NavigoArmatus.com

HMS Bounty Sinks Off N.C. Coast

The above graphic is the hurricane warning that was published by NOAA last Thursday 25OCT. The 34-knot wind probability chart indicates the movement and size of the danger area starting last Monday 22OCT.

The director of the HMS Bounty Organization, Tracie Simonin, said the tall ship had left Connecticut last week en route for St. Petersburg, Fla.

“They were staying in constant contact with the National Hurricane Center,” she said. “They were trying to make it around the storm.”

Obviously they didn't make it! Negligent that they should even try a trip like that given the data and circumstances.

This incident reminds me of the wreck of the Fantome during hurricane Mitch in 1998, except more reliable data was available this time for Sandy. 

I can't think of any lawful reason that would justify this ship being where it was when it sank. Pending enlightenment to the contrary of what I'm thinking, I'm hoping that the insurance underwriter, if the company has one, withholds any and all claim payments, and the United States Coast Guard, in addition to their formal investigation, bills the vessel owner for every penny spent in the rescue effort.

-fl

Hurricane Sandy — Monster Mega-storm?

According to Jeff Masters, PhD: "Wind shear is expected to remain a high 30 - 55 knots for the next four days, as Sandy interacts with a trough of low pressure to its west. The high shear should keep Sandy from intensifying the way most hurricanes do--by pulling heat energy out of the ocean. However, the trough approaching from the west will inject into Sandy what is called "baroclinic" energy--the energy one can derive from the atmosphere when warm and cold air masses lie in close proximity to each other. This transition will reduce the hurricane's peak winds, but strong winds will spread out over a wider area of ocean. This will increase the total amount of wind energy of the storm, keeping the storm surge threat high. This large wind field will likely drive a storm surge of 3 - 6 feet on Monday and Tuesday to the right of where the center makes landfall, on the mid-Atlantic or New York coasts. These storm surge heights will be among the highest ever recorded along the affected coasts, and will have the potential to cause hundreds of millions of dollars in damage."

The strongest hurricane on record for the Atlantic Basin is Hurricane Wilma (Oct. 15-26, 2005). With a central pressure of 882 mb (26.05"), Wilma produced sustained winds of 175 mph.

Meterological science is pretty good at forecasting the track of these storms after they form, but that's about all. From then on, it's either get out of the way, or hunker down!

-fl

Electric Shock Drowning (ESD)

...if the dock has120-volt AC power, lethal amounts of electricity could be finding their way into the water from faulty wiring on the dock or a boat.

Striker-fired Pistols

It is good to replay a periodic warning about the critical need to keep your finger off the trigger and out of the trigger guard when using a striker-fired pistol.

You may be able to safely get by with 'caressing the trigger' on a double-action revolver, but that is NOT a safe thing to do with a striker-fired pistol. There have been many accidental discharges due to the failure to keep fingers, and all other objects, away from the trigger until intentioned to shoot. The problem is addressed in training by intensively teaching students to keep their finger out of the trigger guard until ready to shoot — no matter what kind of gun you are using. It is critical that the shooter do that when using a striker-fired pistol.

The following video shows a striker-fired pistol in cutaway. Note how it differs from a conventional hammer/firing pin action.

Of course, it's wise to constantly review and practice all of the safety rules.

-fl