Roger Stone -Msg. Boater, Body recovered.

[awakening2lite]

EXCERPT

As investigators from A&M Univesity look into what caused the Cynthia Woods’ keel to come off with the loss of one life and the endangering of five others last week, one local boat inspector has questioned if the boat should have been at sea at all.

According to Rosa Flores of Khou.com, Dick Frenzel’s knowledge about the 38-foot Cape Fear sailboat that went under off the Texas coast near Freeport is extensive. He was at one time responsible for inspecting boats at the Texas A&M maritime college in Galveston.

'The loss of life could have been prevented,' said Frenzel, who added that from what he knows of the Cynthia Woods, it should have never been in the regatta from Galveston to Mexico in the first place.

'The boat would not have passed the survey because it was lacking a lot of the safety equipment that is found on a boat that is going on an offshore voyage. And especially if it’s going to race,' he said.

source: http://www.sail-world.com/cruising/i...d=45633&rid=11

The investigation by the USCG and A&M continues.

[awakening2lite]

Hero sailor’s wife to sue over probe

By Rhiannon Meyers
The Daily News

Published July 10, 2008

Linda Stone plans to file a lawsuit against four parties including the designer and builder of the racing yacht Cynthia Woods, which lost its keel and capsized last month killing her husband Roger Stone.

The civil complaint claims that Cape Fear Yacht Works, marine designer Bruce Merrick, Payco Inc., and Galveston Yacht Service have not cooperated with investigations into the accident, said her attorney, Randy Sorrels, before a news conference in Houston this morning.

The 38-foot sailboat lost its keel June 6 during a race from Galveston to Vera Cruz, Mexico. It capsized in seconds, sending four members of the Texas A&M University at Galveston Offshore Sailing Team and one safety officer into the Gulf where they fought for life for more than 24 hours.

Stone, the crew’s second safety officer, was trapped below the boat’s deck and drowned. Two of the student sailors credited Stone with saving their lives.

source: http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?...216bdf06843a32

[awakening2lite]

Cynthia Woods Tragedy - Waiting for Answers

EXCERPT

For the past six months, both the U.S. Coast Guard and A&M have been pursuing their own separate technical investigations, and the Coast Guard, when asked, said that their report would be released within a month, and the A&M University said that theirs would be released soon after.

What the Houston Chronicle - and many others - want to know, is:

WHY did the Texas A&M sailboat lost its keel — a piece it had to have to stay afloat?

Was it a tragic flaw in the design or construction of the boat?

Was it a mistake in repairing the boat, which had experienced at least four groundings or collisions with submerged structures before June 6?

Was the school at fault for not making sure that the repaired boat was still seaworthy?

The answers are promised soon, and the Chronicle is making sure no-one forgets.

Meanwhile, Linda Stone and her children, Eric and Elizabeth, are trying to go on with their lives.

“It’s one of those things that upsets me when I think about it,” Linda told the Chronicle. “We’re not even close to being healed.”


by 5:47 AM Wed 3 Dec 2008 GMT

http://www.sail-world.com/USA/Cynthi...-Answers/51451

[packy]

Thanks for the update, Awake. I hope they do get the answers they deserve and kudos to the Chronicle for staying on top of this.