25931
Well-known member
Do you happen to know what material the long keeler's rudder was made of ?
Orca attack
- Thread starter Sailfree
- Start date
Kelpie
Well-known member
It was a Nauticat, GRP with stainless shaft and tangs. Supported on bearings top and bottom. The shaft was the only bit left when the orcas had finished.
Kukri
Well-known member
The CA seem to think that this is seasonal and related to tuna movements.
How many attacks have occurred outside June- August?
How many attacks have occurred outside June- August?
sailaboutvic
Well-known member
Ha ha yes I did know you meant rudders .
Just tho I go along with keel .
Actually the photo I seen of rudders that been bitten has been al sorts
25931
Well-known member
There must be a fair number of wooden rudders but I haven't seen mention of one being attacked.
sailaboutvic
Well-known member
Apparently they don't like the taste of wood thr experts said
25931
Well-known member
That should give pause for thought.
sailaboutvic
Well-known member
Yes this all came to light this year when a group from the Orca society when out and found the group that's doing the attacks.
They throw in some tuna and some wood ,
The orcas when straight for the Tuna and once they eaten them just swim away .
Never given the wood the time of day .
So I guess wooden rudder will be safe.
BurnitBlue
Well-known member
Has anyone given any thought to the taste of antifoul paint to an Orca. Taste buds may be on the tongue as per other mammals. As a child I recall accepting a tablet of Wrigleys spearmint bubble gum. I enjoyed sucking the sugary white coating then spitting out the tasteless gum.
Why not. The rudder is the only bit of a boat they can bite off and suck. It seems to be only the young Orcas that like to suck on a rudder. The adults swim close by uttering such phrases as " Kids today eh., what can we do?"
Instead of a pinger I will carry half a tin of antifoul paint. Paint the flares before chucking them overboard.
Oh you are so cruel.
Why not. The rudder is the only bit of a boat they can bite off and suck. It seems to be only the young Orcas that like to suck on a rudder. The adults swim close by uttering such phrases as " Kids today eh., what can we do?"
Instead of a pinger I will carry half a tin of antifoul paint. Paint the flares before chucking them overboard.
Oh you are so cruel.
Mistroma
Well-known member
Almost my first thought when this all started was to consider reversing to protect the rudder.
An orca would have to approach close to a rotating prop. when a boat is reversing. Unless they have mastered the trick of swimming backwards at speed.
Of course you would run the risk of shifting attention to the keel. It is more solid but that could just mean a stronger attack. Still worth a try and it does seem to have been effective when implemented immediately or pre-emptively if they are spotted. I haven't heard any claim that they then concentrated on the keel for any time.
Kelpie
Well-known member
The evidence shows that if you can act quickly enough, reversing brings a very swift end to the attack. It's not just a theory.
The problem is that you the first you know about the attack may be when the first strike happens, and then it can be too late.
The problem is that you the first you know about the attack may be when the first strike happens, and then it can be too late.
sailaboutvic
Well-known member
Just heard to night one of our friends heading North was NE off fisterra when they heard a may day of a boat being attacked 2 Mile's a head of them ,
them and another boat alter course for the shipping lanes .
Boat had to be towed in , damage to steering gear.
them and another boat alter course for the shipping lanes .
Boat had to be towed in , damage to steering gear.
Adios
...
I'm surprised. If the attacks are them being playful unless you keep reversing won't they still be nearby when you go into forward? Maybe the scare of a near miss with the prop is enough to make them wary and they stay back after.
Kelpie
Well-known member
You keep reversing until you can't see any orcas. They appear to get bored and go away. Often it seems to only need a few minutes of going astern but personally I would keep doing it until I ran out of diesel if I had to.
25931
Well-known member
Perhaps laminate a thin wooden sheet to give protection ?
RAI
Well-known member
Maybe just an IKEA label will do.
25931
Well-known member
We shall all be interested to see how you get on
.
Kelpie
Well-known member
Just in case anybody thinks the wooden rudder thing is a serious suggestion (anybody?) I'm almost certain that it's simply down to the tiny number of yachts in that part of the world who have wooden rudders.
From the description of how the attacks unfold, the orcas are not nibbling delicately when they do this. They won't have any idea what the rudder is made of until they've already broken a chunk off it.
From the description of how the attacks unfold, the orcas are not nibbling delicately when they do this. They won't have any idea what the rudder is made of until they've already broken a chunk off it.
Wansworth
Well-known member
Now if it had been a proper boat like a Colin Archer rescue ketch……
Kelpie
Well-known member
In my sample of three, the sturdy long keel boat had their rudder reduced to just the shaft. The skeg hung Jeanneau have a stiff spot in the steering, so possibly a bent shaft. And the spade rudder on a newer Jeanneau had the lower half bitten off completely, but retained good steering authority with no bearing damage or leaks. They were later able to drop the rudder without even lifting out, and get it rebuilt. Just foam and glass work, all done in a couple of days.
So there's something to be said for modern 'flimsy' yacht design... :O