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To: Ramius

Yeah, if I lived down in the Keys, I'd keep a capable and fast boat handy. Far and away it would be the safest way out. 'Course, you'd have to pick up a car at some point. But that Keys highway (US 1, the only way out) is extremely unreliable and prone to being blocked by even a single accident.

Tell you the truth, I wouldn't want to weather this hurricane in even a USCG cutter. Remember when that small windjammer cruise ship sank with all hands during Mitch?


7,656 posted on 09/01/2004 10:33:07 PM PDT by Sam Cree (Democrats are herd animals)
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To: Sam Cree

gosh, no, I don't remember the Mitch incident... but I'll add that a CG cutter isn't always the best place to be in a storm. the 210' that I was on was only rated to take an 80kt wind broadside. That class is too high, too top heavy and has too shallow a draft to take the really serious stuff. Kinda the wrong ships to be playing in those waters.

There were a few times up in the Gulf (of alaska in this case) when it got pretty f'n hairy. Word has it that a sister ship that was on a patrol up there in the same storm actually got knocked down... went over 90 degrees. By a stroke of sheer luck, a lucky set of big waves knocked her back over and up on her feet again... but pretty creepy anyway.

For my part, the biggest number I ever personally saw on the inclinometer was 58 degrees. Didn't enjoy it. :-)


7,659 posted on 09/01/2004 10:43:55 PM PDT by Ramius (The pieces are moving. We come to it at last. The great battle of our time.)
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