Qualified Or Not, What Would You Do?

[firstspirit]

Shipmates, cabin crew, captains, skippers, bosuns, sailors or whatever else you may be or do, this question is for you. Your opinion is valuable, so let's hear it please.

Picture the scene. You and your crew are in a 'safe' UK marina berth. The crew, well most of them at least, have retired for the evening and taken themselves off to noddy land. You and the first mate are quietly settling down to watch a favourite video, it's a stinking night, sleeting and very cold outside.

Suddenly there is an almighty roar within your ship. Everything around you shudders violently, loose materials are thrown sideways.. Lots of very loud banging and clumping eminates from beneath your vessel and KABOOM, one last deafening bang! At least one crew member is thrown from their bunk. You realise that when you stand up, your doorways are well leaning over! Further investigations amid your very frightened crew, reveal the sickening truth. Your pride and joy has stopped 'floating' AND fallen very hard over to one side.

Now, what would YOU do?

 

[longjohnsilver]

Jersey?

Come on tell us more, what caused the problem and where were you. Also what was the end result?

 

[peterk]

Re: big BANG

I'd bed down again - on the low side...

peter, www.juprowa.com/kittel

 

[chippie]

I would immediately post a question on PBO forum!

 

[stamfordian]

say........ohhhhhhh ****

http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/stamfordian

 

[vyv_cox]

I speak from experience, when very new to cruising. We went for a walk until the tide came back in a couple of hours later. Perhaps not in sleet, but otherwise see another response - sleep on the sides until the deck/bunks revert to their correct location.

 

[Twister_Ken]

We don't have video aboard, so it'll never happen to us!

But if it did, send 1st mate ashore to find out what the **** has happened, while self and remainder of crew check internal and external for damage that might prevent refloating when someone puts the plug back in the bottom of the harbour.

Depending on extent of damage (if any), fix, phone shipwright or phone insurers or phone lawyer (to sue marina operator).

 

[Twister_Ken]

Oh, and...

...once I'd got my own boat sorted I'd send the crew off around the neighbouring pontoons to check what damage has been done to other unoccupied boats, whether lines have snapped and need replacing, what we can do to help, etc - coz the marina staff (probably one nightwatchman) is going to be overwhelmed

 

[jimi]

Re: Oh, and...

Och you're an awfie nice man. I'd just go for retribution!

Jim

 

[gunnarsilins]

Thanks God.....

...there is no tide in Sweden. You´ll surely be ripped off in a marina, but they at least leave the water for you!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Re: Oh, and...

>Och you're an awfie nice man<

That, and I'd also want to make sure they were not going to topple over on me, drift into me when they refloat, etc!

 

[jimi]

Re: Oh, and...

I remember hearing of this happening in The Isle of Man a couple of years ago when the sill failed!

I'd also jump out & give the bottom a quick scrub before being an asset to the community.

Jim

 

[Guest]

This actually happened to me once so...

Having moored a fin keeler to the wall one night with the intention of drying out, I made a tidal calculation of when we would touch bottom, then set the alarm for half an hour or so before so that I could get up in time to adjust the warps and halyard to stop her falling over.
I awoke to the awful feeling of the boat falling away from the wall. Myself and one crew member got up to assess the situation.
The tide had almost completely gone from under and the boat must have been against the wall for some time before she fell over.
The boat was now hanging at about 45 degrees from the wall and the points to which the warps were tied were pretty dodgy (there being little else available).
The obvious danger was the warps or there anchor points giving way and the boat falling over.
Had we fallen over earlier and there been enough water I may have allowed her to lie down resting her on the inflatable or some other suitable object however this was not now an option. We therefore trebled up all the mooring warps to stronger points and winched them up tight extended the spinnaker halyard out to a tree and winched it up tight and sat and watched the boat all night until the tide sat her up again.
Obvious solution apart from tidal calculations would have been to weight the boat on the wall side to induce list against the wall, or use the spinnaker halyard tied to the land but with a bucket of water at a suitable height. This induces enough tilt to prevent the boat falling over and takes out the tidal calculation completely.
Incidentally the remaining crew woke for their showers in the morning completely obliviuos to the nights events

www.yacht-links.net

 

[janie]

But ..

Having returned from two wonderful weeks cruising Stromstad - Marstrand, we managed to ground on two moorings (18" tide). Also we rather approved of the universal mooring fee, regardless of length, in the two marinas we visited. It meant our very long, very narrow boat didn't get penalised like it would in Britain!

 

[firstspirit]

Re: Jersey?

Thankyou for your response so far.

The cause of the problem was the un-notified reduction of the water levels within the marina in which the vessel was staying. Due to 'technical' reasons I cannot presently reveal the location or the company of the marina in question, but it is true, it did happen.

I want to know as many possible viewpoints on this subject, so please stay with it and follow!!! Thanks

Firstspirit

 

[firstspirit]

Thanks chippie for your response.

The skipper of the vessel concerned is not somebody who generally likes to 'tell problems' to the world. But in certain circumstances, there may well be no other option? This posting you have seen is placed after very careful consideration and highly disagreeable terms with the marina operator. Help me, think on, gas with other users of this and other forums, let me know please what else you think, or WOULD do.

Firstspirit

 

[firstspirit]

Dear Stamfordian,

You can bet a lot more was said than that! What was so seriously at stake here is the safety of the entire crew and the overall safety of the vessel.

Now please come back with what you would really do, after the swearing!

Many thanks,

Firstspirit.

 

[firstspirit]

Re: big BANG

Dear Peterk,

Having a sense of humour is an admirable quality and one in hindsight I and others may be able to share with you. However, given that this was a potentially life-threatening incident, do you really want me to believe that you would go back to bed?

I know that you wouldn't!

That night, few if any crew slept, for fear of the vessel slipping away, from the keel. There was a strong risk that the pontoon would shift, giving the vessel the chance to slip, and capsize. And remember, this was in a 'safe' marina mooring!

No to bed, not acceptable, and I know that you would care more if this really did happen to you. So please tell me again, what would you do next- then?

Thanks,

Firstspirit

 

[firstspirit]

Dear Vyv Cox,

Thanks for your shared experience, however I should like to remind you that this incident occurred in a 'safe' marina berth. NO TIDES TO CONSIDER. Skippers should be able to put their trust in the marina operator to notify of a waterloss in the marina. On this occassion, no such notification was received.

Stay with it please, what would you do, if this happened to you?

Thanks,

Firstspirit.

 

[firstspirit]

Thanks for your response Twister Ken,

I believe we think the same language.

No visible damage ascertained, crew too insecure and inexperienced to check vessel integrity. Under the circumstances first mate has precarious medical condition preventing further useful involvement. Insurance consultant contacted.

On reflection, any further opinion is most welcome, please?

Regards,

Firstspirit