Recovered/Located Emergency rescue effort is launched for teen sailor Abby Sunderland, June 2010

my god that boat looks small, thinking about it on 50-60 foot waves
 
For you non-sailors, here's an Open 40 with a bulb keel, like Abby's boat:

open40.jpg


Here's one like mysticrose's Vagabond 42(full keel):

Vagab4212.jpg


And here's a (sort of) modified fin feel/cutaway full keel like we had on our Peterson 44:

pete44fl.gif






The DANGER in the bulb keel: it can become detached. The boat flips immediately and can't right itself, as shown by the following tragedies:


- Sydney to Hobart Race, 2004

- Galveston to Veracruz, 2008

- the sailing yacht, Moquini, off the coast of South Africa, 2005
 
For you non-sailors, here's an Open 40 with a bulb keel, like Abby's boat:

open40.jpg


Here's one like mysticrose's Vagabond 42(full keel):

Vagab4212.jpg


And here's a (sort of) modified fin feel like we had on our Peterson 44:

pete44fl.gif






The DANGER in the bulb keel: it can become detached. The boat flips immediately and can't right itself, as shown by the following tragedies:


- Sydney to Hobart Race, 2004

- Galveston to Veracruz, 2008

- the sailing yacht, Moquini, off the coast of South Africa, 2005

Wow, Thanks great post !
 
Boats won't reach Abby Sunderland for almost two days, but brother is optimistic
June 10, 2010 | 1:49 pm


Two boats are headed toward Abby Sunderland's vessel but won't be there for another 40 to 48 hours, said her brother Zac Sunderland, speaking briefly to reporters from the doorway of the family's Thousand Oaks house. At first light, the Australian Coast Guard also intends to fly over the area, he said.

The family remains optimistic that the 16-year-old is still alive because a beacon triggered when the boat sinks has not been set off.

Abby Sunderland sailed into a storm Thursday in the Southern Indian Ocean and lost contact with her family. She apparently activated emergency beacon locating devices on Thursday after losing contact over satellite phone with her family.

Zac Sunderland said his sister had three emergency beacons. Two are on the boat and one is on her life vest. Two of the beacons have been manually set off.

The third is a deep-water automatic beacon that is triggered by salt water and goes off when the boat has reached a depth of about 15 feet. That beacon has not gone off. The boat is built with water-tight compartments and his sister could be huddled safely in one of those, even if the vessel has capsized, Zac Sunderland said.

"It's weird not being able to help and being at a distance," Zac Sunderland said.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/06/abby-sunderland-rescue.html
 
Any kid tough enough to handle as much as she has all alone, is tough enough to hang in there! Hang on Abbey. 40 hours is a long time but hopefully she will be as survival smart as she is brave.
 
I'm sorry, but I think this is completely insane, just to break records. Wait until you are legally an adult and then do whatever you want to endanger yourself. She is 16! And now search and rescue have to be called out...of course I want her rescued but she is out there for no reason other than to break some record for her own personal glory or whatever...sorry, but I get frustrated when our search and rescue teams are constantly having to go off in search of mountain climbers too, especially when in areas that have posted warnings...there are only so many resources available for emergencies and this was one waiting to happen, in my opinion.
 
So most of the boat is sailed by computers? I didn't know that about boats. I thought it was always hand on stuff like I see in movies.

What does the raft look like? Where is it on the boat? It seems like she would more likely be inside the little computer room rather than somewhere else right? And if it hasn't sunk under water maybe everything will be fine? She said in the video that she has to end her trip if her computer goes out. Would she still be able to use the phones if that happened?
 
I know there is a lot of criticism out there and I can understand it but I also love to see people really LIVE and take risks; even when they are young. I think they must be old souls.

Many of them do break records and and I don't think we can compare one exceptional teenager to the ordinary one or make judgements without knowing these kids.

She's already done more than I could do and I am in awe of the courage she must possess. It's quite possible she's really "lived" more in her 16 years than some people do their entire lives. I think she must really WANT to do this.

Besides, aren't we supposed to live like we are dying and grab every chance to have amazing experiences? Heck, she could have stayed home and ended up a victim of a crazed sexual predator like Chelsea and Amber did; so I think there are too many variables to be such a harsh critic.
 
For you non-sailors, here's an Open 40 with a bulb keel, like Abby's boat:

open40.jpg


Here's one like mysticrose's Vagabond 42(full keel):

Vagab4212.jpg


And here's a (sort of) modified fin feel/cutaway full keel like we had on our Peterson 44:

pete44fl.gif






The DANGER in the bulb keel: it can become detached. The boat flips immediately and can't right itself, as shown by the following tragedies:


- Sydney to Hobart Race, 2004

- Galveston to Veracruz, 2008

- the sailing yacht, Moquini, off the coast of South Africa, 2005

:blushing: What's a keel? What am I looking for?
 
The part that's under the water I think is the keel. See, one look bulbous and the other more like an underwater fin.
 
:blushing: What's a keel? What am I looking for?

LOL -sorry! The keel is the part below the boat - see how the first picture has a long narrow fin with a bulb on the bottom? And in the other two pictures the bottom of the boat is shaped differently than the first one. The keel is 'wider' and integrated into the boat. The keel serves as a ballast to keep the boat upright when heeled over or when it gets knocked down/rolled over. Think of a weeble wobble.

In the first picture, the keel is attached by bolts to the hull (the actual boat), whereas in the other two the keel is integrated into the hull. The fiberglass encases the keel, which is filled with lead or iron, etc.
 
So most of the boat is sailed by computers? I didn't know that about boats. I thought it was always hand on stuff like I see in movies.

What does the raft look like? Where is it on the boat? It seems like she would more likely be inside the little computer room rather than somewhere else right? And if it hasn't sunk under water maybe everything will be fine? She said in the video that she has to end her trip if her computer goes out. Would she still be able to use the phones if that happened?

The computers help her stay on course, steering wise, but she actually does have to go to the cockpit, change sails, reef sails (make them smaller if the wind picks up), etc. Off the top of my head, I know that down below she has:

- an autopilot (or autopilot repeater): helps hold the boat on course so you don't have to stand a the helm 24/7

- chart plotter: shows where she is via GPS

- knotmeter: shows how strong the wind is

- depthsounder: shows how deep it is

- radar screen: shows what her radar is picking up (land, boats, etc)

- radio: VHF as well as SSB (single-side band, similar to HAM)

I know there's more but that's pretty basic these days for any cruising boat. We had all of that as well... but you still have to "sail" the boat. These things just make it easier, with the exception of an autopilot if you're singlehanding. Either that or a windvane (which attaches to the back of the boat and keeps you on course according to the wind, not a GPS). You need something to steer the boat while you sleep, tend to sails, eat, etc.

Hope this helps!
 
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Abby Sunderland is believed to be 'alive' and 'most likely floating' in the Indian Ocean
June 10, 2010 | 3:43 pm


The engineer behind Abby Sunderland's solo trip around the world says he believes the 16-year-old Thousand Oaks sailor is "alive" and "most likely floating" in the middle of the Indian Ocean.


Speaking to a throng of reporters outside the family's home, Jeff Casher said he spoke to her at 3:45 a.m. Thursday, then lost contact after she went to check on some equipment on her boat. About an hour later, she apparently activated her emergency beacons – devices that sent automatic alerts to the Coast Guard and her family.

Casher said the family is looking at three possible scenarios. Either the boat's mast came down, giving her no ability to sail the vessel; the keel hit something and possibly flipped the boat upside down; or she may have broken an arm or leg while being whipsawed about in violent waters.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lan...lines-three-scenarios-for-losing-contact.html
 
I know there is a lot of criticism out there and I can understand it but I also love to see people really LIVE and take risks; even when they are young. I think they must be old souls. (....snipped...)

Besides, aren't we supposed to live like we are dying and grab every chance to have amazing experiences? Heck, she could have stayed home and ended up a victim of a crazed sexual predator like Chelsea and Amber did; so I think there are too many variables to be such a harsh critic.

I agree. As for the risk-taking, here's a thought-provoking article about Laura Dekker, the Dutch girl who was prevented from solo-circumnavigating at 13 yrs old:
http://irresponsibility.wordpress.com/2009/08/29/boob-jobs-at-13-better-than-going-to-sea/ (<-- must read!)

And the "live like were are dying": that's what prompted our trip. My husband had recovered from cancer (at age 39), and we realized that not everyone gets to live to retirement. So we lived (part of) our dream: rented our house, emptied our savings, bought a sailboat, and sailed for a year from the Chesapeake to the Bahamas and back when our son was 3-yrs-old. We are now dirt poor but had the experience of a lifetime. And have a plan to do it again - but for longer.
 
I know there is a lot of criticism out there and I can understand it but I also love to see people really LIVE and take risks; even when they are young. I think they must be old souls.

Many of them do break records and and I don't think we can compare one exceptional teenager to the ordinary one or make judgements without knowing these kids.

She's already done more than I could do and I am in awe of the courage she must possess. It's quite possible she's really "lived" more in her 16 years than some people do their entire lives. I think she must really WANT to do this.

Besides, aren't we supposed to live like we are dying and grab every chance to have amazing experiences? Heck, she could have stayed home and ended up a victim of a crazed sexual predator like Chelsea and Amber did; so I think there are too many variables to be such a harsh critic.

I agree, at first I couldn't believe her parents let her do this. Then I read her blog. I'm about twice her age, I hardly like driving in the rain and here she is doing this and enjoying it! Good for her. I really hope she's okay...if she's not I will not judge.
 
I agree. As for the risk-taking, here's a thought-provoking article about Laura Dekker, the Dutch girl who was prevented from solo-circumnavigating at 13 yrs old:
http://irresponsibility.wordpress.com/2009/08/29/boob-jobs-at-13-better-than-going-to-sea/ (<-- must read!)

And the "live like were are dying": that's what prompted our trip. My husband had recovered from cancer (at age 39), and we realized that not everyone gets to live to retirement. So we lived (part of) our dream: rented our house, emptied our savings, bought a sailboat, and sailed for a year from the Chesapeake to the Bahamas and back when our son was 3-yrs-old. We are now dirt poor but had the experience of a lifetime. And have a plan to do it again - but for longer.

Oh wow, thanks for posting that article. That really was a must read. Lots of very good points in that one!

Sounds like you had an amazing trip!
 

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