We're (I'm) a tough crowd. Appreciate the updates for those of us unfortunate enough to not be there.You always come through for us, now that Rick fella... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Todd

Way to go Mike and Lindsay!

Way to go Cat in the Hat! The Tybee is Yours! The Tybee is Yours!

Hats off to all the Cats who started this race....better men than I.

2nd on a Hobie 16 , are they allowing that boat in the TB then.

Hear, hear! I wholeheartedly agree.

GARY

Korz, dude, I was just setting it up for Wouter's grand entrance :P

Mary,

With regard to the EPIRB, (I should probably research this a little - I know some work with stationary satellites) but I believe they work periodically as a satellite screams across the sky. It gets the information from the EPIRB and sends it to the emergency services. Naturally, there would be some delay in this information getting to the Coast Guard and if it is periodic in nature (because of the satellite orbits), if Larry was still moving at 15knots, by the time they got to where the signal said they were, they would be long gone. That's probably why they had difficulty finding them.

That might explain it. So if the satellite doesn't happen to be around when your epirb starts going off, I wonder how long it is before they DO get the signal and the coordinates at the CG station? Could make a difference between life and death; right?

I just assumed that when you set your epirb off, somebody starts receiving that signal immediately (along with the GPS coordinates). Is this a dangerous assumption?

Please DO do some research on this.

Maugan,

I was replying to pbisesi post not yours. So if any credit is to be claimed then ...

But I will always reply in the way I did to things as written by pbisesi. Irrespectibally whether somebody is fishing or not. Because when untruths and halve truths are repeated often enough while remained unchallenged then eventually they will be seen as truth itself.

Presenting the other viewpoint perpetually is indeed a thankless job, but somebody has to do it. Who better then myself to do it, it is not that my good rep is suffering from it ! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Wouter

You got me.



I did say:


When describing the Hobie 16.
That of course is not true.

Thank you
------------------------------------------------
Congratulations to everyone that sailed the event.
Any good stories from the competitors?

Here is some wind information from a weather buoy in the area.

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/show_plot.php?station=mlrf1&meas=wdpr&uom=E

Pretty daunting wind there. I looked at the forecast and decided that 25 knots was too much for me out on the ocean side. It just wasn't worth tearing things up for a race that probably was going not going to be much fun.

I got out on a big power boat on Saturday and snapped some pictures. It was quite a beating we took on the powerboat. I'll try to get the pictures posted in the next few days. That shot of the H16 was pretty lucky. Nice of him to provide me with such a good photo op.

Even without sailing it was still a lot of fun seeing everyone down there again. Unfortunate about 2 broken masts in one event. We got out on Saturday and chased some of the competitors around. We are now looking forward to tradewinds.

Mike Hill
www.stlouiscats.com

Ok, this is what happened to me in a similar situation with an EPIRB.

2002 Worrell.
When I took Chris Sawyer's place on the boat, he was big on safety. We had three EPIRB's on the boat, two hand held (one on each person), and one 406 satellite EPIRB (on the boat).

The hand held (121.5mHz) EPIRBs send out a radio signal that is picked up by satellites and APPROXIMATES your position. The 406 EPIRBs have an embedded GPS that sends coordinates along with a serial number to the satellites for a MUCH more accurate location. If you do it right, you register your 406 EPIRB and they know who that serial number belongs to. As soon as they get a signal and serial number, they attempt to contact the owner.

In addition, there is a delay in the transmission of the data from satellite to ground, so rescuers are NOT looking at real time data. However the newer 406's are MUCH more accurate than the old 112mHz ones. I think from what I've read there is an ~1/2 hr delay between signal and the people on the ground getting the data. Estimated guess is that given this is a global system, there are no "dead spots". Since you have to have a minimum of three satellites to triangulate a position for the 121's I would think that satellite coverage is not an issue.

During the second night leg of the '02 Worrell, the 406 fired off. It was EASY to see b/c it had a bright strobe on it and was BLINDING us. It was supposed to only fire if it was submersed a certain depth as well, but... regardless, it went off. I tried to turn it off, but... to no avail. As soon as we hit the beach, I ran to the hotel room and took it apart to disconnect the battery. I immediately tried to contact the Coast Guard via VHF, but ended up having to call them. They had received the broadcast and sent a search flight out. I was told that they received several data points that showed us to be moving at ~25kts to the north in the vicinity of Cape Romane, therefor they guessed it was an accidental firing as the EPIRB was moving at a sustained rate of speed.

Since I had called, confirmed the serial number of the EPIRB and it's status, there was no problem/charges. They did say, however that had I not called, the "case" would have stayed open for an additional 24 hours past the last signal received and another flight might have gone out.

That is right, the Coast Guard will launch on every EPIRB signal, mayday call or flare sighting.

Ok, actually, I misspoke with regards to the older EPIRBs.

"Older EPIRBs did not contain the GPS receiver, so the GOES satellite received only a serial number. To locate the EPIRB, another set of satellites (like the TIROS-N satellite) orbiting the planet in a low polar orbit could pick up the signal as it passed overhead. This would give a rough fix on the location, but it took several hours for a satellite to come into range."

If equipped, the search aircraft can also "look" for the signal from the EPIRB as they fly.

From the USCG:
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/gmdss/epirb.htm

I am going to start a PLB thread. Please see my posting here.

GARY

Before anyone jumps on me....NO...I didn't actually compete....BUT I did leave the beach with the intent to compete. And in hind sight I very much regret pulling out when I did. However since folks are asking for personal accounts, I'll be happy to share mine (and Robi's...my crew)

We pushed off the beach with the other 11 boats and made it to Jewfish Creek Bridge in nothing flat where we commenced with playing in the current for the first time in my short (4 yr) sailing career. Very interesting to be sailing upwind while actually moving backwards!! Once the bridge opened it was pure mayhem trying to get through. Hat's off to Team Tybee as they were positioned properly and shot through first attempt. Everyone else had to try multiple times and a couple had to be towed through after we REALLY pissed off all the drivers waiting for the bridge to be lowered! After we played bumper boats a couple of times we figured it out and Robi rowed his tail off as we were the 3rd boat to actually make it through. (feeling good about now!!) We then proceeded to tack over 30 times to get up Jewfish Creek to Barnes Sound and again...made it out 3rd...however seeing Team Tybee flip in the creek and the sight of the conditions in Barnes sound tempered our "feel good" substantially. We went out into the sound and tried to park, found ourselves slowly pushing upwind as we waited for the rest of the boats and the starting comittee to arrive. For the first time in my sailing career, I had serious concerns about falling off to sail back downwind to get back below the starting area. About this time a small microburst was coming through with a bit of rain, merely intensifying the situation and as we pulled off to go back down we stuffed the hulls pretty good several times even though we were quickly very deep and all the way back on the beam. (of course I am screaming to Robi...WEIGHT BACK, WEIGHT BACK!!!) At this point I am thinking "and this is on the INSIDE!!....wait 'till we get out of Angelfish Creek!!" This is the point where I decided it would be wise to pull the plug and quickly did so. After talking to others I think EVERYONE was thinking the same thing at that point in time...at least everyone who had made it out of Jewfish Creek by then. I know Ollie specifically was deciding to ditch, but shortly after (as Robi and I were already headed back down Jewfish Creek), the microburst cleared, the sun started to peek out, and he decided maybe it wouldn't be so bad and reversed his decision to ditch. Frankly, had I been positioned where Ollie was (at the mouth of the creek...calmer) and seen the clearing, I probably would have reversed as well and gone ahead with the race....

We got back after pitchpoling just off the beach in Blackwater sound, and scrambled to drive up to Card Sound Bridge to catch the other boats going through. We got up there a little late as all boats were already through and most were into Angelfish Creek. That was when the SERIOUS REGRET set in for me for having bailed....

In retrospect, after hearing all the other accounts that evening, I think we could have handled it just fine barring any catastrophic failures. (one of my other decision points was hearing all the horrendous noises coming from Lucille (my boat)!!!) Yes we probably would have gone swimming a time or two...but MAN...THE STORIES We'd have to tell!!! Now I'll have nothing but regret until the next time fate and planning line up again for similar conditions!!

Congrats and Hat's Off to all who started the race, and apoligies to Robi (my crew) for a DNC! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

JL

Jake.... I'm looking for the Video man.... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Sorry you had to pull the DNC, but it's a good story anyway!

Thanks...I got the sense Robi was relieved but dissapointed as well. It's a tough thing we do....figuring out just how far to push ourselves beyond our comfort zone, but that's the only place we can learn our true capabilities and be satisfied that we have given it our all!

JL