Report on the Sinking of Spirit

[The Jackeens]

It was number one I think last week

I'll buy it for the team to cheer them up.
There. We're back on topic

Missus

[Jon Brooks]

Originally Posted by The Jackeens

It was number one I think last week

I'll buy it for the team to cheer them up.
There. We're back on topic

Missus

What a great idea.
That would do the trick, cheers me up when I listen to it

Regards

[Charles]

Originally Posted by peteb

My baby is the most important thing to me, so when I go out with her on board I understand that I have other lives to think of as well

For the benefit of forum members who do not know Mr Flanker (PeteB) he was banned from this forum about 18 months ago and also described most of us as being insane and should be reported to the authorites for taking our kids on a rib!

[Manos]

Everything sounds very interesting, very exciting and very thrilling. A very good story to tell around the fire in the winter time with a glass of red wine or brandy in your hands a way from wrogue waves and stormy seas. Like in the book that was published a year or so a go.

IMHO the cew should be thanking God that they all made it back in one piece and unheart, and we should be happy that they are still with us and not in the bottom of the sea. That is the bottom line.

If the boat was seaworthy or not (as some suggest in a way) is a matter for the insurance, MSA and the marine experts to judge (if they ever find it) not for any of us.

As it has been said the boat sunk and probably (most likely) will never be found. This must be quite sad for the owners, those who have been involved with it in one way or the other and the sponsors.

[Deana Angell]

Hi Alan, Kathleen and the rest of you RIBbers!

Thanks Alan for the report. There are obviously some in here who question the integrity of Spirit before embarking on this crossing. I can't provide an informed comment on the technical side because I'm not a RIBber. I can however offer a bit of logic.
Alan is an experienced seaman (no puns needed) and as such knows what the ocean is capable of. It is insane to think he would set off across the Atlantic if he had any question as to the soundness of the boat. Why would he put himself at risk, not to mention the rest of the crew??? It is my understanding that Spirit was going to Newfoundland and was going to be left there to help the Community Food Sharing Association and underpriviliged people. Thanks for making the effort , Alan.

What matters most is the crew made it back safely......and I still have my Dad!

[peteb]

ct01, my comments were at children out with no life jackets on, and the story of one strapped into a child seat, I dare not to think what would have happened if the rib had gone over. Anyway I am not going there, it is up to each individual how they prepare for incidents, perhaps Alan's little incident will jog a few minds and get people to double check their gear. Alan was prepared and is here to tell the tale

Oh! and by the way I decided not to get a RIB at this stage due to the safety of the baby, I went for a hard boat. When the time is right I will be out playing with the rest of you, but I am happy learning at the moment.

[The Jackeens]

Hear, hear Deana. I think people here have been very sympathetic and seeking to support the well-known local team. (And your dad is an honorary local now as well )
It's great Eg. is home safe. Can't keep a good man down

The analysis of events and consequences is very helpful to all of us...from ordinary pootlers like ourselves to the designers and boatbuilders as they try to ensure that boats will take most anything the sea throws at them. Let's face it few of us are Rogue Wave chasers (apologies Britt). So we don't get a chance to have a trial run of something like that. (I'm not talking about hunting down Irish ferry wakes either G&T ).

I think we can learn also from the men's description of how they survived and managed to come out alive.

Hope you get catch-up time with your dad soon.

K

[Jono Garton]

Originally Posted by peteb

just wondered if a full examination had been carried out on the rest of it, including the fittings to the hull. )

Alan

I'm not getting involved in this heavy discussion, but you didn't answer the question and it would shut certain people up. Were the tubes checked by a professional such as Ed @ Olmec or Chris @ Henshaws before the trip?

[codprawn]

Just a thought (dangerous I know) - but all the time we here about all these record breakers getting into difficulty and their boats sinking etc.

Then you see a 40 yr old ketch up for sale that has done about 10 circumnavigations without complaint!

Just wondering how seaworthy a RIB is compared to a traditional narrow beam deep keel cruising yacht?

[Alan]

Yer traditional long keel cruising yacht probably aint doing 20kts when it disappears down a big hole / gets hit by a big wave.

[Nauti Buoy]

Originally Posted by Jon Brooks

Whats even worse is i brought the record too when I was there!!
"Record" I hear you cry, yes the song called "The Langer" its very funny

Anyway thats all a bit off topic

Regards

I don't know you, and Yes I know it is off the topic, however have just down loaded the song "The Langers" and yes it is very good, kind of song I would imagine everyone sings at the end of a good evening in a pub. anyway enough said.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Alan

Yer traditional long keel cruising yacht probably aint doing 20kts when it disappears down a big hole / gets hit by a big wave.

Of course it's not but just wondering how good RIBs were in comparison to other kinds of boat.

[Manos]

Probably you will laugh with this question but I keep thinking

if the sea was as rough as it has been described with 3-4 mtr head on waves, high winds, rogue waves and the like why the trip was not postponed for a better day? Would a delay of a day or two or even four mattered so much?

Just a thought as we seem to be 'dissecting' the sinking of the 'Spirit of Cardiff' here

[gavin]

When The guys left Donnaghadee on the Sun nite, the weather was excellent, it is quite normal to have bigger waves in the Atlantic, remember this was about 22 hours later, with the best will in the world you are going to see waves of this size as you head out and north into the Atlantic, you should see the waves that thrash the west coast of Ireland , under normal weather conditions, its not the waves that pose the danger, you can as you know happily motor into big swells, taking them on the nose, its the unpredictible rouge ones that have done the damage in this case.

[Manos]

I see Gavin, yes no problem with the Ocean type waves is the ones with the surf on top that are a pain to tackle.

It must be an experience of a lifetime to be involved in a rouge wave insident but in my case in the safety of a large ship.

[TIM]

Ireland has the crapest weather in Europe....... we have less 'outside working' days than the UK,

Manos, The problem we have is the only thing between the west coat of Ireland and the US is 2,800miles of water, and the weather forcasters have a lot of trouble preditctin what will happen out there, but the time the weather hits us, they can preditict what will happen in Your part of the world the next day.........

Just remember if you want a 3 day forcast you have to look at the weather in global context, to even half guess it right.....

MR PRIDDY and crew are luckly to be alive, I have been in the Ruff out in the 'pond' and when the shit hits the fan, you are like a needle in a haystack ...... it only takes 3 min's to drown ....... and hours for help to arrive... sometimes days........

AP is no thick, who is going to bring a boat and crew into a storm......!!!!!!

[Manos]

Tim I'm sure you have difficult weather patterns in Ireland. I have heard some horor stories about the waters in Ireland. Difficult place for any one to sail in a small boat.

[TIM]

MANOS, I was in your neck of the woods, last week... I was on a cruise of the med and we stopped in Corfu.... Lovley place

I did notice in my travels, that how few Ribs I saw... but then the water was quite flat most of the time, and boston whaler type boats, were like confitti at a wedding. I am only talking about costal waters, as the minuite you get a few miles offshore it a different situation....... But Greece looks a great place for Ribing

[Manos]

Hope you enjoyed your cruise Tim
Ionian Sea is calmer than the Aegean. Actualy in the summer months the Ionian is flat all the way from May to October and quite humid. Just a southerly breeze daily force 3-4 from 11am-3pm with a small chop and then flat again.
Aegean is different, VERY different in fact.
We usually have strong winds from mid July to mid/end August (is called MELTEMI). Force 5-7 starting at 8 am and ending at 6/7 pm on a daily basis. Waves can reach hights up to 2/2.5 mtrs at times but usualy they don't exceed 1-1.5 mtrs with surf and the distance between them is about 6/7 mtrs. (So the ideal boat to cruise in such conditions is between 6.5-7.5 mtrs LOA. - hence the KAIKI boats - a type of fishing boat used by fisherman). Nothing very serious but the wind and the waves with the surf and the sray make it quite uncomfortable if you go a long distance (which in any case is never more than 20 miles any way as you are on the next island).
However, this year it has been very nice in the Aegean. Apart from two weeks of force 7-10 in July the weather has been great. It has been recorded on the forecast to say sea state calm for the East Aegean!! and it was looking like a a lake all the way (still is).
You find more RIBs in the Aegean than in Ionian Sea for some reason.
RIBs here are quite popular (more than hard boats I believe) since the popular belief is that are much safer than the later - which they are any way and RIBing is great. Is very different than it is in Ireland or in the UK or Germany, Swededn, Holland etc.
Boston Walers are quite popular too as they have been advertised here as unsinkable and quite a few people buy them.

[Alan Priddy]

Jono
Whats make you think that any of the "Tube experts " know more than me. I have inspected some builders boats that the tubes are so bad I have recommended cutting the boat up as unsafe!
Alan P