August 10, 2011

• Boat Collisions

  I seem to be posting a lot of morbid topics lately.  My apologies!  But, I just had to post a link about this Cowes’ race collision, which probably everyone in the sailing world has seen by now, thanks to YouTube.

  
  Sailboat dismasted by tanker Hanne Knutsen

  But of course, I have to tie this topic in to one of my favorite subjects — Junk Rigs!

  Thanks to this new sailing website, called YachtPals, I found a beautiful ship called the Princess Tai Ping — a gorgeous replica of a traditional Chinese Junk-rigged sailboat.  Unfortunately, the Princess Tai Ping met a sad fate, when it collided with a Norwegian freighter, just before completing its return journey back to Taiwan.  Sucks!  But, unlike in the early days of junk sailing, one has to watch out for ferries and tankers these days.

  
  
  

  I have sneaking suspicion that they were so close to home that they let their guard down.  Exhausted after transversing the Pacific twice, perhaps whoever was on watch that night fell asleep.

  Ah well.  It still doesn’t put me off junk sailing.

   

  • 7:20 am
  • Leave a comment