# Texas A&M University sailing team missing



## T37SOLARE (Feb 1, 2008)

Just saw this on the CNN website, anyone have anymore information? Not sounding good....

Six missing during Gulf boat race - CNN.com

Six missing during Gulf boat race

(CNN) -- The six-person crew of a Texas A&M University sailboat was reported missing Saturday in the Gulf of Mexico, the Coast Guard said.

A sailboat matching the description of the crew's 38-foot boat was found overturned about 5:15 p.m., though none of the mariners was spotted, authorities said.

Communication with the boat was lost about midnight Friday, and the boat missed its 8 a.m. radio check, the Coast Guard reported.

According to the university, all the mariners were experienced sailors, and two of them were safety instructors.

The Coast Guard has sent rescue crews to the area, about 10 miles south of Matagorda, Texas.

The sailboat, named Cynthia Woods, was part of the Veracruz Regatta and scheduled to sail from Galveston, Texas, to Veracruz, Mexico. About two dozen boats entered this year's race.


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## Stillraining (Jan 11, 2008)

First Iv heard of it ...very sad...My heart goes out to all the families..


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## bubb2 (Nov 9, 2002)

please keep us updated so sad!


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## merlin2375 (Jul 12, 2007)

this is very sad.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Coast Guard has found the boat off Matagorda Bay in the Gulf. She is bottom up with the keel missing. I can't think of anything but being rolled by a ship that might rip the keel off. Winds have been brisk but not stormy.

A&M students missing at sea after sailboat capsizes | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Info on the Cape Fear 38:

Sailing Magazine : Boat Test


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## knothead (Apr 9, 2003)

CajunAggie08 wrote: 
All but one have been found. Roger Stone is still missing.
6/8/2008 3:27 AM CDT 

 Recommend (2)  
 Re


Don't know how accurate this is.

Steve


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## LakeEscape (Jul 18, 2007)

5 of 6 crew memebers rescued. Here is the article from MSNBC

Officials search for a sixth who went missing during the Regata de Amigos 
updated 2 hours, 42 minutes ago

GALVESTON, Texas - A Coast Guard spokeswoman said early on Sunday that a helicopter crew had found five of six regatta competitors alive after their boat disappeared in the Gulf of Mexico. 

The search started after the 38-foot Cynthia Woods missed a radio check Saturday morning and was found capsized. 

Petty Officer Renee C. Aiello said a Coast Guard helicopter crew from Air Station Houston hoisted the five men on board and the search continued for a sixth. Their conditions were not available. 

The boat was competing in the Regata de Amigos. 

Texas A&M at Galveston says the crew included four college students and two safety officers. 

The boat went missing 11 miles south of Matagorda, which is about 110 miles down the coast from Galveston, Texas. 

LakeEscape


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Damn, that sucks... 

With the water temp at 83˚, hypothermia is a minor risk...so hopefully, the last aggie will turn up in the search. 

This is one advantage of having a multihull. No keel to fall off and cause the boat to behave very badly.


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

Dang, I know Travis Wright. His dad has a boat at the marina I was at in Texas. Glad to see he made it through.


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## Insails (Sep 6, 2006)

Pb...lets hope they find Mr Stone also..
What a tradgedy....www.iBoattrack.com • View topic - Cynthia Woods

interesting discussion on the issue


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## ccriders (Jul 8, 2006)

*Matagorda coast*

Now this is really interresting. Last week I was talking to a guy at the Corpus Christi marina who had recently purchased a new to him sailboat. He bought it to replace the one he lost "off the beach at Matagorda Island." He "hit something that punched a large hole in the hull and sank before he could beach the boat." Further, I've read about "pipe(s) sticking out of the water" with no light or markings on it. 
By Saturday, the winds had moderated considerably, certainly they were not strong enough to capsize this kind of boat. 
Time for some of our vaunted law enforcement agencies to investigate sins committed in navigable waters by those economic interests that will do anything to make a buck. But, alas that will not help these people. 
It seems the USCG is about the only on the ball government agency out there workibng for us.


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## Insails (Sep 6, 2006)

Agree CC, after all the recent Hurricanes like,Ivan and Katrina there are many things in the gulf that should not be there..Add that to the sins of economic interest and the coastal waters along the Gulf Coast are hazardous..Many obtructions such as pylons broke off beneath the surface are still not known or own the charts ...


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## retclt (Nov 7, 2006)

ccriders said:


> Now this is really interresting. Last week I was talking to a guy at the Corpus Christi marina who had recently purchased a new to him sailboat. He bought it to replace the one he lost "off the beach at Matagorda Island." He "hit something that punched a large hole in the hull and sank before he could beach the boat." Further, I've read about "pipe(s) sticking out of the water" with no light or markings on it.
> By Saturday, the winds had moderated considerably, certainly they were not strong enough to capsize this kind of boat.
> Time for some of our vaunted law enforcement agencies to investigate sins committed in navigable waters by those economic interests that will do anything to make a buck. But, alas that will not help these people.
> It seems the USCG is about the only on the ball government agency out there workibng for us.


That statement is right on the mark CC!

That part of the Gulf is very thick with Oil and Gas rigs, some of them very small and a few are not lit. It was like that even before the recent hurricanes. The lighted ones are great to steer by at night but we like to keep our distance. It will be interesting to hear what the crew says.

. . . . . . . Prayers out for Mr. Stone.


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## Freesail99 (Feb 13, 2006)

I just saw on Fox news that the CC has found and rescued 5 of the sailors from the boat. They had been in the water for 26 hours. The safety officer on the boat is still missing. Let us all pray that he is found.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

"A dive boat is on the way to search Cynthia Woods. Hopefully they won't find anyone. A&M is trying to keep it quiet, but divers will be in the water about 4 or 5.
The iBoat transmitter was found at about noon.
The boat capsized when the keel fell off. It appears they didn't hit anything, the keel just fell off.

Status: TAMUG News
KHOU is probably the best media source:
http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/ ... 411d3.html . You might have to sign up to view it."

The above is a quote from the son of the missing sailer and copied from:

www.iBoattrack.com • View topic - Cynthia Woods


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## Insails (Sep 6, 2006)

I have been following that thread..Makes you wonder why the keel bolts failed..


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## eMKay (Aug 18, 2007)

Insails said:


> I have been following that thread..Makes you wonder why the keel bolts failed..


Probably by hitting something.


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## nolatom (Jun 29, 2005)

For now, let's resist over-speculating on the cause of an apparent keel detachment, and focus our hopes and prayers on Roger Stone, in hopes he got free of the boat and is afloat. We'll know soon enough.

We'll have enough time to get to the other questions later.


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## Stillraining (Jan 11, 2008)

sailingdog said:


> Damn, that sucks...
> 
> With the water temp at 83˚, hypothermia is a minor risk...so hopefully, the last aggie will turn up in the search.
> 
> This is one advantage of having a multihull. No keel to fall off and cause the boat to behave very badly.


Praise God they are all right and I hope so is the still lone missing sailor...

I cant argue with that SD...but at lest the boat didnt sink this time and that is usually their strongest argument for multies when turtled...kind of makes you wonder if they were afraid it would though and so didnt want to secure themselves to the hull...still... I would just for the visual help with being found...Id just be ready with my knife to cut free if need be..
*You do all sail with a knife on person don't you?* if not this is a wake up call.


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

Insails said:


> I have been following that thread..Makes you wonder why the keel bolts failed..





eMKay said:


> Probably by hitting something.


Reports indicate that they did not hit anything.

I agree, we should stay focused and upbeat about the recovery of Mr. Stone.

I would suggest that at the appropriate time, a separate thread be opened to discuss how the keel of a fairly new Cape Fear 38 could fall off, with or without provocation.


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## nolatom (Jun 29, 2005)

Latest report is he was just found inside the boat. He was the safety officer, and true enough, everyone got out but him. 

May God give peace to his family.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Rest in peace Roger. My heart felt sympathy for his family.


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## Stillraining (Jan 11, 2008)

Ahhh!! Rats!!!

One of my hopes was he was alive within the air bubble....Sad very sad..


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## retclt (Nov 7, 2006)

Wow. Hard to swallow. My heart felt sympathy for his family also.


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

Very sorry news.

My thoughts are with his family. 

Fair winds, and may you find peace, Roger Stone.


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## Insails (Sep 6, 2006)

Sad day...thoughts are with his loved ones...


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I am so happy for 5 families and so sad for another. My thoughts are with them all.


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## tweitz (Apr 5, 2007)

Three of the survivors were interviewed this morning on the Today show. It was not enlightening as to cause, but there were a few points I gathered: 
- they only had about 30 seconds warning from the time the safety officer saw water below and shouted "Water, Water" until the time the boat sank
- the safety officer, who is the one fatality who did not get out of the boat, physically pushed some of the crew out the companionway from below and saved their lives
- they did not remember hearing any impact at all
- they could not get out with their PFDs because the boat had turned and the PFD had inflated in the cabin; therefore they had fewer PFDs than survivors and shared
- they felt that tying themselves together helped enormously in the survival and rescue
- the Coast Guard somehow spotted a faint flashlight from a chopper and did a terrific rescue

Few lessons yet, they seem to have done most things right. I do always keep a lot of flotation up in the cockpit in the form of cushions, horseshoe,etc., primarily for an MOB situation. If one ever got into a sudden sinking at night with folks struggling to get out from below, it might be another use for the floating stuff.

It is clear that the safety officer bravely put the others' lives ahead of his own and made the ultimate sacrifice -- "greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his friends."


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## bubb2 (Nov 9, 2002)

tweitz said:


> It is clear that the safety officer bravely put the others' lives ahead of his own and made the ultimate sacrifice -- "greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his friends."


Well done, Mr. Roger Stone, peace be with you.


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## retclt (Nov 7, 2006)

tweitz said:


> - they could not get out with their PFDs because the boat had turned and the PFD had inflated in the cabin; therefore they had fewer PFDs than survivors and shared"


I always try to think of everything but that never occured to me. I have also debated in my head over which configuration to set my inflatable. Automatic or manual. I currently keep it at automatic. I wonder if it would matter that much in an upside down boat at midnight. I don't remember that being covered in my ASA courses. Yikes!


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## Boasun (Feb 10, 2007)

PFDs inflating inside the boat.
This is why I always tell my people not to don the lifejackets until they are outside. People will not take them off even if they have to dive down to egress the vessel. Thus they can't/won't swim down and out of the vessel. 
For this reason I ensure that my crew are not wearing their Survival gear inside the vessel and that the gear is placed where they can grab it on the way out.


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## btrayfors (Aug 25, 2006)

Sounds very much like Roger Stone was a real hero, helping to save the lives of his shipmates.

Perhaps in a curious way, his death may serve to save others as well. The danger of wearing inflatable life jackets below has not been generally made known, and I'll admit to wearing mine below occasionally, as do my crewmembers. 

Not any more! Clearly, this is a dangerous practice if your boat capsizes and fills quickly.

Also, while Boasun's practice seems prudent, there could be the danger of the stored inflatable lifejackets inflating by themselves, in which case they would be useless anyway (since you couldn't swim them down and out) and, conceivably, they could block egress from the vessel. Much better to have them stored somewhere in the cockpit or on deck where they might float free, but then there's the problem of donning them in bad weather when exiting the cabin. 

Food for thought!

Bill


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## tweitz (Apr 5, 2007)

I always have more PFDs than people aboard. I keep some in the cabin, some in the lazarette and floating cushions in the cockpit. I had never thought of this problem either, but it certainly is food for thought. This is especially true for the inflatables. I always thought one of the big advantages of the inflatable PFD is that it is so easy to wear, the crew will just put it on and leave it on all the time. But now I am not so sure that is a good idea below.


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

From the e-mail I got from one of the guy's father, Roger Stone did indeed save the life of two of the crew, at the expense of his own. As sad and tragic as that is, it also restores one's faith in the heroic qualities of ordinary people, when they rise to the occasion and do extrodinary things. I can't but help believe that such people receive a reward, far beyond our imagining.


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## messenger (Oct 21, 2006)

My prayers to the Stone family. As a twenty year resident of Galveston in the 80s and 90s, I may have at one time run into Roger Stone. I have had many friends and business associates that work on Pelican Island at the TAMU facility. 
Perhaps it is a bit early, but post above are mentioning the various stowage of life saving equipment... my question, Galveston to Veracruz, bluewater, where was the raft stowed?


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## Iflyka200s (Oct 3, 2007)

PBzeer said:


> From the e-mail I got from one of the guy's father, Roger Stone did indeed save the life of two of the crew, at the expense of his own. As sad and tragic as that is, it also restores one's faith in the heroic qualities of ordinary people, when they rise to the occasion and do extrodinary things. I can't but help believe that such people receive a reward, far beyond our imagining.


Well said PBzeer... Well Said..... As Still Raining put it, CRAP... Prayers for his family for their loss.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Mr. Stone is indeed a hero.

It's a sobering reminder to some of us little guys who have boats with positive flotation that just because the boat is on the surface doesn't mean it is a safe place to be.


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## PalmettoSailor (Mar 7, 2006)

Mr. Stone obviously had some "stones". It's a tragedy that he was not able to save himself after saving his crewmates. RIP Mr. Stone, and conodolences to the family.

As others have pointed out, this incident highlights some issues with PFD's that I know I have never considered. It has me thinking that perhaps having different types of PFD's might be a good idea. Like an autoinflateable with harness while on watch, with another manual inflateable you could wear below decks if offshore in really dicey weather.

This one incident highlights both why having a PFD on below decks might be desireable. The boat turtled really suddenly, and if you didn't have a PFD on, you might not have had time to find and don one before the boat sank. At the same time, the incident shows why having an autoinflateable on below decks could be a bad idea, because it could hinder your exit from the sinking boat.

A bit of a catch-22 for any one PFD. Its definitely an incident with some lessons to be learned for a wide cross seciton of sailors.


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## btrayfors (Aug 25, 2006)

Yes, that's precisely the problem to consider. A lifejacket which is ideal for cockpit/deck use may be very dangerous to use below. And, in bad conditions, the problems of donning, changing, stowing life jackets safely BEFORE entering or leaving the cockpit can be challenging.

I don't know if it exists, but I'm thinking that I'd very much like to see an auto-inflatable lifejacket with hydrostatic release (NOT the tablet-kind which can be set off by a couple of heavy boarding waves) ... fitted with a selector switch, so that you could choose either automatic or manual deployment.

With such a device, you could routinely choose "auto" when going on deck, and "manual" when going belowdecks.

Mustang? You listening up? Could your Model 3184 be so modified????

Bill


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## retclt (Nov 7, 2006)

My West 4000 can be Auto or manual depending on how you set it but it is a time consuming process and has a pill. West (made by Mustang) has a new Hydrostatic one that I want. I noticed the Coast Guard is finally going to inflatables. I've wondered what took them so long.


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## welshwind (Feb 27, 2005)

*Cause?*

When and if the cause becomes known, please post it. It is exactly this type of accident that makes my wife very skittish. I always point out that the pictures she sees in the sailing magazines with boats missing their keels are typically racing machines, pushing the envelop with new technologies and configurations. I always tell her production boats do not suffer from such problems. Then, something like this happens and it sets us back quite a ways.

Thoughts and prayers with his family.


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## eMKay (Aug 18, 2007)

I don't see how a PFD inflating in the cabin is a problem unless you are not a strong person, or a strong swimmer, I'm speculating here but maybe something else happened, maybe he was knocked out buy something in the boat when it turtled? I just don't see a PFD as the cause, I could grab every single one in my boat and swim with them to the bottom of a pool (I've tried as a teenager, taking every PFD we had and swimming to the bottom on a bet) I'm stronger now then I was then.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Welsh...this is a very light production boat built for the racing crowd with a deep draft and bulb fin keel. I too will be interested in what actually happened but re-assure your wife that the scantlings for such a boat are like a Maserati vs. a Hummer when compared to production blue water boats. If the keel falling off is a real concern for her...get a boat with an encapsulated keel or a full keel.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

EmKay-

Have you ever been in the water in an inflatable PFD and had it inflate while you were wearing it??? I doubt it.

It is one thing to swim with the PFDs in your arm and have the other arm unencumbered for swimming...and another to try and swim with an inflated inflatable PFD wrapped around your torso, hindering your movement. Also, most inflatable PFDs will provide 35 lbs. of flotation, compared to the 22 lbs. or so provided by non-inflatable PFDs.

Also, just because you can do something in a vest-type kayak PFD, doesn't mean that you could do the same thing in an inflatable, because of the way one interferes with your arm movement and is concentrated around the chest and neck, versus being spread out far more evenly. It can be difficult to swim at all in an inflatable, since the PFD wants to try and flip you over...

Finally, there's a big difference between doing something in a clear and open swimming pool and the same thing inside an inverted, possibly still rolling, pitching, yawing boat that may have lines and other obstacles blocking a relatively small exit. Most companionways aren't very wide or very tall.



eMKay said:


> I don't see how a PFD inflating in the cabin is a problem unless you are not a strong person, or a strong swimmer, I'm speculating here but maybe something else happened, maybe he was knocked out buy something in the boat when it turtled? I just don't see a PFD as the cause, I could grab every single one in my boat and swim with them to the bottom of a pool (I've tried as a teenager, taking every PFD we had and swimming to the bottom on a bet) I'm stronger now then I was then.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

My condolences to the Stone family. Roger was indeed a hero and his actions will be remembered. A memorial located at A&M Pelican Island or even at the Sea Wolfe park / pier would be very fitting for such a brave man. We visit Galveston every year and I am sure I will remember this tragedy every time I drive onto Pelican Island. 

This discussion has me re-thinking PFD storage and deployment on my boat. I have both auto inflatable PFD's and type two's on board along with seat cushions that act as a PFD. I too will keep an eye on this string to get a better idea of exactly what happened and lessons to learn.


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## retclt (Nov 7, 2006)

sailingdog said:


> EmKay-
> Finally, there's a big difference between doing something in a clear and open swimming pool and the same thing inside an inverted, possibly still rolling, pitching, yawing boat that may have lines and other obstacles blocking a relatively small exit. Most companionways aren't very wide or very tall.


Don't leave out the darkness of a moonless night in the upside down rocking boat and trying to act at great speed . . . . . . . Scared S***less if it were me in that situation. I have tried to swim down wearing my inflatable . . . can't get more than a foot down and I am a very fit guy . . . life long swimmer/freediving spearfisher. The horror of what these guy's went through has been on my mind since I heard about it. I've played it over and over in my head. I will be mindful of it when my family is sailing with me. Like Cam said, it's extremely rare for this type of thing to occur but . . . be prepared.


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## solzephyr (May 2, 2007)

*Sail On Mr Stone*

As many now know 5 of the Agie crew were rescewd, and Mr Stone gave his life to ensure the others were off before him. What have we learned from this tragedy? Where was the rescue pod? Why only 4 Lifejackets for the 5 suviovors? What saved the 5 was a waterproof flashlight, 4 lifejackets and an instructor who kept them together and close by the wreck.


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## messenger (Oct 21, 2006)

From The Galveston County Daily News


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## messenger (Oct 21, 2006)

Also this from the Galveston County Daily News

To me,since this vessel remained awash, and if not too much is done damage wise during recovering, I am assuming many questions can, hopefully, be answered....keel, raft, etc.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

eMKay said:


> I don't see how a PFD inflating in the cabin is a problem unless you are not a strong person, or a strong swimmer, I'm speculating here but maybe something else happened, maybe he was knocked out buy something in the boat when it turtled? I just don't see a PFD as the cause, I could grab every single one in my boat and swim with them to the bottom of a pool (I've tried as a teenager, taking every PFD we had and swimming to the bottom on a bet) I'm stronger now then I was then.


With all due respect, this seems astounding. How many vests is "all"? What kind of shape were they in? I am also a strong swimmer and I have done some snorkeling with the little inflatable PFDs made for that and even with fins on I find it difficult to go under unless I have the vest pretty lightly filled. A big part of it is that wearing the vest causes you to be aimed head up.


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## cnc33voodoo (May 15, 2008)

Gulfsailor wrote: 
The USCG seems to have started the SAR effort for the crew of the S/V CYNTHIA WOODS very late in the day considering notifications were made early Saturday morning.
Why is it an 87-foot Coastal Patrol Boat (WPB) - Marine Protector Class from Freeport found it too rough to go out and search?
Why it is a SAR helicopter was not dispatched until late in the day when all indications were that the vessel was in trouble. 
The sailing community had a good idea what was going on throughout the day thanks to Iboat, why did the USCG not have the same concerns? 5 survivors remained in the water for 26 hours. Thank God they were finally rescued.

6/10/2008 8:14:46 PM 

is there any truth to this comment?i hope not.
i have been trying to look it up but cannot find more info.
as far as the crew is concerned, 30 seconds is not alot of time when in that situation.there must have been too much going on all at once.
it takes an exceptional person to concern himself with the safety of others in such a situation.
god be with mr.stone.


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

As for the 87-foot WPBs, they are designed to operate in coastal conditions, up to only Force 5. That would be in the low-20 knot wind-speed range, and seas up to 6 feet or so.

Many folks would be surprised to learn that most blue-water capable sailboats can continue to sail safely in conditions that exceed the operational range of even some Medium Endurance Cutters.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Very true, most of the powerboats at my marina, especially the 40'+ ones are surprised when I come in from a day of sailing in SCA conditions, with Force 6/7 winds and seas.



JohnRPollard said:


> As for the 87-foot WPBs, they are designed to operate in coastal conditions, up to only Force 5. That would be in the low-20 knot wind-speed range, and seas up to 6 feet or so.
> 
> * Many folks would be surprised to learn that most blue-water capable sailboats can continue to sail safely in conditions that exceed the operational range of even some Medium Endurance Cutters.*


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## ausgator (Aug 23, 2007)

Maybe I just missed it, but why no mention of a life raft? An offshore event like this would certainly have required a life raft, wouldn't it? Did it get trapped because the boat turtled so quickly, did it malfunction, or did it just get blown away?


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## messenger (Oct 21, 2006)

The Galveston County Daily News

Ok, they found the keel. Now maybe some info on the raft, the MOB pole, "the horseshoe" which appeared to be bungee corded to the boat in a pic taken the day the race started, and who did the last survey? Seven groundings?


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## messenger (Oct 21, 2006)

<a href="http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/06/28/Cynthia-Woods-Investigation.html">Pretty good pic of the retreived keel


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## Boasun (Feb 10, 2007)

The retaining nuts are still in place. Leading to my conclusion that the keel tore out of the bottom of the boat. Which is very catastrophic for the vessel and the people on board.

I never really did liked those cantilever type of keels for the obvious reasons.


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## messenger (Oct 21, 2006)

Lawsuit

1 month, 4 days


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## sailaway21 (Sep 4, 2006)

messenger said:


> <a href="http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/06/28/Cynthia-Woods-Investigation.html">Pretty good pic of the retreived keel


There's a dedicated thread to the structural issues of the matter over in Design & Construction Forum.


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## messenger (Oct 21, 2006)

http://http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=511fa0c9c3c3b594

_"The Coast Guard also determined the emergency beacon - formally known as the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon - and life raft were improperly stowed below deck before the boat capsized." _

Life Raft and EPIRB stowed below!!!!!!!


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

messenger said:


> http://http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=511fa0c9c3c3b594_"The Coast Guard also determined the emergency beacon - formally known as the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon - and life raft were improperly stowed below deck before the boat capsized." _
> 
> Life Raft and EPIRB stowed below!!!!!!!


Yes they did report that but neither had anything to do with the death as near as I can determine. It is further quite unclear to me from the report that there was anything wrong with where they were. The requirement for the raft is that it be deployable from down below within 15 seconds. The boat turtled...no time to deploy. The EPIRP may have been a mechanically activated one rather than water activated. I am unaware of any requirement to stow an EPIRB on deck.

I am interested in actually seeing the real report rather than the press release as these two items seem to imply/ indicate some negligence on the part of the skipper or crew where none may exist. 
We cruised for 4 years with the raft in a bag and a manually activated EPIRB stowed below...but easily accessed...and I never thought twice about it or ever read anything that said that was not perfectly acceptable practice.


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## messenger (Oct 21, 2006)

USCG report. Somewhat vague.. Missing, IMHO, where were the groundings? And those blackouts on page 9, I dont guess that anything to do with a bottle of ahhhh.....mouthwash...
http://www.d8externalaffairs.com/posted/425/CYNTHIA_WOODS_2_.246074.pdf


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