Sailors Missing in Chuckanut Bay

[Danceswithoctopus]

Hey DWO, No, I don't know what type of boat was involved. I assumed from the post of "inappropriate" that it may be a 525

I think DWO has you confused with the other BB (Baltic Bandit) Duchess. Or is that DD now? Which I think is one of your nicks anyway! :lol:

Nope. Baltic Bandit is a friend of mine. I'm not sure who Boomberries is in real life. As far as I know, Baltic doesn't do sockpuppets. Of course, I could be wrong.

-DWO

 

[Danceswithoctopus]

Doesn't look like a Geary, there's a cabin house on it.

I hadn't seen that. Now I wonder what it was. Not that it matters. It was too small for 6 people and a dog--especially without PFDs.

I really don't want to disrespect the victims of this tragedy. Is the Bellingham press using this opportunity to advocate for safe boating practices?

I'm also curious as to why six people couldn't right the boat after it went over. Too much wind? (And then there's Baltic Bandit's hypothesis.) Undoubtedly in the dark, in a gale, after a sudden capsize, chaos ensued (CharlieCobra: my dive computer puts that area at closer to 45 degrees). Once again raising the point that in a crisis, clear heads prevail.

Grace: +1

 

[BalticBandit]

Doesn't look like a Geary, there's a cabin house on it.

I hadn't seen that. Now I wonder what it was. Not that it matters. It was too small for 6 people and a dog--especially without PFDs.

I really don't want to disrespect the victims of this tragedy. Is the Bellingham press using this opportunity to advocate for safe boating practices?

I'm also curious as to why six people couldn't right the boat after it went over. Too much wind? (And then there's Baltic Bandit's hypothesis.) Undoubtedly in the dark, in a gale, after a sudden capsize, chaos ensued (CharlieCobra: my dive computer puts that area at closer to 45 degrees). Once again raising the point that in a crisis, clear heads prevail.

Grace: +1

Water is still pretty cold out there in the sound. And when the breeze kicks up surface mixing occurs and its colder yet. I don't think that sort of boat rights itself very well. Betcha they broached badly, with bodies falling to leeward and thus weight on the wrong side and Bob'syeruncle.

You have to respect the water in the Sound. It can and does kill.

 

[Je Prefere]

Doesn't look like a Geary, there's a cabin house on it.

I hadn't seen that. Now I wonder what it was. Not that it matters. It was too small for 6 people and a dog--especially without PFDs.

I really don't want to disrespect the victims of this tragedy. Is the Bellingham press using this opportunity to advocate for safe boating practices?

I'm also curious as to why six people couldn't right the boat after it went over. Too much wind? (And then there's Baltic Bandit's hypothesis.) Undoubtedly in the dark, in a gale, after a sudden capsize, chaos ensued (CharlieCobra: my dive computer puts that area at closer to 45 degrees). Once again raising the point that in a crisis, clear heads prevail.

Grace: +1

Water is still pretty cold out there in the sound. And when the breeze kicks up surface mixing occurs and its colder yet. I don't think that sort of boat rights itself very well. Betcha they broached badly, with bodies falling to leeward and thus weight on the wrong side and Bob'syeruncle.

You have to respect the water in the Sound. It can and does kill.

+1

My sensor has been reading 50-52 lately in the bay. The local press has mostly been focused on the personal tradgedy / search for the bodies angle, not much else. I would guess that the boat capsized very close to shore, for the swimmers to make it out in those conditions.

 

[ecstaticdesign]

Here's the problem- 525#'s displacement- centerboard vessel. Very sorry for all concerned. Unfortunately, it is a warning tale for all sailors.
Over all length ................... 18'1 ½" Beam .............................. 5'5 ½ "

Displacement ................... 525 Ibs Sail area ...................... 200 so. ft.

Spars ................ Aluminum 6061-T6 Rigging .................. Stainless steel

Centerboard .......... Aluminum or steel, tapered edges Rudder...... Parabolic fiberglass, stainless shaft

Hull ………….. Cored fiberglass sandwich or Wood

I was startled to see that I own one of these exact boats.

The guy I bought it from said it is a 1969 Sydney 17 from Del Mar, although I couldn't begin to confirm that...it does say "LOA" with a little stick figure sailor guy on the main made out of a L, O and A. The hull on mine is layered wove fiberglass and centerboard is steel. I've been scouting the internets and the SF Bay area but I haven't seen another one just like mine, although the Glen L-17 is somewhat close, but this boat looks just like mine. In the photos there was a 4' long "access hatch" cut into the sealed flotation aid / cockpit couch that was wide open, and probably full of water. I does lack a cock pit-to-cabin bulkhead (as I've installed on mine) that can swamp the boat if you take a full knockdown, but it still floats - provided your floatation is in working order.

The boat overall handles pretty well considering, provided you don't have six people and a dog on it. It's a daysailor built for two, four if you're really friendly...and it takes a fair amount of attention to depowering in fresh air to keep a hard chine boat like that sailing smoothly. I use a reef in the main and have considered a second. Seriously, I probably couldn't find the jib sheet with six people on that boat, let alone at night. One swift gust throwing unaware passengers to the lee could take you for a swim.

It's sad because I'd probably get along with someone who puts a "For a small town, this one sure has a lot of assholes" bumper sticker on the back of their 4 knot shitbox. I don't wish that fate on anybody. I do really wish that wasn't the first picture I was of my model boat though.

 

[ecstaticdesign]

Here's two more shortly after I picked it up in Santa Cruz last year.

 

[inappropriate]

haven't revisited this in a bit. hope I didn't muddy the waters with specs. There was an earlier post that said it ;looked like' a Geary 18 and those are the specs for that boat. if wrong, my bad. not sure if there is no apparent keel in the pic because it's a cb boat or if it wa maybe torn off.

Don't be alarmed by the vessel design, etc. every boat has it's achilles heel- even the Titanic. Gotta sail within the limits of boat, skipper and crew. If they were drunk that's a whole other variable.

I'm also a firm believer in radios regardless of type location etc of boat

 

[BalticBandit]

haven't revisited this in a bit. hope I didn't muddy the waters with specs. There was an earlier post that said it ;looked like' a Geary 18 and those are the specs for that boat. if wrong, my bad. not sure if there is no apparent keel in the pic because it's a cb boat or if it wa maybe torn off.
Don't be alarmed by the vessel design, etc. every boat has it's achilles heel- even the Titanic. Gotta sail within the limits of boat, skipper and crew. If they were drunk that's a whole other variable.

I'm also a firm believer in radios regardless of type location etc of boat

In 25knots at 1am in the morning, you don't have to be drunk to have alcohol affect the outcome. The closer to the limit of the boat's and your own capabilities you are, the less you can tolerate slowing your system down.