[2574]
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Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
I don't recall that particular incident - but that was probably us!
I don't recall that particular incident - but that was probably us!
Nearest miss / accident - what's yours ?
- Thread starter CPD
- Start date
john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
No it wasn't you! It was when I was younger and even more foolish. (I hope that admitting my failings in public is a good thing.)
No it wasn't you! It was when I was younger and even more foolish. (I hope that admitting my failings in public is a good thing.)
savageseadog
Well-Known Member
Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
While racing on the River Mersey. Crossing close in front of a large cargo ship in dying wind only to find another ship alongside behind it. It was a tow, we didn't clear by much and had plenty of time to observe the small gap between the two ships as they closed on us. Was near enough for the Captain to have a one way conversation with us.
While racing on the River Mersey. Crossing close in front of a large cargo ship in dying wind only to find another ship alongside behind it. It was a tow, we didn't clear by much and had plenty of time to observe the small gap between the two ships as they closed on us. Was near enough for the Captain to have a one way conversation with us.
oldsaltoz
Well-Known Member
Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
Bright sunny day, sailing between two islands in the Whitsundays, spotted a trawler off the starboard bow, watched him and realised he was on a collision course, Tacked and passed quite close, close enough to see the helmsman fast asleep slumped over the wheel, called several times on the radio but no response. Later found out the trawler ran into the harbour wall about 20 miles from our close encounter.
Black of night entering a small creek with incoming tide running at 6 knots behind us, 30 foot cat, twin engines, I was on the foredeck looking for a mooring, the owner and a ships pilot in the cockpit. Suddenly she veered to port toward rocks, then both engines full ahead to get steerage and just missed, 10 seconds later and another slew to port, missed the rocks but collected a few branches from the mangroves after another burst ahead; then both engines in neutral. We were in about 4 feet of water with deeper water ahead, I dropped the pick and went aft to find out what the hell was going on, no one had a clue at first, until we worked out the the owner was putting both engines astern to slow the boat but only one engine was engaging reverse, the other remained in forward both at 80% throttle.
Delivery to the north, left port around 1000 hrs and the owner wanted to use his GPS and entered the lat long of our destination (I checked our position and the destination to ensure the line was safe) after sailing for an hour I decided to do a fix and when placed on chart we looked closer to the coast than I thought we should be. Checked the GPS and plotted on the chart, we were closer; seems he had transposed two digits and just an hour ahead was a small charted but unmarked reef.
Avagoodweekend......
Bright sunny day, sailing between two islands in the Whitsundays, spotted a trawler off the starboard bow, watched him and realised he was on a collision course, Tacked and passed quite close, close enough to see the helmsman fast asleep slumped over the wheel, called several times on the radio but no response. Later found out the trawler ran into the harbour wall about 20 miles from our close encounter.
Black of night entering a small creek with incoming tide running at 6 knots behind us, 30 foot cat, twin engines, I was on the foredeck looking for a mooring, the owner and a ships pilot in the cockpit. Suddenly she veered to port toward rocks, then both engines full ahead to get steerage and just missed, 10 seconds later and another slew to port, missed the rocks but collected a few branches from the mangroves after another burst ahead; then both engines in neutral. We were in about 4 feet of water with deeper water ahead, I dropped the pick and went aft to find out what the hell was going on, no one had a clue at first, until we worked out the the owner was putting both engines astern to slow the boat but only one engine was engaging reverse, the other remained in forward both at 80% throttle.
Delivery to the north, left port around 1000 hrs and the owner wanted to use his GPS and entered the lat long of our destination (I checked our position and the destination to ensure the line was safe) after sailing for an hour I decided to do a fix and when placed on chart we looked closer to the coast than I thought we should be. Checked the GPS and plotted on the chart, we were closer; seems he had transposed two digits and just an hour ahead was a small charted but unmarked reef.
Avagoodweekend......
[2574]
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Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
We're at QAB as from 1st April - you'll never get any peace..................
We're at QAB as from 1st April - you'll never get any peace..................
CPD
Well-Known Member
Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
This is probably the closest I have come to not having a boat any more. Heading north final destination Newcastle, dropping in at Southwold. Pitch black, quite rolly, extremely tired and mentally locked on to lighthouse from some distance as lateral lights for entry to harbour. Got as close to 1.5m depth under keels before twigging that you dont get the sound of breaking waves from that direction at the harbour entrance. Turned back, got into the harbour and as was well with the world. Never again.
Apart from that, being well out from the Humber entrance surrounded by moving big ships. No near misses or accidents but made me realise how valuable radar is.
The moral of my tale is never ever underestimate the effects of exhaustion. The departure was not as it seems - I think I must have turned on the GPS when out and it picked up the last spot it knew.
This is probably the closest I have come to not having a boat any more. Heading north final destination Newcastle, dropping in at Southwold. Pitch black, quite rolly, extremely tired and mentally locked on to lighthouse from some distance as lateral lights for entry to harbour. Got as close to 1.5m depth under keels before twigging that you dont get the sound of breaking waves from that direction at the harbour entrance. Turned back, got into the harbour and as was well with the world. Never again.
Apart from that, being well out from the Humber entrance surrounded by moving big ships. No near misses or accidents but made me realise how valuable radar is.
The moral of my tale is never ever underestimate the effects of exhaustion. The departure was not as it seems - I think I must have turned on the GPS when out and it picked up the last spot it knew.
kengill
Well-Known Member
Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
Precisely planned nip across the stern of the Ryde ferry and surfed on its wake the other side. Went from last to first in the race.
My bowman reported we passed three feet from his stern.
Precisely planned nip across the stern of the Ryde ferry and surfed on its wake the other side. Went from last to first in the race.
My bowman reported we passed three feet from his stern.
john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
That's really good news that you are West Country based from next year. I will send you a PM with our new address details etc as we moved a couple of months ago.
That's really good news that you are West Country based from next year. I will send you a PM with our new address details etc as we moved a couple of months ago.
retsina
Well-Known Member
Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
I will tell you of a "no miss" incident. A number of years ago, I was was a member of the sailing club near Athens in Greece, my birth places. The club was a serious sailing training school, and I was training with the young Olympic team hoping that one day one of us would compete in the Olympic games. One of our "games" was to have "dares". One of our dares was to sail our boats (Fin Olympic class single hand) at full speed towards an object such as a buoy or what ever else was there in the open sea, and get as close as possible before one of us would chicken out and turn round first. The last to tutn the boat round was the winner.
One day our "object" was a navy ship. I was determined to be the last to turn the boat round and be the winner. We were 6 to 8 Fins sailing on a reach flat out; within a few metres from the ship, all turn their boats round except me and anothe Fin. Three metres to go and the other fin turned round hard; I was the winner, but no time for turning; I smash on the side of the navy ship. The sailors were going beserk. It was not just any navy ship; it was the Aircraft carrier the Enterprice of the 6th American fleet. I was 12
I will tell you of a "no miss" incident. A number of years ago, I was was a member of the sailing club near Athens in Greece, my birth places. The club was a serious sailing training school, and I was training with the young Olympic team hoping that one day one of us would compete in the Olympic games. One of our "games" was to have "dares". One of our dares was to sail our boats (Fin Olympic class single hand) at full speed towards an object such as a buoy or what ever else was there in the open sea, and get as close as possible before one of us would chicken out and turn round first. The last to tutn the boat round was the winner.
One day our "object" was a navy ship. I was determined to be the last to turn the boat round and be the winner. We were 6 to 8 Fins sailing on a reach flat out; within a few metres from the ship, all turn their boats round except me and anothe Fin. Three metres to go and the other fin turned round hard; I was the winner, but no time for turning; I smash on the side of the navy ship. The sailors were going beserk. It was not just any navy ship; it was the Aircraft carrier the Enterprice of the 6th American fleet. I was 12
Talbot
Well-Known Member
Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
I have two, that even 30 years later are enough to make me wake up cold and sweaty:
The first I was officer of the watch of a frigate during the cod war. we were in the middle of about 250 fishing vessels, travelling at 28 kts trying to ride off an icelandic gunboat. The only real problem was that visibility was at best 50 yds and at worst about 20 yds. Furthermore, a frigate doesnt stop that quickly, particularly that particular one where we had to connect a gas turbine in parrallel with a steam plant to achieve max speed - so no ability to go astern. Makes for a lot of concentration on the relative movement plot.
The second incident happened about 2 years later. I was again on the bridge this time of a cruiser. We were in a multinational force doing a radarless, lightless stationkeeping exercise on a very dark night. I was concerned that the marker I had been using of the wake of a shipp ahead seemed to have disappeared so had everyone watching that direction. Suddenly I saw a small white glow bobbing up and down very close ahead. Without waiting to investigate further I did a screaming whatsit turn away and put all my lights on while calling the captain (who had been thrown out of his chair anyway!) I cant have missed the ship ahead by more than about 20 ft - they had had a total power failure, and that is why the wake had disappeared as they slowed down, and the light bobbing up and down, was their officer of the watch running down to the stern of their ship with a very small torch and a lot of bravery. If I hadnt had a sixth sense of impending disaster, I would not have been concentrating quite so singlemindedly on that ship, and would undoubtedly have killed several hundred men.
I have two, that even 30 years later are enough to make me wake up cold and sweaty:
The first I was officer of the watch of a frigate during the cod war. we were in the middle of about 250 fishing vessels, travelling at 28 kts trying to ride off an icelandic gunboat. The only real problem was that visibility was at best 50 yds and at worst about 20 yds. Furthermore, a frigate doesnt stop that quickly, particularly that particular one where we had to connect a gas turbine in parrallel with a steam plant to achieve max speed - so no ability to go astern. Makes for a lot of concentration on the relative movement plot.
The second incident happened about 2 years later. I was again on the bridge this time of a cruiser. We were in a multinational force doing a radarless, lightless stationkeeping exercise on a very dark night. I was concerned that the marker I had been using of the wake of a shipp ahead seemed to have disappeared so had everyone watching that direction. Suddenly I saw a small white glow bobbing up and down very close ahead. Without waiting to investigate further I did a screaming whatsit turn away and put all my lights on while calling the captain (who had been thrown out of his chair anyway!) I cant have missed the ship ahead by more than about 20 ft - they had had a total power failure, and that is why the wake had disappeared as they slowed down, and the light bobbing up and down, was their officer of the watch running down to the stern of their ship with a very small torch and a lot of bravery. If I hadnt had a sixth sense of impending disaster, I would not have been concentrating quite so singlemindedly on that ship, and would undoubtedly have killed several hundred men.
C
catalac08
Guest
Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
had an incident packed solo trip one night from the mersey to anglesey - very black and no wind so motoring into the last of the flood. First a full blown (oak I think ) tree with full complement of branches perhaps 40/50ft
plus 15foot high root ball out of the water loomed out of the black and the branches twanged on the rigging as it went past. still a little shaken as it had been a close thing I then came quickly upon a large metal channel marker (Brazil) which was not lit (unusually as the liverpool approaches are pretty well maintained). Having just recovered my composure a few miles on I then approached a vessel(s) at the junctioin of the Queens and Crosby channels which I could not even get close to identifying and could not tell whether I was catching it up, it was approaching me or what what going on.
I variously thought it was a rig being towed, dreding plus tugs?, some sort of survey vessels, maintenance work on the training wall. Eventually after standing off for some time I became so demoralised being uncertain what was happening (including whether it was approaching me or i was running it down!)that I decided there was enough water for me to leave the marked channel at that point and get out out the situation.
At that time i did not leave a passge report or have a hand held VHF or a helm position VHF when a call to the Liverpool Coastguard would have helped others avoid the tree, advised the coastguard that a bouyage light was out (or they could have adivised me earlier) and taken advice from them about the queens channel shipping activity.
no doubt other fraught experiences will happen but hopefully not scenarios like this mostly avoidable by better communications equipment and procedures now.
had an incident packed solo trip one night from the mersey to anglesey - very black and no wind so motoring into the last of the flood. First a full blown (oak I think ) tree with full complement of branches perhaps 40/50ft
plus 15foot high root ball out of the water loomed out of the black and the branches twanged on the rigging as it went past. still a little shaken as it had been a close thing I then came quickly upon a large metal channel marker (Brazil) which was not lit (unusually as the liverpool approaches are pretty well maintained). Having just recovered my composure a few miles on I then approached a vessel(s) at the junctioin of the Queens and Crosby channels which I could not even get close to identifying and could not tell whether I was catching it up, it was approaching me or what what going on.
I variously thought it was a rig being towed, dreding plus tugs?, some sort of survey vessels, maintenance work on the training wall. Eventually after standing off for some time I became so demoralised being uncertain what was happening (including whether it was approaching me or i was running it down!)that I decided there was enough water for me to leave the marked channel at that point and get out out the situation.
At that time i did not leave a passge report or have a hand held VHF or a helm position VHF when a call to the Liverpool Coastguard would have helped others avoid the tree, advised the coastguard that a bouyage light was out (or they could have adivised me earlier) and taken advice from them about the queens channel shipping activity.
no doubt other fraught experiences will happen but hopefully not scenarios like this mostly avoidable by better communications equipment and procedures now.
Athene V30
Well-Known Member
Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
Sailing a Sonata (24ft) with no engine from Dartmouth towards Fowey. Mid afternoon - no wind so sitting waiting for some breeze to fill in when a MOBO chugged up from astern (sun in their eyes!) glancing blow to starboard quarter as had just managed to 'skull' the stern round a bit to avoid loosing the rudder.
Sailing a Sonata (24ft) with no engine from Dartmouth towards Fowey. Mid afternoon - no wind so sitting waiting for some breeze to fill in when a MOBO chugged up from astern (sun in their eyes!) glancing blow to starboard quarter as had just managed to 'skull' the stern round a bit to avoid loosing the rudder.
Wansworth
Well-Known Member
Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
Steaming through the Downs with a flood tide and thick fog,called the skipper up as bouys kept disappearing in Radar clutter,theoretically I told him we should miss the bouy,he was sipping his tea as a pilar bouy danced by the wheelhouse window.....
Steaming through the Downs with a flood tide and thick fog,called the skipper up as bouys kept disappearing in Radar clutter,theoretically I told him we should miss the bouy,he was sipping his tea as a pilar bouy danced by the wheelhouse window.....
Avocet
Well-Known Member
Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
Hadn't been sailing very long and had just popped out of Fleetwood for a few hours on the tide with a junior colleague who had never been on a boat. I put the tiller pilot on (which lives in the Lazarette) and left him in the cockpit whilst I went forward to change a sail.
After a while, I noticed another yacht on a collision course, with US being the "give way" vessel. I (stupidly) thought we had plenty of time and carried on with the sail change. As the other boat got closer (and was clearly intending to stand-on), I shouted to my colleague to "push the stick away from him" and he shouted back that it was stuck...
...at which point I remembered the Autohelm!
I ran back to the cockpit to disengage the tiller but fotunately by then, the other boat had tacked. At least we didn't hit but I was left with a bent Autohelm pushrod!
One of those stupid novice experiences that could have been a lot worse - and whoever the other chap was - SORRY!
Hadn't been sailing very long and had just popped out of Fleetwood for a few hours on the tide with a junior colleague who had never been on a boat. I put the tiller pilot on (which lives in the Lazarette) and left him in the cockpit whilst I went forward to change a sail.
After a while, I noticed another yacht on a collision course, with US being the "give way" vessel. I (stupidly) thought we had plenty of time and carried on with the sail change. As the other boat got closer (and was clearly intending to stand-on), I shouted to my colleague to "push the stick away from him" and he shouted back that it was stuck...
...at which point I remembered the Autohelm!
I ran back to the cockpit to disengage the tiller but fotunately by then, the other boat had tacked. At least we didn't hit but I was left with a bent Autohelm pushrod!
One of those stupid novice experiences that could have been a lot worse - and whoever the other chap was - SORRY!
Phoenix of Hamble
Well-Known Member
Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
[ QUOTE ]
he was sipping his tea as a pilar bouy danced by the wheelhouse window.....
[/ QUOTE ]Hee hee... suspect most of us could own up to the '[--word removed--]... that was close' moments as a buoy slips past!!!!
[ QUOTE ]
he was sipping his tea as a pilar bouy danced by the wheelhouse window.....
[/ QUOTE ]Hee hee... suspect most of us could own up to the '[--word removed--]... that was close' moments as a buoy slips past!!!!
colvic987
Well-Known Member
Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
this one got his port and starboard wrong....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkqKpnU8sCE
this one got his port and starboard wrong....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkqKpnU8sCE
eebygum
Well-Known Member
Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
Sailing out out Fleetwood for Piel Island in our Hunter 26; we anchored the boat up the beach at Piel on the high spring tide to clean the hull, but decided during to move just after midnight to a bouy a bit futher out so we could get away early.
It seemed a lot easier to identify during the day, but after picking up the bouy we turned in for more sleep.
An hour or two later as the high spring tide came up; I heard an unfamiliar noise and motion...... I snuggled up closer to my girlfriend and convinced myself it was nothing of concern..... still I heard the creaking noise ...... but it was so warm under the duvet ..... Finally I remembered that Ellen could never sleep on her boat with an unfamiliar noise so I got up and popped by head out the hatch. I could not recognise any familiar bouys and as my night vision came back I relised we had drifted right through the anchorage with boats all about and across the Walney channel and heading towards the lifeboat station with the mooring tackle still attached to my bow and bouncing across the ocean floor on the end of a creaking mooring rope which was clearly too short for the high Spings !!!
With a shriek to the girlfriend toget the engine on I frantically tried to get the mooring gear off the bow cleat.
We finally got it off, and made our way back up the channel and picked up the biggest and strongest bouy and crashed back into bed. The next morning we sheepishlu looked out to see a large conrete mooring bouy way off station at the end of Walney Island ..... if it was yours SORRY.
footnote .... a few weeks later at Walney Island at a similiar time we saw the dreger going up the channel; if we had been unlit and in its way we would not have had much chance.
Sailing out out Fleetwood for Piel Island in our Hunter 26; we anchored the boat up the beach at Piel on the high spring tide to clean the hull, but decided during to move just after midnight to a bouy a bit futher out so we could get away early.
It seemed a lot easier to identify during the day, but after picking up the bouy we turned in for more sleep.
An hour or two later as the high spring tide came up; I heard an unfamiliar noise and motion...... I snuggled up closer to my girlfriend and convinced myself it was nothing of concern..... still I heard the creaking noise ...... but it was so warm under the duvet ..... Finally I remembered that Ellen could never sleep on her boat with an unfamiliar noise so I got up and popped by head out the hatch. I could not recognise any familiar bouys and as my night vision came back I relised we had drifted right through the anchorage with boats all about and across the Walney channel and heading towards the lifeboat station with the mooring tackle still attached to my bow and bouncing across the ocean floor on the end of a creaking mooring rope which was clearly too short for the high Spings !!!
With a shriek to the girlfriend toget the engine on I frantically tried to get the mooring gear off the bow cleat.
We finally got it off, and made our way back up the channel and picked up the biggest and strongest bouy and crashed back into bed. The next morning we sheepishlu looked out to see a large conrete mooring bouy way off station at the end of Walney Island ..... if it was yours SORRY.
footnote .... a few weeks later at Walney Island at a similiar time we saw the dreger going up the channel; if we had been unlit and in its way we would not have had much chance.
Alfie168
Well-Known Member
Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
I was ten and rowing on the Thames near Wallingford in our Heron Dinghy on our summer holiday 1964.
I failed to spot the 'Salters Steamers' pleasure boat which had slipped out of her berth. As it closed on us (me and brother) we couldn't get out of the way fast enough and it hit us and took a fair chunk of skin off my back.
It was very painful, all my fault really, and I cried a lot I recall. Probably lucky it wasn't worse. Dinghy not unduly damaged /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
Tim
I was ten and rowing on the Thames near Wallingford in our Heron Dinghy on our summer holiday 1964.
I failed to spot the 'Salters Steamers' pleasure boat which had slipped out of her berth. As it closed on us (me and brother) we couldn't get out of the way fast enough and it hit us and took a fair chunk of skin off my back.
It was very painful, all my fault really, and I cried a lot I recall. Probably lucky it wasn't worse. Dinghy not unduly damaged /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
Tim
fireball
Well-Known Member
Re: Nearest miss / accident - what\'s yours ?
[ QUOTE ]
all my fault really,
[/ QUOTE ]
Not really ... the pleasure boat didn't have to hit you!
[ QUOTE ]
all my fault really,
[/ QUOTE ]
Not really ... the pleasure boat didn't have to hit you!
Gunfleet
Well-Known Member
Magnetic Bouys
I think they're magnetic... but hang about... my boat's grp.
I think they're magnetic... but hang about... my boat's grp.