MOB on X channel race

I was in the same race and nearby when it was happening and saw the attempted recovery by helicopter. The race report is available on the RORC website here and details this incident along with many other lesser incidents.

Martin
 
Glad everyone was safe - I heard the report on the Radio on Saturday morning and having rocked and rolled a bit in the night in our protected marina berth, I had a great deal of sympathy and respect for those out there.

You've also got to have respect for all those involved in the rescue. Having the Aurora stand by (amougnst many others), along with the helicopter and lifeboats in those conditions - I'm sure no-one will be criticising rescues for divers for a while.

Rick
 
It does question the wisdom of the RORC starting the race when such poor conditions were forecast. Thankfully it had a happy ending but it could have been very different.

Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating a nanny state, but rather responsible seamanship. It's one thing to be caught out in these conditions but another deliberately starting out in them.
 
A fundemental rule of racing is that each boat makes her own decision of weather to start and weather to continue racing.

It is not RORCs wisdom I would question it is that of the skippers who are now moaning.

RORC appears to be taking some abuse for this race. I would hate to see RORC race officers this season postpone and abandon starts because of the whinging from those who had to retire from the upwind leg of this race.

This is after all OFFSHORE Racing not remote controlled yachts in the pond
 
I agree about it being ultimately the skippers decision whether to compete or not although there must be a huge amount of pressure on them to compete in what could be described as a macho sport (ocean racing). You can hear the ribbing in the bar about the whimps in xyz boat who pulled out etc. I still think the RORC must take some responsibility for starting the race in such conditions - you can imagine the discussion we would be having if the headline this moring read "yachtsmen drowned in cross channel race" and from what I understand that easily could have been the case. There is also the cost and inconvenience of mounting the rescue operation......
 
Oh yes, I had no problems with the race going ahead! Its not my thing, but if others want to, then great. However, divers have come in for a bit of stick on here with the view that the coastguard helicopter is a taxi service for them - yet I don't really see the between them and this incident. In both cases, people are undertaking a sport with elevated risks in full knowledge of the dangers. In both cases, the vast majority are fine, and a very few require the deployment of our emergency services often through no direct fault of their own (other than electing to be there).

Long may people be able to continue to do so, mind. Would hate to see Nanny wanting to wrap us in yet more cotton wool.

Rick
 
I dont know anyone who would call someone a wimp for knowing their limits and choosing not to put their lives and their crew lives at risk. If I had a bad feeling about a race or didnt feel it was safe to go I wouldnt whether I was skipper or a crew.
RORC have very strict safety rules and the scrutineers are VERY thorough with the checks on boats. I dont think ocean racing is macho but can see how it may be viewed that way by others.
It does question whether the "charter a berth" option available for the Fastnet campaign is wise? I am not saying people shouldnt be allowed to do this but perhaps their previous experience should be questioned more and 2 qualifying races is not enough experience for some? It will be interesting to see if anyone now pulls out of their chartered berth Fastnet campaign.
 
Conditions were pretty awful .. I was on a yacht about 1/2 mile from the MOB when the flares went up.

We evetually retired about half way up the beat, and ran back to Cherbourg .. a very long, cold and wet nights sailing.

Jeff.
 
This is one of reasons I hate racing or flotilla sailing, even sailing in company.

There is so much pressure to go to sea, in conditions you are unhappy with, especially to novice or less experienced skippers.

A reason I am still not a member of the local sailing club really, I don't like cruising in company so the club holds very little value.

I like to meet up with other boats, I am not unsociable, but planned starts are IMHO dangerous, look at Fastnet, how many skippers felt the pressure to leave port in 79 when their instincts told them not to?
 
As I remember the incident, it was the Aurora which initiated the mayday procedure in responce to the red flares going up, though its quite possible that the yacht would have done so anyway. Once this was done the whole procedure was driven by the coastguard, the helicopter seemed to be a foregone conclusion at that point .. I think I remember the yacht asking if the 'copter could be cancelled (once man back on board). The answer was no, the MOB had to be evacuated to shore and a hospital immediately.

Jeff.
 
Nanny state.

I completely agree with all the comments on this thread about it being the skipper's decision to sail but there are other things in the equation these days.

This being a fastnet year the qualification pressure is excessive. Wind against tide in the channel is the worst place to in the world, not just a figure of speech. I have done storms in some deadful places, including the Irish Sea but the channel can give the worst sea state of all. To deliberately set a course, with a 46 mile beat, when they had an alternative to hand seems excessively macho, especially in view of the size of the fleet.

It would appear that three or more crew members finished up in hospital, helicopters and assorted life boats were called out. How long in this age of public expenditure cuts will it be before deliberately courting danger calls the wrath of the nanny state down upon all of us? Please don't come back with mountain rescure comparisons. How many peeps were out on the water in the whole fleet, 300, 400 ? I have no idea. 1 death could bring tabloid histeria down upon us!

I totally agree that a sailor should 'learn to drown like a gentleman' but nowadays that does not seem to be allowed.

Two weeks ago the RORC knowingly started the Le Harve race off into thick fog. I got abused on this forum for being v. unimpressed at skippers who gung hoed off into that. When regulations get put in place by restrict all us because of some tragedy it will be our own fault, we all know the rules of modern society. The era of Shackleton et all is past, if RORC wind up bunch of over enthusiastic skippers we know that many will overdo it, but we will all complain when we all have to pay the price.
 
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