# Transpac boat sinks



## overbored (Oct 8, 2010)

OEX has sank but all the crew is OK and picked up by Pyewacket from the life rafts. so any question that they are needed? 
https://2019.transpacyc.com/news/article/rescue-at-sea-in-transpac-50


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

I want to be on a MOD 70 under sail and on foil once in my life. Those things are just awesome.


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## colemj (Jul 10, 2003)

outbound said:


> I want to be on a MOD 70 under sail and on foil once in my life. Those things are just awesome.


I've done that. Awesome is one word to describe it. Scary is another. That boat is so loaded up at 30-40kts (boat speed) that you can feel it tense and torque throughout its entire structure, and it is obvious it is on edge. Bearing off from windward through the death zone will give you brown pants.

I just saw that Maseratti hit a large solid object at 25kts and has damage. They still seem to be in the race, though.

Mark


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

Amazing rescue in one hour from EPIRB activation?
Surely not so fast? 
Maybe VHF DSC mayday and the rescuing boat was close. 
Anyway, incredibly quick pick up. 

Yes, liferafts are essential.


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## colemj (Jul 10, 2003)

They were picked up by another boat in the race that was not far behind them.

Mark


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

colemj said:


> They were picked up by another boat in the race that was not far behind them.
> 
> Mark


A great reason to always be in the lead. :grin


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## DinghyRace (May 31, 2019)

colemj said:


> I've done that. Awesome is one word to describe it. Scary is another. That boat is so loaded up at 30-40kts (boat speed) that you can feel it tense and torque throughout its entire structure, and it is obvious it is on edge. Bearing off from windward through the death zone will give you brown pants.


I've sailed a lot of overpowered dinghies, and then big slow keelboats, but never what I'd consider a large overpowered boat. So, forgive my ignorance, but I've always wondered how they jibe these monsters in high wind. Heck, I'll even chicken-jibe (head up, tack, bear off) a Thistle if it's blowing over 20 kts. That's 200 sq.ft. of roached main on a 300 lb round chine hull, very tippy, but not exactly life-threatening.


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

When the boats can do 30+ kts. Stuff happens fast. Raced against TAG in a Newport Bermuda was in double digits but nothing like this. We were on a small chris White tri and won on corrected time. Depending upon the situation same as a mono. Pull in the main gybe let it out . Need a good helm. Need to pay attention to the seas. Can unload the main a bit if timed right. Need to avoid bearing off to a broad reach and suddenly loading the main excessively before it’s let out. Need alert crew who’s done good prep so sheets are let out without fouling.


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

I am sure some dork/geek/actuary can work it out..... but... whats the pressure on a fitting on a boat at 6 knots compared to when its going 30 knots? 
When some pin goes ping it isn't going to land on the deck!


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

DinghyRace said:


> I've sailed a lot of overpowered dinghies, and then big slow keelboats, but never what I'd consider a large overpowered boat. So, forgive my ignorance, but I've always wondered how they jibe these monsters in high wind. Heck, I'll even chicken-jibe (head up, tack, bear off) a Thistle if it's blowing over 20 kts. That's 200 sq.ft. of roached main on a 300 lb round chine hull, very tippy, but not exactly life-threatening.


The thing to remember is that even in very high winds, the apparent wind is almost always forward of abeam when these boats are at speed. And when they jib, the wind from astern (even in wind speeds approaching 50 knots) the apparent wind speed is less than 20 knots.

Here are a couple videos that shows what big fast boat jibes look like: 




and (around 10 minutes in) 




Jeff


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## overbored (Oct 8, 2010)

it is easier on big fast boats. the boat is moving almost as fast as the wind so when the boat is jibed and turned dead down wind the apparent speed seen by the sail is low. those boats are sailed by experienced crews that know how to time the control of the main during the jibe. it is when the main loads back up on the other side of the jibe that is when it gets fun. big fast boats can keep their speed up through the jibe so the loading of the sail is less abrupt.


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## Sanduskysailor (Aug 1, 2008)

Gybes in big wind can be interesting. Driving a Nelson/Marek 68 in 26 knots in the narrow grays Reef Channel. Sailing at 15+ knots. Gybeing the spinnaker (dip pole) easy peasy. Gybeing the main not so much. When the boom is 25 feet long there is a hell of a lot of mainsheet. We didn't have coffee grinders so it is quite the effort to haul the mainsheet in. You can't haul in the main early because you will round up due to the power of the main. We gybed the spinnaker and the main came over and ripped the vang out of the mast since the pit man had not released the hydraulic vang. Yikes. Sheared the heads off the 12- 1/2" bolts holding the 1/4" aluminum plate to the mast. Bent the plate too. Problem with big boats with disproportionately big mains. Picture going under the bluewater bridge where Lake Huron dumps into the St Clair River. The water is that blue there.


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## DinghyRace (May 31, 2019)

overbored said:


> it is easier on big fast boats. the boat is moving almost as fast as the wind so when the boat is jibed and turned dead down wind the apparent speed seen by the sail is low. ... big fast boats can keep their speed up through the jibe so the loading of the sail is less abrupt.


That is perhaps what I miss on small light boats, we have darn near zero momentum! Our ideal crew weight is greater than the all-up weight of our boat, and both are too small for our sail plan in heavy air.


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## colemj (Jul 10, 2003)

MarkofSeaLife said:


> I am sure some dork/geek/actuary can work it out..... but... whats the pressure on a fitting on a boat at 6 knots compared to when its going 30 knots?
> When some pin goes ping it isn't going to land on the deck!


The Mod 70 has a canting mast. The canting mechanism is two large hydraulic rams placed in opposition and connected to 1.5" diameter dyneema lines pulling the mast.

1.5" dyneema answers your question in a qualitative sense.

Mark


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

Dinghy appreciate what you are saying and how it feels to be on a small boat on plane. Still, these boats are so far into the spectrum of ultralights that the feeling of sailing them isn’t comparable to anything seen previously.
Imagine being up on foil on one of the monster tris. Or skipping across the southern Ocean in one of the current crop of monos.


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## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

outbound said:


> Dinghy appreciate what you are saying and how it feels to be on a small boat on plane. Still, these boats are so far into the spectrum of ultralights that the feeling of sailing them isn't comparable to anything seen previously.
> Imagine being up on foil on one of the monster tris. Or skipping across the southern Ocean in one of the current crop of monos.


...and hitting something that tears out your rudder, or damages an ama so much that you have to hack it off to be able to continue. OEX was apparently going 14knots when they suddenly lost steerage and began taking on water at close to 02h00. The crew was picked up from lifeboats about an hour later, with OEX sinking.


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## pdqaltair (Nov 14, 2008)

DinghyRace said:


> I've sailed a lot of overpowered dinghies, and then big slow keelboats, but never what I'd consider a large overpowered boat. So, forgive my ignorance, but I've always wondered how they jibe these monsters in high wind. Heck, I'll even chicken-jibe (head up, tack, bear off) a Thistle if it's blowing over 20 kts. That's 200 sq.ft. of roached main on a 300 lb round chine hull, very tippy, but not exactly life-threatening.


The thing to remember is that some of these literally tack down wind, and many fast multies have VERY little apparent wind during a fast jibe. I've had several where you jibe the chute inside the forestay, because it wouldn't really float out in front. But if you slow up or a rope snags, it can get messy.


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