Deadly crash in Volvo Ocean Race

LaRea

A racing sailboat in the Volvo Ocean Race collided with a commercial fishing boat, killing one person on the fishing boat.  It happened in a well-traveled area 30 miles from Hong Kong.  It doesn't say how fast they were going, but I'll guess the sailboat was probably going at least triple the speed of the fishing boat.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/20/world/asia/volvo-ocean-race-vestas-hong-kong.html

Liberty44140

Thanks for sharing. These are not the multi hull boats of the America’s cup that could pass a power boat, they are mono hull, but he could have been going anywhere from 8 to 15 knots depending on the wind angle. I’d guess the fishing boat may have been standing still and just not seen. Terrible incident. 

LaRea

Volvo says the boats can do 30 kts in a good breeze.  I doubt they'll ever publish details about the cause of the crash.

Liberty44140

Wow. That’s got to be down wind surfing a wave but still pretty darn quick! 

Dream_Inn

Wow, very interesting!  I remember when the race came thru Annapolis a couple times.  Was pretty cool boating and following them down from Baltimore to Annapolis and watch them start the next leg of the race. 

Definitely sad to hear someone died.  I'm with liberty, bet they just didn't even see them.

LaRea

From what I know about sailboaters in local Sunday beer races, some racers have zero inhibitions when it comes to close encounters with other boats.  The attitude seems to be "my racing line is more important than your emotional comfort."  I suppose it's even more true in big-time racing.  

Liberty44140

Ha, your not kidding. Full disclosure, I used to be one of them and yes since altering course just a few degrees could be the difference from first to fifth in a race. we always got close to anchored boats in our path. Not saying it is right, just that I’ve been there. Can definitely see how anchored boats would be irritated. Once a fisherman tossed a walleye just a couple feet in to one of our friends sailboat, sailor picked it up and yelled “is this the biggest that you can throw?”