Search for missing solo yachtsman - IoW

[lenseman]

Sunday, October 28, 2012


A SEARCH for a missing sailor, whose boat was found washed ashore on an Isle of Wight beach yesterday, was due to resume this morning (Sunday).

At 5.15pm the yacht Brigand was found ashore near Brighstone by a member of the public. Its engine was running and one of its sails up, but was no-one aboard.

Solent Coastguard launched a widespread search involving RNLI lifeboats from Yarmouth and Mudeford, Freshwater's independent lifeboat as well the onshore Needles Coastguard Rescue team and mainland counterparts.

Its Portland and Lee-on-the-Solent helicopters were also scrambled and passing vessels were asked to be on the look out for anything in the water.

Solent Coastguard watch manager David Williams said last night: "We have searched for nearly five hours this evening for the one person who we believe to have been skippering the yacht, but sadly, no sign has been found of him.

"We understand that he left Poole this morning with the intention of sailing to Hayling Island.

"All rescue resources have now finished searching for this evening.

 

[lenseman]

One sail set, engine on? Probably fell overboard whilst motorsailing.

 

[Searush]

Ouch, it hits home, doesn't it? Reasonable weather, sheltered water & still shit happens. There but for the Grace of God . . .

 

[flawed_logic]

One sail set, engine on? Probably fell overboard whilst motorsailing.

He could of been motoring into wind and just raised the main. Plenty of wind about.

 

[Robert Wilson]

Ouch, it hits home, doesn't it? Reasonable weather, sheltered water & still shit happens. There but for the Grace of God . . .

+1

No frayed/snapped lifeline still attached, I presume?
I know it may have been calm.ish etc., but when a "solo" goes MOB there's no point in him/her (us) saying "I'll wear my lifeline next time."

 

[lenseman]

I often sail solo and have fitted a Kannard "Safelink R10" inside my life jacket.

 

[Sandyman]

I often sail solo and have fitted a Kannard "Safelink R10" inside my life jacket.

David r u saying you've at long last got your boat out of Haslar ?

 

[Searush]

I often sail solo and have fitted a Kannard "Safelink R10" inside my life jacket.

From the Kannad web site:

The SafeLink R10 transmits target survivor information, including structured alert messages, GPS position information and a unique serialised identity number back to the onboard plotter

How does that help if there is no-one left aboard to use the plotter & sail back to you?

FWIW, I would probably have been sans L/J & harness in similar circumstances. But it only takes one unlucky slip to put you over the side rather than down on the deck inside the guardrail.

 

[Tomahawk]

I wonder what would happen if you are clipped on and fall overboard?

Unless the boat is almost stationary, unlikely if the is enough wind to be sailing, then the water pressure would be too great to pull yourself up and over the lifelines..

I suspect you would simply be dragged along until you drown or die of hyperthermia..

 

[Robert Wilson]

I wonder what would happen if you are clipped on and fall overboard?

Unless the boat is almost stationary, unlikely if the is enough wind to be sailing, then the water pressure would be too great to pull yourself up and over the lifelines..

I suspect you would simply be dragged along until you drown or die of hyperthermia..

Sensible point, and dificult to remedy. That's why lifelines must now be short to prevent going over/through the guardrails at all. But not having a life-line in the first place is almost 100% a long "bob-in-the-oggin" at best, or at worst certain fatality.

 

[lenseman]

. . . . How does that help if there is no-one left aboard to use the plotter & sail back to you?
. . . . .

It gets a fix from the GPS satellites and then transmits an AIS signal on 162MHz except that it comes up on all AIS chart plotters as MOB. Instead of trasmitting a MMSI code 235 + 6, there is an international standard for MOB which transmits MMSI 972 + 6, mine is an early one with a 970 + 6 MMSI code.

They are becoming more and more popular and when the big boys left for the Vende Globe RTW a couple of weeks ago, they tested a couple on the yachts and it appeared on my chart plotter with an alarm, in this instance it alarmed and said "SART Test only" but earlier in the year (1 June at 2038 UTC) when they were very new, someone tested on up near Port Solent and they went passed the test procedure and actually armed and set off the alarm!

The Solent Coastguard came down to my yacht in Haslar as they had never seen it before and took photographs of the received signal. The only other person to receive the signal locally was the Customs Cutter "Searcher" and the CG also went down to see what they had received on their display.

On that occasion my chart plotter went into a 2-tone audible alarm mode with a 2 inch red band across the bottom of the screen with the words "MOB ALARM" also the chart plotter pointed the direction and distance to the MOB from my yacht. It also gets recorded in the "System Event Log".

Obviously every yacht within a couple of miles (they state 4 miles range) would have a similar alarm displayed and the big yellow budgie (ok, red & white) would receive it from a much further distance.
.
.

 

[Sandyman]

It gets a fix from the GPS satellites and then transmits an AIS signal on 162MHz except that it comes up on all AIS chart plotters as MOB. Instead of trasmitting a MMSI code 235 + 6, there is an international standard for MOB which transmits MMSI 972 + 6, mine is an early one with a 970 + 6 MMSI code.

They are becoming more and more popular and when the big boys left for the Vende Globe RTW a couple of weeks ago, they tested a couple on the yachts and it appeared on my chart plotter with an alarm, in this instance it alarmed and said "SART Test only" but earlier in the year (1 June at 2038 UTC) when they were very new, someone tested on up near Port Solent and they went passed the test procedure and actually armed and set off the alarm!

The Solent Coastguard came down to my yacht in Haslar as they had never seen it before and took photographs of the received signal. The only other person to receive the signal locally was the Customs Cutter "Searcher" and the CG also went down to see what they had received on their display.

On that occasion my chart plotter went into a 2-tone audible alarm mode with a 2 inch red band across the bottom of the screen with the words "MOB ALARM" also the chart plotter pointed the direction and distance to the MOB from my yacht. It also gets recorded in the "System Event Log".

Obviously every yacht within a couple of miles (they state 4 miles range) would have a similar alarm displayed and the big yellow budgie (ok, red & white) would receive it from a much further distance.
.
.

You got an AIS signal on your plotter from Les Sables d’Olonne ?????

 

[lenseman]

You got an AIS signal on your plotter from Les Sables d’Olonne ?????

" . . . when the big boys left for the Vende Globe RTW a couple of weeks ago"

The sun has obviously got to your head Sandy

Trust you and Liz and the dogs are OK?

 

[Tomahawk]

Taking account of the chap from N Wales, this is the third solo sailor who has got into trouble, (died), in the past fortnight..

I am wonding, if the MAIB are successful with their prosecution of Liquid Vortex, will they think they can start to throw the law at solo sailors?

 

[Bobc]

I wonder what would happen if you are clipped on and fall overboard?

Unless the boat is almost stationary, unlikely if the is enough wind to be sailing, then the water pressure would be too great to pull yourself up and over the lifelines..

I suspect you would simply be dragged along until you drown or die of hyperthermia..

A very sensible point. My remedy is to have a jackstay which runs down the centre of the cockpit (only put on in bad weather). Then at least if you get dislodged from the cockpit, you stay inside the guardwires.

 

[RobBrown]

Weather conditions

Some comments above re fair weather yesterday. Well I was down on the Solent yesterday and the wind was consistently F6 over most of the day up to late afternoon and gusts to 40 kts, so not that straightforward despite the sunshine. I would certainly have lifelines on - we do as a matter of practice as soon as more than 1 reef in.

 

[awol]

Taking account of the chap from N Wales, this is the third solo sailor who has got into trouble, (died), in the past fortnight..

I am wonding, if the MAIB are successful with their prosecution of Liquid Vortex, will they think they can start to throw the law at solo sailors?

As long as they limit their prosecutions to the dead ones .....

Sorry this guy has gone missing. It is a risk that all solo sailors take and we rationalise it in our own ways. If the argument that no seat-belts and 9" spikes in the steering wheel would cut road accidents is valid then perhaps no life-jackets or lifelines would focus the mind of solo sailors. I know I creep around the deck of my boat much more carefully when she is ashore in her cradle than I ever do at sea - somehow a 3m drop seems more threatening than soft gentle water even though drowning/hypothermia is likely to be more certainly fatal. Some will wrap themselves in the cotton wool of life-jackets, lifelines, personal EPIRBS, AIS bleepers, etc. but the safe way is don't fall off.

 

[Conachair]

I wonder what would happen if you are clipped on and fall overboard?

Unless the boat is almost stationary, unlikely if the is enough wind to be sailing, then the water pressure would be too great to pull yourself up and over the lifelines..

I suspect you would simply be dragged along until you drown or die of hyperthermia..

these work for me.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grigri_(climbing)

Instantly adjustable.

 

[chanelyacht]

Taking account of the chap from N Wales, this is the third solo sailor who has got into trouble, (died), in the past fortnight..

I am wonding, if the MAIB are successful with their prosecution of Liquid Vortex, will they think they can start to throw the law at solo sailors?

Why on earth should that follow?

For a start, there aren't any offences to prosecute against...

 

[longjohnsilver]

Does anyone know what make and size of boat this is. And is it just Brigand or possibly Sea Brigand?