A hypothetical situation

[Birdseye]

Following on from the Elizmor thread which I don't want to get involved in as I'd end up in a screaming match with the 'I never make mistakes' armchair brigade...

You are 10 miles to leeward of the nearest safe all-tide harbour. It is blowing F5 and the sea is choppy, waves up to 1m. You have sustained damage that is not immediately dangerous but could become so if conditions get worse. Let's say a cabin window has been smashed by a loose block. No serious water is coming in but you have to reduce speed to 2-3 knots to keep heavy water off the deck and it's going to take you 4 hours + to reach shelter under motor (which is functioning fine).

What if anything are you going to say on the radio?

Edit: The damage is something you can't repair at sea or patch up. You can make it back to port under your own steam unless the weather worsens when you might be in danger from water ingress.

Its an interesting scenario Snowleopard. I got caught like that once in my old Prout cat. La Rochelle was 10 hours to windward ( 25kn true) at the 1 knot we were making ( let no one kid you that Prouts arent motorsailers to windward in a chop) and I'd been on the go right from the north spanish coast so I was knacked. The Gironde was unavailable according to Cross because of the sea and wind state, and I didnt fancy running downwind back towards Spain. No boat damage but the crashing of the boat had me worried for the first and only time in my ownership. So I called Cross Etel and they asked me to call back and report progress at 30 min intervals. I did so and as darkness approached we agreed they would send out the lifeboat to lead us through the maze of sandbanks into a safe haven which officially was fishing boats only. I'm happy that I took the right decision and that we handled the minor crisis correctly. I am embarrassed that my masterful " I'll do all the sailing dear, you get off to bed" had left me in a state where after nearly 40 hours on the go I was seeing things.

SWMBO steered the boat into port and promptly rammed the lifeboat!

As for your situation I am unsure. I recently had engine failure in 2kn of wind with 25 miles to go yet I didnt tell the MCA because they have started forcing rescues when you dont ask for one. For that reason I think I would keep plugging on in the situation you describe. There is bound to be something you can do about the window - bunk boards , cushions, sails etc. Would depend on the passengers if any ( grandkids aboard I would likely do a mayday! M-I-L, I would pray for a sinking)

I guess what I am saying is that your poll choices are wrong. Any call to the MCA and its they who will decide if its a mayday /pan / routine or not. I would not be prepared to sacrifice control of the situation in the scenario you describe.

 

[ShinyShoe]

Overheard on 16 / 67 in the Solent on Sunday. Yacht with engine issues. Anchored and had worked on it. Was about to leave anchor and head to harbour. Was struggling to raise HM on radio and just wanted HM to be aware that they might suddenly need to shove the boat somewhere they wouldn't normally. Caller was VERY clear he did not require CG assistance. He asked to move to a working channel before giving any details (I think that says I'm not stressed). He was quite clear and CG were quite happy. They agreed a call in as he got to harbour and to help with HM contact at that point.

He made it 50yards and engine failed again. Think there was not enough wind vs tide for where he needed to go so he dropped the hook again and told the CG what he'd done and he'd sit it out for the night and get a man with spanner to come out in the morning. Again all very calm. Very clear that this was for their info and not for them to action.

CG very clear about calling in schedule etc. But were very happy with the plan.

Don't know what happened in the end but he seemed to have a plan...

Certain things in the call said "We know where you might want to go with this and you can forget it". Things like when asked for no of persons, spelling of boat the response was the number of persons, that they were adults, all had life jackets, they had a life raft, Epirb. Vessel registered with CG66. They had weather forecast. they had sufficient rations etc to sit it out for the night. All that without prompting so was clear they knew what the CG might be thinking etc. All delivered very calmly.