charles_reed
Active member
On 10/04/02 the 24m pair trawler "Radiant" fouled a fastner on the sea-bed about 45M NW of Lewis.
The procedure for clearing a fastner is commonplace and involves shortening the trawl until directly above the door at which point, like an anchor, it comes free.
On this occasion there was a 3m swell and a F3/4 wind and this resulted in the boat overshooting the fastner, swinging broadside on to the swell, listing until the port engine intakes were flooded and capsizing.
There was an additional, crucial, failure of power to the hydraulic winches.
Of the 5 lifejackets being worn, only 1 inflated and a 52 year old Polish deckhand was lost in trying to get into the (overturned) liferaft.
The lifejackets, fitted with the Hammar self-inflate mechanism, failed to inflate because the CO2 cylinders unscrewed themselves due to repeated wearing.
A recommendation has been issued by the MAIB, that replacement cylinders be glued in position, in future.
I know that I've often found the CO2 cylinders in my Crewsaver lifejackets to be loose on inspection - Crewsaver recommend that you check the tightness of the cylinder every time you wear the life-jacket.
A worthy exhortation, but one which might go by the board in a F8, at night, lashed by rain and in a capsizing vessel.
In future I shall use cyano-acrylate thread locking on the CO2 cylinders in my life-jackets.
I thought a few other yotties might like to consider taking the same action.
The procedure for clearing a fastner is commonplace and involves shortening the trawl until directly above the door at which point, like an anchor, it comes free.
On this occasion there was a 3m swell and a F3/4 wind and this resulted in the boat overshooting the fastner, swinging broadside on to the swell, listing until the port engine intakes were flooded and capsizing.
There was an additional, crucial, failure of power to the hydraulic winches.
Of the 5 lifejackets being worn, only 1 inflated and a 52 year old Polish deckhand was lost in trying to get into the (overturned) liferaft.
The lifejackets, fitted with the Hammar self-inflate mechanism, failed to inflate because the CO2 cylinders unscrewed themselves due to repeated wearing.
A recommendation has been issued by the MAIB, that replacement cylinders be glued in position, in future.
I know that I've often found the CO2 cylinders in my Crewsaver lifejackets to be loose on inspection - Crewsaver recommend that you check the tightness of the cylinder every time you wear the life-jacket.
A worthy exhortation, but one which might go by the board in a F8, at night, lashed by rain and in a capsizing vessel.
In future I shall use cyano-acrylate thread locking on the CO2 cylinders in my life-jackets.
I thought a few other yotties might like to consider taking the same action.
