Emergency Kites

[Guest]

Does anyone know whether the VOR folks have given consideration to all boats carrying one of these to use in the event of rig loss?

 

Not perfect but better than just diesel alone!

 

[PaulR 3]

Going anywhere is always better than nowhere.

 

VOR should consider all new ideas. I'm sure they will, Perhaps you should send them your suggestions.

 

Personally this would be great as one does knot kneed a mast. It should pack flat into a small size and be light enough to store in the ends of a yacht until needed.

 

Could this if attached to a heavier warp double as a 2nd sea anchor Then this would be even more attractive "self help" equipment, especially if one had lost or torn the big/main sea anchor.

 

I do like kit that has good alternative uses in emergency.

 

From the first WRTWR, after 3 guys decided to swim home, they looked at making personal EPIRBS / localised RDF locators more than GPS, COMPULSORY, to be worn AT ALL TIMES.

 

I was one who suggested this would knot work in reality. In the tropics, about 1/3rd of the 1st & 4th legs, when going naked or just wearing a sarong, one did knot have suitable "pockets". Further wearing them down below when asleep was most unlikely, and when washing on deck.

 

Having had to wash at 0530 in the Sth Atlantic before dawn after a whale I hit spouted all over me with bad "foul marine breath", I was all oily and slimy and had to strip off completely, wash with shampoo all over 3 or 4 times or more, plus all wet gear and clothing. It took at least half a hour in the dark & cold before dawn. Would I be still wearing the locator beacon "AT ALL TIMES". I doubt that.

 

If one does go over the side, GPS systems may knot be of much use because the nearest rescue boat is the one you just fell off Communicating your position to them is the big issue, not to some GPS receiving station in central France. Those left of board also need to know what to do to locate you. Knowing their GPS location is useful, but only for getting outside additional help into your general area, which may take several hours or days.

 

Minutes are critical in colder waters. So the immediate locality devices that set off an alarm if one is away over a certain distance are more useful, especially if then the direction of the overboard person/beacon can be determined.

 

So a more practical suggestion these days, IMHO, is to put on the combined manual inflatable life jacket, harness and tether kit* whenever you "need" put on your wet weather gear, which includes at night in NZ.

 

(*Kit = which may include personal strobe, locator beacon etc. Personally I have added swimming goggles and a divers inflatable ORANGE 1.5m tube inside my inflatable life jacket.)

[Guest]

Hypothetically...

 

...let's imagine such kites were mandated for safety/backup reasons in the event of rig failure.

 

Then I imagine some research/development would go into making them easy/ier to use/more efficient. At some point, someone would see the value in doing so.

 

Let's then say, hypothetically, that someone entered a boat in the next volvo (or other high profile ocean race), and designed a boat with no mast (to save weight) and opted to try sailing with JUST a kite (or KITES).

 

Would people see that as "not really sailing"?

[PaulR 3]

Hypothetically...

 

I've wondered about replacing the mast with several wind surfing sails, especially in a long narrow yacht, rather than an IOR styled big beamed tub.

 

Would that be more like real sailing where each crew member has do more all the time . . .

 

as apposed to sitting back, putting suntan protection on, reading a book, wondering if the effort to go and get some ice to topup the glass is really worth it, or will the of ice still there last just long enough and suffice. I know such mid-ocean decision making processes require many instant decisions after due pondering.

[SloopJohnB 322]

Check out this video

 

http://www.solidworks.com/btd/innovatio ... -ships.htm

 

 

(38 to go )

[Guest]

Swimming goggles - brilliant, they are going into the kit!!!!!!Thanks Paul.

[Guest]

Yeah I reckon goggles or a dive mask would be helpful when you are floating with your head just above water in XYZ knots of wind and above and below the associated waves. A dive mask is in my "ideal things to have in your grab bag list"

 

Hopefully that kite technology for container ships will improve so much that ships like the Rena can get some air and just boost right over the top of those pesky little reefy things aye SloopJB!

[honeyfree 0]

Does anyone know whether the VOR folks have given consideration to all boats carrying one of these to use in the event of rig loss?

[B00B00 310]

Yes volvo have been talking about this for over a year. We have done around 10 prototypes for them ranging in size. Just getting the controls osorted.

Been tested on Ross 930s quite a few times now.

We have built well over 100 'skysails' kites at north sails nz ranging from 100 to 450 sqm. Big gear.

[aroma 0]

paulr how would you use your divers tube? they take a lot of air to blow them up

[PaulR 3]

paulr how would you use your divers tube? they take a lot of air to blow them up

 

Yes but lifting the open end out of the water and then dunking back in again, capturing a litre or 2 of air each time. This will inflate it about 80%; then whilst resting on ones back, a few more deep breaths out will fully inflate to about 90 ~ 95%; like blowing up a balloon.

 

Relax as one would have at least a few minutes if those on board turn around immediately or even longer to inflate the tube if they don't.

 

Then I would tie this close to the light / haul out strap / manual top up tube. That way the little white light becomes a big orange glow.

 

Even at only 80% full, the orange tube will be about 6 to 8 times the size of one's head bobbing in the water.

 

Diving mask = Yes a good idea but it is oh so bulky. Better in a grab bag.

 

Currently my swimming goggles are lying snugly inside the blue outer cover of my harness lifejacket and you would knot know they are there; until you inflated.

 

I have passed the swimming goggles strap through the strap that goes over the top of the inflated yellow buoyancy tube; so they should not be lost upon inflation. It is relatively easy to then just pull the goggles over my head to cover my eyes.

 

Tip: Test before finally repacking your inflatable to make sure the goggles are stowed to end the right way up over one's eyes.

 

It would be good to try both in the wave pool when next on the Sea Survival refresher course; the 1m waves add a suitable complication.

[PaulR 3]

I've just used google which found many self inflating types, with lanyards on a reel etc = expensive.

 

My orange plastic tube cost $12 a few years ago (I actually bought 2 at that price).

 

It has the advantage of cheap but effective. It is rolled up to about the size of the gas clyinder, and I have wrapped mine around the manual inflation tube, secured with a rubber band.

 

See photos I have cribbed from web. I don't have my own photo because I was over 200m away when our diver surfaced and inflated his tube as the signal to fetch him in the tender.