HooD Posted May 14, 2002 Report Share Posted May 14, 2002 Mark Herendeen was swept from his boat during the night and could have possibly never been seen again. We had the following interview with Mark about his scary episode after watching the video interview with mark, I have to say, there is no way on this gods earth I would sail a cat through the night. those guys are just plain crazy Taken from www.catsailor.com worrell 1000 coverage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOWNING Posted May 15, 2002 Report Share Posted May 15, 2002 Sailing at night in the ocean might be a bit stupid, but I want to do the Marley Point Overnight race for trailables on my Nacra 5.8. I would be great fun flying down the lake at night under kite.... [This message has been edited by DOWNING (edited 15 May 2002).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HooD Posted May 15, 2002 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2002 If Mark Herendeen had of been sailing a nacra 5.8 that night, his chances for survival would have been greatlty reduced. In the interview, he said that he was washed over the back of the boat, and seperated from it. He tried to swim after the boat, but could not catch up to it. The boat had capsized by than and was sailing on its side. The crew righted the boat by himself, and sailed back to save Mark. If that had of been a Nacra 5.8 there is no way one person could have righted it. The inter 20 had a carbon mast that is a hell of a lot lighter. Scary stuff really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOWNING Posted May 15, 2002 Report Share Posted May 15, 2002 I take it these people don't use tether lines. I have righted my 5.8 by myself although I partly lowered the main to do it. One of the problems for the 5.8 and most catamarans is the main is made from Dacron and absorbs a lot of water unlike the Mylar based ones of the inter 20. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HooD Posted May 15, 2002 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2002 Looks like the fleet is divided over the use of tethers and how to fit them. Some have sytems hooked up to thier chicken ropes, but they cant change tacks without unhooking first. The best one I have seen, looks like a bungee cord hooked the the middle of the tramp. The guy said it was long enough for him to land a few feet in front of the boat, and becuse it is mounted to the middle of the tramp there is no need to unhook when tacking/gybing. Thats a neet trick lowering the 5.8 main to get it up, I will have to bear that in mind should the need ever arise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mal gray Posted May 16, 2002 Report Share Posted May 16, 2002 All the split mould ie (no deck-hull lip) boats sail on their side at great speed. Best thing I reckon is to get the remaining crew member to push the boat over turtle and then you can swim to it and both right it together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catsailor.net Posted May 16, 2002 Report Share Posted May 16, 2002 Most of the places I sail the water is only about 20 ft deep - the worst thing for us is to go turtle as 1. the mast and sail come up dripping in mud.. or worse. 2. The boat lodges itself in the sand and will not right. 3. And my experience at lake Cootharaba was that the lake is so shallow the answer is not to swim for the boat but run along the bottom - much faster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HooD Posted May 17, 2002 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2002 Originally posted by mal gray: Best thing I reckon is to get the remaining crew member to push the boat over turtle Thats really kewl mal, but in my cat history, 2 A-class's have gotten away from me (huge cartwheels) and the bloody crew didnt do anything.... errr i had no crew . in about 30 knotts the boat sailed about three times faster than I can swim. I remember sailing at a club years ago, where the average depth was about 10 feet, and the bottom seemed to be an endless supply of mud. On windy days you could really tell who had been for a swim. You know its bad when the rescue boat has to tow your boat just to unstick the mast from the bottom!. I have been thinking about the tethers, if it were up to me, i would attach it to my ankle with velcro, like the surfies do, it wouldnt be too anoying then. [This message has been edited by HooD (edited 17 May 2002).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted June 16, 2002 Report Share Posted June 16, 2002 John Tomko used the 12' tethers again this year on Team SA. He and Jamie Gaines sort of pioneered that particular arrangement the year before on Team Spitfire, for whom I pushed and shore-crewed. PiSailing used similar tethers (tubular nylon with bungee inside) but they were only 6' long, and had to be reclipped from one hiking strap to the other at every tack. The longer tethers stayed permanently attached to the center "wild thing" hiking strap on the I-20 during tacks and even when the co-skippers switched driving duties. I will never sail far offshore without a tether. sail fast (and safe) Andrew Tatton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mal gray Posted June 16, 2002 Report Share Posted June 16, 2002 If I was going to use a tether, I would wear a proper offshore safety harness with clips at both ends of a webbing strap which attaches to my chest, so that if I did fall off, and the boat continued on, I would be towed face up forwards. I would also have the option of disconnecting if necessary. If you don't wear a tether (lets face it-no one does in day-racing) you are best to turtle the boat than let it sail away from you (mud or no mud. I don't recommend ankle straps unless your sinus needs a flush out and you like the taste of salt water! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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