As reported by owner/skipper, Transpac sled OEX sank this morning at 0455 a.m. PDT. The crew was either in the liferaft, or already taken aboard PYEWACKET. They should be back in Long Beach early tomorrow morning with details of catastrophic injury to the hull in the rudder area. Navigator aboard was well known SF Bay Area Express 27 sailor Brendan Busch.
OEX was short for ORIENT EXPRESS, so named to distinguish from owner's other boat.
OEX was built by Bill Lee, was #9 Santa Cruz 70, and launched in 1988 as SILVER BULLET. Her heyday came in the Transpac of 1993 when she was First-to-Finish (Barn Door trophy), first in Class A, and first Overall. Clean Sweep. That year she was navigated by world class navigator and SSS great, Mark Rudiger, who sailed 2 SHTP's and won the SHTP overall on his 29 footer SHADOW FOX in 1984.
We're all one family.
Last edited by sleddog; 07-19-2019 at 08:56 PM.
Since insurance in a distance range single/doublehanded isn't an option I've always had to come to grips with writing off the hole boat.Not to pour cold water on it, but this is the biggest reason why another SHTP is not a sure thing for me. These collisions, with resulting foil damage and DNFs (or worse), are becoming a frequent occurrence. Not just a regular occurrence, a frequent occurrence. Given the resources it takes to participate, it's a big consideration in the decision.
LOL for the Freudian slip.
It's worse than that though. My worry was not losing the boat; I could eat the cost or be dead. It was going aground on a reef in Hawaii and having to pay for salvage and environmental damage. I got a blanket liability insurance policy for a couple of mil and hoped for the best. Specific marine insurance was not an option as you say.
Who is Ian Ferguson, from Emeryville, representing the Singlehanded Sailing Society in the Transpac? I don't remember his boat in any of our races. I don't even know how to type the name of his boat.
Name: "Nådeløs" - NOR 8620
Design: Wasa 55
Year: 1982
Length: 44
Hull: White
Spin: Red
I take it back. Sailed doublehanded in the Three Bridge Fiasco. So the SSS has a pony in the race. Go, Ian! Hang onto your rudder!
Last edited by Philpott; 07-15-2019 at 09:47 PM.
First ever sinking in a Transpac. Here's a first hand discussion by OEX's John Sangmeister and PYEWACKET's Roy Pat Disney shortly after they docked at Marina Del Rey this morning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_2reRgdtOQ
Basically, "Bang!" at 0200 while close reaching at 14-17 knots. The steering went away. The rudder canted aft and the bottom bearing went out of the hull. The crew removed the rudder steering quadrant, placed and sat on a bucket over the hole, and tried to staunch the water ingress while bailing with other buckets. No joy slowing the geyser, and the boat filled with 4-5 feet of water as OEX's crew entered their two liferafts.
PYEWACKET was directly astern, 3-4 miles, and in VHF radio contact with OEX. PYEWACKET's crew plucked OEX's crew from their liferafts while watching OEX sink with her main still hoisted. Eerie.
I guess one thing learned in this new era of very fast boats racing across oceans that have considerable hazards of flotsam, jetsam, and cetaceans is the desirability of an aft water tight bulkhead just forward of the rudder shaft.
The same sinking scenario could just as easily happened in the LongPac to SEA WISDOM. Fortunately Will was only going 5-8 knots, not 14-17 like OEX. Apparently SEA WISDOM's lower rudder bearing didn't completely exit, and ingress of water was prevented. A near thing.
Last edited by sleddog; 07-16-2019 at 11:02 AM.
Surprise! has a full bulkhead in front of the rudder post but it has holes through it for the engine exhaust hose, hoses from the cockpit drains, etc. I could seal around most of those - I'll put that on the list.
Scott says it was a tough night but they kept their cool and even brought back OEX's rafts, not wanting to leave more debris on the surface.
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Last edited by BobJ; 07-16-2019 at 09:19 AM.
Damn...a Santa Cruz 70 sinking? winces as I read back...
Bob, makes a long-keeled boat with an attached rudder more attractive, even if slower.
1968 Selmer Series 9 B-flat and A clarinets
1962 Buesher "Aristocrat" tenor saxophone
Piper One Design 24, Hull #35; "Alpha"
Nah, if I'm going to hit something I want a good run at it.