Lee shore, Redondo Beach, Boat Lost
My boat is berthed in King Harbor and I've sailed through this areas hundreds of times.
There's an anomaly in the bottom near the harbor entrance commonly referred to as the Redondo Trench or the Redondo Canyon, which runs approximately parallel to the shore. As you approach the entrance from ocean the depth abruptly goes from about 45 feet to around 150 feet or more. Once you cross over the canyon the depth immediately drops to around twenty to twenty-five feet, which accentuates the wave action, as you'd expect. Experienced skippers who are familiar with the area, which the skipper in question is, know not to get their vessel near the shore on the shore side of the trench in this area. Although the waves were unusually large at the time of the incident, there's no good reason for a sailboat entering the harbor to be in this area even on a calm day. This vessel was in big trouble even if it had not capsized.
When I saw this video I assumed that there had been some sort of mechanical failure with the rigging, or that the main halyard had failed. I understand that no, in fact the skipper had ordered the mainsail lowered and was trying to sail in on jib alone. This boat had an outboard stored below and per race rules was supposed to be carrying an anchor.
I think that this accident can be attributed solely to skipper error. As a local old salt said, (XXXXX) had everyone on board wearing a life vest, but that's the only thing he did right.
Captain Don
Gitana, E26
