Sandbanks ferry shocker, 2008

[Greenheart]

I don't think the footage in the clip below, from a few years back, has been discussed on the forum before. It's very alarming, but shows how fast tides run in the Poole Harbour entrance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC-xNzIg1Lk

I read somewhere, that the yacht's wreckage was never found.

 

[savageseadog]

There were three on board the dinghy but only two clinging on after it sank.

 

[Norman_E]

I wondered why the lifeboat went round to the other side, (about 1.08) but it is explained if they went to rescue someone who was swept under the ferry.

 

[Reverend Ludd]

Sobering eh

Any details known

 

[l'escargot]

It is a regular event:

http://www.poole-lifeboats.org.uk/launches_2001.shtm

http://www.guide2dorset.com/news/85/Sandbanks-chain-ferry-hit-by-two-boats

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/ne...7248.Yachtsmen_rescued_after_ferry_collision/

 

[Mark-1]

I don't think the footage in the clip below, from a few years back, has been discussed on the forum before. It's very alarming, but shows how fast tides run in the Poole Harbour entrance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC-xNzIg1Lk

I read somewhere, that the yacht's wreckage was never found.

Unless two X's have been under the chain ferry I was out windsurfing that day. If it is,that occasion, I could have sworn it was earlier than 2008. The crew were quite elderly, and came to little harm.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

It is a regular event:

http://www.poole-lifeboats.org.uk/launches_2001.shtm

http://www.guide2dorset.com/news/85/Sandbanks-chain-ferry-hit-by-two-boats

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/ne...7248.Yachtsmen_rescued_after_ferry_collision/

Is there a case for changing something to limit the damage caused by the proximity of people and ferry? At this rate someone will be killed - classic incident frequency trend as a precursor to a major incident involving death: high potential incidents, no injury, high potential incidents with significant injury. No idea what could be done though.

 

[l'escargot]

Unless two X's have been under the chain ferry I was out windsurfing that day. If it is,that occasion, I could have sworn it was earlier than 2008. The crew were quite elderly, and came to little harm.

There were 4 on the same day in 2001

 

[Zen Zero]

"The X Boat from Parkstone Yacht Club was never found" (in the Youtube description) seems a bit dramatic! If it really was never found (which I doubt) I suspect an inspection of the underside of the ferry would be revealing.

Bloody scary experience though! And sickening to see a good boat go like that!

What could the skipper have done to avoid it other than being luckier or simply staying out of the tidal race?

 

[Tranona]

Since then there have been a number of changes - particularly that the ferry now has priority and big notices to encourage use of engines when going through the Haven. race courses have been altered to reduce exposure to the ferry.

Despite the heavy traffic - XChannel ferries, Fastcats, merchant shipping plus all the pleasure boats there are few problems. The HM launch monitors the area at busy times when big ships are going through.

 

[Greenheart]

Apologies for my error - indeed, the clip appears to be from May 5th 2001.

Is the current very variable, at different points in the entrance? I saw dozens of motor boats fighting slowly in against the ebb, last August.

If the rate is regular right across the entrance, isn't it a pretty grave misjudgement of steering, that lays any vessel so close to a tethered obstacle like the ferry?

The flow is certainly rather daunting - but perhaps it's significant that the vessels in trouble in two of these incidents, were open keelboats (XOD and Flying 15), and (I'm presuming) engineless? I mean, a yacht with an auxilliary mightn't have had so little choice about its course, while any dinghy or centreboarder might instead have pulled in at Shell Bay.

Damn scary situation though. The fact that the lady went under the ferry with the X-boat and yet survived, is amazing.

 

[gull1066]

Just watched it with my wife and what a completely terrifying situation to be in. Knowing that if you let go your going under but also knowing you cant hold on for long.

Perhaps it would have been better to let go and hope you popped up the other side.

 

[Seajet]

The keelboats in Poole ( as elsewhere, especially Chichester harbour ) are notable for thinking they have right of way over any other vessel afloat just because the boats are expensive for what they are and/ or the owners are 'in the right club' or ex RN officers who do not necessarily know one end of a boat from another !

The lady crew from the boat dragged under Poole Sandbanks chain ferry suffered no permanent harm, though it can't have been that much fun; she was swept by the strong tide right underneath the chain ferry, popping out the other side.

As for avoiding the rather obvious chain ferry which sets signals going from one side to the other, 'racing ***** having more money than sense ' springs to mind...

 

[Rigger Mortice]

It easy to look at and ask why wasn't this or that done but I'm a little surprised that they didn't try climbing onto the ferry.

RNLI was there pretty quick. Good on 'em!

 

[gull1066]

Indeed they were silly and I find it difficult to understand how they managed to get into that position in the first place, but im sure we've all done something that perhaps we shouldn't have.

It should go as a reminder to never let your guard down.

 

[Rustyknight]

Is the current very variable, at different points in the entrance?

If you tuck in close to the Haven Hotel side of the entrance the tide can be a little less fierce when at the height of the ebb, though it's also the side where the Brownsea Island ferries leave from, which can be interesting.

Most of the time, Poole entrance can be a bit of a free for all, with boats leaving and entering from either side. Part of the problem is that the East Looe channel and the Fairway/Swash Channel split just after passing the chain ferry outbound.

Good fun though......

 

[Seajet]

Indeed they were silly and I find it difficult to understand how they managed to get into that position in the first place, but im sure we've all done something that perhaps we shouldn't have.

It should go as a reminder to never let your guard down.

Or maybe keep a lookout on the world around you when racing - ( in this case rather low tech undemanding boats ) rather than " I bet old XXX I'd have a bottle of Bolly off him ! - Now what's that rather inconvenient 300 ton pleb guided by heavy chains doing on my course, Dammit ?! "

 

[dunedin]

Indeed they were silly and I find it difficult to understand how they managed to get into that position in the first place, but im sure we've all done something that perhaps we shouldn't have.

It should go as a reminder to never let your guard down.

I can't be certain, and don't have the facts to hand - but I thought there was a suggestion at the time that the ferry stopped suddenly to avoid another (motor) boat crossing its path. With the tide still sweeping past, the X-Boat which had expected to safely pass astern got swept down onto it, losing ability to manoever as the steel walls cut the wind

The above may be completely wrong - but don't assume the cause from that video (its not quite as clear cut as the recent Solent case)

 

[Mark-1]

Apologies for my error - indeed, the clip appears to be from May 5th 2001.

That's it. Thanks for posting the video. I saw all the associated fuss, interesting to see the incident itself.

 

[dt4134]

The keelboats in Poole ( as elsewhere, especially Chichester harbour ) are notable for thinking they have right of way over any other vessel afloat just because the boats are expensive for what they are and/ or the owners are 'in the right club' or ex RN officers who do not necessarily know one end of a boat from another !

The lady crew from the boat dragged under Poole Sandbanks chain ferry suffered no permanent harm, though it can't have been that much fun; she was swept by the strong tide right underneath the chain ferry, popping out the other side.

As for avoiding the rather obvious chain ferry which sets signals going from one side to the other, 'racing ***** having more money than sense ' springs to mind...

The ferry was the give way vessel. He just misjudged it.

More details: http://www.maib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/bramble-bush-bay.pdf

They changed the rules afterwards.