Solo Sailor in Danger off Chilean coast

[Sea Hunt]

I just read an article on the bellsouth.net website about a California man who was trying to solo around the world on a 44' ketch. He is dismasted and taking on water and is somewhere off the Chilean coast. I tried to copy the website for the bellsouth.net article but was not able to do so.

The guy's name is Ken Barnes. His website is:

http://www.kensolo.com/

From the bellsouth.net website article and the postings on Ken's website, it sounds really precarious. It will be at least a day before the Chilean Navy (or other vessel) can reach him. They did spot him at some point and tried to drop a emergency rescue life raft but he could not get it. He apparently has one on board as well.

The sea is a dangerous mistress

[barfwinkle]

I wander if anyone (on this board I mean) is monitoring the Pacific Seafarers Net on 14.300? My radio is down!

[Judith]

Warren forwarded this:

http://www.kensolo.com/kenstatus.htm

Currently loading very slowly, no doubt because of traffic. . .

[Sea Hunt]

Not that I am a TV junkie but two cable shows (Larry King and Greta van Sustern) had interviews tonight with the family of Ken Barnes - father, two daughters and girlfriend.

Ken Barnes, Sr. reported that it is his understanding that one of three vessels en route to his son's location should arrive at 0300 hours PST tomorrow morning, Friday. That is very good news

Once extracted and safe on board one of these vessels, it will be of interest to me to learn what happens to the vessel. From Barnes' website, it seems like it is a well made (and expensive) 44' ketch. It's still floating but both masts are dismasted (is that the correct word?) and its engine is inoperable.

Is it possible to tow such a vessel several hundred miles to a Chilean port for repairs I guess anything is possible if the money is there.

[Steve Laume]

I just saw on the morning news that he has been rescued. Not much information about the rescue or his condition. They did say he was to be the first person to sail from the West Coast, alone, around the world??? Good to here a happy ending to a bad situation, Steve.

[Didereaux]

From the looks of that boat, it would appear that he was lucky indeed. It's some kind of wonder that if he was in such conditions as to dismast, he didn't have those living room picture windows caved in and sink instantly!

http://www.kensolo.com/TheBoat.htm

[Dick Barthel]

It was reported on Capt Mike's Solo-Sailing web page that another sailor made it through the same storm in a Southern Cross 28. I wonder if Barnes' vessel did a 360?

Now think of the teenager crossing the Atlantic in that sailing speedboat the Tide 28! No thanks.

We've had a bad run lately on risk takers not fairing so well with the mountain climbers and all. Thankfully Mr. Barnes will live to sail another day.

Dick

[Drew]

There's a debate raging over at sailboatowners.com about this voyage. There was a lot of head-shaking about Ken's planning and preparation before he was even in trouble. I will not judge, but if anyone's interested by all means head over there and join in.

http://www.sailboatowners.com/forums/me ... pl?fno=441

[Didereaux]

The media has described the boat as being from 37 to 54', the guys site says it is 44 or 43. Whatever it is a large boat, equipped with all the gadgets.

Many small boats have made it around the 'Horn', Vertue 25s, Contessa 26's, A Pearson Triton or two etc. All of which prove that the seaman in charge is more important than the size of the boat!

[John Vigor]

Hi Drew:

I see that board is plugging my Black Box Theory, and the name of my best-selling boating book, which I'm not allowed to repeat here. I mention it because that book also features many facts about propellers and comes to the conclusion that if the experts can't tell which creates most drag, a locked propeller or one that's allowed to spin, how can the rest of us have any hope of solving the problem? That hasn't stopped many brave contributors to this board from trying, though, as you may have noticed.

In any case, if I were contemplating a singlehanded circumnavigation, I'd want a much smaller boat than Barnes' 44-footer. It's a fallacy to equate size with seaworthiness, because a very important part of seaworthiness is the ability of the crew to handle the vessel in extreme conditions.

I'm glad he was rescued, but I agree with several of the posts on the other board that there should be some restriction on outside aid for people who choose to go to sea voluntarily for their own pleasure and entertainment. Commercial fisherman and sailors should, of course, have access too EPIRBS and satellite phones to lessen the risks they have to take in the course of their duties.

But I don't think it's right that any private yachtsmen with a phone or a beacon can put at risk the lives of others who have to rescue him from his own folly. And at someone else's expense.

I know of several famous round-the-worlders who refused to carry long-distance radio for that very reason. I myself chose to take only a short-range VHF radio for two crossings of the Atlantic. If you go to sea to please yourself, or fulfil some lifelong dream of your own, you should be well prepared to look after yourself and not depend on others.

Barnes' boat was in no danger of sinking, from what I can make out. I don't know his physical or mental state so it wouldn't be fair to criticize him for not attempting to make a jury rig, but perhaps if he'd done a little more homework he would not have felt so helpless.

I realize that mine is likely to be a minority opinion. There seems to be a feeling of entitlement abroad these days, a feeling that if we pay taxes we should be entitled to rescue facilities. Hence the number of mountain rescues of climbers with cell phones. But when you're rounding Cape Horn, what rights do you have, what entitlement?

Cheers,

John V.

[Clay Stalker]

Yes, Dideaureux, you are certainly correct. But Lady Luck plays a part in all of this....all it takes is the right series of waves to hit you at the right time and it doesn't matter what you're sailing on and how competent you are.....

Clay Stalker

[Drew]

Thanks, John, for the input. I am not an offshore sailor (yet) and am trying to learn what I can from these sorts of episodes. I happen to be very leery of large sailboats for exactly the reason you point out - I don't ever want to own, never mind attempt a real voyage in, a boat I can't handle alone. Heck, in my book "alone" even means a day sail with friends who have no experience or skills - you never know what befalls.

A question I do have is, what does it take to double dismanst a ketch of this size, while also "crushing" the hatches? I can only imagine the monster wave that must have broken on top of the vessel.

[Carl Thunberg]

Drew,

I'm not an offshore sailor either, and don't know if I ever will be. While there's absolutely no substitute for experience, you can learn a lot from books too. I've learned a tremendous amount from the book "Heavy Weather Sailing" by K. Adlard Coles (ISBN No. 8286-0029-2). This book is not sensationalist at all. In fact, it's a little difficult to read because it's quite technical, especially about weather. Each chapter is an analysis of a particular yacht's experience in heavy weather.

There are some storm tactics that, while I've never had to use them myself, I have some idea what I'd do if I found myself in a bad spot. It's not the real deal, but it's something.

[Didereaux]

n/m

[Didereaux]

Hi Drew:
I mention it because that book also features many facts about propellers and comes to the conclusion that if the experts can't tell which creates most drag, a locked propeller or one that's allowed to spin, how can the rest of us have any hope of solving the problem? That hasn't stopped many brave contributors to this board from trying, though, as you may have noticed.

Cheers,

John V.

AND
John V.

Eureka! I have found it. I feel like the Archimedes of the freewheeling propeller controversy.

I don't need to remind any of you that there has been no definitive answer to the question about whether it's better to let a propeller revolve while you're sailing, or whether there's less drag if you put it in gear to prevent it from spinning.

The answer finally came to me yesterday when I was flying, or attempting to fly, a radio-controlled toy helicopter I found under the Christmas tree.
John V.

Yes, many of us consider you a 'brave contributor' as well John.
btw your post in this thread is one of those I agree with; thus maintaining our 50/50 status in opinion sharing<grin>