British yacht crew rescued
Today The Guardian reports that the British crew of a yacht were rescued 400 miles off Ireland.
The 3 crew were on a polar expedition to demonstrate how travel to remote areas of the planet needn’t impact significantly on the environment. It is somewhat ironic then that their rescue came from a 113,000 tonne oil tanker.
Thankfully all the crew are safe, although not all unhurt, but it is yet another reminder how dangerous sailing can be - even when you are as prepared as it possible to be.
Multiple capsizes? How did that happen? And, what a horror.
I get that a boat - big on at least - can capsize - but more than once?
What were they on a dinghy?
Not a dinghy, actually a 40ft cutter!
I think that ‘knockdown’ would probably be a more accurate term than capsize, but wouldn’t mean as much to a non-sailing reader.
Essentially this is when the boat is knocked down by wind or waves such that the mast is flat to the water. When that happens the force of wind or waves to turn the boat over tends to reduce whereas the turning force to right the boat exerted by the keel is at it’s maximum, and the boat comes back upright.
Just like capsizing a dinghy actually but without having to stand on the centre board!