snooks
Well-Known Member
The 16 year old aussie school girl has set off on her attempt to be the youngest woman to sail around the world, non stop unassisted...and has been hit by a ship 
Full story here
Full story here
Jessica Watson has started...and stopped
- Thread starter snooks
- Start date
Wandering Star
Well-Known Member
I'm very sorry for Jessica and pleased she hasn't suffered any injuries no one was hurt but can't help commenting on the following snips from the article:
"Mr Watson said Jess made several attempts to avoid the Sliver Yang, including repeated radio requests, but ultimately braced herself in her bunk for impact."
........ Ships don't chase yachts round in circles, if Jessica had seen that ship in time to call it on the radio and then still had enough time to brace herself in her bunk, then she would certainly have had more than ample time to get out of the ships path which would have been the seamanlike course of action (big versus small) whichever vessel had right of way. I can't believe she took no avoiding action just because (presumably) she was stand on vessel.
"He said the real question should be why the crew of the Silver Yang did not see her. If they had been keeping a proper watch they would have seen her.”
Ermm, he has a point but isn't this whole record attempt by Jessica a singlehanded thing? Unless Jessica has devised a method of staying awake 24/7 for months on end then there will be (countless) occasions when there's no one on watch on her boat either - stones and glasshouses spring to mind.
Just my 2p worth.
Cheers, Brian.
"Mr Watson said Jess made several attempts to avoid the Sliver Yang, including repeated radio requests, but ultimately braced herself in her bunk for impact."
........ Ships don't chase yachts round in circles, if Jessica had seen that ship in time to call it on the radio and then still had enough time to brace herself in her bunk, then she would certainly have had more than ample time to get out of the ships path which would have been the seamanlike course of action (big versus small) whichever vessel had right of way. I can't believe she took no avoiding action just because (presumably) she was stand on vessel.
"He said the real question should be why the crew of the Silver Yang did not see her. If they had been keeping a proper watch they would have seen her.”
Ermm, he has a point but isn't this whole record attempt by Jessica a singlehanded thing? Unless Jessica has devised a method of staying awake 24/7 for months on end then there will be (countless) occasions when there's no one on watch on her boat either - stones and glasshouses spring to mind.
Just my 2p worth.
Cheers, Brian.
Boreades
Well-Known Member
Re "Mr Watson said Jess made several attempts to avoid the Sliver Yang, including repeated radio requests, but ultimately braced herself in her bunk for impact."
Yes, that was the bit that caught my as well. What was it doing? Stalking her?
I've had enough close encounters with ferries and tugs to know it's not good shouting "Starboard" at them, they're working and we're all playing in our little toys as far as they are concerned. It might be going too far to say they don't give a toss for the niceties of ColRegs, but I'd be surprised if anyone was on the bridge.
Yes, that was the bit that caught my as well. What was it doing? Stalking her?
I've had enough close encounters with ferries and tugs to know it's not good shouting "Starboard" at them, they're working and we're all playing in our little toys as far as they are concerned. It might be going too far to say they don't give a toss for the niceties of ColRegs, but I'd be surprised if anyone was on the bridge.
SmileyGiley
Well-Known Member
Hats off to her for giving it a go... If I make it from Conwy to Puffin Is. it's a big deal. But yes - I have to ask how she had half an hour to try to raise an english speaker yet no time to avoid the ship.
Crossing the Irish sea a few years back, bit misty, away from the norht I sees an oil tanker heading my way. The mist was not bad but made it hard to gauge whether it was heading at me or miles away. So I pulled a 180 & motored the other way. I was well over a mile away when whe passed under my stern... if Id motored full on & tried to hit I'd have failed but then if I'd succeeded who'd ever have known.
Discretion the better part of anything really, certainly if you
A- are significantly smaller
B - are well aware the crew don't speak your lingo.
Come on Jessica - explain the circumstances.
Crossing the Irish sea a few years back, bit misty, away from the norht I sees an oil tanker heading my way. The mist was not bad but made it hard to gauge whether it was heading at me or miles away. So I pulled a 180 & motored the other way. I was well over a mile away when whe passed under my stern... if Id motored full on & tried to hit I'd have failed but then if I'd succeeded who'd ever have known.
Discretion the better part of anything really, certainly if you
A- are significantly smaller
B - are well aware the crew don't speak your lingo.
Come on Jessica - explain the circumstances.
snooks
Well-Known Member
I wasn't going to point that bit out, but if she had enough time to see it on her AIS, then radio them, she had enough time to avoid the collision IMHO, but having seen the reporting of other young sailors in the news you never know what really happened 
Scotty_Tradewind
Well-Known Member
I reckon she should be taken into care.......
monkfish24
Well-Known Member
pffffft when will you guys learn, the media love thrilling stuff, they love soundbites and especially from direct quotes.
it's most likely taken out of context completly. Good on the girl and good luck to her!
it's most likely taken out of context completly. Good on the girl and good luck to her!
Boreades
Well-Known Member
I'm happy to be wrong, and I'd be proud to have a daughter like that, but .... I've just had an unkind thought... whenever any of my prized possessions gets mysteriously broken, after my children have been near it, the excuses are weird and wonderful, like "It just jumped off the shelf, really!"
I wonder if our young lass has been "rehearsing her excuses" before she had to explain to her dad what really happened? If my youngsters are anything to go by, one of their main concerns would have been along the lines of "Oh no, I'm really in the **** now, how do I explain this away?"
Just a thought.
I wonder if our young lass has been "rehearsing her excuses" before she had to explain to her dad what really happened? If my youngsters are anything to go by, one of their main concerns would have been along the lines of "Oh no, I'm really in the **** now, how do I explain this away?"
Just a thought.
It is not that simple if your AIS display does not provide bearing at time of CPA.
The editorial staff at the yachting mags have been seriously amiss in not raising this issue. Perhaps a follow up of the Jessica incident could lead into an article on this AIS issue.
D
Deleted member 36384
Guest
Beat The Dutch At All Costs!
...........and there I thought she was going to beat the Dutch. Think what you want!
However, what do you expect from a ship called the Sliver Yang.
...........and there I thought she was going to beat the Dutch. Think what you want!
However, what do you expect from a ship called the Sliver Yang.
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robp
Well-Known Member
Some Silver Ying?
Refueler
Well-Known Member
Aw c'mon ..... what a load of twaddle ...
Report says AIS did NOT warn her ...
And if as some post here - she had time to radio REPEATEDLY and time to get in bunk ? WTF was she doing ?
As an aside - who teaches that you should crawl into your bunk if you are going to be run down by a ship ? I've never heard that one ...
Second - boat damaged, mast broken ... but still afloat and manages to get back to port. Mmmmmmm so at what angle / where did she hit ? Couldn't have been a true run-down as believed to have happened to Ouzo ... thoughts are she's taken a glancing or angled collision and survived ... ??
Not enough info I'm afraid ... weather at time, what was she really doing, what was ship really doing etc. etc. - just the word of a 16 yr old Girl frightened out of her knick's ...
Sorry but I'm skeptical of the whole thing ...
Report says AIS did NOT warn her ...
And if as some post here - she had time to radio REPEATEDLY and time to get in bunk ? WTF was she doing ?
As an aside - who teaches that you should crawl into your bunk if you are going to be run down by a ship ? I've never heard that one ...
Second - boat damaged, mast broken ... but still afloat and manages to get back to port. Mmmmmmm so at what angle / where did she hit ? Couldn't have been a true run-down as believed to have happened to Ouzo ... thoughts are she's taken a glancing or angled collision and survived ... ??
Not enough info I'm afraid ... weather at time, what was she really doing, what was ship really doing etc. etc. - just the word of a 16 yr old Girl frightened out of her knick's ...
Sorry but I'm skeptical of the whole thing ...
But it makes sense if you think about it.
If a big ship collision is likely to be survivable it is because you are going to get a glancing blow beginning with a swamping action from the bow wave. So:
1 - You don't want to be swept over the side.
2 - During the knock down you don't want to be thrown across the cabin.
Hence a tunnel pilot berth would be the best place assuming you don't have the confidence to drive out of trouble.
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boyfromaus
New Member
My opinion
Alot of people are saying she used the VHF to avoid the Collision.
Colregs states the use of VHF for collision avoidance should not be used.
This is due to Language barriers and there are going to be language barriers with shipping unless you expect every ship around the world to speak in a Australian Accent.
Also the uncertainty of the vessel you are calling in the dark and in poor visibility.
All thou i do believe both vessels did have a obligation to avoid the collision under rule 5.
I fail to understand why a small vessel like the hers was unable to alter course and her reasons for standing on
I can not see any action on her behalf to avoid the Collision.
We are lucky this happened on a coastal passage.
If this happened in the tasman we would be sending the Navy out at our expanse to rescue maybe a girl far to young and inexperienced to be doing the given task.
Alot of people are saying she used the VHF to avoid the Collision.
Colregs states the use of VHF for collision avoidance should not be used.
This is due to Language barriers and there are going to be language barriers with shipping unless you expect every ship around the world to speak in a Australian Accent.
Also the uncertainty of the vessel you are calling in the dark and in poor visibility.
All thou i do believe both vessels did have a obligation to avoid the collision under rule 5.
I fail to understand why a small vessel like the hers was unable to alter course and her reasons for standing on
I can not see any action on her behalf to avoid the Collision.
We are lucky this happened on a coastal passage.
If this happened in the tasman we would be sending the Navy out at our expanse to rescue maybe a girl far to young and inexperienced to be doing the given task.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
maybe ... wouldn't like to have to make that decision ....
Searush
Well-Known Member
Yeah, it sounds almost like she has sailed into the ship rather than the other way round (which would have cut her in two). As I said on the other thread, maybe she didn't want to start her engine & be disqualified from whatever it was she was doing. Which suggests a reality check might be needed.
srm
Well-Known Member
Would suggest a basic lesson in collision avoidance before she goes off again -
Head away from anything bigger than you, and if you can keep your cool make your course 90 degrees to its track (she had that info on AIS) as fast as you can.
As to all the indignation about lack of watch keeping on the ship - they need to learn about the real world. Small overworked crews, one man bridge watch doing the paper work, etc. etc. Not justifying it, just saying 'get real'.
I sail defensively, and often use radar with alarm zones set. I have illuminated the inside of the bridge of a ship in the North Sea at less than 0.25 miles and got no response. If there had been a watchkeeper there they would have done something - if only to get me to turn the damn spotlight off. That was after first shining the light at it when 1.5 miles away, then at 1 and 0.5 miles. Obviously, no one was awake on that bridge.
Head away from anything bigger than you, and if you can keep your cool make your course 90 degrees to its track (she had that info on AIS) as fast as you can.
As to all the indignation about lack of watch keeping on the ship - they need to learn about the real world. Small overworked crews, one man bridge watch doing the paper work, etc. etc. Not justifying it, just saying 'get real'.
I sail defensively, and often use radar with alarm zones set. I have illuminated the inside of the bridge of a ship in the North Sea at less than 0.25 miles and got no response. If there had been a watchkeeper there they would have done something - if only to get me to turn the damn spotlight off. That was after first shining the light at it when 1.5 miles away, then at 1 and 0.5 miles. Obviously, no one was awake on that bridge.
Wandering Star
Well-Known Member
I've been at sea on Christmas Day, no ships spotted for days before nor days afterwards, but out of the blues steams this enormous German container ship who had picked us up on radar, guessed we were a sailboat and came over just to wish us Happy Christmas! Wonderful feeling and quite made the voyage for us. I have always held Merchant ships in highest regard and so far have never been disappointed.
Sometimes when people suggest a ship is on a collision heading it's totally untrue, I've sailed with people who have failed to notice an almost imperceptible (probably computer calcutaed) change of course by said ship. The crew of the yacht panic and the whole incident becomes dicussed as a near miss, which it never would have been. But like yourself I play safe, see a big ship and if I think it'll pass close, I take the initiative in plenty of time for big ship to realise my intention is to pass behind or keep clear with a large noticeable change of course.
Cheers, Brian.
fishermantwo
Well-Known Member
I think a reality check is definitely in order. Ships steaming north at probably 22 knots, she is heading roughly South at 0230. Has time to try and radio ship but not alter course/stop or whatever. I encounter these ships all the time as a professional fisherman. I never try to call them, I have regularly altered course and often stop to let them pass. These ships use the same bit of water all the time, we call them shipping lanes. I switch on mercury vapour deck lights, even in daylight when I am stationary in the lanes and the ships alter course slightly to pass clear. I noticed a couple of years ago when I was working the same bit of water daily that the Tasmanian ferry ship from Sydney to Tasmania kept passing me closer each time. I reckon I was being used as entertainment as the number of people hanging on the rail seemed to increase.
The upshot of all the TV coverage of this incident is the number of sponsors that have come out of the woodwork with offers of a new mast etc.
sea
Well-Known Member
seems like a bit of a theme going on with this, but all's well that ends well i spose, i think she was flat out personally but we will never know for sure.
publicity has done her good though. BUT if this was a trial run, and she almost got run down, surely thats an omen? i think she needs more experience. if it was a glancing blow then she was not in its direct path? doesnt this mean she could have done something, starting her motor would not matter because it was a 10 day trial.. shes not the only one at it either.
hope she gives up as the Brits hold the record at the moment!
"The teenager hopes to become the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world, sailing 21,000 nautical miles in 8 months.
In 1999, the Australian Jesse Martin became a household name and entered the record books at 18 by covering 27,000 nautical miles in 328 days by himself.
His record was broken last month by the British student Mike Perham, 17.
Laura Dekker, a Dutch schoolgirl aged 13, is also attempting to sail solo around the world, however her attempt has sparked an international debate because of her age"
now that is going to far
publicity has done her good though. BUT if this was a trial run, and she almost got run down, surely thats an omen? i think she needs more experience. if it was a glancing blow then she was not in its direct path? doesnt this mean she could have done something, starting her motor would not matter because it was a 10 day trial.. shes not the only one at it either.
hope she gives up as the Brits hold the record at the moment!
"The teenager hopes to become the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world, sailing 21,000 nautical miles in 8 months.
In 1999, the Australian Jesse Martin became a household name and entered the record books at 18 by covering 27,000 nautical miles in 328 days by himself.
His record was broken last month by the British student Mike Perham, 17.
Laura Dekker, a Dutch schoolgirl aged 13, is also attempting to sail solo around the world, however her attempt has sparked an international debate because of her age"
now that is going to far