Island Time 1,239 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 From Sailing Anarchy; rainmaker From Gunboat’s Peter Johnstone… RAINMAKER was dismasted today 36 hours into her passage out of the Gunboat yard about 200 miles SE of Hattaras. From the very brief and patchy sat phone call, and various brief texts, the following is all we have been told: *Everyone is accounted for aboard, including the owner, his son, and three professional crew.*The rig was promptly cut away.*The boat was not holed.*At the last update there were no injuries. Conditions are evidently quite severe. It is not uncommon for the cold NW winds to accelerate over the Gulf Stream to windspeeds well above what may show on grib files. They have a large South swell, and are faced with deteriorating conditions with a building NW breeze in the Gulf Stream. Waves and swells have been observed from onboard to be getting worse over the course of the day. An onboard decision has been made to be airlifted off of the boat. The US Coast Guard expects to be on site within 30 minutes. These people are a part of our Gunboat family. Please say a prayer for the safe recovery of the RAINMAKER crew and the safety of the USCG rescue team that has been dispatched. An airlift is not an easy operation in any conditions, never mind these conditions. The Atlantic in February is a merciless place. Praying for their safe recovery and return. Check for more on their Facebook. Title song is obvious. I hope they are all picked up OK... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,591 Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I know I am a million miles away and not there and don't know all the facts - but tell me again why they got off? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
erice 732 Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 it was very windy and the top fell off Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Island Time 1,239 Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 Same BP. No hull breach, just no rig, and only a couple of hundred miles out. I'd like to know more.... I would have thought she could have motored home, or in to another port - must be something we don't know! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RushMan 31 Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 From SA.... Bumped against a freighter a couple of times before calling the Coast Guard and had some ropes around the props Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,591 Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Still go with my very superficial analysis that they would have been safer staying with the boat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
erice 732 Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 from sa Unlike most here I have been around diamond shoals in January in 20' seas and 35 knots of wind. Should we have been there? Probably not but in a 80' maxi downwind really not that big of a deal. In a 55' cat f*ck that. I cant even imagine the pure luck and driving skill needed to keep from flipping that beast. 20' seas in the gulfstream is no laughing matter even downhill. Sometimes the waves are so steep they just break right on top of you other times off you go a 20 knots trying not to pearl dive into the wave in front. Great fun in a maxi other than the ones that break into the cockpit. I cant even begin to imagine dealing with that in a boat that doesnt really heel. The shock loading must have been huge and the driving skill and luck needed to keep the boat in one piece and not flip it off the charts. Glad everyone is safe but that was a stupid call to leave with that type of boat in those conditions IMHO. The rig letting go probably saved the boat from a capsize which would have probably caused the loss of life. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Deep Purple 512 Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Still floating http://www.facebook.com/peter.johnstone.908/media_set?set=a.10153396685359521.1073741834.606154520&type=3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Clive 13 Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Stripped of all her gear but still looking good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
erice 732 Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 a good example of how having no lead keel increases the chance of having something to live on a couple of guys with buckets probably get that a fair bit higher Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TimB 7 Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I can't see any hatches in that picture, nor any winches or wheels, leads me to suspect it has been boarded and stripped. So if the hatches were still there it would have much less water inside and been floating even higher. Making it a highly survivable habitat Tb Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bad Kitty 252 Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I know I am a million miles away and not there and don't know all the facts - but tell me again why they got off? I'll agree with the first part, yep you're not there! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tim C 23 Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 It would be interesting to see a popular European or South African production cat in a similar, flooded, condition. Except I bet you couldn't see it... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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