Another lost keel.

[RunAgroundHard]

Sad to hear about a fatility, can’t be easy for anyone involved.

I am involved in critical inspection activities. NDT examination has significant quality issues that can only be managed through training and competency verification. Most of the processes are well understood but application can be questionable. I am now receiving phased array ultrasonic testing reports. The operators certificate pack includes medical and eye testing results to be be able to read and interpret the visual data, for example. The calibration of the probs requires customized coupons that represent what is being measured, not a standard test coupon. Usually, other methods of NDT are also required such as Dye Penetrant and x Ray. The point is NDT is not easy on complex shapes and it can get expensive. In my case, we just bin components that are likely good, every 5 service years and replace, it’s a lower cost, and the consequence of failure would likely end my employers business.

I doubt the leisure industry acts anything like this or has access to the skills at a price consumers are prepared to pay.

 

[Neeves]

How to introduce anchors into the thread.

I was known to Bisalloy, a manufacturer of HT steels, because of work I did on anchors with Vyv. They supported work I was doing on anchors and my other marine fittings by supply of samples of steel and access to some of their research. Bisalloy supplied steel for Wild Oates keel(s) and Bisalloy asked my help to clarify some errors made at a lecture. Modifications to Wild Oates' keels were designed locally.

I got sucked superficially into modern performance keel construction.

I also happen to have met Jon Sayer and know some he has sailed with.

Prompted by the recent incident I find that now 2 of Jon's yachts have had keel failures.

I have an interest in the topic and as the incident is local I did a search - I leave the interpretation of the links to anyone who reads them. The Kraken article I included because it gave an historic list of failures.

Simplistically there seem to be 2 modes of failure, one is that of the keel itself and second the failure of the structure supporting the keel - both might be caused by a collision but might also be caused by poor design of the keel and supporting structure and/or alteration of the keel (which was the cause of a keel failure in Australia some years ago with 2 lives lost).

There is very little detail currently on the Runaway incident, whales might be a cause (there are a lot transitting the east coast currently, they are everywhere (plague proportions, definitely a hazard to navigation), as yachts transitting the coast follow the same tracks as the whales - both make use of or avoid the East Australia Current which moves warm water from the tropics as far south as Tasmania and flows at upto 5 knots 24/7. We are meant to keep a safe distance from whales - but nobody has told the whales. 'Our' whales are not aggressive, they seem to be inquisitive, they are BIG, come alarmingly close and appear to have an occasional nap (on or at the surface). As you pass them, sleeping, they look like a big sheet of black rubber. We have had them swim under Josepheline - which raises heartbeat to unhealthy levels.

Before any report is issued interviews from the 2 survivors might shed some light as might detailed photographs of the point of failure.

Jonathan

 

[Neeves]

Queensland Maritime and Queensland Police have initiated an enquiry into the death of 1 man due to the loss of Runaway's keel. I spoke with QM - they are not releasing any details of the incident until the enquiry is complete.

Detail might seep out as it will be difficult to hide the hull of Runaway (which I assume they will recover) and the father and son who were rescued by QP will presumably recount their experience long before a formal report is available.

Jonathan

 

[flaming]

Queensland Maritime and Queensland Police have initiated an enquiry into the death of 1 man due to the loss of Runaway's keel. I spoke with QM - they are not releasing any details of the incident until the enquiry is complete.

Detail might seep out as it will be difficult to hide the hull of Runaway (which I assume they will recover) and the father and son who were rescued by QP will presumably recount their experience long before a formal report is available.

Jonathan

Post on SA says

The yacht has been recovered, keel has not
There has been no grounding or collision with the recent owner. There was no whale strike
There has been two AS keel and rudder inspections in the last 18 months
The keel bolts and hull are completely intact
The fabricated steel fin has failed

Further details will be available after the release of coroner's report

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Post on SA says

The yacht has been recovered, keel has not
…
The keel bolts and hull are completely intact
The fabricated steel fin has failed
…

Does the SA comments make it clear if the keel has pulled out the bolts, or the keel has separated from the flange that buts against the slot in the hull, or sheared internally leaving a part of the keel with bolts still attached to hull?

 

[flaming]

Does the SA comments make it clear if the keel has pulled out the bolts, or the keel has separated from the flange that buts against the slot in the hull, or sheared internally leaving a part of the keel with bolts still attached to hull?

That's the whole post. No further info.

 

[Neeves]

I'm not used to SA b ut there might be more than one thread

Yacht loses its Keel

Jonathan

edit

and also

One Dead in Yacht Capsizing Near Great Barrier Reef

Further edit

RUNAWAY - Melbourne Osaka Cup

 

[Neeves]

I'm not used to SA b ut there might be more than one thread

Yacht loses its Keel

Jonathan

edit

and also

One Dead in Yacht Capsizing Near Great Barrier Reef

Further edit

RUNAWAY - Melbourne Osaka Cup

If the keel has been inspected twice in the last 18 months and the integrity of the keel has since failed then questions might be raised over the inspection procedures - which might be pertinent NOW to owners of similar keels rather than after the Coroner's report is issued. I think the keel testing protocols and certification were mentioned recently on YBW.

There is insufficient information currently - whether the weld of fin to flange has failed or the fin itself has failed. I don't quite understand why the actual point of failure, the weld or the fin, which should be obvious, is not being openly discussed - or at least in the public domain.

Jonathan

 

[Chiara’s slave]

That's the whole post. No further info.

The pictures, and sailing anarchy, seem to say the blade has failed at the flange joint. The photo isn’t that clear though.

 

[B27]

If the blade structure has failed, due to fatigue or not being strong enough, then no inspection procedure will prevent that.

I would have thought that in the 21st century, welding could be a fairly exact science. The design of metal structures is a very exact science.
What's a lot less exact is the loads which occur when a boat is operating on the ocean?
It's pretty trivial to understand the loads on a keel and its components due to the boat heeling over.
But there are huge dynamic loads due to waving around a big mass on the end of a long stick.

Personally I think people will always break stuff racing.
Perhaps we should be asking whether the keel falling off should so often result in fatalities?

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Maybeva look at multihull capsize procedures would help, if theres a serious possibility of a keel failing. The AC cats took that to a whole new level after the capsize where we lost Andrew Simpson.