Abandoned yacht in Cook Strait

[Brendon 0]

Earlier this evening a ketch was abandoned in Cook Strait.

 

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8148173 ... icken-boat

 

This afternoon a stronger than expected southerly came in and brought low misty cloud with it, which I expect contributed to the problems. But I would like to know more, the engine failed, but it was a ketch, what happened to the primary propulsion system?

[Brendon 0]

Radio NZ reports it was an 8 meter ketch Sea Wanderer

[grant 40]

have also heard it was 18 metres, no idea if that's anymore accurate than the 8m

[Brendon 0]

True, several years ago when I flipped my little 5.5m yacht the news said it was 7m

[Guest]

As per usual the NZ media lives down to its reputation.

[wheels 543]

The yacht was off Clifford Bay which is down the SI east coast a little from Cook Strait itself. Clifford Bay is where the proposed new Ferry Terminal will go. But no shelter there at the moment and would have been dangerous to have headed to. I have no idea of wind direction, but Port Underwood would or should have been an ideal place to head for shelter, however if Sea and wind was wrong for that direction, it is also a dangerous place to be. So maybe they had no where to go for shelter.

But easy to assume. Not a lot of info in the media.

[grant 40]

wind was a fresh southerly yesterday afternoon. Clifford Bay would have provided some shelter from the southerly swell, if there was any, however I can't see there being much protection from the wind.

 

Wonder where the boat is today? Forecast here is a flip flop between southerly and northerly.

[Guest]

Newspaper reports

The abandoned boat is drifting near the mouth of Cook Strait.

 

A navigation warning has been issued.

 

I wonder where that is? Tory Channel?

[sailfish 0]

would be cool to know as we are arriving back in welly from up north and our 6 month island trip and will be heading through that area in the early hours of friday morning. I guess a big thud in the middle of the night means we found it

[wheels 543]

Hmmmm, wasn't there supposed to be an engine problem? Engine is running and they are making way, so.....????

Also they reckon there are 7m sea's and 50kts of wind.

[Guest]

If that's a photo of the boat she was in Napier earlier in the week. Had a hot chick aboard, maybe 2 of them. It needed some work and the removal of a large quantity of good sized mussels and sealife off it's bum. The photo flatters it's condition.... from a external cursory suss.

[rigger 47]

I know a schooner that had an engine failure and was safely sailed onto the anchor one afternoon then the sailed off the anchor and back to her mooring the next morning.... but it was not in cook strait.

[Brendon 0]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/ne ... s-tourists

 

Still no mention of if she is still out there, run aground, been recovered?. Unless the steering is broken I still wonder as to the reason for abandoning. Mutiny by sea sick crew?

 

To be fair - remember this photo was taken when in the shelter of the cruise liner.

[Guest]

I know a schooner that had an engine failure and was safely sailed onto the anchor one afternoon then the sailed off the anchor and back to her mooring the next morning.... but it was not in cook strait.

 

But he had an expert crew

[Brendon 0]

 

Looking closely at this image and reading this blog I think that perhaps the rudder is broken?? can anyone see the bottom of the rudder?

 

http://farkeldownunder.blogspot.co.nz/2 ... celed.html

[PaulR 3]

Comming entirely out of left field . . .

Is this knot looking like a "2 masted vessel with portholes in the side" that the Police were looking for a few New Years ago from the Sounds

 

Has Scott Watson see this photo yet

[seamus 0]

I know the owner of this vessel. It wasn't in great condition, but he was bringing it down from Napier to Chch for a major refit. Very little sailing experience, and while the news media says three men I'm board I'm fairly sure it was his wife and daughter as crew, who have practically none.

I don't know exactly what happened yet but I suspect they were under resourced to sail out of trouble when the motor and nav failed. I'd already warned him of the danger of too much reliance on the chart-plotter without suitable backup.

[Brendon 0]

To reply to PaulR.

 

I dont think this really matches the mystery ketch description-

 

http://trudyandtom.tripod.com/mysteryketch.htm

 

Probably too small, the portholes were described as in the hull, no rope work or size to make such rope work necessary. And something would need to place her in Queen Charlotte sound at the time.

[Guest]

while the news media says three men I'm board I'm fairly sure it was his wife and daughter as crew, who have practically none.

That was his wife?? She looked way younger then he did.... but then to be honest who was looking at him

 

Yes agree the boat did need work, a fair bit of it staring with a hell bum clean. Didn't look spooky sad or about to fall apart though.

[seamus 0]

That was his wife?? She looked way younger then he did.... but then to be honest who was looking at him

[\quote]

 

Yes, wife.. and indeed quite a lot younger.

I hope the experience hasn't put them off yet, but they should take the time to develop a little more before heading off on the next trip.