Death in the Solent

[WayneS]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2180279.stm

A tragedy in itself. Could have been a whole lot worse. Why oh why can a boat be taken out on a charter with only the skip knowing anything about sailing.

Wayne

 

[bedouin]

Don't think it was on charter. The attached picture shows it flying a blue ensign, and belonging to one of the Royal Yacht Clubs (Probably Southampton). I would guess that the skipper was fairly experienced.

The skipper was obviously somewhat remiss in not giving a better safety briefing, but if they were just going for a potter round the Solent then perhaps he thought it might be a bit OTT.

 

[AndrewB]

Tragic.

But the fact is, a yacht can be taken out without ANYONE knowing about sailing.

 

[Guest]

Yes but to be fair it sounds as if the skipper had a few friends on board including a well known DJ out for an evenings potter and was simply unlucky. His only fault was not to do a safety briefing, like to know what sort of yacht though that people couldn't work out how to turn the nav lights on!!!!!!!!!!

Pete

 

[SimonD]

In the midst of life we are in death - never more true than at sea. So maybe a safety briefing is never OTT?

 

[jtwebb]

Royal Southern Yacht Club, not Royal Southampton. Never been to R Srn Y C as they did not have RNC on their reciprocal list when I was a member! Now changed but have not bothered to visit.

J Webb

 

[extravert]

The skipper (and probably many of us as well) thought that a safety brief before a potter round the Solent was unnecessary, but isn't this just a perfect example to show that one is always necessary however short the trip and benign the conditions?

A recurring theme on the MAIB's web site of investigations of accidents when the skipper was lost was the lack of a safety brief to the crew who subsequently didn't know what to do and couldn't use basic safety equipment. If I go over board I want my crew to be able to save me. Consequently my crew know that with boring regularity I lob a fender overboard when they are not expecting it and get them to take charge in going back to get it. All us skippers should do this all the time, because whose life is it going to save? Ours!

 

[Gunfleet]

My Tilley hat serves the same purpose, only I don't lob it, it blows off. The kids have got the Tilley hat overboard drill down to a fine art. Drop the sails, start the engine... you know the rest.

 

[Twister_Ken]

BBC don\'t know their boats

Either he fell off a 31 footer or the boat in the pic. But not both.

Pictured boat is a Swan - at a guess either a 41' or a 44'.

This sad event is a good ad for DSC. Part of the safety briefing should be "If anything happens to me, lift this catch, press this red button for 5 seconds, and the coastguard will know we are in trouble and exactly where we are. Then they'll call you. To reply pick up this microphone, press this switch to talk, and let go of the switch when you have finished talking, so that they can reply."

 

[bedouin]

Re: BBC don\'t know their boats

You're right - the MCA press release has the name of the boat as "Nautica" not "Nausicaa".

Makes you wonder where they got that picture from. Surely they didn't send a photographer out especially to take it?

 

[Guest]

Re: BBC don\'t know their boats

While we are in nit pick mode, wrong helicopter as well not India Julliet!!!! )

 

[david_e]

Re: Safety drill

This sounds simple and most relevant enough, if you have DSC (which I will get on next boat but don't have at present). To support it, do you think a laminated instruction sheet with the basics of what to do would be a good idea, even if just working on the principle that people forget about 70% of what they are told.

And as this can not be a brainwave exclusive to me, is there one produced by the RYA or Cruisng Association or similar that you have seen?

 

[ccscott49]

Re: Safety drill

I made one myself and got it laminated, not a huge problem to do, but I have seen them somewhere, you just put the ships name on them with a chiagraph pencil or something similar. Just where the hell did I see them!

 

[RayB]

Re: Safety drill

You saw them in the back of one of the RNLI safety booklets, which they issue FOC. They are on a waterproof self adhesive label material and A5 in size, simply write on you boat name/callsigh and slap it next to the VHF!



"Hopefully that won't be too expensive to fix?"

 

[nicho]

Re: Safety drill

David - I made up my own, using a simple folder with laminated sheets inside. One sheet simply took them through the Mayday process "select Ch16, press button on handset, say "Mayday" 3 times, give name of boat, release button and await reply" etc etc. Another included useful telephone numbers including Solent/Portland Coastguard (most people have a mobile on board and if all else fails, everybody can use one of these). This was all spelt out in very simple language for those who may not understand the process. Safety briefings are essential for those guests who have a bit of boating experience, but I'm sure that for those who don't , it largely goes over their heads. I go through a fairly basic safety briefing but also say, if anything goes seriously wrong, much of what you need to know is in the folder. It's better than nothing, and could have helped last night.

 

[JeremyF]

Taking the discussion in a slightly different direction, how do you teach your crew to do MOB? Traditional sailing school stuff, or a crash stop by "tighten sheets in, and turn the wheel into the wind, and leave it there"

I do the latter with my familoy crew - I know the boat will still be moving in the water, but it stops and turns pretty close to the MOB on test

Jeremy Flynn

 

[rogerroger]

\"booms\"

Working at home today I've heard this story every half an hour on the radio. They kept saying the skipper was hit by "a boom" - not "the" boom, or the "boat's" boom but "a" boom - they made it sound like these boom things just randomly fly around on a sailing boat and in this case it knocked the skipper over board. In fact, I think one news reader even thought "a boom" was a very loud noise.

This awful incident is a tragic reminder that no matter how familiar the water, no matter how long we've been sailing, we must treat our safety as the sinlgle most important factor.

I'm sure all our thoughts are with the guy's family.

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[rogerroger]

DSC

I take your point Ken. But the more people who think - "Just push this button and we'll be rescued" will only mean more untrained and inexperienced people out on the water to get into trouble in the first place...

But (before you all flame me) - If it was me I would of course rather my girl friend hit the distress button if I went over board as she'd never be able to get the boat back to me in a million years!

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[johna]

Re: DSC

The answer to this particular situation is clip on at all times. I am as guilty as the next for not doing this or wearing a life jacket but it will be harnesses for all from now on. On the STA ships you are not allowed on deck without a harness and it really does not interfere with normal working on the boat.

 

[LadyInBed]

CH4 news this evening said the boat went aground on a sand bar.
Maybe thats what caused the BOOM!