'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

Emergency services in Australia have launched a search for the three-
man crew of a yacht found drifting off the North Queensland coast.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6574547.stm

- Dennis Jay
Annapolis, MD

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

On Apr 20, 9:17 am, Redsky wrote:
Emergency services in Australia have launched a search for the three-
man crew of a yacht found drifting off the North Queensland coast.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6574547.stm

- Dennis Jay
Annapolis, MD

I don't think I'm alone as a sailor in having an almost pathological
urge to understand why things go wrong. To that end, I'm curious what
more-experienced cruisers think about this. Here are some links with
different views of the boat and a bit more detail:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/...697042357.html

David
Durham, NC

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

Redsky wrote:

Emergency services in Australia have launched a search for the three-
man crew of a yacht found drifting off the North Queensland coast.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6574547.stm

- Dennis Jay
Annapolis, MD


I saw that story on Yahoo this morning also.
According to the story, the motor was running, a
laptop was on, and there was dinner set on the
table. The three crew were missing. How odd.
The Aussies have towed in the Cat and recovered
the GPS to look at where it has been.

Trying to think of possible scenarios:

1) Drug rendezvous off the coast went badly, and
crew were kidnapped or killed.
2) MOB and the rest of crew fell in during rescue
attempt?
3) Falling out among the crew. Murder & suicide?

Hmm...

Don W.

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

Don W wrote:

Redsky wrote:

Emergency services in Australia have launched a search for the three-
man crew of a yacht found drifting off the North Queensland coast.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6574547.stm

I saw that story on Yahoo this morning also. According to the story, the
motor was running, a laptop was on, and there was dinner set on the
table. The three crew were missing. How odd. The Aussies have towed in
the Cat and recovered the GPS to look at where it has been.

Trying to think of possible scenarios:

1) Drug rendezvous off the coast went badly, and crew were kidnapped or
killed.
2) MOB and the rest of crew fell in during rescue attempt?
3) Falling out among the crew. Murder & suicide?

Hmm...

Don W.

And the one the families are hoping for:

4) 3 guys went fishing in the dinghy, and the
yacht drifted away while they were on the beach.

Don W.

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

On Apr 20, 11:44 am, Don W
wrote:
Don W wrote:
Redsky wrote:

Emergency services in Australia have launched a search for the three-
man crew of a yacht found drifting off the North Queensland coast.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6574547.stm

I saw that story on Yahoo this morning also. According to the story, the
motor was running, a laptop was on, and there was dinner set on the
table. The three crew were missing. How odd. The Aussies have towed in
the Cat and recovered the GPS to look at where it has been.

Trying to think of possible scenarios:

1) Drug rendezvous off the coast went badly, and crew were kidnapped or
killed.
2) MOB and the rest of crew fell in during rescue attempt?
3) Falling out among the crew. Murder & suicide?

Hmm...

Don W.

And the one the families are hoping for:

4) 3 guys went fishing in the dinghy, and the
yacht drifted away while they were on the beach.

Don W.

I was thinking 2). Some of the things that struck me as odd include: 3
bumpers hanging on the port life line, 1 on the starboard; the RIB is
on davits and the motor is still attached; there appears to a reef in
the main, but the genoa looks fully deployed (broken furling line?);
no evidence of life-raft mounting points; the cunningham is either
broken or was being used as a preventer; and does anyone know what the
gray, rectilinear enclosure over the transom might be?

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

On Apr 20, 12:36 pm, wrote:
On Apr 20, 11:44 am, Don W
wrote:



Don W wrote:
Redsky wrote:

Emergency services in Australia have launched a search for the three-
man crew of a yacht found drifting off the North Queensland coast.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6574547.stm

I saw that story on Yahoo this morning also. According to the story, the
motor was running, a laptop was on, and there was dinner set on the
table. The three crew were missing. How odd. The Aussies have towed in
the Cat and recovered the GPS to look at where it has been.

Trying to think of possible scenarios:

1) Drug rendezvous off the coast went badly, and crew were kidnapped or
killed.
2) MOB and the rest of crew fell in during rescue attempt?
3) Falling out among the crew. Murder & suicide?

Hmm...

Don W.

And the one the families are hoping for:

4) 3 guys went fishing in the dinghy, and the
yacht drifted away while they were on the beach.

Don W.

I was thinking 2). Some of the things that struck me as odd include: 3
bumpers hanging on the port life line, 1 on the starboard; the RIB is
on davits and the motor is still attached; there appears to a reef in
the main, but the genoa looks fully deployed (broken furling line?);
no evidence of life-raft mounting points; the cunningham is either
broken or was being used as a preventer; and does anyone know what the
gray, rectilinear enclosure over the transom might be?

Some additional info:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...=null&offset=0

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

Don W wrote in news:VJ4Wh.1390$H_.16
@newssvr21.news.prodigy.net:

2) MOB and the rest of crew fell in during rescue
attempt?


I noticed there was no mention of lifelines or harnesses on deck. 2 seems
pretty likely, if this is true. Of course, too, the weather wasn't rough
enough to throw that laptop to the deck and no mention was made of the
inside of it being scrambled like our boat looks every time it gets really
rough out there.

Pirates could have been covering their tracks, but wouldn't pirates STRIP
the boat of an expensive laptop, electronics and anything else they could?

3 seems unlikely. Those are usually laying dead on the deck next to the
pistol. No mention of weapons or holes from weapons.

Larry
--

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

"Larry" wrote in message
...
Don W wrote in
news:VJ4Wh.1390$H_.16
@newssvr21.news.prodigy.net:

2) MOB and the rest of crew fell in during rescue
attempt?


I noticed there was no mention of lifelines or harnesses on deck. 2 seems
pretty likely, if this is true. Of course, too, the weather wasn't rough
enough to throw that laptop to the deck and no mention was made of the
inside of it being scrambled like our boat looks every time it gets really
rough out there.

Pirates could have been covering their tracks, but wouldn't pirates STRIP
the boat of an expensive laptop, electronics and anything else they could?

3 seems unlikely. Those are usually laying dead on the deck next to the
pistol. No mention of weapons or holes from weapons.

Larry
--

A giant clam jumped up on deck and ate them.

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

"KLC Lewis" wrote in
et:

A giant clam jumped up on deck and ate them.



Isn't Australia famous for its Great White Sharks?

Larry
--

SoCal Sailor Missing
 

A 61 year old sailor from Phoenix with 30 years sailing experience is
missing.

The boat, reported to be anything from 25-30 ft, washed up on the
rocks at the mouth of the harbor off Corona Del Mar (Newport Beach),
holed and sunk in 30 ft of water in less than a minute.

Sailor has not been found, but he had a dinghy with him.

Departed from Cabrillo Harbor in San Pedro headed west to Santa
Barbara; however, Corona Del Mar is about 40 miles southwest.

Have been getting extreme weather, including high surf warnings for
almost a week.

Why he left safe harbor to venture out into those conditions is unknown.

It is times like this when I'm reminded of one of Murphy's laws:

DON'T F**K WITH MOTHER NATURE.

Lew

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

Odd. Maybe after having an Oz sized helping of booze they decided to
go for a swim before dinner and the boat got away from them?

-- Tom.

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

Isn't Australia famous for its Great White Sharks?

Larry
--

They said tiger sharks in that area and that the odds of surviving
long in the water was slim due to sharks, not the water. It seems
that all of the equipment is on board. Wouldn't a rescue for a man
overboard involve life jackets? The dinghy was still attached so that
sort of rules out the men going fishing or going in for a picnic and
the boat getting away from them. Very strange. Maybe they found a
boat with a bunch of hot young girls headed for Malasia and they just
jumped on board with them deciding to start new lives in a new part of
the world and leave eveyone behind thinking they are dead when they
are really having the time of thier lives.

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

"Bill" wrote in message
ps.com...

Isn't Australia famous for its Great White Sharks?

Larry
--

They said tiger sharks in that area and that the odds of surviving
long in the water was slim due to sharks, not the water. It seems
that all of the equipment is on board. Wouldn't a rescue for a man
overboard involve life jackets? The dinghy was still attached so that
sort of rules out the men going fishing or going in for a picnic and
the boat getting away from them. Very strange. Maybe they found a
boat with a bunch of hot young girls headed for Malasia and they just
jumped on board with them deciding to start new lives in a new part of
the world and leave eveyone behind thinking they are dead when they
are really having the time of thier lives.


Aliens. They were abducted by aliens. My story and I'm sticking to it.

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

It was, until the giant clams ate them.

CWM

I would rather have giant clams than tiny crabs........

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

On Apr 20, 3:17 pm, Bill wrote:
It was, until the giant clams ate them.

CWM

I would rather have giant clams than tiny crabs........

Hi: I only hope I am the cause of similar conversations and jokes when
I end up missing. "...Sailor eaten by giant clam....." It has a good ring
to it. :)

The cause of the missing cat crew??? Sometimes it is numbingly simple,
For example, about 10 years ago in SE Washington somebody got sucked
into a concrete irrigation ditch that went underground. So a fire-
rescue "dive team" shows up. They send one man down to retrieve the
victim. He does not return. They send another "diver" down to rescue
the teammate. That guy doesn't respond. They send a THIRD "diver" down
to get the other three victims....................... NOBODY returns. Four dead in a
ole hole.

Its not unusual to have the rescuer become another victim. That's why
life guards learn escape maneuvers so they can escape an active victim
hell bent on standing on your head.

That's why I go recreational SCUBA diving by myself, sail single
handed, and drink by myself.
In all cases I feel safer. Besides Im the only person who enjoys my
company when drunk.

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

On Apr 20, 7:14 pm, Bob wrote:
On Apr 20, 3:17 pm, Bill wrote:

It was, until the giant clams ate them.

CWM

I would rather have giant clams than tiny crabs........

Hi: I only hope I am the cause of similar conversations and jokes when
I end up missing. "...Sailor eaten by giant clam....." It has a good ring
to it. :)

The cause of the missing cat crew??? Sometimes it is numbingly simple,
For example, about 10 years ago in SE Washington somebody got sucked
into a concrete irrigation ditch that went underground. So a fire-
rescue "dive team" shows up. They send one man down to retrieve the
victim. He does not return. They send another "diver" down to rescue
the teammate. That guy doesn't respond. They send a THIRD "diver" down
to get the other three victims....................... NOBODY returns. Four dead in a
ole hole.

Its not unusual to have the rescuer become another victim. That's why
life guards learn escape maneuvers so they can escape an active victim
hell bent on standing on your head.

That's why I go recreational SCUBA diving by myself, sail single
handed, and drink by myself.
In all cases I feel safer. Besides Im the only person who enjoys my
company when drunk.

Hmm, sudden thunderstorm but they already had the main reefed. RF jib
furling line came loose an thye got a wrap round the forward stay,
they went forward to untangle it and went overboard.

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

Bill wrote:
It was, until the giant clams ate them.

CWM

I would rather have giant clams than tiny crabs........

Depends upon how you got the crabs.

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

Maybe they found a
boat with a bunch of hot young girls headed for Malasia and they just
jumped on board with them deciding to start new lives in a new part of
the world and leave eveyone behind thinking they are dead when they
are really having the time of thier lives.


Bill,

Not the most likely but surely the most hopeful.

Something tells me you are know as the eternal optimist or greatest dreamer.

Howard

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

Bill,

Not the most likely but surely the most hopeful.

Something tells me you are know as the eternal optimist or greatest dreamer.

Howard

I have NEVER been called an eternal optimist before but I guess there
is a first time for everything. I just thought 'well, I don't know
what happened but if it were me what do I think I want to happen?'
Then BAM...... It hit me, there is no other possible
explanation......except for aliens of course but they don't usually
operate in that part of the world this time of year. Unfortunately,
we will probably never know.

Bill

SoCal Sailor Missing
 

Lew Hodgett wrote:

A 61 year old sailor from Phoenix with 30 years sailing experience is
missing.

The boat, reported to be anything from 25-30 ft, washed up on the rocks
at the mouth of the harbor off Corona Del Mar (Newport Beach), holed and
sunk in 30 ft of water in less than a minute.

Sailor has not been found, but he had a dinghy with him.

Departed from Cabrillo Harbor in San Pedro headed west to Santa Barbara;
however, Corona Del Mar is about 40 miles southwest.

Have been getting extreme weather, including high surf warnings for
almost a week.

Why he left safe harbor to venture out into those conditions is unknown.

It is times like this when I'm reminded of one of Murphy's laws:

DON'T F**K WITH MOTHER NATURE.

Lew


Actually, Newport Beach is 20 miles SE of San Pedro.

--Alan Gomes

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 20:37:40 GMT, Charlie Morgan wrote:

On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 18:30:21 +0000, Larry wrote:

"KLC Lewis" wrote in
news:EKidnee0gtvOnLTbnZ2dnUVZ_revnZ2d@centurytel .net:

A giant clam jumped up on deck and ate them.



Isn't Australia famous for its Great White Sharks?

Larry

It was, until the giant clams ate them.

CWM

By the way, there is no recorded case of trogodytes or giant clams
closing and imprisoning a diver's foot or air hose as in the movies.
The muscles that close the two halves of the shell are made for
endurance in keeping them closed and thus close very slowly and do not
snap shut.

Therefore, it was more likely to be a passing school of queen scallops
that can snap their shells closed rapidly and use it for propulsion -
jumping along the sand. Ever been hit in the head by a flying fish?
Scallops shells are much harder

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 15:10:45 GMT, Don W
wrote:

Redsky wrote:

Emergency services in Australia have launched a search for the three-
man crew of a yacht found drifting off the North Queensland coast.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6574547.stm

- Dennis Jay
Annapolis, MD


I saw that story on Yahoo this morning also.
According to the story, the motor was running, a
laptop was on, and there was dinner set on the
table. The three crew were missing. How odd.
The Aussies have towed in the Cat and recovered
the GPS to look at where it has been.

Trying to think of possible scenarios:

1) Drug rendezvous off the coast went badly, and
crew were kidnapped or killed.
2) MOB and the rest of crew fell in during rescue
attempt?
3) Falling out among the crew. Murder & suicide?

Hmm...

Don W.

I somehow find it difficult to imagine a torrid love triangle between
three middleaged Australian sailors. It would be more likely to be
annoyance over warm beer.

I haven't experienced it myself in that area but know people who have
been suddenly set upon by a dry rain very, localised downdraft that
can cause instant surface winds of up to 200 knots. It is caused by
rain falling the upper atmosphere. It is sudden, often out of a clear
blue sky on a low wind day, and is localised, thus not showing up on
any weather system.

I am sorry but I can't recall the name. It'll come to me at the top of
the damned mast later today when I cannot use a pen.

regards
Peter

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

"Peter Hendra" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 20:37:40 GMT, Charlie Morgan wrote:

On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 18:30:21 +0000, Larry wrote:

"KLC Lewis" wrote in
news:EKidnee0gtvOnLTbnZ2dnUVZ_revnZ2d@centuryte l.net:

A giant clam jumped up on deck and ate them.



Isn't Australia famous for its Great White Sharks?

Larry

It was, until the giant clams ate them.

CWM

By the way, there is no recorded case of trogodytes or giant clams
closing and imprisoning a diver's foot or air hose as in the movies.
The muscles that close the two halves of the shell are made for
endurance in keeping them closed and thus close very slowly and do not
snap shut.

Therefore, it was more likely to be a passing school of queen scallops
that can snap their shells closed rapidly and use it for propulsion -
jumping along the sand. Ever been hit in the head by a flying fish?
Scallops shells are much harder


Apparently you are unaware of "The Story of Reuben Clamzo and his Strange
Daughter in the Key of 'A'"

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

"Peter Hendra" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 20:37:40 GMT, Charlie Morgan wrote:

On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 18:30:21 +0000, Larry wrote:

"KLC Lewis" wrote in
news:EKidnee0gtvOnLTbnZ2dnUVZ_revnZ2d@centuryte l.net:

A giant clam jumped up on deck and ate them.



Isn't Australia famous for its Great White Sharks?

Larry

It was, until the giant clams ate them.

CWM

By the way, there is no recorded case of trogodytes or giant clams
closing and imprisoning a diver's foot or air hose as in the movies.
The muscles that close the two halves of the shell are made for
endurance in keeping them closed and thus close very slowly and do not
snap shut.


I don't know about that. It sure sounds like an old girlfriend.


--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

"Peter Hendra" wrote in message
...

I am sorry but I can't recall the name. It'll come to me at the top of
the damned mast later today when I cannot use a pen.


Do be careful. That's where the giant clams hang out.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

"Capt. JG" wrote in news:132kcsn4856jcf6
@corp.supernews.com:

old girlfriend

Shareware?....(c;

Larry
--

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

"Larry" wrote in message
...
"Capt. JG" wrote in news:132kcsn4856jcf6
@corp.supernews.com:

old girlfriend

Shareware?....(c;


Psycho. :-}

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

"Capt. JG" wrote in
:

"Larry" wrote in message
...
"Capt. JG" wrote in news:132kcsn4856jcf6
@corp.supernews.com:

old girlfriend

Shareware?....(c;


Psycho. :-}


Kinky!

Larry
--

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

"Larry" wrote in message
...
"Capt. JG" wrote in
:

"Larry" wrote in message
...
"Capt. JG" wrote in news:132kcsn4856jcf6
@corp.supernews.com:

old girlfriend

Shareware?....(c;


Psycho. :-}


Kinky!

Larry
--


That too...

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

"Capt. JG" wrote in news:132n6jsms1rbae0
@corp.supernews.com:

old girlfriend

Shareware?....(c;


Psycho. :-}


Kinky!

Larry
--


That too...


Don't let the marina college kids see it....(c;

Larry
--

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

On 21-Apr-2007, Peter Hendra wrote:

On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 15:10:45 GMT, Don W
wrote:

Redsky wrote:

Emergency services in Australia have launched a search for the three-
man crew of a yacht found drifting off the North Queensland coast.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6574547.stm

- Dennis Jay
Annapolis, MD


I saw that story on Yahoo this morning also.
According to the story, the motor was running, a
laptop was on, and there was dinner set on the
table. The three crew were missing. How odd.
The Aussies have towed in the Cat and recovered
the GPS to look at where it has been.

Trying to think of possible scenarios:

1) Drug rendezvous off the coast went badly, and
crew were kidnapped or killed.
2) MOB and the rest of crew fell in during rescue
attempt?
3) Falling out among the crew. Murder & suicide?

Hmm...

Don W.

I somehow find it difficult to imagine a torrid love triangle between
three middleaged Australian sailors. It would be more likely to be
annoyance over warm beer.

I haven't experienced it myself in that area but know people who have
been suddenly set upon by a dry rain very, localised downdraft that
can cause instant surface winds of up to 200 knots. It is caused by
rain falling the upper atmosphere. It is sudden, often out of a clear
blue sky on a low wind day, and is localised, thus not showing up on
any weather system.

I am sorry but I can't recall the name. It'll come to me at the top of
the damned mast later today when I cannot use a pen.

regards
Peter

Is it a micro burst you are thinking of?

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

On Mon, 23 Apr 2007 19:38:16 GMT, wrote:

Yes! Thank you

Is it a micro burst you are thinking of?

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

KLC Lewis wrote:

"Peter Hendra" wrote in message
...

On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 20:37:40 GMT, Charlie Morgan wrote:


On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 18:30:21 +0000, Larry wrote:


"KLC Lewis" wrote in
news:EKidnee0gtvOnLTbnZ2dnUVZ_revnZ2d@centuryt el.net:


A giant clam jumped up on deck and ate them.



Isn't Australia famous for its Great White Sharks?

Larry

It was, until the giant clams ate them.

CWM

By the way, there is no recorded case of trogodytes or giant clams
closing and imprisoning a diver's foot or air hose as in the movies.
The muscles that close the two halves of the shell are made for
endurance in keeping them closed and thus close very slowly and do not
snap shut.

Therefore, it was more likely to be a passing school of queen scallops
that can snap their shells closed rapidly and use it for propulsion -
jumping along the sand. Ever been hit in the head by a flying fish?
Scallops shells are much harder



Apparently you are unaware of "The Story of Reuben Clamzo and his Strange
Daughter in the Key of 'A'"

So, the three sailors would've been safe, if they'd only had a trusty
clampoon.

DT

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

"dt" wrote in message
...
KLC Lewis wrote:


Apparently you are unaware of "The Story of Reuben Clamzo and his Strange
Daughter in the Key of 'A'"

So, the three sailors would've been safe, if they'd only had a trusty
clampoon.

DT

Or had another crewman aboard to sing the fourth harmony part.

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

Peter Hendra wrote:
I saw that story on Yahoo this morning also.
According to the story, the motor was running, a
laptop was on, and there was dinner set on the
table. The three crew were missing. How odd.
The Aussies have towed in the Cat and recovered
the GPS to look at where it has been.

Trying to think of possible scenarios:

1) Drug rendezvous off the coast went badly, and
crew were kidnapped or killed.
2) MOB and the rest of crew fell in during rescue
attempt?
3) Falling out among the crew. Murder & suicide?

Hmm...

Don W.


I somehow find it difficult to imagine a torrid love triangle between
three middleaged Australian sailors. It would be more likely to be
annoyance over warm beer.
regards
Peter

I'm over in the UK for the week. The papers here
are reporting the new wrinkle that the boats
fenders were deployed on one side of the cat
suggesting that another boat had come alongside.
Now if I were the investigator I'd be looking at
who gets the money if one of these guys disappears.

4) Boat intercepted by someone hired to make it
look like everyone on board was lost at sea.
(Didn't think of that one earlier).

5) Boat intercepted at sea by a kidnapper.

That boat was new, and anyone who can buy a new
45' cruising cat has some AU$'s. The expensive
stuff on board wasn't touched, so robbery wouldn't
have been the motive. ergo...

The sail plan for the boat was known, and they
were day sailing and coming back to the coast at
night to anchor. It would be relatively simple to
work out an intercept out at sea, or follow them
out out of visual range using radar.

How's that mast painting coming Peter?

Regards,

Don W.

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

On Apr 24, 7:43 pm, Don W
wrote:
Peter Hendra wrote:
I saw that story on Yahoo this morning also.
According to the story, the motor was running, a
laptop was on, and there was dinner set on the
table. The three crew were missing. How odd.
The Aussies have towed in the Cat and recovered
the GPS to look at where it has been.

Trying to think of possible scenarios:

1) Drug rendezvous off the coast went badly, and
crew were kidnapped or killed.
2) MOB and the rest of crew fell in during rescue
attempt?
3) Falling out among the crew. Murder & suicide?

Hmm...

Don W.

I somehow find it difficult to imagine a torrid love triangle between
three middleaged Australian sailors. It would be more likely to be
annoyance over warm beer.
regards
Peter

I'm over in the UK for the week. The papers here
are reporting the new wrinkle that the boats
fenders were deployed on one side of the cat
suggesting that another boat had come alongside.
Now if I were the investigator I'd be looking at
who gets the money if one of these guys disappears.

4) Boat intercepted by someone hired to make it
look like everyone on board was lost at sea.
(Didn't think of that one earlier).

5) Boat intercepted at sea by a kidnapper.

That boat was new, and anyone who can buy a new
45' cruising cat has some AU$'s. The expensive
stuff on board wasn't touched, so robbery wouldn't
have been the motive. ergo...

The sail plan for the boat was known, and they
were day sailing and coming back to the coast at
night to anchor. It would be relatively simple to
work out an intercept out at sea, or follow them
out out of visual range using radar.

How's that mast painting coming Peter?

Regards,

Don W.

Hadn't thought of the life insurance angle.

Still, there were three fenders on the port side and one on the
starboard side, which sounds more like sloppy seamanship to me. Also,
what I read suggested that the boat was five years old. Still a fair
chunk of change though.

David

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

Finished thank God Don. All the hardware is back on. I reckon that it
takes four times as long to put it back as it does to take it off.
Sealant, right screws, clean off sealant etc. Added strobe light to a
fitting at the top so that it goes about the combined all round white
and tricolour, new anenometer - Back to Raytheon which was what I had
originally when it got hit by lightning. Replaced it with a cheaper
Navman - bottom unit froze during a winter in Turkey. Was replaced by
Navman for a standard AUD$99 but unit has begun to misfunction a year
later. Everything done and spent two hours hunting for the metre long
4mm aerial that goes in the socket. Eventually bought a new one.

However.... was due to put it up but had a problem with deck paint. In
my rush and general tiredness due to extreme heat and long hours,
proved myself to be stupid. I mixed the epoxy deck paint (had already
done some) 4:1 with the hardner - carefully measured. After a whole
day the paint had not dried. Found that I had mixed from a quart tin
of blue boot top resin with a gallon of deck paint resin. Resin +
resin = one sticky mess to take off - dumber than dumb. I did think at
the time that it was strange that they had coloured the hardner as
well.

Yard foreman kindly got his father to organise two men (what are
called in New Zealand '"Hairies") to scrape it off tomorrow for TT$200
US$32.25 per day each. Mast is booked to be raised tomorrow
afternoon. If the damned thing had been up I would have suspended
myself by the neck from the spreaders and, if I weren't a Moslem, I
would still be drunk today.

Mast and rigging looks good though. My bronze fittings and poured
bronze sockets are gleaming in the sun with the newly poured metal to
hold the 1x19 wire in place.

cheers
Peter

How's that mast painting coming Peter?

Regards,

Don W.

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia
 

Peter Hendra wrote:
Finished thank God Don. All the hardware is back on.
snip

However.... was due to put it up but had a problem with deck paint. In
my rush and general tiredness due to extreme heat and long hours,
proved myself to be stupid. I mixed the epoxy deck paint (had already
done some) 4:1 with the hardner - carefully measured. After a whole
day the paint had not dried. Found that I had mixed from a quart tin
of blue boot top resin with a gallon of deck paint resin. Resin +
resin = one sticky mess to take off - dumber than dumb. I did think at
the time that it was strange that they had coloured the hardner as
well.

Arghhhh. It is always something isn't it?

Yard foreman kindly got his father to organise two men (what are
called in New Zealand '"Hairies") to scrape it off tomorrow for TT$200
US$32.25 per day each. Mast is booked to be raised tomorrow
afternoon. If the damned thing had been up I would have suspended
myself by the neck from the spreaders and, if I weren't a Moslem, I
would still be drunk today.

Mast and rigging looks good though. My bronze fittings and poured
bronze sockets are gleaming in the sun with the newly poured metal to
hold the 1x19 wire in place.

cheers
Peter

I didn't have consistent internet access in the
UK, but I'm back at home now. Hope your boat is
looking good and back in the water now.

Regards,

Don W.