NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Sailing Tragety In Southern California
From: Tom Sult
Date: 2012 May 05, 09:51 -0500
From: Tom Sult
Date: 2012 May 05, 09:51 -0500
Hind sight is always 20/20. An investigation will likely tell a story of a chain of small errors that lead to this tragedy. Least we forget, the best of us have made errors. The difference is ours did not end in tragedy. We were lucky to live another day. Those among us who are the most humble... even learned something from the mistake, assuming they even knew the mistake occurred at all. Let's have a modicum of respect for our departed brothers. It is unlikely they were hapless morons. They were us... Perhaps on a bad day but us non the less. Lets learn the lessons of systems management and "cockpit resource management" from them. As the FAA says about air accidents, "we investigate so that no one will die in vain." Thomas A. Sult, MD Sent from iPhone On May 5, 2012, at 3:04, billwrote: > On 5/4/2012 8:56 PM, Greg Rudzinski wrote: > ...> Harry and I discussed some of the possibilities and it does look like >> technology over reliance may have contributed to the accident. It is >> quite possible that Coronado Island, where the accident took place, was >> used as a GPS waypoint. The helmsman might have gone below for a bit at >> the wrong time or I hate to say it fallen asleep at the wheel. No one >> was wearing their PFDs either. > > This is a pet peeve of mine. I do agree that there is an over reliance on electronics, but I suggest it goes beyond that. I race. Small sailboats and Alpine skiing. Without going into a lengthy rant about Lake Michigan (Tri-State and Chicago-Mac races) DSO examples ad infinitum: > > Racing involves egos and winning. We push it to the limits. I do not have the budget for big boats, racing software/electronics, or a full compliment of sails for every leg or wind condition (often replaced every year). Doubt they want me as a grinder at 64 ;-) > > A well-equipped big racing boat's electronics include a laptop loaded with tactical and strategic software and pods (digital information displays) on--or near--the mast to relay everything from bearing, speed, velocity made good, and target speed to the crew (calculated from polar diagrams for wind, waves and point of sail--often custom tailored to the boat and crew). > > They also have the usual GPS chart plotters, true and apparent wind directions, and depth information. Maybe even a compass! When in the history of navigation have we had better information about our location and sea conditions? > > Like a teenager behind the wheel of a car on a cell phone, or texting while manipulating the music on their iPod they have all the information they need to drive safely; they are just too distracted to pay the necessary attention to what is important. (Or too driven to win.) Just drive the *blank* boat! > > If a prudent navigator knows/suspects a piece of equipment is off kilter, they place a piece of tape across the face so everyone understands it can not be trusted. Sadly we cannot do that with a person in charge who is pushing the crew or boat past their limits or putting souls in peril. That would be mutiny. > > A closing thought for those "seasoned" enough to remember the 70's and Ted Turner, AKA "Captain Outrageous." He won the America's Cup, and won the horrific Fastnet Race on corrected time. (15 competitors died.) > > Somewhere during this period he was in a "short" race when the weather turned on the fleet and battered several boats and crew. He handed off the helm as conditions became serious. When he came ashore the media hounded him. They asked if he handed off the helm to win. He replied something to the effect of, "No, I handed off the helm to live." > > And there I submit is the difference between being extremely competitive/cocky and stupid. You have to finish to win. > > > > > > > > >