Canada launches rescue as winds hit trans-atlantic sailing race

[applegrove]

http://ca.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idCAKBN1902W0-OCASP

Fri 9 Jun 2017 | 20:43 EDT Reuters



Canada launches rescue as winds hit trans-Atlantic sailing race

SNIP.......


OTTAWA (Reuters) - The Canadian military launched a rescue mission on Friday to reach several sailing vessels in distress in the mid-Atlantic after high seas and hurricane-strength winds disrupted a race from Britain to the United States.

The defense ministry said it was "responding to distress calls from multiple sailing vessels," coordinating efforts with marine rescue centers from the United States, Portugal and Britain.

A Canadian frigate and two coastguard ships, as well as two civilian tankers, were en route in response to calls from three yachts damaged by the storm, ministry spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier said by e-mail.

"At least one vessel is dismasted, with others having rigging and or hull damage," he said. The Canadian ships should arrive in 24 to 72 hours. Canada has also sent two long-range search-and-rescue aircraft.

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[bdamomma]

1. oh god,

please don't let it be the Tall ships on their way to Halifax they were on their way there. They are beautiful vessels. Let those be safe and rescued.

[applegrove]

2. No. They are not tall ships. They are single hulled and less than 60 feet.

Pretty small boats.

[bdamomma]

3. Thank you just read article.

Just freaking out. Tall ships were just in Bermuda.

[applegrove]

4. They are small boats. I hope they are okay till the ships arrive. Those5

waves are huge.

[Brother Buzz]

5. Small is subjective

A fifty-sixty footer is just about the upper limit a short-handed crew can handle. With bigger boats, you get bigger sail, and let me tell you, even with the exotic lightweight sail material they use today, they are a bear to handle, especially in rough seas.

I saw a film of the 1980 OSTAR race, and there was one poignant moment when one of the cameras automatically turned on and caught a woman just after pitch poling and losing her mast. She sat with a dislocated finger, staring at the camera, and said "I don't want to be a hero, I just don't want to die". I wish I could remember her name.

[applegrove]

6. Scary.

[bluecollar2]

7. 30-50 foot seas

That'll up the risk factor...

Hope everyone gets through ok.

[Brother Buzz]

8. All 5 sailors rescued from mid-Atlantic after violent storm

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/sailors-rescued-mid-atlantic-vessel-distress-sailboat-race-newfoundland-1.4155026

[applegrove]

9. Thanks for informing me of the rescue. That was weighing on me.