On Tue, 8 Feb 2005 16:16:24 UTC, DSK wrote:

structural damage that it sank in a matter of minutes. How could this
possibly happen?

A couple of ways, none of them provable. IMHO part of why the Churchill
sank was repeated stressing & flexing of the hull, and partial failure
of her fastenings.

The boat had recently been refastened etc. Which makes one wonder
whether it was done right...


Considering that Navy cruisers have been sunk in typhoons, and
battleships taken severe damage, it's a little much IMHO to expect a
small sailboat to withstand anything the ocean can throw. *No* tactics
or special gear or design type is going to help. It's a case of simply
don't be there when it happens.

Except that a reasonable proportion of the fleet did manage to sail
through the same conditions and make it to the other end (not counting
all tose who prudently retired from the race), so obviously some
things did help.

Chris