Just got this link from a friend....See what you all think

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6574547.stm

Strange circumstances. hope the Guys are ok.

WHY WOULD YOU HAVE FENDERS OUT WITH SAILS UP AND ENGINE RUNNING?

If the boat was boarded by 'pirates' the computers etc would have gone

Hoping for a happy ending.

Scenario: They started the engine to run the generator for the computer. The wind was light so one decides to go for a swim before dinner, he has some type of problem in the water (heart attack, shark, jelly fish??) and needs asistance to get back in the boat, both the others jump in to help, a breeze comes up and the boat sails away, or they just cannot climb back aboard because in their hurry to assist their friend someone forgot to lower the ladder?

ok, so what about the fenders and no life raft? (I don't know if the boat had one originally, but every report alludes to it missing).

Sounds like an insurance job to me, except it didn't run into the reef/island like it was supposed to (like aiming your car at a tree and sticking a brick on the accelerator before hopping out).

Fenders are still out because they were so nervous about it that they forgot to bring them back in after leaving the berth.

Maybe I'm just being rude, I hope they find the crew safe and sound.

After reading some of the news articles about this incident, it becomes apparent that the media really doesn't have a clue about boats!

Everything I have read, it sounds like they did not own the boat, that these three guys chartered it for this trip, so I don't know how insurance is involved. But anything is possible.

If they are found alive, I hope, we will learn what happened. If they are found dead or not found at all, it will be a fascinating mystery as to what happened to them.

Right now the best possibility is that they were beamed up by a spaceship.

Mary:

Funny that's what I told my daughter and Asheligh!!! (LOL)

Doug

Mary, "Mr Batten bought the vessel a week ago,..." It wasn't chartered.

The news articles are really strange and contradictory. In one sentence they say the men may've been washed overboard in a storm, but then they say clothes were found neatly placed on the aft deck, like the crew had gone for a swim!

It sounds fishy to me. I'd be checking the life insurance cover on the 3 blokes and when each cover was taken out.

Nobody would go for a swim with the sails up and not anchored.....would they? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

And there are lots of sharks in that area, aren't there?

The shredded jib is another part of the mystery.

<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" /> Pirates of the South Seas <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Good reason to cruise armed.

Was it the "Mary Celeste"? A ghost ship from the 1800's found under similar circumstance. And never explained.

Did the Bermuda Triangle move? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

It sounds like the jib was flogging for a couple of days, which could easily shred it.

I doubt they went for a fun swim the evidence points to a man overboard. Both the main and jib were up but not set and I don’t know anybody who would swim away from there boat with the sails up unless someone was still on board. If were me I would swim off the back if got to hot but would hang onto a rope or ladder and tow slowly behind the boat but never without someone controlling the boat..Perhaps it was man overboard and the other 2 went to assist.

They turn the boat back release the sheets and remove heavy clothing before jumping in and possibly they are holding onto a rope but the current and wind drag them along and tires them out causing them to separate them from the boat. However it does seem strange as there is no safety or floatation gear missing or is there? Can the previous owner recount the exact number of life jackets?...Maybe the investigation will uncover more.. Just as a matter of interest there was another strange incident in Queensland when a few months back a catamaran of similar size washed ashore upturned and battered. It was reported missing in ((2005)) there was no info on its disappearance. Maybe it was stolen but it probably broke its mooring. It was reported to have very rusty engines suggesting it may have been adrift for 2 years..

What was the background experience of these 3? Did they have much sailing experience? That the dinner was laid out, computer running, sounds like they went for a swim and forgot to put a ladder or rope over the side first. It's happend plenty of times before. The only thing that doesn't make sense is the sails were up but maybe they we becalmed, went for a swim and couldn't get back on board.

OR, they faked their deaths, jumped on a buddy's boat, and forgot to put the fenders away first...

The info from the gps suggests the boat went off course in moderate to heavy conditions on the day that they left so the fenders may have been left out and to swim with sails up in those conditions is unlikely..The 3 were experienced sailors, my only thought is they are old guys who could be very tired when trouble struck and even experinced sailors make mistakes in a high pressure situations.. Still it is a bit unusual..

It seems to me that their ages would suggest they have enough experience and wisdom to NOT do something stupid like go for a swim with the sails up or to jump overboard to rescue somebody in the water.

Nope, I think they went to the aid of another boat that appeared to be in distress. They put their fenders out so they could come alongside. And then they were kidnaped by the three beautiful women on the other boat.