North Atlantic in December in a 30’ sailboat…

Hopefully they are found well, but what kind of boat is Catalina?
 
boatbum said:
Hopefully they are found well, but what kind of boat is Catalina?
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You’re kidding right? 30’ Catalina is one of the most popular coastal cruisers ever built…thousands built.
 
S
boatbum said:
Hopefully they are found well, but what kind of boat is Catalina?
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Mass Production sailboat, ok quality but not what you want to be offshore the Cape Hatteras shoals in December… makes no sense since with that draft and mast height they could easily have run the ditch to Moorehead.
 
cwms said:
You’re kidding right? 30’ Catalina is one of the most popular coastal cruisers ever built…thousands built.
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No I am not kidding. Compared to other off shore cruisers what kind of boat is it? Does it hold up to Island Packet or others? Is it really an off shore sailboat?
 
A friend with a similar size boat made the trip, Maine to Brunswick GA, in October and ran into some unexpected conditions
 
boatbum said:
No I am not kidding. Compared to other off shore cruisers what kind of boat is it? Does it hold up to Island Packet or others? Is it really an off shore sailboat?
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As I mentioned, it is a coastal cruiser, not blue water. Over 6000 were built in a 30 year span from mid 70’s to mid 2000’s. I had A 1977 model. One of the roomiest 30 footers you can find. They really are nice boats but no, they are not in the same league as an IP.
 
Glad they are safe.

BUT! I have questions!

"No working motor so no working radio gear"

Uh huh. Sounds like cellphone only... ( I could be wrong ) But even a small solar panel will work for charging an emergency backup handheld. ( Or, of course, one pack of Energizers.... )

Sounds like they "assumed" they would always be in sight of land/port and made little concession to ( what I would demand in ) redundant emergency gear ( EPIRB, PLB )

Technically, virtually all of my boating was "coastal, but a "quick run "outside" was always possible, so I was always prepped for some of "Muther Nature's finest entertainment". It happens. Being safe is a process, and actually not particularly difficult.

Note I also had spare cigs and lighter, plus playing cards and an unread book along with the safety gear and supplies.

I hope they carefully debrief and make proper preps before their next trip. Boating can be fun even while being safe.
 
It's a sailboat. How TF do you run "out of fuel?" There was no report that their sails where damaged, can't you just sail the freaking thing to land?

As Radioactive said, these days it doesn't take much to be prepared. When I went a measly 80 miles across Lake Michigan I had and Epirb, plus rented a sattelite telephone.
 
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something must be missing in this story - it's a sailboat, it's a windy time of the year. They were probably lost, because their electronics crapped out. Headed out Oregon Inlet (NC) headed for FL, and found ten days later 200 miles east of Cape May ( and 300 or so NE of where they started. oops.
 
Cheap handheld magnetic compass.

And I mean CHEAP. It does not have to be all that accurate since in most situations heading generally in one of the eight compass points will do for survival. And no batteries required.

( Note: A good mag compass costs and is usually worth, it's weight in gold. But a simple junk pocket compass will do wonders for simple survival )
 
Wow… 214 nm east of Delaware after leaving Oregon inlet. Must have had a failure, either with the rig or most likely rudder. No fuel no charging therefore no electronics. An older small sailboat is likely to have limited batteries

Out of Oregon inlet, southbound, is not just hop outside. You have to go 10/12 nm offshore to clear the shoals in what is considered to be the graveyard of the Atlantic.
 
I may sound harsh, but years of "experience"* has forced me to be more aggressive regarding safety then during my early years. I really am glad that they reached safety.

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* = " having already made that mistake, and suffered the consequences"
 
www.foxnews.com

New Jersey men lost in the Atlantic Ocean for 10 days on Atrevida II recount their experience: 'Small miracle'

Two men who were missing for 10 days after their vessel, the Atrevida II, was pushed out to sea by a storm and lost power recalled their miraculous rescue.
www.foxnews.com www.foxnews.com

Nothing really new. Storm blew them off course, dis-masted the sailboat. Ran out of fuel. Ran the batteries dry. No EPIRB.

( Apparently, ran out of flares, though no mention ) Got lucky and made it back safely.

Glad they made it.
 
I m glad the dog made it….

I m also glad they lost the boat so hopefully they won’t be able to do this again.

Storms don’t just come out of nowhere…. Setting sail in that small old Catalina around cape Hatteras shoals in December is suicidal unless you really check the weather and have a good window. Especially when they could just have run the icw.

I can excuse not having an epirb for coastal cruising but not having a flare kit including smoke??
 
PascalG said:
I m glad the dog made it….

I m also glad they lost the boat so hopefully they won’t be able to do this again.

Storms don’t just come out of nowhere…. Setting sail in that small old Catalina around cape Hatteras shoals in December is suicidal unless you really check the weather and have a good window. Especially when they could just have run the icw.

I can excuse not having an epirb for coastal cruising but not having a flare kit including smoke??
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IDK, and epirb is what about $500. Cheap insurance in my mind when you can be swept away by the current.
 
I was going to say the same. The difference between blue water and coastal is insignificant to me. Especially on the East Coast with the Gulf Stream, and wow did they hitch a ride on it.
 
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