Storm 10 Rescue - Starburst

Talulah

Talulah

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On the news page is a title "Storm 10 Rescue" about the yacht Starburst that was rescued coming into the Solent through the Needles.
Anyone know what actually happened?
 
What happened was that several decades ago, a woman gave birth to an idiot.

QUOTE: "... to assist a 32ft yacht, Starburst, in difficulties close to the Needles, Isle of Wight in a southerly Force 10 storm."

"Starburst,on passage from Poole to Lymington, had been blown across the treacherous Shingles bank and was experiencing mechanical and steering gear problems."

"...the rescue coincided with low water."

So, you want to know what actually happened? Well, a yacht set out in (a forecast of atrocious) weather, planned to enter via The Needles at low water, lacked the skills not to damage/lose the engine, rig, rudder, etc, etc, etc.
 
Babylon said:
QUOTE: "... to assist a 32ft yacht, Starburst, in difficulties close to the Needles, Isle of Wight in a southerly Force 10 storm."

"Starburst,on passage from Poole to Lymington, had been blown across the treacherous Shingles bank and was experiencing mechanical and steering gear problems."

"...the rescue coincided with low water."

So, you want to know what actually happened? Well, a yacht set out in (a forecast of atrocious) weather, planned to enter via The Needles at low water, lacked the skills not to damage/lose the engine, rig, rudder, etc, etc, etc.
Click to expand...

Well for a start it wasn't Storm 10 was it and you introduced the engine aspect?
 
It was probably that day we battered our way through mountainous seas in a hurricane to the IoW festival, having beaten off pirates on the notorious Bramble Bank and survived the Folley whirlpool that has claimed the lives so many sadly missed mariners. :rolleyes:

Gissajob :D
 
jokerboat said:
Don't recall any storm force 10 warnings in the recent past? Had a few F6 - F7s though :rolleyes:
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From the YBW news article:
The Yarmouth lifeboat, The Eric and Susan Hiscock was called to assist a 32ft yacht, Starburst, in difficulties close to the Needles, Isle of Wight in a southerly Force 10 storm.

Coxswain, Howard Lester, said the wind was gusting 49 knots.​
Since Beaufort Force 10 is 48 - 55kt, the gusts (I know, I know, it's not done that way) just made it.
 
If the article was accurate in its description of

and was experiencing mechanical and steering gear problems
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then is there a process to escalate to manufacturers (Bavaria in this case) that perhaps their design has shortfalls in heavy weather?

If the article is not accurate then Bavaria owners should perhaps take exception at the implied Bavaria bashing.
 
Talulah said:
If the article was accurate in its description of



then is there a process to escalate to manufacturers (Bavaria in this case) that perhaps their design has shortfalls in heavy weather?

If the article is not accurate then Bavaria owners should perhaps take exception at the implied Bavaria bashing.
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Why is it implied Bavaria Bashing? It didn't mention the keel ... !!
Steering is via a wheel - so it wouldn't be unheard of to have an 'issue'

What the Mechanical fault was is anyones guess ....

Not necessarily anything to do with the builder - it could equally be the maintenance of kit
 
fireball said:
Not necessarily anything to do with the builder - it could equally be the maintenance of kit
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Agreed. Some will read it one way, some another. Lack of maintenance could be construed as knocking the charter company.
What we need to know is the real cause. Without that the whole report is just hype and about telling a good story.
The question is "Are there lessons to be learnt?"
 
Talulah said:
Agreed. Some will read it one way, some another. Lack of maintenance could be construed as knocking the charter company.
What we need to know is the real cause. Without that the whole report is just hype and about telling a good story.
Click to expand...
Well - there's no mention of it being a bavaria charter yacht in the report - so I doubt there's much bashing going on at all ...

Talulah said:
The question is "Are there lessons to be learnt?"
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Yes - don't attempt to come through the needles channel in a F10 ...

Actually - if you check the picture - the main is neatly packed away in it's stack pack - although with the head exposed - so it looks like they didn't use the main ...
Genoa is furled - can't really tell if it was used at all ... but I guess not much if anything ...
So chances are that they were relying on the engine to power them along in a F8 (I know the report says F10 - but it wasn't blowing F10 ... just some strong gusts!) - which probably became their undoing as it's either a 20 or 30hp engine - if the 20hp it's not a lot to power the boat in such weather - if the 30hp then it's a bit better but a 50hp would give the grunt required - albeit a bit oversized for the boat in normal conditions!
Coupled together with the fact it is a charter boat - would indicate that perhaps the crew were not overly familiar with the vessel - which is not a time to be putting into challenging conditions!

Of course, I could be totally wrong and they had sailed the whole way - but packed the main when they encountered problems and they are very familiar with the vessel but just had some bad luck ...
 
fireball said:
Why is it implied Bavaria Bashing? It didn't mention the keel ... !!
Steering is via a wheel - so it wouldn't be unheard of to have an 'issue'

What the Mechanical fault was is anyones guess ....

Not necessarily anything to do with the builder - it could equally be the maintenance of kit
Click to expand...

Or it could be that well designed, well built, well maintained stuff can still bust when hit by sodding great waves in gales.
 
I'd be interested to know if they were in the Needles Channel or the North Channel. If in the Needles Channel then getting swept across the Shingles at low tide would be potentially very bad, if in the North Channel then uncomfortable but not quite as dangerous.

Really more info is required
 
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