Maltese Falcon hit by 40' sail boat Stann By

[switters]

Been reading about it over on SA, they have some good pics on the first page from one of the anarchists.

lots of comments on who is at fault but the bottom line is "tonnage rules"

http://yachtpals.com/maltese-falcon-yacht-collision-3074

and a link that shows the picture.

[Dan McCosh]

How do you tell what tack a square-rigger is on, anyway?

[Paul Scheuer]

Wind over the port rail, but what happens to the wind direction downwind of that mass of sail ?

[rbgarr]

It sounds like the MF may have been overtaking the smaller boat when both were on port tack. I imagine the turbulence from the MF's sails was substantial and passing by to windward rendered the smaller boat uncontrollable, and may have even backwinded it, causing a crash tack.

[dennisbur]

Wonder if the asking price for the MF will be lowered to a point where I can afford it?

[Captain Blight]

Wonder if the asking price for the MF will be lowered to a point where I can afford it?
No.

[soba]

Wonder if the asking price for the MF will be lowered to a point where I can afford it?

I don't think I could afford the repairs, anyway.

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Perini says the expected speed for MF is 22 knots... They've had her going 18-19 I think. That's moving for a bigass boat like that..:eek:

[Bob Cleek]

I really can't imagine what MF's skipper was thinking sailing that behemouth in the Bay. SF Bay is quite a large space, but it is also rather crowded and there are many hazards to navigation. The wind does not blow steadily, nor from the same direction. The land features create all sorts of exciting wind patterns. It doesn't take much to screw up. It's one thing to contend with the dozens of cargo vessels in the designated vessel traffic lanes. They have skilled pilots at the helm, maintain speed control, and are in continuous contact with USCG Vessel Traffic Control on YBI. MF is as big as many of the cargo vessels. Once the wind takes her, I can't imagine they could keep her under control inside the Bay under full sail. Even the large sail training vessels like Eagle enter the Bay under power with only minimal canvas set, and then more likely than not because the spectators expect to see sail flying. It was Esmeralda, IIRC, that came in the Gate under sail some years back, scheduled to berth near Fisherman's Wharf, and found herself passing under the Bay Bridge before she could get sail shortened and under engine powered control. What were those guys thinking?

[Captain Blight]

What were those guys thinking?
That the world would get out of their way because they had money.

[George Roberts]

"and found herself passing under the Bay Bridge before she could get sail shortened and under engine powered control. What were those guys thinking?"

They were thinking the same thing that the guys with the really big boats think. You know - the cargo/oil boats that require 2-3 miles of stopping distance.

It is difficult to blame the captain for following common practice.

[willmarsh3]

I wonder what the sloop was doing so close to begin with?

I think I'd be taking the Maltese Falcon out past the Golden Gate bridge into the Pacific for a "day sail". Wait - does she fit under the Golden Gate? The Golden Gate's height is 220 feet at low tide. http://www.sfgov.org/site/visitor_index.asp?id=8085

Note that the Mirabella V does not fit under the Golden Gate. It's mast height is 292 feet. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirabella_V

[essaunders]

MF mast height is 191 ft.

source http://www.symaltesefalcon.com/specifications.asp

better yet, a picure (Mirabella V, Athena, Maltese Falcon):
http://www.charterworld.com/images/user/Image/Sailing%20Yacht%20Comparison.jpg

[John Meachen]

I read in the Latitude 38 account of the event that there was a San Francisco pilot with sailing experience on the bridge of the Falcon throughout.I would be hesitant to apportion blame but have to wonder whether the helmsman of the smaller boat has had his eyes tested recently.