Clipper Ventures declares war on MCA & MAIB?

[dom]

It's a bit like being pulled over by the cops for having a brake light out. While you're there, they'll have a look at the tyres, the headlamps, check that you're wearing a seatbelt and so on. If you come to the attention of the MAIB because of a death, they won't just investigate that, they'll investigate everything to do with the safe and legal operation of the boat, and if they find, for example, that two members of the crew of a boat have written to complain about inadequate repair work they won't discount that simply because it wasn't immediately relevant to the accident.

Even more so if they have recently had to investigate two other fatalities and a total loss after grounding.

An important point with potentially serious consequences for a business like Clipper, especially when taken in conjunction with the possibility of pending legal action on behalf of deceased or other participants alleging damage.

Clipper's statutory accounts are tricky to interpret given the biannual nature of the race, but we can see that over 25% of gross turnover is derived from sponsorship income with the bulk of the remainder derived from income paid by race participants. We can also see that around 65% of Clipper Ventures' £20.7m of book value assets are financed by debt. Such high levels of debt will have attracted numerous charges, loan covenant, etc. to provide security for the lenders.

Looking to the future, according to the accounts, "The principal risks to our Company arise from economic conditions and marine operations/accidents/incidents".

A blame the regulator strategy has certain advantages, and indeed cigarette companies are currently challenging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's decision that the selling of menthol vaping products constitutes a pathway to the explosion of U.S. teenagers smoking incandescent menthol tobacco. Such legal bust ups are expensive and require careful PR management. They are almost certainly way beyond the relatively modest means of Clipper Ventures. The Clipper vs. MCA/MAIB vs Clipper battle may provide a useful distraction, it may seriously damage Clipper, and indeed Clipper may even be right. Either way, it's highly unlikely to be settled in court.

Turning to corporate sponsors; a list including 3 deaths in 2 races, swirling legal action for damages, Facebook pages full of anti-Clipper stories, and to cap it all a request to the Government no less for an inquiry into the competence and honesty of the responsible legal authorities.

Few companies will want that little lot to play out with their logos emblazoned on the sides of their vessels! At the very least, they'll wait on the sidelines to see. Not to mention the loss of top photo opportunities such as the 2011 naval escort to the Needles by HMS Illustrious. It is hard to imagine a better photo backdrop than a fully commissioned aircraft carrier.

Then there are the paying punters in relation to which the 2019 accounts note, "the risks to UK economic growth remain significant and future prospects may be influenced by developments in the run in to and following Brexit".

Perhaps, or perhaps other factors are at play. We'll have to wait and see.

 

[thinwater]

But the cleat will still be there, in the vicinity of the jackstay.
A jackstay running past a separate cleat is a likely snagging point, a jackstay stopping short of the cleat might be too short. The cleats are big strong things ideal for taking a jackstay load.
It is common to wrap or otherwise cover cleats on racing boats to avoid them catching e.g. spinnaker lines. Many people do this every time they leave the Hamble, whoever suggested a well trained crew couldn't manage it for an ocean crossing is just being silly.

You argue from several false assumptions, and I would have thought my post made the reasons clear. First, I believe that jackstay anchor points should be farther from the ends of the vessel than the cleats, therefore, my jackstays do NOT run by the cleats. Second, as I just said, the cleats are generally in the wrong place. Wouldn't it be the strangest of coincidences if the cleat location was perfect? There is no purpose served by a jackstay coming closer than 4 feet to either end of the boat. The long tether will still reach, and the short tether can clip something local, like a rail (does not have to be a jackstay, since the short clip is only for positioning). Farther inboard is also generally helpful.

Yes, wrapping a cleat for general snag reduction can be a valid expedient. I've done that on several boats over 40 years of sailing. But it always feels like a patch.

 

[lw395]

Whatever.
You can still be caught out by the tether snagging the cleat.

Maybe the most elegant solution is those cleats that are moved once you leave the dock?

Sometimes there is a definite purpose in the jackstay running close to the bow, like if the bowman wants to be clipped on when passing in front of the stay. And on many mono's of this kind of size, the 'bow' cleats can be some feet back from the extreme of the pointy end.

 

[Uricanejack]

You posed the question in your post no. 142 and I rather thought that I had answered it in my post no. 146.

Yes, this is something that the MCA routinely do.

I quote:


Preamble:

In view of this and previous MOB accidents, Clipper Ventures plc has been recommended to further review and, as appropriate, modify its risk assessments and standard operating procedures with particular regard to foredeck operations, reducing sail in rough weather and methods for recovery of both tethered and untethered MOBs. This must take
account of any safety management guidance and direction provided by the Maritime
and Coastguard Agency in response to MAIB Recommendation 2018/116 following the grounding and loss of CV24. Clipper Ventures plc has also been recommended to review and amend Clipper 70 yacht maintenance and repair processes to prevent potential additional workload falling on crew, contributing to fatigue and affecting their performance.

Recommendations:

Clipper Ventures is recommended to:
2019/113
2019/114
Taking account of any safety management guidance and direction provided by the MCA in response to MAIB Recommendation 2018/116, review and, as appropriate, modify its risk assessments and standard operating procedures, with particular regard to foredeck operations, for reducing sail in rough weather and the methods for recovery of both tethered and untethered MOBs.
Review and amend Clipper 70 yacht maintenance and repair processes to minimise additional workload on crew during the Race, such that:
● Prior to the start of the Race, yachts are free from significant material defects and equipment has been suitably maintained or replaced.
● During stopovers, to the greatest extent practicable, all outstanding repair work and maintenance is completed before a yacht starts the next leg.

.

I will agree deciphering this reference to the MCA is confusing. What does it mean. The MCA is a regulatory body. They creat regulation, oversee implementation and auditing.
My interpretation is an expectation Clipper is recommended to review their procedures then confirm they comply with regulations. Rather than wait for the MCA to tell them what to do.
Clipper would be well to engage the services of safety management system consultants who will help them do this.
I could even recommend some.

The best ideas will come from Clippers own people who know Clipper operation. Clippers Problems and Strengths.
By listening to them Clipper will find out what they need to change. Clippers own people will come up with the best changes.
Consultation will just facilitate the process.

 

[thinwater]

Whatever....

 

[Neeves]

We might be a bit behind in Australia, and I know Thinwater made reference a week or so ago:

http://www.mysailing.com.au/gear/la...gns born from severe testing for Spinlock PFD

On the subject of wrapping cleats

Since the Simon Speirs loss Clipper made it a specific instruction to wrap the cleats, suggesting it was not an issue in the past. The cleats are actually very well 'protected' by the netting and to attach mooring lines you need to squirrel through much tangle. The netting is attached to the toerail, all round. It must have been considered during the build, they are hardly run of the mill designs, and recessed cleats would have been sensible - if it was thought they would cause an issue. The cleats on the Clippers look like afterthoughts. Quite puny and slightly inboard - the fairleads are much more substantial. Many racing yachts don't have cleats at all. The bow cleats on Clipper are right forward, maybe 500mm from the bow itself and if catching a sheet in the cleat is an issue then catching a sheet in the protruding fairleads will also be an issue. Oddly Clipper have 3 bow cleats one dead centre about 1m back from the bow and just forward of the inner forestay (which is not wrapped and not used for mooring on any of the Clippers I saw)

I agree with Thinwater the jackstays should be inboard (which he has been advocating for over a year), not from cleat to cleat. They deserve dedicated strong points and further hard points at those points where most work is conducted. For anyone who needs to go outside the forestay it is a more sensible idea to use a hard point, or 2.

Jonathan

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Attainable Adventure Cruising has written a whole ebook on jackstay systems. Well thought out arguments and proposals that have been implemented in real world, high seas scenarios. Wrapping cleats with ropes doesn’t figure.

The web site is subscription access but they do make some of the ebooks free. Google them.

The online book is called:-

Person Overboard Prevention & Recovery. It has various chapters, including members comments, detailing flaws and proposing solutions, including avoiding damaging shock loads.

I checked if this was a free ebook, it’s not, hence subscript required. It can be read at:-

https://www.morganscloud.com/series/staying-aboard/

I have no association with Morgan’s Cloud except as a subscriber.

 

[Kukri]

Another recommendation for Attainable Adventure Cruising. My subscription is some of the best value I get in sailing. Also no connection except as a subscriber.

 

[thinwater]

Another recommendation for Attainable Adventure Cruising. My subscription is some of the best value I get in sailing. Also no connection except as a subscriber.

Yup, smart, analytical guy with deep experience. It is also not a one-many effort; he has a core group of similarly experienced contributors. I subscribe.