Results of sea trial for Cape Dory 25 and Navik windvane...

[tartansailor]

Hi Dider,
Bummer loosing the boat. The posts above all express my sentiments so well, only much more eloquently than I can.

My heart goes out to you old friend.

Dick

[Gary M]

Didereaux,

I was reading along like everyone when I suddenly stopped in my tracks. I couldn't believe it and quickly finished your post to make sure there wasn't a gotcha some where.

I want to hear the story of the three hour wait for the CG.

I'm so sorry about your boat and your ordeal, and so happy your safe. Don't leave us until you get another boat, you're family.

Gary

[Mike Johnson]

I am so very sorry to hear of your loss. I am so very pleased that you were pulled off the boat. Thank you for sharing your experience. I have enjoyed your posts in the past and look forward to your future contributions.

To all others who have enjoyed his posts and contributions, what say we contribute to his relaunching fund???!!!!!! I would be glad to offer to be a collection point and to send proceeds to him. I have, at this moment, written the first check for said fund. Love to hear from all CD owners and users of this forum.

[Oswego John]

Mike,

Splendid thought. Could you give us a Snail Mail address or PO Box for us to mail you?

Best regards,
O J

[Joe Myerson]

Didereaux,

Like so many other members of this board, I always enjoy your postings, whether they're technical observations, quips exchanged with Neil and Carter, or Cajun Christmas humor -- they're always a good read.

So, it was with great anticipation that I started reading about your latest adventure with the Navik windvane--and like all your other friends on this board, I could hardly believe it when you described the loss of your beloved Spring Gail. Even in the face of such a painful event, you maintained your eloquence.

It may be small comfort right now, but you've got plenty of friends here in the Cape Dory community, and we're all as relieved that you're healthy as we are shocked at your loss.

Best of luck--and smooth sailing when you find another boat.

All the best,

--Joe

[Dick Barthel]

Did,

I am struck by the courage it takes to share a story like that but by doing so you may well have prevented one of us from suffering a similar fate. I think the previous messages reflect pretty well the respect you carry on our board and that we are all bleeding for you. So sorry my friend.

Dick

[Tod Mills]

....but glad you escaped unscathed!

It is amazing how easy it is for something like that to happen, especially when singlehanding because there are so many things to attend to simultaneously.

A few years ago, I was sailing out the Tangier Island channel (mid Chesapeake Bay) to the east and I had just started out and hoisted the sails and was busy straightening lines, coiling halyards and had looked around to make sure there weren't any boats nearby to worry about but didn't take the daymarker piling seriously enough. Darn if I didn't sideswipe it! Fortunately all it did was leave a touch of paint on my gunwale.

Another thing that tends to worry me a bit is singlehanded navigating in hairy conditions, especially when tired. One day up in the North Channel (Lake Huron), it was pretty windy and my route took me down a channel strewn with rocky shoals. On one side of the channel was a comparatively large island and on the other was a chain of small islets. Between most of them were shoals, but after about the fifth or sixth one was a narrow, but deep cut that opened into a large, clear bay. So here I am, sailing along on a run, a little too fast for comfort, counting off islets (should I include that boulder?) and hoping I count correctly. Luck was with me that day (no, it was a good thing I didn't include that boulder) and I made it through okay, but it wouldn't have taken much to have mis-counted.

Another sailor had a similar experience in that same area except that somewhere along the way he lost track of which island he was at and he made his turn and subsequently slammed into a submerged granite wall, stopping his boat instantly and sending him and his wife flying (and not without some injury). In their case only minor damage was done to the boat.

[img]http://www.todspages.net/images/WeeeStern.jpg[/img]

Good luck rounding up a new vessel. No doubt you'll have a new one and be out having new adventures (hopefully not THAT kind, though) long before I am finished with my project boat.

[bill2]

Didereaux

Glad that you're OK and sad that your CD isn't. Please let me ( us ) know if there's anything we can do.

Bill

[Neil Gordon]

So here I am, sailing along on a run, a little too fast for comfort, counting off islets (should I include that boulder?) and hoping I count correctly.

Sorry to hear about the loss of D's boat, for sure, but thankful that he was plucked safely from the sea.

When I'm tired the transfer from what I see in the moment to what I remember a few minutes later breaks down. I do lots of long charity bike rides, multiple days and multiple miles. The routes are well marked but when you're tired, you see a sign, turn at the sign, ride 100 yards and start wondering if you really did see the sign and if you're actally on the route.

Charts and an up to date DR plot will help when you're counting islands and boulders. Maybe we should all be more disciplined in this regard.

As for getting distracted and losing track of time vs. drift, that's easy to do, tired or not.

[Mike Wainfeld]

Didereaux-I'm glad to hear that you're safe. Thank you USCG! On to the next-smaller-adventure.
MikeW

[Mike Johnson]

Folks,

Here is the snail mail address I have set up for any that wish to help with the relaunching fund for our friend Didereaux:

Mike Johnson
89 Meadow Hill drive
York, Pa. 17402

I will forward all collected gifts to Didereaux at one time. Lets make an impact of his life as he has made an impact on ours.

Thanks.

[Joe CD MS 300]

Didereaux:

Sorry for your loss. I can't imagine how you must feel about it. If it is not too painful, I sure many of us would be extremely interested in hearing more about your experience relating to contacting the USCG and the response time, the whole process which took place in those three hours. There is probably a lot more that we all can learn.

Joe

[Tod Mills]

Charts and an up to date DR plot will help when you're counting islands and boulders. Maybe we should all be more disciplined in this regard.

Hi, Neil

In my particular case, there was a pretty short time span (maybe 15-20 minutes?) between entering the channel and exiting through the cut. Each of these islets were only a few yards across and between some of them were rocks that in some cases weren't easy to distinguish from the islets themselves (shown differently on the chart). A few moment's distraction while underway to plot a DR course could've easily resulted in landing on the rocks which were only a few yards away to the side. The thing I would've had to do to be most prudent, seems to me, would be to STOP until I had things figured out. Even heaving too would've been questionable. In the event of poor holding (pretty likely), I should've returned and possibly delayed that passage until conditions were more benign.

[img]http://www.todspages.net/images/LF-dilemma.jpg[/img]

[Brian A.]

Hello Didereaux: I'm very sorry to hear about your unfortunate adventure, but quite relieved that you'll have the opportunity to get right back on the horse. I look forward to reading about your next boat, which will be a Cape Dory, of course! Cheers, Brian

[s.v. LaVida]

What else can one say.

A sad ending to a wonderful boat, but thankfully you were saved.

All the best in your quest to get onboard again.

Your always welcome to come visit the GLF, where we would gladly sail you around a bit.

sea u,
Rit