Some Thoughts on the "Bounty" Sinking.

[dugout]

My earlier comment was just answering a question. No more no less. I am not defending the captain or any other person involved.
I am a professional captain and have sailed that route maybe 25 or 30 times, including both paid and pleasure trips. I am well aware of the conditions, reputation etc. I have also sailed closer than I wanted to be to a Hurricane, though not as big as this, and the positioning DOES work. It is still damned uncomfortable and wet but it is possible to get past if you have no choice. This I believe is the difference. He HAD a choice.

No problem, I am familiar with the principals of TC management. Here is a fairly complete treatise on the subject for those who aren't. To me it’s about where he went, when, and why?

 

[Captandrew]

A tropical system has 2 sides (for this purpose at least) The dangerous and the navigable sides. Due to the rotation of the storm the "navigable side is that to the left of the direction of travel of the system in this case the east or SE. This side will have lower wind speeds and will also tend to move the vessel out of rather than into the path of the storm. Also the winds on this side can be taken on the quarter to allow a broad reach away from the center. All in all he was following traditional wisdom and it was also the direction he wanted to travel.
Yes the stream exists there but it is not so strong. The main thrust of the Gulf Stream is 40- 50 miles inshore of his position.

As was pointed out to me privately, I had a senior moment and got my east and west reversed here. In fact the SW portion was the less dangerous side and that is where Bounty was.