Capt. JG wrote:
Obviously, I don't know better than anyone else what actually happened.
Me too........
However, my guess is that they were on deck trying to get control of the
situation (as most of us would try to do), got hit by a big wave/high gust
combination, and went over the side either because they didn't use a harness
or the harness broke.
Swept clean.
Counter intuitive though it might have been, they were
safer below, hove to as best as they could manage.
And if flipped, still floating it no communication with the sea.
I also don't understand why they didn't activate their EPIRB. There's no
requirement that the boat be sinking to do so.
One crew inside. Why? maybe resting. maybe too sick to be on deck,
maybe navigator/radio. Flipped, hit head. Noody on deck any more and
only one left not able inside. Personally I like to establish a radio
check-in on the hour. Gives the USCG kid somthing to do and log. No
contact, sooner to start the search. Every minuet counts when there is
only :45 on the exposure clock. But who knows.
I'm betting we'll never know with certainty what happened.
Dead men tell no tales.
ganz @@
www.sailnow.com