in their four page spread on the topic, the two text pieces say crest of the wave, below that the life raft we were in. The helicopter measures sets of waves beyond 70 feet, the GLERL and another lab simulating the "maxwave" estimate it was a minimum of 82 feet, likely 50% above as it hit us, and higher as it reached Flying Colors due to the gulf stream. We had a night of waves like the one in the photo, three hours of them in the liferaft after Sean Seamour went down.
Tense Read
What an intense read. Thankfully you and your crew are safe and sound. Boats can be replaced. Sounds as if you did everything humanly possible before being forced to abandon. My best wishes to you on any future endeavors.
What an intense read. Thankfully you and your crew are safe and sound. Boats can be replaced. Sounds as if you did everything humanly possible before being forced to abandon. My best wishes to you on any future endeavors.
The Dark Side of Gulf Stream Blues
Dear Skipper: Congratulations for surviving with all hands, and caring enough to summarize excellent and important lessons. 1. Securing against a knock down and 360 degree is fundamental offshore preparation. As you duly insist, that means tying up simply and effectively everything inside and outside, and the hatchboards too. I am lucky to have no side portholes and my two masts are stepped on deck. Now to the Gulf Stream... 2. On my Rye NY-Azores crossing in late June-early July '99, I sought the Gulf Stream to help my relatively slow Allied SeaWind II, 32ft ketch (25.7' WL), but that was an error. A friend went due east out off the LI Sound and beyond, and was safe and fast, as were outbound Canadians at the time, while I was hit 7 days out by an unannounced "developing gale" which piped up to 65kts and 12m (40ft)waves, including a few rogue ones that exploded on the side and filled the cockpit, instead of carrying me forward on my way as all their beautiful strong sisters did, none like the one shown on your site, thank God! The "fun" lasted 36 exhausting hours and only cost me a main sail mast track. Cruisers who came to Horta from Bermuda only had 20-30kt wind, with huge regular swells. 3. Three years ago, I crossed the Gulf Stream from Norfolk-Hatteras to Tortola in December, but the huge eddies and the tail of Epsilon gave us 8 days of 35-52 kts with confused swells. I don't think I have met such bad combination of duration and intensity in 50 years of sailing including a circum cadet cruise. 4. Anyone seeking to use the Gulf Stream's powerful push should be wary of its proneness to heavy blustery weather and to rogue Max Waves scattered amidst well established patterns. Sorry this cost you your beautiful boat!!! BE WELL you and yours and thank you for the powerful links. Bert dF, Pianissimo
Dear Skipper: Congratulations for surviving with all hands, and caring enough to summarize excellent and important lessons. 1. Securing against a knock down and 360 degree is fundamental offshore preparation. As you duly insist, that means tying up simply and effectively everything inside and outside, and the hatchboards too. I am lucky to have no side portholes and my two masts are stepped on deck. Now to the Gulf Stream... 2. On my Rye NY-Azores crossing in late June-early July '99, I sought the Gulf Stream to help my relatively slow Allied SeaWind II, 32ft ketch (25.7' WL), but that was an error. A friend went due east out off the LI Sound and beyond, and was safe and fast, as were outbound Canadians at the time, while I was hit 7 days out by an unannounced "developing gale" which piped up to 65kts and 12m (40ft)waves, including a few rogue ones that exploded on the side and filled the cockpit, instead of carrying me forward on my way as all their beautiful strong sisters did, none like the one shown on your site, thank God! The "fun" lasted 36 exhausting hours and only cost me a main sail mast track. Cruisers who came to Horta from Bermuda only had 20-30kt wind, with huge regular swells. 3. Three years ago, I crossed the Gulf Stream from Norfolk-Hatteras to Tortola in December, but the huge eddies and the tail of Epsilon gave us 8 days of 35-52 kts with confused swells. I don't think I have met such bad combination of duration and intensity in 50 years of sailing including a circum cadet cruise. 4. Anyone seeking to use the Gulf Stream's powerful push should be wary of its proneness to heavy blustery weather and to rogue Max Waves scattered amidst well established patterns. Sorry this cost you your beautiful boat!!! BE WELL you and yours and thank you for the powerful links. Bert dF, Pianissimo
Just excellent and Thanks!
You have made some very good points and I thank you for them. It is hard to immagine that any boat could have servived these conditions. The US Coast Guard is unbelievable to attempt rescues in these conditions. God bless them for sure. All offshore sailors should read these links and ponder carefully.
You have made some very good points and I thank you for them. It is hard to immagine that any boat could have servived these conditions. The US Coast Guard is unbelievable to attempt rescues in these conditions. God bless them for sure. All offshore sailors should read these links and ponder carefully.
CG video
Is the Coast Guard video of your rescue available online? We sail Chespeake Bay and frequently hear of heroic rescues by the Coasties from Elizabeth City. Glad they were able to save all of you.
Is the Coast Guard video of your rescue available online? We sail Chespeake Bay and frequently hear of heroic rescues by the Coasties from Elizabeth City. Glad they were able to save all of you.
Video of rescue
I have a short piece of our extraction on my blog, see below http://artseaprovence.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2007/8/2/3135163.html there is a lot of footage which we hope to be able to edit down with commentary fom the rescued and the rescue team led by Lt Cmdr Nevada Smith (played the role of co-pilot in Kevin Costner' the Guardian). We would like to bring it down to a 15 minute sold on the internet for the benefit of the Coast Guard Family fund. Will keep you appraised -- in the interim a glimpse.
I have a short piece of our extraction on my blog, see below http://artseaprovence.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2007/8/2/3135163.html there is a lot of footage which we hope to be able to edit down with commentary fom the rescued and the rescue team led by Lt Cmdr Nevada Smith (played the role of co-pilot in Kevin Costner' the Guardian). We would like to bring it down to a 15 minute sold on the internet for the benefit of the Coast Guard Family fund. Will keep you appraised -- in the interim a glimpse.
USCG saviors of Sean Seamour II honored
Here is the content of the Eliazabeth City newspaper article with the two US Coast Guard crews of the HH-60 and C-130 http://artseaprovence.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2007/8/9/3148052.html
Here is the content of the Eliazabeth City newspaper article with the two US Coast Guard crews of the HH-60 and C-130 http://artseaprovence.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2007/8/9/3148052.html
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