Guest Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I have a friend who believes that the Aliens are taking people off their yachts, and has warned me to stay off the water . . . Hoping to go sailing tomorrow What had your friend been smoking???? And no....I don't want any thanks! Link to post Share on other sites
Grinna 2 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I have a friend who believes that the Aliens are taking people off their yachts, and has warned me to stay off the water . . . Perhaps Megwyn you should advise your friend to go back on the water and to put the gin bottle away for a little while Link to post Share on other sites
Megwyn 2 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I have a friend who believes that the Aliens are taking people off their yachts, and has warned me to stay off the water . . . Perhaps Megwyn you should advise your friend to go back on the water and to put the gin bottle away for a little while If only it were that simple Grinna - I think this friend really believes what they say - and no, they do not drink Gin - or anything stronger than coffee . . . smoking though - well, that's a thought! I worry a bit sometimes. . . then I just go sailing Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Maybe they need to take something up them Megwyn. Well at least they would then have an excuse So the 5-8m of chain you found out would not be enough to have been anchored for the night. In the process of anchoring - as others have theorised - possibly. Which is another point in my thought of a fouled anchor. It is just about off the bottom at the 5M mark and snags. He dives down and gets it free and something has happened. Or maybe the boat free's itself later, but whatever, hence the 5M's odd of chain out. But whatever, it's just guesses. Link to post Share on other sites
morspeed 1 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 So the 5-8m of chain you found out would not be enough to have been anchored for the night. In the process of anchoring - as others have theorised - possibly. Which is another point in my thought of a fouled anchor. It is just about off the bottom at the 5M mark and snags. He dives down and gets it free and something has happened. Or maybe the boat free's itself later, but whatever, hence the 5M's odd of chain out. But whatever, it's just guesses. Not so sure about that one..even a complete idiot would surely not dive down on an anchor when the boat is in gear and driving forward ( which is how Honfleur was discovered)..in this circumstance the anchor chain would be driven hard up up under the bow and of course the tension on the chain would make it damn hard to dislodge from an obstruction. But I would be picking that with only 5-8 metres chain down and the engine running that Richard was in the process of either raising or lowering the anchor when he went overboard..furthermore the fact that the windlass circuit breaker appears to have been tripped ( beach boy found the windlass up switch would not operate) may have been a result of a fouled anchor and Richard was on the way aft to reset when he went over.. Richard kept his dinghy on Russell beach up by the Duke and would leave it on his swing mooring on the northern side of the wharf when he was out on day charter..because he always had a couple of kayaks on the decks for taking his punters ashore in the BOI i never saw him tow his dinghy around...but for a trip to Tauranga i can imagine he may have towed it down to Tauranga, Is his dinghy still on Russell beach?, That would be useful info. What i cannot get my head around is why he would leave Tauranga when the sea conditions were so unfavourable....I had been watching the marine forecasts intently for the 7 days prior to his departure on Saturday as i was planning on bringing my boat down from the BOI to Auckland and depart Opua saturday same as Richard...but there had been days of fairly fresh Northeasterlies and the swell was big and messy all down the coast..in the end i made the trip down on Monday night as the wind went northwest and eased and the swell flattened off.. It must have been very uncomfortable heading out of Tauranga Harbour going north... Link to post Share on other sites
Guest BeachBoy Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I have been giving the whole thing a lot of thought... as in a LOT, going over every detail I remember from the experience. And what I come up with, putting all I saw together plus all the news articles is the following; Richard left Tauranga on Sunday (afternoon I believe) The dinghy parted from Honfleur some time on Sunday also - well it was found Sunday The parting of the dinghy and the anchor down approx only 7m is part of the mystery Richard text his daughter that he may go for a dive at Mayor Island on Sunday arvo Richard's mishap occurred on Sunday afternoon - early evening The cops have traced his movements TO Mayor Island An unopened bottle of wine was sitting in the sink - implying he was going to drink it either noe or soon.. An opened bag of crisps were stale.. they certainly weren't opened on Monday! (unless they were stale to start with) Good music was playing on the stereo at a volume which implies the man was in a happy mood, good spirits; maybe planning on relaxing a bit, enjoying a nice wine etc.. I am a fairly experienced boatman and know a fair bit about the sea, but I am surely no sailor. But what I think needs to be figured out if we are ever to solve this 'mystery' is how can ALL of the above be incorporated into an accident? Or maybe a mistake by Richard, who as experienced as he was, can still make simple mistakes like the rest of us; as they say, familiarity breeds contempt and we are ALL guilty of taking things lightly at times. Sometimes things happen in the best of conditions that we have gotten away with in worse conditions in the past.. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest BeachBoy Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 OOOPS! Add to my last post the motor running and in gear... and the dinghy 'probably' being attached to the short rope found dangling at the arse end, starboard side.. The rope WAS there, just assuming the dinghy was attached to it. Link to post Share on other sites
PaulR 3 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Welcome BeachBoy. Thank you for your very detailed comments, especially since you were so involved. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 And another poster from up here in the tropics! We're taking over. Link to post Share on other sites
Megwyn 2 Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Just heard that Search One has gone out to the Mayor - wondering if it has anything to do with this incident? Will keep listening. M Link to post Share on other sites
shanson 0 Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Has there Been any updates on this? Shane Link to post Share on other sites
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