Another dismasting followed by sinking.
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070326/NEWS0103/703260355/1001

I've never heard of a cat sinking, especially one that probably has to comply with a stack of charterboat regulations.
Dismasting is a high risk on an older boat with a load of passengers[weight] on board.

"When we got there, the (Kiele V) captain and crew were trying to cut away the rigging lines so the sail could get away," said Jason Moore, staff photographer for Maui No Ka Oi Magazine, who was aboard the Teralani III, the first ship to arrive and offer assistance to Kiele V.

"The back side (of the Kiele V) was being pulled down and the captain only had a hacksaw to cut the rigging," Moore said.

I don't get the connection between the dismasting and the sinking. And I don't understand the sinking at all. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Perhaps the rigging was pulling the stern down far enough to swamp the hulls?

Even then, it wouldn't necessarily "sink", would it??

Did it really SINK, like to the bottom of the sea? Or did it just get partly submerged, and were they able to tow it in and salvage it? I hate it when we don't have the whole story -- and often we never do find out all the details.

Too bad. We have not been out on this one, but have sailed on the Cat's at Oahu. We took some video of the Kiele V and the other two Cats mentioned in Feb. this year. They load and unload right in front of the Hula Grill. Hard to see how it sank, but it was loaded to their limit at 54. Glad to hear Gemini and Teralani III were able to assist.

Caleb

Reasons for getting the rig cut away would be many - they point out that the sinking rig was pulling the stern down. But also a downed rig can slam against the hulls with the threat of punching holes in the boat. If the remains of the rig are swaying around it can pose an additional hazard to those on the boat and impede rescuers getting people off.

As for it truly sinking you'd have to know the nature of the construction and the load it was carrying. There are no sinkability ratings from the CG for a boat that size. The real issue is whether the sinking rig and load being carried can overwhelm any natural bouyancy from construction (foam core in lay up, encapsulated wood, etc.) once the boat is swamped. Add in inboard engines, the possibility that the design had mini-keels, and a bunch of other crap on board and a sinking is a real possibility IMO.

What I think the CG regs should specify is better on-board emergency equipment for dealing with these situations. There are very effective rigging cutting tools for emergencies. On a day-charter sailing vessel you are tempting fate to not have that gear on board. A hack saw just ain't going to cut it (pun intended)...

There are tools available that use a gun powder cartridge to power a shear pin. You put the cable in the jaws and pull the trigger. Even rod rigging can be cut immediately with this kind of tool.

UPDATE from Maui News.

"The commercial sailing catamaran Kiele V was about one mile offshore of Kahana Beach..."

"...back right side of the boat was submerged and sinking when the Teralani arrived...passengers wearing life vests were huddled on the opposite end of the boat..."

"...windy and rough conditions may have contributed to the mast breaking."

"The wind was just blowing out there, and that may have been too much for the sail."

My house is about a quarter mile up from Kaanapali Beach. We were seeing gusts into the 30s yesterday. If the cat was a mile offshore from Kahana then they were out beyond the windline and into the tradewinds. I doubt they were that far north but it was still pretty windy at Kaanapali.

Exactly the kind of tool I'm referring to. The various sailing mags do pretty routine tests of this kind of gear, most serious big boats carry some sort of option for clearing failed rigs.

Pounding in seaway can put a heavy load on a big rig even if the sail is reefed. If the rig is not tuned well or fittings are getting old the pitching forces can bring things down in a hurry.

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Mar/26/br/br2745096381.html
Coast Guard probing death on catamaran
Coast Guard personnel on the scene reported waves of 6 feet and winds 20 to 30 mph with stronger gusts.
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Mar/26/br/br8721560439.html