Helicopter Rescue off Dover

[fireball]

You can watch crew and skipper being interviewed here (for the next 7 hours on iPlayer) [clicky]

from 03:10 to 04:28

Crew member - "Very Scary, but I have every confidence in the RNLI ... "

Skipper - "A large wave, almost a freak wave picked up over the back of the boat and threw our helmsman into the wheel"

The commentator then carries on saying that the skipper thought he would have been able to get the boat to safety if they hadn't encountered the wave.

Having seen the report I recognise the skipper ... he brought a boat into Yarmouth - teaching young crew what to do coming into a finger berth ... with a line trailing over his starboard quarter right where it could foul the prop and little if any fendering on his offside. Didn't like him then - like him even less now...

 

[OGITD]

Well!

The poor chap (skipper) apparently had steering failure after a freak wave came over the transom, slamming the helmsman into the wheel and binnacle rendering the steering US....

A combination of poor design and bad luck.
With the right boat and crew you can be quite happy in a 10.

Just ask my old pal Smudge!

 

[photodog]

What I find astonishing about this whole thing is that the company appears to have learnt no lessons from last years debacle when they made the same trip.. (albeit the return...) and lost the boat in bad weather due to crew failure... and here we are... 12 months down the road and the same lifeboats and the same helo have to go out and save their ass again due to a crew failure...

Its simply astonishing that they have not had a good look at their risk strategies...

Its mind boggling.

 

[photodog]

Crew member - "Very Scary, but I have every confidence in the RNLI ... "

...

A very telling quote.... I note that he didnt depart with the skipper...

 

[pauljn]

Seems incredible

What an earth were they doing out there. I remember seeing the forecast on TV the day before and saying to my wife that I was pleased our boat was afloat in the marina and not sat on a cradle. The forecast even warned of likely structural damage to properties. This is the same yacht and sailing school that has already received a very critical MAIB report this year and didn't this same company have another of its yachts sink about this time last year when it ran onto the Goodwins in a gale? Something needs to be done, they can't keep putting our brave RNLI and Helicopter crews at risk, let alone their own customers.
I am in the construction industry and the Health and Safety Executive publish details of companies that have had safety incidents so that our clients can assess if they wish to use that company. Shouldn't the RYA or someone publish incidents involving the coastguard and sailing schools so that potential clients can assess the risk to themselves before spending their money?

 

[Koeketiene]

A freak wave?

In a force 10?

Who'd have thunk it?

 

[Searush]

The trouble with running downwind in a big SW wind in the Channel is that you have virtually no options left. Turning upwind, heaving to or lying ahull are probably not viable due to lack of sea room, other traffic or sea conditions.

There is no plan B available, to me that's the key issue, when plan A failed due to sea state (wind over tide?) his only option was to call for help. Sorry, but I don't see that as exciting fun so much as poor planning.

 

[Vara]

An easy offer to resist

Posted by LF about 11.30

 

[Kukri]

The trouble with running downwind in a big SW wind in the Channel is that you have virtually no options left. Turning upwind, heaving to or lying ahull are probably not viable due to lack of sea room, other traffic or sea conditions.

There is no plan B available, to me that's the key issue, when plan A failed due to sea state (wind over tide?) his only option was to call for help. Sorry, but I don't see that as exciting fun so much as poor planning.

Exactly.

 

[photodog]

Posted by LF about 11.30

That is just gobsmacking.

 

[Koeketiene]

That is just gobsmacking.

I guess there really is no such thing as bad publicity

 

[photodog]

Hot liquid sailing should do the decent thing... they should shut down temporarily at least and have a complete appraisal of their operations....

This lack of a review by hot liquid sailing of their safety, and going straight into a price promotion, is a very poor reflection of their priorities.

Hot liquid needs to review what went wrong before they offer any more courses or sail training.

 

[Seajet]

I agree this seems a case of poor planning, especially re. crew abilities & strength.

NB the famous quote in a Naval officers' summary, " this Officer shows great skill at getting himself out of situations he should never have got into ! "

A good skipper always has a Plan B - & C, such as already sorting out storm sails - including making sure one can rig a storm jib in storm conditions, a sea anchor ( for drifting or as a steering drogue side to side ) the rudder will keep working or a jury rig is at hand / at least in mind, and as a last resort the chart & anchor are ready, remember the case of 'Tilly Twin', the fin keeler which remarkably got away with running up Bognor beach in a storm( 'Heavy Weather Sailing' again ) ; more to the point, all ones' crew need to be briefed on these things if the skipper is for any reason unavailable...that is not relating to this latest case.

 

[photodog]

I agree this seems a case of poor planning, especially re. crew abilities & strength.

!

They went out with a force 10 forecast... and they new that it had been forecast...

This isnt a case of poor planning on Hot liquid sailing behalf... its a case of negligence....

 

[Kukri]

There is no reason to sail with such a forecast unless you are a lifeboat or a salvage tug.

 

[Grumpybear]

There is no reason to sail with such a forecast unless you are a lifeboat or a salvage tug.

I would go further. There is every reason NOT to sail unless you are a lifeboat or a salvage tug.

 

[Boomshanka]

There is no reason to sail with such a forecast unless you are a lifeboat or a salvage tug.

And so what was the reason? Position a boat for accommodation during LBS perhaps? I don't know, I'm just guessing (it ties in with the dates for the return 'cruise' though - I also can't think why else you would advertise a cruise to London at this time of year with a two week gap between arrival and departure?)... but if that is the case then you shouldn't put fare-paying punters out to do the job in those conditions! Day return train tickets or a budget hotel at the end of a tube line are going to be looking increasingly cheaper options after this.

The weather forecast was undeniable... what on earth was going through the skipper's mind when go/no go decisions were being made!

 

[Bav34]

The weather forecast was undeniable... what on earth was going through the skipper's mind when go/no go decisions were being made!

He has already answered that question on Twitter

2nd Jan

Great F8/9 maybe even F10 Tue!!! At least it's from west so just run under storm jib!!! May even use Trysail!!!!

 

[photodog]

And so what was the reason? Position a boat for accommodation during LBS perhaps? I don't know, I'm just guessing (it ties in with the dates for the return 'cruise' though - I also can't think why else you would advertise a cruise to London at this time of year with a two week gap between arrival and departure?)... but if that is the case then you shouldn't put fare-paying punters out to do the job in those conditions! Day return train tickets or a budget hotel at the end of a tube line are going to be looking increasingly cheaper options after this.

The weather forecast was undeniable... what on earth was going through the skipper's mind when go/no go decisions were being made!

they have a stand at Libs.... I think that your spot on.

Its a worthwhile trip... and a good idea... but clearly Hot Liquid sailing have allowed business priorities to rule over common sense...

And they did the same thing last year.

 

[topline]

You can watch crew and skipper being interviewed here (for the next 7 hours on iPlayer) [clicky]

from 03:10 to 04:28

Skipper quoted that the Helmsman was slammed against the wheel but didn't receive major injuries, what else would you call a broken shoulder and jaw! What a T@%t.