I know one of the boats & crew that issued a distress call. Their boat is a very rugged "blue water" design in excellent condition, well equipped and sailed by a capable, experienced crew. I've been aboard many times. Conditions had to be horrific to dismast their boat. Either that or something failed in the rigging. The last word we received from them (before the trouble started) was that "conditions were squally". I suspect there were much stronger conditions in localized areas of the stream, not reflected in broader forecasts or GRIB files.