A voyage that didn't go too well

[Norm]

A voyage that didn't go too well...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,241117,00.html

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-sailor5jan05,1,7716388.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california

http://www.saratogian.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17673620&BRD=1169&PAG=461&dept_id=17708&rfi=6

It will be interesting to follow this story.  After all, isn't the prevailing wisdom that a 45 foot steel ketch is the perfect RTW vessel?  The story will unfold, I hope, to tell us about preparation of the vessel and the skipper, suitability of the craft, and lessons learned.

(Edit: I split this post off into it's own thread for 2 reasons: The links will probably not be permanent, and mostly because I think that there is a lot of possible discussion material here, especially in light of this part:

After all, isn't the prevailing wisdom that a 45 foot steel ketch is the perfect RTW vessel?

- CapnK)

[Captain Smollett]

My favorite quote from the FoxNews link:

We need someone out there right away to get to him

I wish him well, but I sure don't like that attitude.

[Cmdr Pete]

Surprising how much media attention this story is getting.

I tell you one thing, the guy didn't skimp on navigation electronics, especially considering he wasn't planning to make landfall anywhere.

From the website

http://kensolo.com/

"Her electronics and gear below decks are mostly new. The equipment list includes: Autopilot-Raymarine SG3, Windvane-Hydrovane, Wind Generators - (2) Marine Air, Windspeed/dir-Raymarine, Radar-Raymarine, Log Speed Depth, GPS-Dataline, SSB- Icom, Modem-Pactor III, Steering-Whitlock, main computer-laptop with the CAP'N Charting and Garmin handheld GPS Map 76 with backup laptop. 2nd computer with duplicate GPS and charting software, 3 backup Garmin handheld GPS's, 1 Dual Radar Monitor in salon, Iridium Satellite phone with data kit, 14 new AGM batteries, 4.5 kw Perkins generator and a 16 gph water maker. This is by no means a complete list of all the systems and gear aboard. Just a brief overview of the types of equipment."

[CapnK]

"Prevailing wisdom" in the slick sailing rags, maybe. Or is that an oxymoron, to use the word 'wisdom' in association with what are, at their most fundamental level, elegantly crafted sales tools?  ::)

My impressions come from reading the information posted at his website, the pre-trip information, some statements in the press/interviews with him, and from the 'logs' posted as he traveled. This information is far from being in-depth or factually complete, I know, so of course what I wonder is at the present time simple speculation. Take the following with several grains of wondering salt. :)

I am interested to see what shakes out of this story, beside the book/movie deals... ;) I most look forward to getting hard info on what led up to the dismasting and etc... My guess is that basically he was running, broached, and rolled. As the Pardeys put it in their book "Storm Tactics" (also on DVD), running before a gale has been much promoted as the most popular storm tactic for a number of years, but if things are not done exactly right (or if they go at all wrong), what happened to Ken and "Privateer" is the not-at-all-unusual outcome.

Some other salient points which stood out to me in what I have read:

Many stories express as fact that he has sailed for 30+/- years, yet in an interview he himself claims not to have any bluewater experience.

I was somewhat amazed at his surprise and chagrin that he couldn't get his boat to sail well to windward, and that he was not aware of this before setting out and down into the SoPac. If it were me, I would have been well aware of the sailing characteristics of my vessel in all conditions long before setting out to round the Horn.  *Especially* before setting out to round the Horn. :o :D

This may in part have come from his lack of sailing experience (regardless of the amount of time between when he started sailing, and the beginning of this trip) - I have seen many times people who do/did know how to sail were still inexperienced enough to, for lack of a better way to put it, know how to *really* sail. It is hard for me to describe this concept, but by way of illustration: Boats are all different from each other, and where with one you may be able to come off a tack as if it were on rails and immediately make headway to windward, other boats you have to let fall off a ways to build up a head of steam before coaxing them up slowly to where they will sail high on the wind. If your experience is only with the 'rails' boat, it will take you some time to discover how to make the other type of boat work to its best advantage. I wonder if this scenario, or something similar, might somewhat describe what was going on with Ken having trouble getting "Privateer" to point.

That said, he mentions that part of his preparation of the boat was to remove her bilge keels (as they wouldn't really aid him during the trip, which was supposed to be all-offshore). Most of the boats I have seen which feature bilge keels are shallow drafted boats, compromised more towards sailing skinny water than tuned for making ground to windward. Perhaps the lack was only in the boat itself. Thorough sea trials would (should) have shown him this prior to departure.

A couple of other things -

Ken relates that he turns downwind in order to drop his main. I have never heard of anyone else doing this.

As the list C'Pete posted seems to point out, gadgets won't save you, even if you have multiples of every conceivable gadget. When it gets really bad, the true value of gadgets seems to fall far, far down the list of the tools you really need to cope with what has happened. Some gadgets may come in handy, but the greatest resource you have IMO is yourself and the knowledge you have prepared yourself with. Cap'n Bligh didn't have much in the way of gadgets at all during an 8,000 mile open-boat journey. ;)

The fact that Ken would sleep with 'ear muffs' on in order to quiet out the noises of boat and sea has been much brought up in the discussion of this incident. This is something I do not see as being good at all, and in fact is what Ken himself attributes for likely having been the reason he sailed into a storm just prior to his Dec. 28th log.

He wrote that his roller snarling seemed to be unwinding his forestay, which was also loose early in the trip. Um... fix that - both things! :) I wonder if this led to weakening of the rig, which in turn was a contributing factor in the dismasting? Whether it was a factor will probably never be known for sure.

Last for now, here is a story which well illustrates why it is that I want my boat to be 'boat as a liferaft': What if, along with all the other various and sundry electronics, his EPIRB and satphone quit working or were lost when the boat was so badly damaged, taking on water and in danger of sinking? Where would he be then? Abandoning ship into a liferaft at those latitudes, he would not have survived adrift for long at all, I'd wager. Whereas, if the boat could _not_ sink, even adrift you would have all the stores and tools at your disposal to effect a self-rescue, or at least a much longer term survival. Or perhaps just to get the boat heaved-to for protection in the many, many storms of the 40's and 50's. You would be just much more able to try and survive to sail again on another day than you would in a liferaft.

[CapnK]

Lest I seem overly critical of Ken, let me say that I really admire his cojones and drive to realize his dreams, and would love to have the opportunity to buy him a beer or several, hear all about his trip, and mutually swap surfing, windsurfing, and sailing lies, er - stories with him sometime... ;D

I am very glad he is home safe and that the outcome of the whole incident was a happy one.  8)

[Cmdr Pete]

Yes, a happy ending.

Only wish I could have been there to comfort Ken's twin 21 year old daughters throughout the ordeal

[Captain Smollett]

Abandoning ship into a liferaft at those latitudes, he would not have survived adrift for long at all, I'd wager. Whereas, if the boat could _not_ sink, even adrift you would have all the stores and tools at your disposal to effect a self-rescue, or at least a much longer term survival. Or perhaps just to get the boat heaved-to for protection in the many, many storms of the 40's and 50's. You would be just much more able to try and survive to sail again on another day than you would in a liferaft.

Haven't there been a bunch of USCG and/or similar reports that say most of the time, people abandon way too early?  The "rule" I've often heard was you stick with the boat until you have to step UP into the liferaft.  The obvious exception, of course, would be if she is literally going down too fast to make that practical.   :o

A dismasted sailboat seems a LOT safer to stick with than a puny little liferaft.  Many a jury rig has been constructed after conditions abate that have allowed the vessel to return to port on it's own.  One of the other disturbing things about this story, to me at least, was the emphasis that his ENGINE had failed.  Okay...so what?  It's a sailboat.  As CB over on TSBB likes to say, "it's a sailboat FIRST."  He had broken hatches (fixable) and was taking on water (maybe fixable...are there details yet as to if he even tried?).

My question, a general one and not intended to armchair quarterback this particular case specifically, what do you guys think not only about his calling for help, but WHEN he called for help?  Was his life really in iminent danger - to the point that endangering others was even remotely justified?

Sorry if I seem proselytizing - this is a discussion in which I am really interested.

[CapnK]

He was running under mizzen, broached, and rolled. It swept his decks clean.

http://a.media.abcnews.com/podcasts/070105kenbarnes_phoner.mp3

Afterwards, lying to a drogue (not sure if from bow or stern, but would wager stern) he was OK.

+ Points to the Pardeys "Storm tactics" techniques. ;)

[Frank]

I can't get over the earmuff thing !!  Motessier wrote that a sailor's most valuable sence is hearing....more useful than even sight. You can hear changes in the water slapping the hull,changes in wind,sails flapping,etc. He would even take down sails when approaching a reef at night to listen for breakers. I was twice awoken by water stopping it's slapping on the hull to find the boat dragging anchor.......earmuffs...NOT !  Calls for help should be a last resort after ALL available remedies have been tried and your life is at risk. We all have panicked at times but I think 'most' sailors have enough pride to try everything 1st. Gotta be a hard call to make. Fact is too many call too soon...costing the coastguard time,money and possibly putting the coast guard at risk OR tieing them up when another craft needs them more.  Hopefully none of us will be put to that test.

[CharlieJ]

Anybody remember Beryl and Miles Smeeton? Rolled and dismasted in those same waters a number of years ago- Read about Beryl's determination in this thread from CSBB on this same subject-

http://www.cs-bb.com/forums/CSBB/index.cgi?read=73798i

The times, they sure are a changing, and perhaps NOT for the better. Who's to say though.

[Captain Smollett]

Only wish I could have been there to comfort Ken's twin 21 year old daughters throughout the ordeal

I don't know, Pete...it seems like after this "ordeal" they might not take to sailors very well...  ;D

[Norm]

Greetings.  I thought this event would be a little blip on the radar and of only passing interest to sailors.  How wrong I was.  Thanks for moving the thread to its own place.

Onthe trip this fall, we encountered conditions similar to what are reported by the story.  After all, that Beneteau 352 took pretty good care of us.  Not our first choice for a voyaging yacht but not so bad in retorspect.

Elizabeth and I have just had a chance to watch some of the video, etc.  Her observation:  "Gee, Norm, if you get to go away sailing I'll have to get some clevage."  We think it looks very staged or polished.  Who hoo!

There was some story about a woman who was nearby-ish in another yacht.  Any word on what type she is sailing?  An interesting compare and contrast opportunity.

As an aside.  Boston is looking at 60+ degrees F tomorrow.  Saturday saililng on the harbor will be stunning.  Maybe I will figure out how to put pictures up.  A fun diversion.

Best to all,
Norman

[Captain Smollett]

There was some story about a woman who was nearby-ish in another yacht.  Any word on what type she is sailing?  An interesting compare and contrast opportunity.

That would be Donna Lange on a Southern Cross 28.  I'm not sure 'nearby' is the correct term...not close enough to effect rescue, anyway, from what I gathered.

[CapnK]

Norm -

To me, one of the *most* interesting things is that nearby (~150 miles) there was indeed a woman, Donna Lange, who is circumnavigating aboard her Southern Cross 28. She weathered the same storm as that which proved the downfall of "Privateer", apparently none the worse for wear. I think that there is probably a GREAT lesson in here for folk like us, once we get the chance to compare and contrast the two tales.

I mean: What was it that the person on the 'generally accepted as proper for "true" bluewater voyaging' 44' steel boat didn't do right, that the person on the 'small' 28' cruiser did do right? Will we ever see this lesson written about in the sailing rags? My guess: Only if a writer for the rags sees this post or similar, and is somewhat 'guilted' into an admission in print that you don't need a big boat to be a safe, successful bluewater voyager, which would fly contrary to popular advertising myth. The chances of that happening would be near the same as "Privateer" being salvaged. ;D

Thus proving that the "sailFar concept" is something that has perhaps gone too far overlooked.

We are not here to say "Smaller is Better". What we are saying is that the size of the boat is basically irrelevant, that a larger boat *does not* guarantee safe passage, or even safer passage.

That the size of the boat is merely a matter of perception.

OK, I am getting preachy. Time for me to shut up... lol ;D

CJ - The Smeetons faced a challenge *much* tougher than did Kensolo. Their accomplishment is truly one of great seamanship. We should salute them, and are. :)

Last - Norm, the matching outfits and very high-media-profile suggest the same to me. Though "Privateer" may have gone upside down, I would be willing to bet that the Barnes family finances are now very unlikely to do the same... ;)

(Edit: John beat me on the D Lange factoid - Grog! lol)

[Captain Smollett]

What was it that the person on the 'generally accepted as proper for "true" bluewater voyaging' 44' steel boat didn't do right, that the person on the 'small' 28' cruiser did do right?

Kurt,

While I emphatically agree with both your post and your philosophy, I would offer that sometimes, SOMETIMES, it is not a matter of what WE did that was right or wrong.  I once read that a successful blue water passage always involves some amount of luck.  In keeping with your point later in the post, I believe that statement applies no matter the size of the vessel - from wee singlehander to aircraft carrier (though perhaps in different proportions).

I think what you wrote earlier was right on the money, though.  To a point, we make our own luck (through training, diligence, experience, and general mindset).  Ken did not know his vessel - and therefore at the very least lacked the confidence that she could ride out those conditions (or the knowledge that she could not).

Stupid Analogy: I have a friend who is an excellent shot with a rifle.  I've personal knowledge of him doing amazing things (grouped a smaller-than-one inch pair of shots on a running deer at 585 years in a 30 mph cross wind, for example - I heard the shots from my stand and helped drag the deer).  There may be some inborn talent there, but I think it is more a matter of practice and through that practice, the quiet confidence that he will succeed.  As Yoda said, "there is do or do not; there is no try."

The fact that he carried so much electronic gadgetry also belies a general lack of confidence in personal abilities -  from Pete's quote of his site:

• Two computers, one loaded with The CAP'N, the other with unspecified charting software
• Main GPS with not ONE but THREE backup GPS's
• ssb AND satellite phone, and both appeared to have datalinks
• not one, but TWO wind generators (I guess those 14 AGM batts get pretty thirsty for juice)

The first two tell me he was totally uneasy with 'traditional' nav techniques like celestial and ded reckoning for navigation and the Mark I Eyeball for pilotage.  (Does anyone know if he carried a sextant...I've not browsed his site).  These items should, imnsho, be aboard for convenience (if at all), but not for reliance.

If there is one point this story emphasizes in my mind, it is that you can buy neither preparedness nor the kind of mental attitude that comes with the confidence that YOU are prepared. In other words, you can spend money to prepare the boat, but that does nothing to prepare your mind to meet the challenges you face.  If anything, it may give a false confidence that the gear is all it takes.

[Frank]

Forget where I saw this but it suits the current conversation ... "thee most important item onboard a blue water boat is a knowledgable captain"......my take on it..." it's not the size of the boat..but the boater" ;D

[Norm]

Greetings all:
When I first read about the unfolding drama of Kensolo I thought, another guy out there in a boat that's too big.  My "conventional wisdom" crack on post number one was directed towards that end.  As I cruise around one thing that strikes me is how seldom the big boats go out and often the little ones do.

do vs do not?

And, the darn big boat gear is broken all the time, to boot. 

I want to hear from LD and her Southern Cross 28.  She was right about being too far away to help.  One hundred and fifty miles to windward is a long haul, maybe three days.  Her trip may be "long" compared to a bigger boat's... but so far, she's still going.  You can't sail a broken boat!

What struck us, Elizabeth and me, was reaching under mizzen in a storm.  No main storm tysail or main staysail?  I cannot imagine storm-reaching with a mizzen at all unless the main mast was down.  Very bad judgement, it seems,  but I must wait until Kensolo tells his story in more detail.  ($$)

Our experience leads us to storm-reach under a small jib sheeted to an outboard lead.  On EasyGo (the Beneteau 352 of this Fall's adventure) we did so successfully for days.    We wantedthe sail  to "tow" the boat rather than "push" it.  Even so, we broached hard occasionally.  Once a wave is big enough to roll a boat beyond, say, 30 deg the boat rounds up on its own.  Rudders don't steer at those high angles.  Other forces take over.

I recall Smeeton's analysis about broaching and pitchpolling:  the rudder works in reverse during part of each wave.  Bigger waves, longer period of counter steering.  Last night at dinner, E & I talked about a period when EG was almost impossible to steer by rudder in big breaking waves from the quarter but the sail trim kept her pointed in the generally correct direction.

As a storm tactic in beam to close reaching wind directions, we "fore-reach."  A sweet tactic.  Double reefed main or storm trysail sheeted hard.  Wheel locked.  Watch keeper sheltered behing the dodger.  Boat bobs along at a knot or two and the crew below can sleep, eat, relax.  Storms pass.

Good sharing observations and thoughts with all.  Thanks.

Norm

[K3v1n]

Great read everyone, can't wait to hear Ken's story.
So...I guess he just left the boat out there. From the pictures it didn't look like it was in danger of going under any time soon. Any thoughts?



-Kevin

[Frank]

The more I see/read of this...the more I doubt the guy's ability. I didn't think a sinking boat would show it's waterline stripe so well !!

[Captain Smollett]

Also, it looks like there is a enough stump of the main mast to rig a jury sail. Maybe lash on what appears to be the mizzen boom (or part of the mizzen mast) lying across the cockpit, there, to extend the mast a bit, hoist a main loose fitting and something of a jib.  Looks like he still has mainsail and jib lashed to the deck, so he's got canvas (even if there is none stowed below).

Again, I offer not to play armchair saiilor on HIS decision, but simply to discuss options.  I'm in no position to critiize him personally, as I've never been in those conditions (handled my 18 ft er in over 30 kts of wind, but in protected waters, not the open sea...I've never been dismasted nor taking on water to the extent I assume he was).  If it seems like I am contemporizing, so be it.  I'd have no answer for the challenge "but you weren't there."