Thanks AKSAR for your reply before I jumped in on the bandwagon. Around the world voyaging is done all the time with small kids (some born enroute). The boat they owned is a capable world cruiser and has done it plenty of times. 36 feet is not TOO small and some cruisers would say that it it too big (Google Lynn and Larry Pardy). The boat has to be the right size for you, but not too big to handle single handed. It did look from the pictures as though it was rigged properly (and should be for a two person crew). The sat phone was the proper response since they (in all likelihood) were talking to an MD stateside for remote assistance, not making a MADAY call. Things can and do spiral out of control. As for scuttling the boat, remember they just lost everything, nobody tows from 900 miles out, and it would have been a hazard to navigation. Correct, but very hard call to make.

Regards,
Bill

Oh, yeah, my two hour commute up I 95 here in northern VA was a hell of a lot more dangerous than what they were doing. That sail to the Marquesas is normally a quiet, 30 day, downwind easy ride.