I have been following with interest the progress of Ken Barnes and his around the world solo voyage. I stumbled upon his website from a thread received here. I just looked at his web site and see that the US coast guard had received an EPIRB signal from Ken at 5:00 PM PST this afternoon. Our prayers are with Ken at this time.
- Status
Damage
He dismasted, broke a hatch and lost steerage. This is why I always bring up chain plates, hatches and rudders when talking boat strength. He has a good suit and a life raft so he will be fine physically. I sure hope he has insurance because the boat will be left behind I bet (CG doesn't rescue boats).
He dismasted, broke a hatch and lost steerage. This is why I always bring up chain plates, hatches and rudders when talking boat strength. He has a good suit and a life raft so he will be fine physically. I sure hope he has insurance because the boat will be left behind I bet (CG doesn't rescue boats).
Stuff happens....I mean, waves happen 
Wish him the best
I sure do hope he comes out of it fine. I have my own dreams of setting sail some day to shores unknown. I don't plan on sailing around the world solo but I do hope to explore the nooks and crannies of the Carib and Med. I have the same fears he talked about, wife, job, mortgage, etc. I commend him for getting out there and following his dream. Cheers Ken!!
I sure do hope he comes out of it fine. I have my own dreams of setting sail some day to shores unknown. I don't plan on sailing around the world solo but I do hope to explore the nooks and crannies of the Carib and Med. I have the same fears he talked about, wife, job, mortgage, etc. I commend him for getting out there and following his dream. Cheers Ken!!
A bit more info
January 3, 2007 - Ken Barnes of Long Beach left the city on October 28th, 2006 on a trip to sail around the world. He has a website that monitors his progress and he has posted a number of updates on his adventures at sea. He was hit by a number of severe storms around Cape Horn this week, one of which left his boat in tatters. Ken contacted his girlfriend Cathy Chambers by satellite phone just after 5 a.m. Wednesday. He told her that he's alive and that he can hear rescue helicopters. On Tuesday he activated his emergency beacon. Ken also called Cathy, saying his sailboat had sustained major damage and that he needs help. Chilean rescue teams are now closing in on the boat's emergency signal.
January 3, 2007 - Ken Barnes of Long Beach left the city on October 28th, 2006 on a trip to sail around the world. He has a website that monitors his progress and he has posted a number of updates on his adventures at sea. He was hit by a number of severe storms around Cape Horn this week, one of which left his boat in tatters. Ken contacted his girlfriend Cathy Chambers by satellite phone just after 5 a.m. Wednesday. He told her that he's alive and that he can hear rescue helicopters. On Tuesday he activated his emergency beacon. Ken also called Cathy, saying his sailboat had sustained major damage and that he needs help. Chilean rescue teams are now closing in on the boat's emergency signal.
Hi Franklin...
...does it really cost $2,500.00 to go throught the canal? And how is it figured if you know? Thanks in advance! Jack Hart SEA-YA!
...does it really cost $2,500.00 to go throught the canal? And how is it figured if you know? Thanks in advance! Jack Hart SEA-YA!
I just picked this off his site...
...Updates Jan 03, 12:45 PM PST Current Position via US Coast Lat 54.44.025 Long 86.09.05. The Privateer is still afloat. Ken is aboard. The Chilean P3(C130) expects to reach Ken at 3:30 PST. The plane is expected to drop Survival Gear and Communication equipment. Jack Hart Hickory, NC
...Updates Jan 03, 12:45 PM PST Current Position via US Coast Lat 54.44.025 Long 86.09.05. The Privateer is still afloat. Ken is aboard. The Chilean P3(C130) expects to reach Ken at 3:30 PST. The plane is expected to drop Survival Gear and Communication equipment. Jack Hart Hickory, NC
Panama Canal
That figure is a total figure what I got from someone who went through. The actual canal fee is like $800 but there are other fees that you must pay and some are optional. You can go through cheaper. The more you pay (hiring a manager), the sooner you can get through and less hassel. Even after hiring a manager it still may take a week to get through. Note: Manager is not the correct term but how I remembered it.
That figure is a total figure what I got from someone who went through. The actual canal fee is like $800 but there are other fees that you must pay and some are optional. You can go through cheaper. The more you pay (hiring a manager), the sooner you can get through and less hassel. Even after hiring a manager it still may take a week to get through. Note: Manager is not the correct term but how I remembered it.
Panama Canal II
It's called an agent. More info can be had by reading Latitude 38, a local Northern California boating magazine, available on line at www.latitude38.com
It's called an agent. More info can be had by reading Latitude 38, a local Northern California boating magazine, available on line at www.latitude38.com
CNN had coverage arond 10 this a.m. he could not
get to the survival gear dropped- according to them he is using last of bit of power in cell phone and is adrift in 20 ft swells, dead motor, dismasted, taking on water and injured leg. Not good but there are several boats headed his way.
get to the survival gear dropped- according to them he is using last of bit of power in cell phone and is adrift in 20 ft swells, dead motor, dismasted, taking on water and injured leg. Not good but there are several boats headed his way.
Possible Reasons Why He Had Trouble
From what I have read of his website and logs: 1. The boat is definitely too big for single handing. Even with the split rig, there is too much sail and too much rigging to handle. It is a good boat, no doubt (though I hope he has storm covers for all those big windows), but steel is not really necessary, and the size alone guarantees that it will respond more slowly to the helm and will open him up for trouble if he has to do fast sail changes. 2. Insufficient passage experience. This is born out by his selection of boat, obviously a boat selected by someone who has little idea what it is like out there in the big tank. 3. While we do not know the cause of the dismasting, I would speculate one of two scenarios: I. Too much boat to handle. He was running before heavy winds with breaking seas and broached. It is extremely difficult to stay at the helm for long periods in rough weather, even inside a pilothouse, and the pilot house offers limited visibility aft, where you need to be looking if you are running before the waves on the quarter, like Motessier and Dumas. II. Pitchpoled. If he listened to the "standard advice" i.e., that you should run before a gale, then he probably pitchpoled, JUST LIKE the Smeetons did twice in exactly the same area in the Tzu Hang--when they followed the "standard advice" that is still going around. Lots of people still believe you can't heave-to in strong winds--rediculous. The problem with the west-east passage of the horn is that if you heave-to when the waves start breaking (as you should) you will be hove-to much of the time. This isn't what most sailors expect to be doing. The fact that he had drogues aboard indicates that his plan was to run before the waves--of course, in the southern ocean, this doesn't work. The fact that he has sustained an injury leads me to believe in the pitch-pole idea--read about the Queen's Birthday Storm, and the 50 foot yacht that was running and was picked up by a following sea and dropped 70 feet straight vertical into the ocean. The skipper had his thigh crushed against the steering pedestal. For all the quotations of John Vigor, HIS sea mileage isn't exactly impressive, and in his books he INCORRECTLY says that the sea and wind can reach a state where you can't heave to and you must run before the wind. This is absurd. Running with the wind and waves just keeps you in the storm longer. Most typhoons and depressions move at about 5 - 8 knots. If you run before the storm at 5-6 knots, you will be in the worst of it for days on end. If you heave-to, going 1 knot or less, it will pass over you in a day. There is no logic to the idea that eventually you must quit the hove-to position and run. Yet, Mr. Vigor and others STILL propagate this preposterous position. The only reason to run is because you are racing, and you are willing to risk EVERYTHING for speed(and you have chase boats and crews ready to bail you out if something goes wrong!!). By the way, everyone is concerned about Ken being out there with no rig in that terrible weather. Every account I have read of this kind of dismasting in the southern ocean indicates that the skippers were better off after the dismasting--the boat is being tossed around, but nobody seems to have any more problems--if they can jury rig and get out of there. I think Ken will be OK until he is rescued, assuming his injury is under control. I'm hoping more will be learned from everyone from Ken's experience. I also hope he gets rescued. I also think everyone should take seriously the fact that OTHER PEOPLE are now risking their lives to save Ken, that we have a responsibility to make sure we are ready, properly equipped, and properly experienced to take on such a challenge as this. And also keep in mind that we (this includes Ken) don't know how much we don't know until we try something. From his point of view, he was ready, and had enough experience. There is something GOOD to be said for someone who tries...and one can validly criticize those of us (myself included) who analyze and criticize him AFTER the fact...20-20 hindsight. I respect his sense of adventure and courage. Paul H.
From what I have read of his website and logs: 1. The boat is definitely too big for single handing. Even with the split rig, there is too much sail and too much rigging to handle. It is a good boat, no doubt (though I hope he has storm covers for all those big windows), but steel is not really necessary, and the size alone guarantees that it will respond more slowly to the helm and will open him up for trouble if he has to do fast sail changes. 2. Insufficient passage experience. This is born out by his selection of boat, obviously a boat selected by someone who has little idea what it is like out there in the big tank. 3. While we do not know the cause of the dismasting, I would speculate one of two scenarios: I. Too much boat to handle. He was running before heavy winds with breaking seas and broached. It is extremely difficult to stay at the helm for long periods in rough weather, even inside a pilothouse, and the pilot house offers limited visibility aft, where you need to be looking if you are running before the waves on the quarter, like Motessier and Dumas. II. Pitchpoled. If he listened to the "standard advice" i.e., that you should run before a gale, then he probably pitchpoled, JUST LIKE the Smeetons did twice in exactly the same area in the Tzu Hang--when they followed the "standard advice" that is still going around. Lots of people still believe you can't heave-to in strong winds--rediculous. The problem with the west-east passage of the horn is that if you heave-to when the waves start breaking (as you should) you will be hove-to much of the time. This isn't what most sailors expect to be doing. The fact that he had drogues aboard indicates that his plan was to run before the waves--of course, in the southern ocean, this doesn't work. The fact that he has sustained an injury leads me to believe in the pitch-pole idea--read about the Queen's Birthday Storm, and the 50 foot yacht that was running and was picked up by a following sea and dropped 70 feet straight vertical into the ocean. The skipper had his thigh crushed against the steering pedestal. For all the quotations of John Vigor, HIS sea mileage isn't exactly impressive, and in his books he INCORRECTLY says that the sea and wind can reach a state where you can't heave to and you must run before the wind. This is absurd. Running with the wind and waves just keeps you in the storm longer. Most typhoons and depressions move at about 5 - 8 knots. If you run before the storm at 5-6 knots, you will be in the worst of it for days on end. If you heave-to, going 1 knot or less, it will pass over you in a day. There is no logic to the idea that eventually you must quit the hove-to position and run. Yet, Mr. Vigor and others STILL propagate this preposterous position. The only reason to run is because you are racing, and you are willing to risk EVERYTHING for speed(and you have chase boats and crews ready to bail you out if something goes wrong!!). By the way, everyone is concerned about Ken being out there with no rig in that terrible weather. Every account I have read of this kind of dismasting in the southern ocean indicates that the skippers were better off after the dismasting--the boat is being tossed around, but nobody seems to have any more problems--if they can jury rig and get out of there. I think Ken will be OK until he is rescued, assuming his injury is under control. I'm hoping more will be learned from everyone from Ken's experience. I also hope he gets rescued. I also think everyone should take seriously the fact that OTHER PEOPLE are now risking their lives to save Ken, that we have a responsibility to make sure we are ready, properly equipped, and properly experienced to take on such a challenge as this. And also keep in mind that we (this includes Ken) don't know how much we don't know until we try something. From his point of view, he was ready, and had enough experience. There is something GOOD to be said for someone who tries...and one can validly criticize those of us (myself included) who analyze and criticize him AFTER the fact...20-20 hindsight. I respect his sense of adventure and courage. Paul H.
Paul H
Extremely well written reply with many good points. I would quarrel with your comment though that "skippers were better off after the dismasting." The Cruising Club of America published a book a while back called Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts. It was edited by John Rousmaniere and includes articles by such industry luminaries as Olin Stephens. Here is a quote from that book: "losing the mast...will remove more than one-half of (the boat's) inertia moment, and as a consequence make her a lot more susceptible to capsize than before this happened." Enough said. Gary Wyngarden S/V Wanderlust h37.5
Extremely well written reply with many good points. I would quarrel with your comment though that "skippers were better off after the dismasting." The Cruising Club of America published a book a while back called Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts. It was edited by John Rousmaniere and includes articles by such industry luminaries as Olin Stephens. Here is a quote from that book: "losing the mast...will remove more than one-half of (the boat's) inertia moment, and as a consequence make her a lot more susceptible to capsize than before this happened." Enough said. Gary Wyngarden S/V Wanderlust h37.5
Good Point
Good point, Gary. I guess what I was trying to capture is that the assumption of many non-sailors is that with the boat dismasted, it is now in much worse straits than before and only a miracle will save the crew--when in fact, that is not what usually happens. The experience of Fastnet, the Queen's Birthday Storm, the Smeetons, and many other such well documented incidents show that very few boats that roll and are dismasted actually sink consequent to the dismasting--though the chances are increased for such a result. It appears to me that at least 90% of the time when crews are rescued from yachts in trouble, the yachts do not sink, but are found days, weeks, even months later still floating, or end up running aground and sinking simply because no one was at the helm. One other correction to my previous article. When I said his selection of the boat indicated lack of experience, it was not because his boat was not good--it is a very good boat, well founded for passages, and one I would consider for a Cape Horn crossing--just not alone. For a lone passage, I would select a smaller boat (32' maximum), with a simple rig, sloop or cutter, with a full keel. Possibly a double-ender with stern hung rudder (because of it's ability to stay on course with no one at the helm). Slocum had a 36' but it was a gaffer, and much easier to handle than a ketch(and Slocum was a master). Mainly, it needs to be small enough and simple enough that I would not be overwhelmed by the amount of gear, by rig changes in heavy weather, or by steering when things get edgy. Paul
Good point, Gary. I guess what I was trying to capture is that the assumption of many non-sailors is that with the boat dismasted, it is now in much worse straits than before and only a miracle will save the crew--when in fact, that is not what usually happens. The experience of Fastnet, the Queen's Birthday Storm, the Smeetons, and many other such well documented incidents show that very few boats that roll and are dismasted actually sink consequent to the dismasting--though the chances are increased for such a result. It appears to me that at least 90% of the time when crews are rescued from yachts in trouble, the yachts do not sink, but are found days, weeks, even months later still floating, or end up running aground and sinking simply because no one was at the helm. One other correction to my previous article. When I said his selection of the boat indicated lack of experience, it was not because his boat was not good--it is a very good boat, well founded for passages, and one I would consider for a Cape Horn crossing--just not alone. For a lone passage, I would select a smaller boat (32' maximum), with a simple rig, sloop or cutter, with a full keel. Possibly a double-ender with stern hung rudder (because of it's ability to stay on course with no one at the helm). Slocum had a 36' but it was a gaffer, and much easier to handle than a ketch(and Slocum was a master). Mainly, it needs to be small enough and simple enough that I would not be overwhelmed by the amount of gear, by rig changes in heavy weather, or by steering when things get edgy. Paul
- Status