Trevor_swfyc
New member
This brings back memories of the Tulla which was lost on route from Ijmuiden to Harwich in the year 2000, this was a particular shock at the time as I had made the same crossing in a 27ft yacht only two months earlier. Again in the case of the Ouzo I expressed my sincere sympathy with the loss to family and friends.
I would have expected that if the yacht hit a submerged object in the water even if the object was big enough to result in sinking, the crew would have had time to let off a flare or radio a mayday. On the balance of probabilities it would have been a collision with a large vessel. The idea that big ships are travelling around with little to no watch i personally reject, as if this was the case more collisions would occur between those ships. I know that when I first see a ship I want to know am I out of the shipping lane is the ship in the shipping lane if the answer to both is true then I am safe?. I expect the big ships to stay in lane and not to cut corners, so the only time I enter a shipping lane is to cross it.
I was somewhat surprised when crossing the Ijsselmeer from Enkhuiszen to Stavoren that the ferry left the buoyed approach channel resulting in a head to head situation with yachts outside the buoyed channel. Clearly the yacht skippers were not happy and this was in the light, the wash alone was clearly causing problems.
It looks as though the checking of vessel (black boxes) route track would clearly show if a vessel left the shipping lane or took avoiding action. Under Solas V we must have a route plan, not much use if that plan goes down with your yacht maybe we should leave a copy with family as clearly it would help with any investigation in the case of a fatal accident.
At night a yacht cannot be easy to spot with only 10 watt bulbs, if I think I have not been seen then I light up the sails with my 1 million candle power spotlight only cost £10 from B & Q. nobody could miss that, I would rather do this than let of a white flare!
Stay Safe.
Trevor
I would have expected that if the yacht hit a submerged object in the water even if the object was big enough to result in sinking, the crew would have had time to let off a flare or radio a mayday. On the balance of probabilities it would have been a collision with a large vessel. The idea that big ships are travelling around with little to no watch i personally reject, as if this was the case more collisions would occur between those ships. I know that when I first see a ship I want to know am I out of the shipping lane is the ship in the shipping lane if the answer to both is true then I am safe?. I expect the big ships to stay in lane and not to cut corners, so the only time I enter a shipping lane is to cross it.
I was somewhat surprised when crossing the Ijsselmeer from Enkhuiszen to Stavoren that the ferry left the buoyed approach channel resulting in a head to head situation with yachts outside the buoyed channel. Clearly the yacht skippers were not happy and this was in the light, the wash alone was clearly causing problems.
It looks as though the checking of vessel (black boxes) route track would clearly show if a vessel left the shipping lane or took avoiding action. Under Solas V we must have a route plan, not much use if that plan goes down with your yacht maybe we should leave a copy with family as clearly it would help with any investigation in the case of a fatal accident.
At night a yacht cannot be easy to spot with only 10 watt bulbs, if I think I have not been seen then I light up the sails with my 1 million candle power spotlight only cost £10 from B & Q. nobody could miss that, I would rather do this than let of a white flare!
Stay Safe.
Trevor
