Jump to content

Tragedy in the USA


Recommended Posts

Only been caught once by a buster coming through and it could have been a whole lot worse. Luckily we saw the boats to weather of us get slammed about a minute before it hit us. We got the main down just in time and got a couple of sheets wrapped around it.

We were in a little R930 with the self tacker on so we centred it as best we could and headed up into it. Still way too much sail, but managed to keep some momentum.

I think the race fleet got through mostly unscathed, but I remember a number of fishing boats and cruisers got into some trouble as they probably didn't even see it coming until it was too late.

 

As it was some hours after the race start, I'm not sure the RC would have even known about it until about half a dozen boats started heading home with varying degrees of damage.

Even if RC did see it coming and issued a warning, which I would think they would be obliged to do, I don't think much would have changed with the damage list.

 

Our thoughts at the time were, although we had very little notice, we were 1 of only a very few that actually dropped sail. Others were still trying to race through it. We had a boat to leeward that tried reefing as it hit and ended up with only a few threads of sail left. Luckily they still had a rig. 1 or 2 others didn't.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Enjoy it being skippers decision to sail while it lasts because I don't think it will be for long.

Not all skippers are equal and some don't know what they don't know.

Not all boats are equal either (pretty obvious)

When the weather is bad on the Desert Road do they let the drivers decide?

Nope they shut the road, partly to keep you alive and partly so they don't spend all night dragging the muppets out of the snow.

The whole liability thing will force the issue sooner rather than later.

Even if the skipper signs "yep my risk" that may not absolve the club of liability if one of his family trust's beneficiaries decides to sue in the event of a fatality.

Link to post
Share on other sites

OK, so in our weather (I have no clue about the busters) those storms can form very quickly. They "pop up" (in the jargon), and even with the best radar you might have only 30 minutes warning before they hit. 

 

But 30 minutes is still WAY better than the good old days. 

 

Good seamanship dictates that in all the cases cited above, boats should have had sails (tied firmly) down. 

 

How about your RC's? How do they handle it? 

 

At our place, if the RC hears thunder within two minutes of the start of the race, they abandon. (I'll have to ask them what they will do in case of a "pop up" that develops after the race starts. They are even more cautious when it is a youth race - as well they should be.) 

 

Sail safe. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

On the Desert Rd analogy, wanting the RC to take responsibility for your safety is like stepping in front of a truck crossing the road, getting killed, then complaining to Auckland Transport for not keeping you safe.

It's all about personal responsibility.

It would appear that personal responsibility is going much the same way as common sense, I.e. Not so common anymore...

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

All I can say is if you see something like this coming towards you get the sails down pronto. The yacht video at the beginning of this thread shows a yacht that had the sense to have their sails down early (but not so sensible with regard to life jackets and wet weather gear). Early on you can see a yacht under sail and well healed over, wonder how they faired after they were lost from view?

 

So stuff the race, safety of you and the crew becomes paramount.

 

I remember watching that Wellington race from across the bay and thinking why dont they get their sails down? Perhaps the boats around the one filming were behind the hill and didn't have a clear view of the approaching front, but the leaders would have seen it some minutes earlier, and they sailed into it.

I was especially interested as just a couple of months before I had been flattened, swamped and rescued in a southerly squall and had resolved to keep a better lookout and to get sail down if I saw such a squall coming at me again.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Sometimes those squalls can sneak up on you at night, in which case you are well and truly . . 

 

And respectfully, those who go on about skipper's decision and personal responsibility don't 

seem to want to deal with the issue of RC responsibility for children and youth out on the 

race course . . 

 

Are we being nannies when we run youth races? Damn right we are !!

  • Downvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Nope. If you are old enough to race, you are old enough to be responsible for yourself.

Different story for learn to sail of course.

Hmmm, not too sure on this one.  In some ways yes and some no.  

I periodically take my kids along on the variety of boats I race on, admittedly, usually only if the conditions are looking ok. While we have our individual safety briefing and the rule is basically "you're on your on - I'm busy" in the event of catastrophy, I'm still responsible (legally in the case of my 12yo) 

I know I'm not the only person who takes kids racing and think it would be sad if we couldn't.  While the older child isn't all that into sailing, the younger one loves it - his biggest thrill this year was doing the (evening) race to Kauwau on the mighty Sundreamer - obviously he couldn't do much because he can barely lift the ropes but it's the experience of being a part of it.

Matty wouldn't have been much older when he was racing on SD though right Phil?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hmmm, not too sure on this one.  In some ways yes and some no.  

I periodically take my kids along on the variety of boats I race on, admittedly, usually only if the conditions are looking ok. While we have our individual safety briefing and the rule is basically "you're on your on - I'm busy" in the event of catastrophy, I'm still responsible (legally in the case of my 12yo) 

I know I'm not the only person who takes kids racing and think it would be sad if we couldn't.  While the older child isn't all that into sailing, the younger one loves it - his biggest thrill this year was doing the (evening) race to Kauwau on the mighty Sundreamer - obviously he couldn't do much because he can barely lift the ropes but it's the experience of being a part of it.

Matty wouldn't have been much older when he was racing on SD though right Phil?

 

Just to claify, i was talking about children racing by themselves, not with adults. skippers responsibily, whether the skipper be 7 or 70.

Link to post
Share on other sites

This thread brings to mind a little cruise i did years ago. I must have been around 13 or 14, it was my last year in P Class. Faced with a long weekend with no racing scheduled a mate and I went for a cruise. 2 P class, one pup tent, 2 sleeping bags and some food. Pretty much circumnavigated Whangarei Hr in 2.5 days.

 

Yes my parents were involved, they dropped us at the Yacht Club and picked us up when we got back. Bloody good fun. They'd probably get arrested for allowing it today.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Swallows and Amazons anybody?

 

The stuff of my dreams.  When my mate and I were 14, we put together a scrupulously planned kayak holiday around the harbour, unfortunately our parents refused to allow us to go.  In hindsight, we possibly were ill-prepared but then we did all sorts of other things that I hope my kids never do.  But these experiences make up who I am so…

 

In a couple of years’ time, I shall be encouraging the, by then, 14yo to take the trailer yacht out by himself. 

 

Maybe I’m old fashioned?

Link to post
Share on other sites

I bought my 15yo a Piedy, figured he is better off at a Piedy raftup than doing what I did in my youth!

 

I did sail my Starling from Taikata to Rangitoto & back some 38 years ago. Ended up in the dark with no wind at low tide walking it back around the mangroves whilst Mum/Dad wondered where the hell I was. Hadn't intended to go that far, just seemed a good idea at the time & on the sail out I had never considered the time it would take to come back. Parents were not overly impressed as I'd only mentioned to Mum first thing in the morning I was going out for a sail...

  • Upvote 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

I always was told there are only 2 REAL rules when sailing:

 

1. One hand for yourself and one for the boat, IN THAT ORDER!

 

2. Keep a weather eye peeled.

 

Later I added to rule 2, "& think of the 8 things that can go wrong and how to avoid them".

 

Seems to cover most situations, IMHO.

Link to post
Share on other sites

8 things to go wrong covers the major points of the compass as well as the:

Portside, Starboard side, topside, inside, outside, lee side, weather side and "besides . . ."

 

:razz:  :razz:  :razz:  :razz:  :razz:  :razz:  :razz:  :roll:

Link to post
Share on other sites

Or maybe it shows that racers just don't know when to quit?

 

Many is the time racing in Europe when the RC has abandoned in weather so bad that as competitors we couldn't see the flags, so what did we do? Keep racing of course! All the way to the bitter end. I mean, there are points at stake, right? On one occasion we found out later that in the conditions the rescue RIB's couldn't make headway against the wind to notify the fleet. 

 

At no time did any of the competitors think about pulling out, or at least, none would admit to it later.

 

I spent quite a few years racing on the Severn River, where tidal flow is up to eight knots. Which means that nice 15 knot race is suddenly 30 knots when the tide gets up to full flow in the other direction. And it turns pretty quickly out there.

 

Then again, maybe you're right. Cruisers would probably just down sails in that stuff, whereas the hardcore racers would just keep pushing.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Apparently, all six deaths were from among the racing fleet. 

 

Earlier that had not been clear. Very sorry. 

Thanks AJ, Many of the initial reports I read were completely unclear on that. They implied it while at the same time confirming nothing.

 

Such is the quality of reporting these days that the 6 deaths could have come from people being electrocuted on a boardwalk while watching the racing and it could have been reported as "6 dead during yacht race."

 

I'm grieved to find out that the implications were in fact well founded.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...