What's going on in CA?

[Ted]

News Release
1 dead, 5 rescued from surf after sailboat accident

SAN DIEGO — One person is dead and five others were rescued by a San Diego-based Coast Guard aircrew, Saturday, after their boat drifted into the surf and broke apart near San Clemente Island, Calif., during a sailboat race.
The 30-foot sailboat Uncontrollable Urge crew issued a mayday call and activated their Digital Selective Calling feature on their VHF marine radio around 9:26 p.m., Friday, after the sailboat’s rudder failed and they began drifting toward San Clemente Island during the Islands Race.
The crew initially stated they were not in need of assistance and declined assistance from both the Coast Guard and other boaters involved in the race. The sailors requested assistance from a commercial salvage company, however they were unable to launch due to weather conditions.
The sailors attempted to anchor the vessel just after 11 p.m., however the anchor would not catch and the vessel drifted closer to the island. An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew launched from Coast Guard Sector San Diego and Coast Guard Cutter Edisto was diverted to the scene.
The boat entered the surf line and was broken apart by the waves, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel.
The helicopter crew hoisted the six sailors and brought them to the Sector where they were met by emergency medical personnel for transport to a local hospital.
The weather on scene was 8-foot swells with 10-knot winds with a small craft advisory in effect.

 

[Rick D]

I'm sure they felt they could anchor, but some of the Channel Islands are sheer drop offs.

 

[Rick D]

Update...

... don't let the comment about 'high winds' and 12 knots throw you, that's probably Los Angeles. 30 knots is common there.

http://www.10news.com/news/one-dead-and-five-hurt-in-sailboat-accident

 

[Alan Gomes]

... don't let the comment about 'high winds' and 12 knots throw you, that's probably Los Angeles. 30 knots is common there.

http://www.10news.com/news/one-dead-and-five-hurt-in-sailboat-accident

Latitude 38 is reporting 30 knots and 8-10' swells.

http://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/lectronicday.lasso?date=2013-03-09

 

[tommays]

Best as i can tell new boat and the rudder failed

There various rescue options and the amount of time after that is a bunch or various rumors

 

[Merlin Clark]

http://www.columbiayachts.com/columbia32LP.php
It was a "Columbia Carbon 32" and according to the company, 3,500lbs "ready to race".

 

[r.oril]

Did they not have a motor or did it fail also?

 

[zeehag]

pic shows a prop, so i presume it has an engine--but that would still require rudder, which reportedly snapped off.

looked like a full on racing boat----tricky to steer sans rudder. keel is more like a forward rudder with a deep bulb.


http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...sland-what-do-you-do-99675-2.html#post1181059

 

[Freedom77]

The waters around So Cal can be very unforgiving and unpredictable. Was caught in the fringes of a Mexican hurricane once between San Pedro and Catalina. Never again I hope. My prayers go out to the families of the crew. Oh Lord thy sea is so great and my boat is so small.

 

[Winkfish]

Would an emergency tiller have helped? What aspect of the rudder failed, I wonder?

 

[zeehag]

would love to read the accounting by the designer, who was on board--what his ideas are as to how to prevent this from happening again....

 

[Captn TJ]

I read that the rudder snapped off so an emergency tiller wouldn't help.

Also I read that the anchor didn't hold. Having lived amongst racers the anchor tends to be the most disregarded piece of equipment. After all it might weight down the bow!

 

[alexco38]

Not sure why there is no mention of emergency steering used. It's required under ISAF rules:

Emergency Steering
4.15.1 Emergency steering shall be provided as follows:
a) except when the principal method of steering is by
means of an unbreakable metal tiller, an
emergency tiller capable of being fitted to the
rudder stock;
MoMu0,1,2,3
b) crews must be aware of alternative methods of
steering the yacht in any sea condition in the event
of rudder loss. At least one method must have been
proven to work on board the yacht. An inspector
may require that this method be demonstrated.

You can even steer with a bucket. There are survivors so the reason would be known and lesson should be learned.

 

[Gary_H]

Thoughts go out to the crew and family. Must be more to this story. Could they not start the engine or use the sails? There are many ways to steer a boat in an emergency besides the rudder. How did the fatality occur? all six apparently were airlifted to the Coast guard helecopter.

 

[zeehag]

cali water is COLD..i am betting on exposure and hypothermia.

 

[Rick D]

Another Update

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/mar/10/sailing-race-fatal/

 

[Calif. Ted]

It appears to me that they were waiting for the commercial tow, the sentence that "they couldn't launch" seems odd since they are kept in the water. Conditions may have been such that they couldn't make the ~60 nm safely. Boats from San Diego would have had to go straight into the weather, while boats from Oceanside, Dana Point and Newport would have to take it all on the beam. Boat US uses inboard monohulls while Towboat US uses a RIB with twin outboards that looks much like the new fast rescue boats the CG uses.
Those islands are so "steep to" trying to anchor would really be an extreme measure that you couldn't even begin until you could practically spit and hit the rocky shore.
Trying to sail off that lee shore with a bucket for steering ain't gonna happen either.
They were "not in immediate danger" until the tow they expected couldn't make it, and it was too late for anything else.

Up until the last 5 or 10 minutes, everything was perfectly fine, and in the last 5 to 10 minutes was when my brother in law ended up losing his life."

 

[Jackdaw]

Not sure why there is no mention of emergency steering used. It's required under ISAF rules:

Emergency Steering
4.15.1 Emergency steering shall be provided as follows:
a) except when the principal method of steering is by
means of an unbreakable metal tiller, an
emergency tiller capable of being fitted to the
rudder stock;
MoMu0,1,2,3
b) crews must be aware of alternative methods of
steering the yacht in any sea condition in the event
of rudder loss. At least one method must have been
proven to work on board the yacht. An inspector
may require that this method be demonstrated.

You can even steer with a bucket. There are survivors so the reason would be known and lesson should be learned.

True, but point a) the 'emergency tiller' does not help if the rudder stock breaks or the rudder breaks off. Its really written for wheel boats if the quadrant jams or cable breaks.

b)for coastal races this is normally a generalized discussion on-board as to how to steer the boat sans rudder by balancing the sail plan. But on a 32 footer there is no way to actually TRY that until your rudder fails. Sadly.

 

[kloudie1]

Interesting link;
http://www.columbiayachts.com/gallery/index.php
note the videos
Boat was always pushed hard.. but ya wonder what brought down the rig .. and why the loss of steering on a tiller steered boat..
Note that Vince Valdes the President of Columbia Sailboats was one of the guys on board..

 

[Rick D]

It Was A New Boat...

Interesting link;
http://www.columbiayachts.com/gallery/index.php
note the videos
Boat was always pushed hard.. but ya wonder what brought down the rig .. and why the loss of steering on a tiller steered boat..
Note that Vince Valdes the President of Columbia Sailboats was one of the guys on board..

Just for clarity, boat that was lost was a new one, a Columbia 32 Carbon. Same name as his previous Columbia 30. http://www.columbiayachts.com/yachts/c_Sprint.php