Association Forum - Talk about a heartache...

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Talk about a heartache...

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

Member Avatar

3072 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/17/2004 : 21:07:11

The brand-new Mirabella V, Largest Sloop Ever Built...
On the rocks.

http://www.latitude38.com/LectronicLat/2004/0904/Sept17/Sept17.html#anchor1085433

WOTAM - '77 Catalina 25 SK/SR Sail Number 158

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 09/17/2004 : 21:13:22

Whoops...

That skipper's got splainin' to do...

Oscar
C42 # 76 "Lady Kay"
C250 # 618 Sold and settled, awaiting transfer of command.
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/C250WB

Edited by - on

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3324 Posts

Response Posted - 09/17/2004 : 21:14:21

Apparently she dragged anchor...and was on a lee shore.
Derek

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 09/17/2004 : 21:37:05

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">and was on a lee shore<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

IS on a lee shore....there are reports of scary noises. Her stern is 20 feet from the rocks...

Oscar
C42 # 76 "Lady Kay"
C250 # 618 Sold and settled, awaiting transfer of command.
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/C250WB

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 09/17/2004 : 21:42:45

Unbelievable! Oh well, I always did think it looked like a Mac 26M.

I suspect nobody fully understood effects of the wind forces on that humungous rig... Check this comparison to the previously largest single-masted rig: http://foxxaero.homestead.com/meg_mirabella.html

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 09/17/2004 21:48:04

Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2004 : 00:26:51

Mirabella was delayed from taking her maiden voyage because Mrs. Vittoria was unhappy with the flower arrangements on board. She is really going to be p.o.'d now!

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2004 : 10:20:08

When is bigger worser? When you can't fit your mast under the Golden Gate Bridge.

Edited by - on

oldsalt
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
578 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2004 : 10:30:58

I've been informed by Mr. Vittoria that unfortunately, due to unforseen circumstances, my upcoming charter has been indefinitely postponed.

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2004 : 10:33:36

She's off.....

http://www.ybw.com/auto/newsdesk/20040818122027ywnews.html

Oscar
C42 # 76 "Lady Kay"
C250 # 618 Sold and settled, awaiting transfer of command.
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/C250WB

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2004 : 11:49:39

I'm glad to hear that this grounding has apparently caused no major damage to Mirabella IV. These last several weeks of TV footage of hurricane damage to boats and marinas in Florida, the Caribbean, and the Gulf Coast has left me sickened at the carnage to boats this summer. It would have been terrible if this megayacht has been severely damaged or even sunk before carrying her first paying passengers. I do wonder why the owner and designer chose a single mast? Seems to me that a schooner rig would have been more sensible for a 247 foot long sailboat, for both engineering and economic reasons. Two masts of a more reasonable height would have allowed the yacht to visit ports like New York or San Francisco that have bridges across navigation channels, and the sails themselves would be a more manageable size. With Mirabella's mast 300' tall, I wonder what would be involved in making an emergency repair at sea to a failed component or sensor up at the masthead? I suppose the single-mast thing was motivated primarily by a desire to set a world record. Does anyone know what happens to Mirabella's mainsail when not in use? I would guess that it must be on some kind of in-mast or in-boom furling system, as it would be nearly impossible to drop that much sail onto the boom, the way our small Catalinas do, and keep it under control in a breeze.

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2004 : 13:47:40

Yeah, that's it, the MAC 247

It doesn't have sails at all, they just hang 14 Honda 50's off the stern, just like the MAC 26. And the water ballast tanks are huge.

Edited by - on

Brooke Willson
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2004 : 16:20:25

I'm sorry, but I find it difficult to get upset about mishaps to examples of excessive consumption.

Brooke

Edited by - on

Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2004 : 16:37:02

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE VITTORIAS:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Vittoria,

As a fellow sailor, I was sorry to hear about the grounding of your boat, Mirabella V, in the South of France. I certainly hope they find minimal damage when she is hauled for inspection. Which brings me to the reason for my writing.
I know how frustrating it can be to have your boat out of commission when you really want to be sailing. Therefore, if you would like to use my Catalina 25 sloop, Wind Point, during the time Mirabella is out of the water, just let me know. The two boats have many similarities. For instance, a bow, a stern, a mast, even a retractable keel. Why, they're practically sisterships! You might be pleased to know that Wind Point's draft with the keel lowered is 27 feet less than Mirabella's so you can sail into places you might otherwise have been forced to bypass. All I ask is that you pump out the porta-potty and fill the fuel tank before you return it. Don't worry, it's only a six gallon (U.S.) gas tank. In fact, it's only a six gallon (U.S.) porta-potty tank, too.
Of course, some skeptics might question why I am making such a generous offer but they don't understand how friendly the sailing family can be and that you would surely make the return gesture if I were to run Wind Point aground someday, right?

Regards,

Steve

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2004 : 17:09:29

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Lightnup
 ...and that you would surely make the return gesture if I were to run Wind Point aground someday, right?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2004 : 17:55:14

I wonder if the mast will snap off just like an America's cup boat.

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2004 : 18:11:16

Some more things I wonder about this "sailboat"

How many lawyers will be involved in sueing how many people in this grounding incident

Does the owner know how to sail?

How much weather helm does it have

How do you reef?

Can you single hand it?

What is it's PHRF rating

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2004 : 18:11:46

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 09/18/2004 : 19:55:13

How many lawyers will be involved in sueing how many people in this grounding incident? 31 (30 for the owner, 1 for the "captain")

Does the owner know how to sail? If he did, would he build that??

How much weather helm does it have? 7350 lbs. No problem with Caterpiller hydraulic power steering.

How do you reef? Owner: Reef? What's "reef"? Ron Holland: Nobody specified anything about reefing.

Can you single hand it? Yes, with 38 single hands

What is it's PHRF rating? -871 (JAM)

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 09/18/2004 20:07:53

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.