Bavaria capsizes in Zumaya ( Country Vasque. Spain )

[mrming]

Isn't that the point of a drouge in the open sea though? To run before a breaking sea and prevent knock downs?

I'd be worried about it getting around the prop in this particular situation. I also don't think a drogue would help you much in the case of a freak breaking wave like this. Further offshore you'd either be down below or clipped on and it would be a brief yet vey scary washing machine moment. Coming into a narrow port - the mind boggles. Don't attempt it - but easy to say when you're not a local , and if cruising would probably have provisions on board etc to stand out to sea until it calms down.

 

[Wandering Star]

I don't think there's any tactic or device which could have prevented the sheer volume of that wall of water from knocking the boat down. I've never been a Bavaria lover but I've got to admit watching the boat recover as quickly as it did and unscathed was an eye opener for me and I now see the design in a new and much more favourable light! It also appears from people's later comments here, that the skipper went overboard in which case, if the boat was then under the command of the average crew, I think several of my earlier criticisms were unwarranted. Personally though, if I'd seen the conditions on approach, I would have turned around and stayed outside even with local knowledge but if I had decided (I wouldn't) to press on, I'd have checked all crew were wearing life jackets and were clipped on.

 

[KellysEye]

What staggering incompetence. Any one with any experience knows that you never try to enter a marina or channel in Spain or Portugal in large swells, it says so in the pilot book. Keep sailing not motoring. As as for nobody clipped on and the yacht leaving the scene I only wish the skipper could have been prosecuted.

 

[eddystone]

Looking at this again, she had turned to starboard for the deep water channel so got caught on the quarter, approaching beam on. At least she came up quite quickly from the knockdown as the designer intended -I wonder if that wave had been directly stern on whether it might have been worse - could it have pitchpoled or, alternatively, flooded the boat if the hatch was open - either outcome worse than a quick roll, equally quickly righted? Just a thought.

 

[dom]

I also don't think a drogue would help you much in the case of a freak breaking wave like this.

I agree and just imagine getting the drogue stuck in the rocks as that wave came through!

Re the knockdown - my guess is that the wiser vessel pulled back because he knew what the combination of shallowing water and a protruding pier head can do to a wave formation - it first acts as a form of amplifier which creates an intermittent stream of short, steep waves; then the shallowing water makes the wave unstable and it rapidly and violently ditches its energy. But as you said earlier, the initial big open wave pattern offshore look almost serene to someone who is unaware of this fact.

If the boat which got knocked down had been crewed by an experienced crew, which had opted for a dose of "thrill seeking", they would surely have been clipped on and non-swimmers given life jackets!

 

[mrming]

I've never been a Bavaria lover but I've got to admit watching the boat recover as quickly as it did and unscathed was an eye opener for me and I now see the design in a new and much more favourable light!

+1 to this. Just goes to show you what a load of talk on Internet forums (often based on outmoded assessments of stability) is worth.

What staggering incompetence. Any one with any experience knows that you never try to enter a marina or channel in Spain or Portugal in large swells, it says so in the pilot book. Keep sailing not motoring. As as for nobody clipped on and the yacht leaving the scene I only wish the skipper could have been prosecuted.

Anyone can make this kind of armchair judgement. It's pretty obvious to anyone with half a clue that the (local) skipper lacks experience and you don't have to be particularly clever to point it out. It's very rare that you get to see a clear video of this kind of thing, and I think it has created some very useful discussion.

 

[Twister_Ken]

If it was a local boat crew, my guess is that they had been in and out in similar conditions many times and they were a bit too relaxed about it all. Then along comes a wave which is a percent or two bigger than they're used to and catches them broadside on and suddenly it's gor blimey time.

 

[flaming]

What staggering incompetence. Any one with any experience knows that you never try to enter a marina or channel in Spain or Portugal in large swells, it says so in the pilot book. Keep sailing not motoring. As as for nobody clipped on and the yacht leaving the scene I only wish the skipper could have been prosecuted.

Did you miss the bit where the skipper is one of those in the drink....?

It's a very scary video, but there are some really interesting parts of it. The fact that when the boat pops back up the two people on the foredeck are still on the boat, but most of the occupants of the cockpit have gone over the side really does give food for thought.
Good job by the mobo driver, was never going to be easy that!

 

[mrming]

If it was a local boat crew, my guess is that they had been in and out in similar conditions many times and they were a bit too relaxed about it all. Then along comes a wave which is a percent or two bigger than they're used to and catches them broadside on and suddenly it's gor blimey time.

Yep although to my eyes it looks like inexperience, it could also be complacency having had a long day racing and returning to your home port. Maybe the local fleet regularly shoot the channel in this way?

Did you miss the bit where the skipper is one of those in the drink....?

It's a very scary video, but there are some really interesting parts of it. The fact that when the boat pops back up the two people on the foredeck are still on the boat, but most of the occupants of the cockpit have gone over the side really does give food for thought.
Good job by the mobo driver, was never going to be easy that!

Totally agree. I've always thought "the safety of the cockpit" is a stupid term and I know there are many on here who agree.

It's the first time I've seen a Bav 38 with carbon sails and an oversize pole.

 

[Swanrad2]

It was the pirouette before entry that intrigued me. Why? There doesn't seem to be any timing element to it as the waves (until the monster arrives) were fairly consistent. Maybe they cleared the outer breakwater and had a look to see it the waves were breaking on the inner one?

To me they look like they had done this entry in those conditions a lot and were tidying up before they arrived.

 

[GrahamM376]

I was impressed by just how quickly the boat righted. Following an accident a year or so ago I have changed my mind about being clipped on in such conditions, close to shore. A boat got knocked down and rolled IIRC trying to enter Peniche, the two who were clipped on drowned, the one who wasn't survived. I would certainly insist on life jackets though. Drogue not an option under those conditions which although lively weren't dangerous until that one unexpected wave got them. These guys presumably had local knowledge as well.

 

[Tim Good]

Anyone see this also: http://www.voilesetvoiliers.com/popup/une-entree-de-port-mouvementee-en-10-images-incroyables/

 

[dom]

Anyone see this also: http://www.voilesetvoiliers.com/popup/une-entree-de-port-mouvementee-en-10-images-incroyables/

Awesome set of photos and very good driving skills this time around. Notice frames 6-10: #6 helm spot another big breaking wave right behind him; #7 the guy gets his nose down and surfs; #8 boat is screwing off to port and aiming where he DOESN'T want to go; #9 back in control and surfing again!; #10 pootling into the quieter water beside the pier.

To me that tells a story of a very good hull being driven by a very good sailor.

 

[Dave-Shafa]

Only just seen this.
Perhaps should be made mandatory or sticky.

 

[Sailfree]

He was washed overboard during the knockdown..... MOB drill anyone?.. without the Captain?

Look at the harbour picture the MOB's were washed over to the shallow area in front of the beach that why both yachts stayed in the deeper harbour channel to the RH side

 

[Sailfree]

If it was a local boat crew, my guess is that they had been in and out in similar conditions many times and they were a bit too relaxed about it all. Then along comes a wave which is a percent or two bigger than they're used to and catches them broadside on and suddenly it's gor blimey time.

+1

 

[30boat]

This is Tavira in the Algarve in Levanter conditions.The Wind was very light.The bar is silted up on the west side so the waves are higher there and break dangerously.
The photo was taken right before we entered.We'd been circling for a while and saw some small boats coming out of the bar so we decided it was safe enough to go in.That was a mistake as we were rolled to approximately 70º by a breaker that sudenly formed behind us.We were under engine and the main was up.Having the engine on probably saved us from a complete knock down as a firm push on the tiller got us back on course.That was a brown trousers moment...

 

[Monique]

Agree...

In my opinion, the CM in charge after the skipper went into the drink did a fine job balancing the vessel's safety and the risks of trying to pick 4 MOB's in a huge sea and shallow water. That Bav most likely has a deep keel too and from my gauge, the waves are 3-4 meters; you'd need a lot of water under the keel to be safe.

 

[dom]

This is Tavira in the Algarve in Levanter conditions.The Wind was very light.The bar is silted up on the west side so the waves are higher there and break dangerously.

Fab photo - can really feel the "Oh FFS not one of these entrances" vibe. Put me right off my lunch mind! Still well done, 70 degrees requires a bit of a clear up below; 100 degrees makes a total and utter mess!

 

[savageseadog]

It was the pirouette before entry that intrigued me. Why? There doesn't seem to be any timing element to it as the waves (until the monster arrives) were fairly consistent. Maybe they cleared the outer breakwater and had a look to see it the waves were breaking on the inner one?

The skipper probably decided that the direct approach they were on risked a broach or surf into the starboard wall and it would be better to go for an angled approach with a greater chance of shelter before they were too close to it.