Posted by Ed Kiser on October 01, 2009 at 18:50:10 user Kisered.
In Reply to: most dangerous situation posted by John W on October 01, 2009 at 23:01:10:
At the first of SA, they used SWALLOW to carry some of their camping goods to the island.
There were several concerns:
1. The SWALLOW was not a boat that they were all that familiar with, but with just one trial sail with "Queen Elizabeth".
2. The boat was rather heavily loaded, even with its normal load of four people, but also with camping gear.
3. The SWALLOW did not have positive bouyancy, as was shown in SD, with a hole in the bows, it SANK. It had LEAD ballast.
4. Roger could not swim.
5. Sailboats HEEL over in certain winds, dipping the lee gunwale close to the surface. There are those awkwards moments when it can capsize.
6. There were no personal floatation devices, like life jackets or floatable cushions.
As for the concept of DUFFERS, addressed by the telegram, it would seem that the duffers here are the parents, showing a remarkable lack of responsibility regarding the safety of their children, allowing them to set sail with the above listed conditions.
I'm glad they did, though, or we would not have had much of a story.
Ed Kiser, Kentucky