I avoid racing like the plague. I just got sick of people who could not come to terms with the fact that "Right of way is given, not taken". Why does some one have to die?

That's tragic news

Quite a bit of detail emerging in this article just published in the Sydney Morning Herald
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/yachts-hit-head-on-in-fatal-sailing-accident-20160228-gn5irj.html

Having had a number of close calls with yachts racing on Pittwater I am not overly surprised at this incident. A lot, maybe most, of the racing skippers ignore or flagrantly flout rules of the road but it looks like this collision was from a failure to see conflicting vessels rather than willfully ignoring the rules.
I am sure everyone involved is devastated by what has happened.

Racing on Pittwater, racing on Sydney Harbour, racing anywhere is not for the faint harted.
Neither is sailing generally.

Ramona wrote about skippers ignoring, flagrantly flouting the rules of the road. This generalisation l find a bit harsh. This, in case of a fatal accident would be wilful murder! Thank heavens, this is seldom the case.

There are situations especially around start lines and buoys where the boats congregate en mass and this higher density of crafts bring situations where visibility is severely limited and decisions must be made in the fraction of a second. This situation could end in accidents. This is part of racing. If one can not bear the heat, one should get out of the kitchen!

Thuss, on the weekend on the Harbour, from Gladesville to Middle Harbour my yacht nearly got T-boned by errant cruising sail boat skippers f o u r times! Ok, it was Sunday, more Sunday skippers on the water, it is the sad reality, but this is just emphasizing the fact, that sailing is as danerous as driving or just crossing the road.
I would be happy to die racing or cruising instead of losing my mind and wilting away in a nursing home.

Hi all

This is a sad situation but it is easy to understand how it might happen from what has been reported especially if the crew were focused on hoisting a spinnaker at the time

Perhaps the other boat had right of way and assumed the boat where the fatalities occurred would take avoiding action

Probably should not speculate on what happened until a investigation is carried out but i wonder if this accident might have some flow on effects in the setting of courses etc

My condolences to all involved

Regards Don

Don't put the mocka on Nipper yet, he's still doin' it tough but he's still doin' it!