Cowes Yacht / Ferry crash

[Teko]

Re: Whitelink ran around

We passed by this afternoon, there is a mast visible but it is right inshore of the moorings so I guess it has been moved at some point.

The pile marking the 'short cut' along the East side of the breakwater is still at angle from the last incident

Went by yesterday afternoon, noticed the bent pile, hope no one was on the yacht at the time

 

[Debennut]

Re: Whitelink ran around

This not the first time a ship has hit moored yachts in fog. Remember the dredger in thick fog, ploughing through the Medway Yacht club moorings?
A number of years ago a ship hit and sunk/damaged a moored boat on the Orwell. (The Ipswich HM at the time advised people not to spend the night in their boats on moorings!)
How many more incidents before some one is hurt or killed?
Is it, that the moorings too close to the ship channels? How many other ports have similar situations? And if so, what should be done about it, if anything?

 

[Corribee72]

It does go to show, how despite all the modern technology, things can go wrong all too quickly. I would say that there should be a visibility minimum for the ferries to operate, something is obviously wrong with the procedures, tech and, or training. Accidents happen, I know, but thats too many near misses in a short time scale to ignore, it's mere chance that no one is dead. It requires a proper investigation, not a blame game..... in my opinion.

 

[sailorman]

It does go to show, how despite all the modern technology, things can go wrong all too quickly. I would say that there should be a visibility minimum for the ferries to operate, something is obviously wrong with the procedures, tech and, or training. Accidents happen, I know, but thats too many near misses in a short time scale to ignore, it's mere chance that no one is dead. It requires a proper investigation, not a blame game..... in my opinion.

Had this ferry skipper postponed the sailing, it now would still be in service , not out of action awaiting a survey & the loss of revenue + heavy insurance claims.

 

[Corribee72]

Had this ferry skipper postponed the sailing, it now would still be in service , not out of action awaiting a survey & the loss of revenue + heavy insurance claims.

I agree with you, however what financial and time pressures are put on the skippers to operate against their better judgement, it's the type of thing that an independent investigation needs to look at, company prodecedures and work pressures.

 

[Ian h]

Red Funnel Crash again in Cowes

Think the Red funnel captains need retraining

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-45932147

The second crash in as many months

 

[sailorman]

Re: Red Funnel Crash again in Cowes

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?509389-Cowes-Yacht-Ferry-crash

 

[Ian h]

Re: Red Funnel Crash again in Cowes

Do not visit Scuttlebucket so was not aware of post there

 

[Mr Googler]

Re: Red Funnel Crash again in Cowes

One got started here this morning then moved over to scuttlebutt.

No idea why the admin did that....it’s a motorboat after all

 

[Boat2016]

Re: Red Funnel Crash again in Cowes

One got started here this morning then moved over to scuttlebutt.

No idea why the admin did that....it’s a motorboat after all

Think that was the one with the wrong ferry company name in the title.

 

[Joker]

Perhaps the ferry was taking sudden evasive action when it found idiots who had left the yacht harbours in zero visibility and no AIS.

 

[dancrane]

Anybody know how soon we may expect an authoritative account of the reasons for today's collision - and possibly for the similar-seeming event last month?

 

[Applespider]

I would say that there should be a visibility minimum for the ferries to operate, something is obviously wrong with the procedures, tech and, or training.

Perhaps the ferry was taking sudden evasive action when it found idiots who had left the yacht harbours in zero visibility and no AIS.

Obviously, the facts haven't become clear yet. However, the Cowes Harbourmaster appears to agree with both you to some extent. As he has issued a LTNM that all vessels are advised not leave their berths if the visibility is less than a cable. They still say the skipper has discretion but also remind us that they can direct vessels who they doubt are equipped to transit the area, they can send to a safe anchorage or instruct to stay alongside.

I'm guessing the safe anchorage isn't within the small boat moorings given recent events.

 

[LittleSister]

Re: Red Funnel Crash again in Cowes

From BBC report No apology to the yacht owners!

Maybe like a car accident where you are told not to apologise because of the implied admission of guilt!

Mike.

Do you think they'll claim that the moored yachts pulled out in front of him?

 

[Tomahawk]

Re: Whitelink ran around

Maybe like a car accident where you are told not to apologise because of the implied admission of guilt!

Mike.

Honest gov..
There was I sailing up the Medina when the forward lookout said a moored yacht had moved across the river in front of me.. I swerved to avoid it and ended up in the putty.

 

[sailorman]

Perhaps the ferry was taking sudden evasive action when it found idiots who had left the yacht harbours in zero visibility and no AIS.

One might add the ferry skipper into that category too

 

[Iain C]

Obviously it's all speculation at this time, but presumably up until the ferry went aground everyone thought it was situation normal...driving passengers were already back in their cars ready to disembark according to witness reports.

I'm just gobsmacked that a ferry such as that with "thrust anywhere" Voith Schnieder units, plus with GPS available in something as simple as an iPhone, can literally miss a port entrance. I get that the radar might be quite ineffective with lots of clutter at very short range, I get that the vis was basically zero, but barring a mechanical/steering/propulsion failure how can this possibly happen?

And I also get that if the viz was literally 5 metres, surely you loiter outside the entrance sounding your foghorn until it's safe to approach?

 

[prv]

Obviously it's all speculation at this time, but presumably up until the ferry went aground everyone thought it was situation normal...driving passengers were already back in their cars ready to disembark according to witness reports.

I don't think that necessarily follows - the bridge could be well into an "oh shit, where the hell are we?" situation without the passengers on the car deck being any the wiser.

Pete

 

[matt1]

There were initial reports of shouts of help. I suspect the Captain would have been reluctant to engage thrusters if there was a chance people may be in the water close by.....she may then have drifted into the mud. Did we ever find out for sure whether the yacht that sank was underway or moored?

 

[prv]

she may then have drifted into the mud.

Whether she drifted there or was under power is an interesting question. She went aground shortly before local high water; I’m not an expert in Cowes tidal streams but I would have thought the flow in the small boat channel would have been southwesterly at that time. The wind at Bramblemet (at least when I checked at around 1040) was westerly, but only F1, so probably basically nil inside Cowes. The flag visible in the Spinlock webcam was hanging limp.

Unless there’s a tidal eddy I’m unaware of (which there could be), I’m not convinced she travelled so far across the river by drifting.

Pete