Despite being a British naval vessel, the original Bounty was not a man-o'-war, and was rated only as a "cutter" with William Bligh as the only officer with 35-36 man crew. Fletcher Christian sailed it with only a crew of 18 after the mutiny. So the sixteen people aboard during the interrupted cruise from Connecticut to Florida along with the normal power assistance they enjoyed, was not necessarily a "short" crew. As in any sinking due to stormy seas, the investigation into this sad event will probably show a series of decisions (any one of which would not alone seem really poor) leading up to the loss. Rich Gano Calypso (GB42 Hull # 295) Panama City area, FL