Orca attack

[Supine Being]

Another suggestion is NOT to run the engine.
However, there are vids of attacks where the boats have stopped the engines. So that does not disprove your theory.
I did see a rudder design ( electric I think)where the prop was mounted in the tail end of the rudder blade. I believe that it was to assist steering. Perhaps that might deter them if an egg whisk suddenly chopped all their teeth out when they went to bite the rudder

Interesting. Perhaps something like one of these on the transom?

 

[greeny]

Is it still recommended to drop sails and motor in reverse?

Latest wisdom is to motor as fast as you can towards the shallow water, less than 20 mtrs. Drop sails as you go if possible to reduce the complications should they push you round causing sails to back and the risks of uncontrolled gybe, boom crashing around etc. It seems that once you leave their feeding hunting area at the time, they may back off and leave you eventually. Their hunting areas are rarely in less than 20 mtrs hence the call to stay shallow. Firecrackers may assist in keeping them away until you get into shallow water and they leave, I have heard.

 

[newtothis]

Latest wisdom is to motor as fast as you can towards the shallow water, less than 20 mtrs. Drop sails as you go if possible to reduce the complications should they push you round causing sails to back and the risks of uncontrolled gybe, boom crashing around etc. It seems that once you leave their feeding hunting area at the time, they may back off and leave you eventually. Their hunting areas are rarely in less than 20 mtrs hence the call to stay shallow. Firecrackers may assist in keeping them away until you get into shallow water and they leave, I have heard.

You're going to need a pretty shallow draught for that to work...

 

[Ammonite]

You're going to need a pretty shallow draught for that to work...
View attachment 164609

That's when they are feeding on seals rather than boats
The 20m contour thing isn't 100% but if you follow orcas.pt telegram channel it does seem to work pretty well..for now

 

[john_morris_uk]

That's when they are feeding on seals rather than boats
The 20m contour thing isn't 100% but if you follow orcas.pt telegram channel it does seem to work pretty well..for now

For better or worse it worked for us last autumn as we made our way down the Spanish/Portuguese coast. We tried to stick to 17 metres or so and we heard of several boats attacked nearby. They’d all been out in deeper water.

 

[capnsensible]

In an incident here last week, a wooden commercial fishing boat was holed by.....a marlin. Seems like the piscine world needs a reminder who's boss. A rescue launch had to deploy with a high capacity pump to prevent the vessel sinking.....

 

[Sandydog2]

They seem to only go for rudders and then leave when they have broken them. Has anyone tried breaking up the outline of the rudder with different colour antifoul so that it looks less fin-like ?

 

[Daydream believer]

My friends are heading for the ARC, Currently in Cascais. They antifouled with white. However, white antifoul paint is pretty useless & now their hull is a bit green.

 

[capnsensible]

Un marlín ataca a un atunero cuando faenaba a 30 millas de la costa de Lanzarote

You may need your translate thingy for this. Stroppy marlin.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

In an incident here last week, a wooden commercial fishing boat was holed by.....a marlin. Seems like the piscine world needs a reminder who's boss. A rescue launch had to deploy with a high capacity pump to prevent the vessel sinking.....

like a bid strike in slow motion! Probably wasn't keeping a lookout.

 

[greeny]

10.23 orcas.pt PT & SP Coast – Google My Maps
Two more attacks up near Vigo. Yesterday and today.

 

[alexsailor]

Anyone tried to shoot them? I wonder which Glock will do the job?

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Anyone tried to shoot them? I wonder which Glock will do the job?

None

 

[Daydream believer]

what might be an option is to have a streamlined capsule attached to the trailing edge of the rudder. This should be detachable & designed not to have too much effect on the steering. It could be hinged on the back edge like a trim tab, but shaped in some way to fit the rudder curvature. A simple pin fixing would allow fitting/removal
when the whale first bites the rudder (which would almost certainly be the trailing edge)the capsule releases different results.
they could experiment with dye, explosives ( blow the bloody jaws off) smoke, bubbles, sand, constant bangs , as in jumping jacks, multiple timed underwater flares etc
yachts would only bolt (pin) the unit in place whilst in a percieved danger area
once they find what works, yachts could fit it. Orcas would soon learn that rudders are no longer much fun so stop attacking them & with luck we could go back to normal

 

[Daydream believer]

Anyone tried to shoot them? I wonder which Glock will do the job?

Perhaps a very pistol. One could get this past the authorities On the grounds that it was H & S for flares. I have seen pics of the whale surfacing with mouth slightly open. A mouthful of hot flare might put one into a thrashing frenzy. Not sure what damage it might do or what effect on the others in the pod. The lefty authorities might have something to say about it if they found out.
so I suggest that you try it & let us know

 

[Thresher]

Golly! I was just on my way out of the Ria de Muros and remembered to do my Orcinus check. Good thing too, that one from yesterday is right in my path, although I know the whale could be 40 miles away right now. It could be here! right under me. I'm turning around and going back in.

 

[Wansworth]

Golly! I was just on my way out of the Ria de Muros and remembered to do my Orcinus check. Good thing too, that one from yesterday is right in my path, although I know the whale could be 40 miles away right now. It could be here! right under me. I'm turning around and going back in.

Enjoying the late Galician summer?

 

[Thresher]

Enjoying the late Galician summer?

Yes, it's been quite incredible, more records broken or matched.

 

[Laser310]

I suggested it once before: Bear Spray

It's a very strong capsacin pepper spray that is ultimately not harmful - people have volunteered to be sprayed with it - but causes intense pain to eyes and nasal passages for a while.

It can be aimed and sprayed up to about 30feet, as long as wind is light and it could be aimed at eyes and blow holes if they are above the surface. If it is windy, the range is much shorter, and you want to be careful that it doesn't blow back. In the case of a hairless animal, it can cause pain just by skin contact. Orca have to surface every so often, and videos show them doing so quite close to boats. In many of the videos I have seen they would be an easy target.

I think the main unknown is: what would they do? We won't know unless it is tried, but experience with grizzly bears is that it is often so painful that they can not continue the attack. Some people feel it is more effective than a gun: there are many cases of bears continuing an attack after being shot, because it is not immediately very painful. Many Grizzly attacks are predatory; i,e. not for fun. They need to eat and still back off. My view is that orca attacks on sailboats are mostly for entertainment, and that their tolerance for pain will be low.

Apparently, bears that have been sprayed get trained to avoid humans, and supposedly they sometimes even retreat just from hearing a hissing sound. I imagine that Orca are at least as intelligent as bears, and one spray will probably be enough to make them think about avoiding sailboats.

Bear spray is actually good for bears, because it reduces serious injuries to humans from bear attacks, and bears that kill or injure humans are often killed.

 

[Wansworth]

Yes, it's been quite incredible, more records broken or matched.

Local weather says come Friday it’s going to rain and get colder,are you staying the winter in the rias