Missing yacht reward offered

FistralG

FistralG

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Posting on behalf of an friend. I know this forum has members all over the globe so please share this with anyone and everyone who may be able to help.

URGENT $10,000 REWARD FOR RECOVERY
sadly we had to abandon our yacht DOVE II 460nm due east of Antigua on the 21/12/16. We are now trying to find out where it is with the hope of recovery and carrying on with our adventure.
It should now drifting towards the islands.

Could I ask people to keep a sharp lookout for it and report any sightings to myself or the coastguard. Many thanks James

You can read the full story of what actually went wrong on our blog. westerlyadventures.wordpress.com

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154892411482953&set=gm.1225814700799413&type=3
 
I have just read their blog and my heart goes out to them. A great family adventure turned into disaster. At least they are all safe and together. I hope their insurance coverage was sufficient to ameliorate the capital loss.
 
So glad to hear they're all safe. Indeed it would be good to get the yacht back, not just for insurance purposes, but for the sake of all other owners of the same, or similar production cruising yachts who might be planning a similar blue water trip.
However, if, according to the blog, the main sheet failed at the end and the boom was crashing across the boat I doubt the rig would still be standing and if it went over the side it could well puncture the hull.
One thing, I probably wouldn't want to continue the trip in the same vessel. If the rudder can be 'stripped' from its stock in normal Atlantic conditions (30 kn winds and 3-4 m seas is by no means unusual mid-Atlantic) what else might fail?
Good luck with finding her anyway James. I don't suppose you had time to think of leaving the AIS transponder active?
 
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I have to say, having read the blog, that the GRP rudder breaking up and leaving just the metal ribs attached to the stock, is the thing that I most worry about when we get caught in high winds and swell. I check the GRP for any play relative to the stock every now and then, even if I'm just swimming around the boat, but the whole construction just seems a bit "dodgy" to me.

The thing that consoles me a little is that I have two rudders so if one goes I've still got steering which came in useful a couple of years ago when one rudder seized and I had to disconnect it. In gentle conditions we seemed to be just as manoeuvreable with only one.

I think I would prefer just a stainless steel blade welded to a full length stock. Obviously the blades would not be aerofoil shaped like the current rudders but would there be any other disadvantage? If not, and one rudder were to break up and needed to be replaced anyway, would this be a sensible conversion?

Richard
 
I'm not 100% sure, but it looks like a Hanse 575. Strangely the boat info is missing on their blog site and there's no mention of it anywhere else that I have read.
 
RichardS said:
I think I would prefer just a stainless steel blade welded to a full length stock. Obviously the blades would not be aerofoil shaped like the current rudders but would there be any other disadvantage? If not, and one rudder were to break up and needed to be replaced anyway, would this be a sensible conversion?

Richard
Click to expand...

Perfectly possible to make an aerofoil SS rudder.
 
RichardS said:
The Wife says in the text that it's a 40 footer.

Richard
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Marine traffic AIS data suggests 16 metres - AIS data not always precise but looks about right for the boat in the picture on their blog, which also looks to have a Hanse logo.

Is it my imagination, or have there been a few Hanse abandoned in recent years due to rudder losses of various forms?
(Clearly a lot of Hanse boats sailing, but does seem rudder could be a weak link with them? Just a ponder, not a statement of fact)
 
RichardS said:
True ..... although that sounds like a very expensive fabrication compared to just welding a sheet of 5mm (?) SS to the stock?

Richard
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IMGP2598_zpsb4f839e5.jpg


The weld 2 mm thick SS plate each side and pressure test for leaks.

IMGP1135_zpsd5650164.jpg


This rudder and skeg was also made the same way but in mild steel with SS shaft.
 
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Good that they got off safely, but also interesting to read through what happened and what was tried.

I've been on a yacht heading across when we had steering failure 36hrs from the Canaries, long story but we got back to the Canaries and made repairs using the auto helm as the rudder was OK just the cable system to the wheel that had failed.

What is the best jury rudder option in the trades? the loads on the steering are quite high but it should be possible to get something to work shouldn't it?
 
WhiskeyTownRacer said:
Pretty sure it's a Hanse 531.

If interested, more of the sorry tale can be read here: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...cover-abandoned-yacht-nw-barbados-177561.html
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I've just read the entire CF thread.

Summarising, the Skipper is still trying to find his yacht but does not want to post too many details like the MMSI number in case salvage hunters go looking for it.

When he abandoned the yacht he left the AIS switched on and the engine running at idle in neutral to keep the batteries charged up. From various calculations it looks as if the tanks will have now run dry and the engine will have stopped. Unfortunately this means that the engine blower, warning light, buzzer, alternator etc will have been flattening the battery as well as the very small AIS transceiver drain. It therefore looks as if there will not be any more satellite AIS position pings or the chance of a passing boat picking up the AIS signal even if the yacht is not in visible range or at night.

It does seem a bit strange that someone would set off across the Atlantic without a single solar panel or wind genny. The sad thing is that one small panel would have kept his AIS transmitting forever.

I don't therefore think that there is really any chance of him finding his boat before it washes up ashore somewhere, and, as a couple of posters have said, it would have been good to let out the entire anchor chain before abandoning ship as this would have helped save the boat as it approaches shore.

Solar panel on, AIS transceiver on, anchor down ..... 3 good things I'll try to remember if and when it hits the fan. :(

Richard
 
dunedin said:
Marine traffic AIS data suggests 16 metres - AIS data not always precise but looks about right for the boat in the picture on their blog, which also looks to have a Hanse logo.

Is it my imagination, or have there been a few Hanse abandoned in recent years due to rudder losses of various forms?
(Clearly a lot of Hanse boats sailing, but does seem rudder could be a weak link with them? Just a ponder, not a statement of fact)
Click to expand...

I know from personal experience that the manufacturing standard of earlier Hanse rudders is poor- the 301 commonly has to have the rudder replaced due to electrolysis of an inferior grade original aluminium stock. I think there was an incident where one of the larger Hanses sank because a rudder fell out, can't remember more. Around the build date of my boat (2001) Hanse was subcontracting out its rudders to some now vanished builder in Poland and it's my impression that this is where a lot of the quality problems came from. Newer boats have Jefa steering systems although not sure if they are also fabricating the rudders. Would be disappointed if not surprised to see some of these build issues in bigger newer boats.

What surprised me is that the chap did not have any success motoring downwind against a drogue. This would be my first plan in the event of rudder failure and when I've tested it the resistance is such that I'd be hopeful it would work. According to his thread on the cruisers forum he didn't try the drogue(s) for some time and I would be interested to know what size drogue and how he configured them.
 
RichardS said:
I've just read the entire CF thread.

Summarising, the Skipper is still trying to find his yacht but does not want to post too many details like the MMSI number in case salvage hunters go looking for it.

When he abandoned the yacht he left the AIS switched on and the engine running at idle in neutral to keep the batteries charged up. From various calculations it looks as if the tanks will have now run dry and the engine will have stopped. Unfortunately this means that the engine blower, warning light, buzzer, alternator etc will have been flattening the battery as well as the very small AIS transceiver drain. It therefore looks as if there will not be any more satellite AIS position pings or the chance of a passing boat picking up the AIS signal even if the yacht is not in visible range or at night.

It does seem a bit strange that someone would set off across the Atlantic without a single solar panel or wind genny. The sad thing is that one small panel would have kept his AIS transmitting forever.

I don't therefore think that there is really any chance of him finding his boat before it washes up ashore somewhere, and, as a couple of posters have said, it would have been good to let out the entire anchor chain before abandoning ship as this would have helped save the boat as it approaches shore.

Solar panel on, AIS transceiver on, anchor down ..... 3 good things I'll try to remember if and when it hits the fan. :(

Richard
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Well summed up I think.

What I find odd, perhaps I'm ignorant of typical coverage though, is that he stated insurance would not cover him. Surely this is precisely the sort of thing one would be insured for?
 
WhiskeyTownRacer said:
Well summed up I think.

What I find odd, perhaps I'm ignorant of typical coverage though, is that he stated insurance would not cover him. Surely this is precisely the sort of thing one would be insured for?
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Thank you. :)

The insurance is a matter of cost. My insurance covers the Med westwards to Gibraltar and eastwards to some line down the Aegean. Once you start extending the area you start increasing the costs and the Skipper who lost his boat was on a tight budget ..... hence presumably no solar panels or wind gen.

Richard
 
bitbaltic said:
I think there was an incident where one of the larger Hanses sank because a rudder fell out, can't remember more.
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IIRC it was Megawat, a Hanse 371 belonging to Philip Watson, a well-known sailmaker (and Hanse agent) in N Dublin. The Al rudder stock broke quite high up so allowed water to come in via the rudder tube. Blamed on a poorly fitted auto pilot I believe, although I think there was some dispute about that.
 
RichardS said:
... and the Skipper who lost his boat was on a tight budget ..... hence presumably no solar panels or wind gen.
Click to expand...

Hard to believe that cost is a significant factor in the fitting of a solar panel these days for the owner of a 53 foot boat.
 
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