"DSK" wrote in message
...


And those tremendous forces were due to conditions, not the design or
build of the boats. *Any* vessel would be stressed, any small (by which I
mean 50 tons & less) cruising sailboat probably would have fared worse.

I'm not sure how you can infer this. What's your rationale?

As you pointed out, the closest thing to a crab-crusher in that fleet
sank.

She was a wooden boat, for starters. And apparently some planks were sprung
and leaking prior to the race. She should never have left port.


Most of the skippers in that fleet were sailors of long experience. They
were sailing superbly equipped boats with skilled crews. Once the game
becomes survival (which becamse apparent to all fairly soon), then if
would have been better to lie-to a sea anchor, or run bare poles with a
drogue, they'd have done that (IIRC a few did use drogues for a while at
the peak of the storm).

I'm doubtful that even lying ahull or riding a sea anchor would have
provided much benefit in a storm of that magnitude.


Many boats ran back for cover and anchored.... not generally considered a
gung-ho racing tactic

But an infinitely preferable survival tactic. I'd have been pulling for the
cut and run option, has I been aboard.

Max