Orca attack

[25931]

Just been talking to another sailor here in Lagos, whose Nauticat was attacked not far from here. Despite having one of the most robust rudder designs available, his rudder was reduced to a bare shaft. Possibly the tangs were beyond their best anyway. Interestingly he was able to continue using his Hydrovane alone.

The attack started whilst in calm conditions under motor at night time. From within the wheelhouse he initially thought it was a problem with the autopilot. The animals were quiet and simply pressing the rudder against its stops. He believes all of the damage was done in the first few seconds. He tried motoring astern but by then it was already too late.

This appears to be rather different - tearing the rudder off its mountings instead of biting lumps. Did he say how many orcas were involved ?

 

[Kelpie]

This appears to be rather different - tearing the rudder off its mountings instead of biting lumps. Did he say how many orcas were involved ?

It was pushing the rudder from side to side. Three boat has hydraulic steering and that also suffered some damage because the ram was forced beyond its limits. He suspects that the rudder tangs must have been already weak otherwise they would not have broken off completely.

Unfortunately that's all I have to go on- he's just left for Madeira.

 

[Arcady]

It was pushing the rudder from side to side. Three boat has hydraulic steering and that also suffered some damage because the ram was forced beyond its limits. He suspects that the rudder tangs must have been already weak otherwise they would not have broken off

At the risk of being a little contentious, maybe the Orcas did them a favour in that particular situation, by revealing a potentially life-threatening weakness in the rudder?!

 

[Kelpie]

At the risk of being a little contentious, maybe the Orcas did them a favour in that particular situation, by revealing a potentially life-threatening weakness in the rudder?!

A rather extreme way of testing the rudder. Just because nine tonnes of cetacean managed to break it doesn't mean that it was about to fail. A bit like the priest in Father Ted going around breaking everything in the house "cowboys Ted, nothing but a bunch of cowboys!"

As I say they continued under Hydrovane alone, no reason that he couldn't have done that over a longer passage.
Thousands of euros out of pocket, weeks behind schedule. Fortunately he was in a position to weather this problem.

 

[Wansworth]

Almost all the yachts for sale here inGalicia which would be suitable for me have spade rudders???

 

[BurnitBlue]

It occurs to me that the only solution is to assume the obvious that the attacks are the result of the tuna nets and to somehow regulate their use.

Tuna are becomming scarce the nets are getting longer, and maybe the tuna fishermen are becomming more agressive towards competition from Orca.

 

[Wansworth]

Can we assume that Orcas are intelligent and know what they are doing?

 

[BurnitBlue]

If the hydrovane was in position on the stern and it was left undamaged this demonstrates that the main rudder alone is under attack. Even if the Hydrovane was installed offset to one side it still demonstrates a precision attack that actually boggles the mind. I have an Areis where the "rudder arm" can swing to absorb an accidental nudge. But even then it could not absorb the accidental force from an orca intent on destroying a rudder..

Regarding my previous post. All species on this planet follow the same rule imposed by survival of the fittest while fighting for recources. The maor resonsibility of a species is to act individually for the hunters own consumtion. Global demand does not accept that responsibility. Every Tuna is a target for 7 billion peple. This is basically against the rule for personal hunter consumption. The demand from local Orca is just for their own and familly consumption. Greed will win eventually.. How much will the last few Tuna fetch at auction when offered to 7 billion buyers? Rhetorical question really.

 

[greeny]

If the hydrovane was in position on the stern and it was left undamaged this demonstrates that the main rudder alone is under attack. Even if the Hydrovane was installed offset to one side it still demonstrates a precision attack that actually boggles the mind. I have an Areis where the "rudder arm" can swing to absorb an accidental nudge. But even then it could not absorb the accidental force from an orca intent on destroying a rudder..

Regarding my previous post. All species on this planet follow the same rule imposed by survival of the fittest while fighting for recources. The maor resonsibility of a species is to act individually for the hunters own consumtion. Global demand does not accept that responsibility. Every Tuna is a target for 7 billion peple. This is basically against the rule for personal hunter consumption. The demand from local Orca is just for their own and familly consumption. Greed will win eventually.. How much will the last few Tuna fetch at auction when offered to 7 billion buyers? Rhetorical question really.

I can't substantiate this with a link, but somewhere in the masses of reading I've been doing, I saw that tuna stocks were actually increasing slightly on this coast not diminishing.
Edit
Here we go, found it:-
"Despite global improvement at the species level, many regional tuna stocks remain severely depleted. For example, while the larger, eastern population of Atlantic bluefin tuna, which originates in the Mediterranean, has increased by at least 22% over the last four decades, the species’ smaller native western Atlantic population, which spawns in the Gulf of Mexico, has declined by more than half in the same period. The yellowfin tuna meanwhile continues to be overfished in the Indian Ocean."
Tuna species recovering despite growing pressures on marine life - IUCN Red List

 

[Laser310]

It occurs to me that the only solution is to assume the obvious that the attacks are the result of the tuna nets and to somehow regulate their use.

Tuna are becomming scarce the nets are getting longer, and maybe the tuna fishermen are becomming more agressive towards competition from Orca.

it's far from obvious that this has anything to do with tuna

 

[nortada]

Can we assume that Orcas are intelligent and know what they are doing?

Non sequitur, I know a lot of very intelligent people, who haven’t got a clue what they are doing.

Conversely I know even more, not so cleaver folk, who know exactly what they are doing.

The common denominator is common sense, which converts intelligence into effective intelligence.

If, by their actions, orcas can remove or at least reduce the problem they have with humans (competition for a diminishing source of food?), then I would class this as effective intelligence.

One solution; reduce the fish-take and so allow the stock of tuna to replenish and so reduce the competition for food.

I, for one, do not think we in Iberia, are sufficiently organised to achieve this.

Bit like the human impact on global change, loads of Blah, Blah, Blah but no real effective action. Just grand-standing by load of politician who contribute to global warming with their large carbon footprints. Please remind me, how many diesel vehicles did sleepy Joe bring with him to COB? Seem to recall, close on a hundred?

Yes, loads of drift but a simple theme, when confronted with real problems our leaders consistently fail us. The orca problem will be no different.


Rant over.?

 

[Laser310]

I'm pretty someone must have tried throwing fireworks in the water to get them to move away

but probably nobody who has tried it wants to publicize it...

might work though

 

[SaltIre]

Can we assume that Orcas are intelligent and know what they are doing?

They probably have a forum login and are watching our every move.

 

[Laser310]

They probably have a forum login and are watching our every move.

more likely they have a mole here who reports to them.

I think I know who it is...

 

[Kelpie]

From Facebook group:

Sailing yacht Kabaal: Attacked by supposedly one orca 1 mile north of Peniche. At 15:40 on 5th of nov About 4 or 5 audible blows to the ruther and keel and then it lost interest.
I only saw it in the end when it left us. During the blows it was under the boat and we could only guess what was happening.
The steering wheel went berserk and we left it to avoid injuries, then we proceeded to roll te gib but when the blows stopped we rolled it out again and proceeded to Peniche.

 

[capnsensible]

It occurs to me that the only solution is to assume the obvious that the attacks are the result of the tuna nets and to somehow regulate their use.

Tuna are becomming scarce the nets are getting longer, and maybe the tuna fishermen are becomming more agressive towards competition from Orca.

Where are the longer tuna nets?

 

[Wansworth]

Don’t the catch them traditionally in special nets in the med.Fishermen set off from Galicia to catch Tuna to areas near the Azores but they use hooks and rods

 

[SaltIre]

Don’t the catch them traditionally in special nets in the med.Fishermen set off from Galicia to catch Tuna to areas near the Azores but they use hooks and rods

Ah yes - Dolphin friendly tuna.

 

[Wansworth]

Ah yes - Dolphin friendly tuna.

Almadraba,centuries old fishing technique for Atun

 

[cherod]

i have read that although the overall numbers in the large blue tuna off Gibralter area which is the stable diet of the local Orcas have increased fish sizes have reduced .
if the Orca is so intelligent and any reduction in fish stocks is the main issue then why are they targeting yachts which have no influence in the fish stocks instead of even smaller fishing boats , ( attacking a large fishing boat would be futile maybe obvious even to a starving Orca ) or are they and fishermen are not reporting incidents whilst taking their own " measures " . further exasperating the situation .