Trimaran capsize in RTIR...what happens next?

It was quite tricky round the back of the island. But not excessive. Most wind we saw was about 28 knots I think, but mostly it was in the 17-20 region. The leg from the needles to st cats was pretty tricky, because the swell was not lined up with the wind, so it was easy to get knocked off course. By the time we got to st cats the wind shift had come through and the swell and wind lined up again. Which made things a little easier, although that also made the leg past ventnor basically dead downhill, which together with the acceleration round at cats was not fun.
The leg to bembridge was the most fun, and with a bit of angle we were able to light the boat up, hitting a max speed of 18.2 knots. Now that was fun!
 
Channel Sailor said:
“was it breezy.l I would say it was in the range of top end F4 to top end F6. Well that is what I observed on our instruments going around In the race. It did not feel like a proper F7 To me.
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jlavery said:
According to a friend who did it on his J92, it was fruity.

They hit 15.6kts and "Apparently there were 6 cats or tri’s upside down, 3 dismastings and at least 12 MOB’s! Wild is about right."
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It was lighter winds than the famous one about 8 years ago. We saw a 7 round the back, but in the strong wind one it was consistently in the mid 30s gusting much higher (so many spinnakers getting shredded on that one)
 
Athomson said:
you're arguing against putting a light on a hazard for navigation? You must love to argue.
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No, I have an appreciation of the difficulty of doing things like this with improvised equipment in adverse weather. I doubt the navy have anything suitable to light it with, an assumption backed up by the fact they've not put a light on it. It's a fantastically obscure requirement, a light on a pole that can be attached to the underside of an inverted boat, with a big enough battery and solar panel to sustain the light in the gloomy UK climate and a robust and adaptable means of securing it, not to mention the risk to whoever gets the job of attaching it. If the MOD had such a thing I'd be writing to my MP to complain about waste, not congratulating them on their foresight. At best they could have attached a lifejacket emergency flasher, but they only last a day at best. I could see the point in mooring a boat next to it with its navigation lights on, but given that hasn't happened whoever was in charge did not feel it was needed or perhaps did not have the equipment to do so safely in the weather conditions.

In the first instance it's Trinity House's responsibility to mark it, but it would surprise me if they get the chance as it will probably be salvaged before a buoy can be placed.
 
The Corsair is built by Seawind (and I know very different animals) but the original Seawinds, I don't know about the very big ones, could be lifted using gear attached to the forward horn cleats - the reinforcing was sufficient. They used to load them as deck cargo lifting by the bows and as they are manufactured in Vietnam (and the local market negligible) I'd be surprised if they don't load and ship them the same way now.

Jonathan
 
penfold said:
No, I have an appreciation of the difficulty of doing things like this with improvised equipment in adverse weather. I doubt the navy have anything suitable to light it with, an assumption backed up by the fact they've not put a light on it. It's a fantastically obscure requirement, a light on a pole that can be attached to the underside of an inverted boat, with a big enough battery and solar panel to sustain the light in the gloomy UK climate and a robust and adaptable means of securing it, not to mention the risk to whoever gets the job of attaching it. If the MOD had such a thing I'd be writing to my MP to complain about waste, not congratulating them on their foresight. At best they could have attached a lifejacket emergency flasher, but they only last a day at best. I could see the point in mooring a boat next to it with its navigation lights on, but given that hasn't happened whoever was in charge did not feel it was needed or perhaps did not have the equipment to do so safely in the weather conditions.

In the first instance it's Trinity House's responsibility to mark it, but it would surprise me if they get the chance as it will probably be salvaged before a buoy can be placed.
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Like I said its "a bit weak" that no one has worked out any way to stick a light on it or around it. In these days of lithium and LED. They had to get close to it to attach mooring lines.

I marvel at your faith in authorities that you think because it hasn't been done it shouldn't/couldn't be done and how you seem to feel its an affront that anyone suggest otherwise. Are you by any chance a civil servant? No, probably not, or you would be more cynical. Not sure why you would be defensive.

It will be the overly bureaucratic nature that prevents anyone trying anything. They have the "committee approved" system Emergency Wreck Marking buoys but that's not coming for this if its not in shipping channels. And improvising is so verboten in these days and particularly those types of circles. "But what if we stick a non-committee approved strobe on it and someone gets confused will we be liable? Safer for us if we do nothing!" And of course the "not our job" division of labour and responsibility eases the conscience. Put a notice to mariners out that barely any pleasure skippers will read and stick the kettle on. "A bit weak"

Lets see how long its there. Local Notices, Nav Warnings and Directions | Royal Navy
 
Athomson said:
Like I said its "a bit weak" that no one has worked out any way to stick a light on it or around it. In these days of lithium and LED. They had to get close to it to attach mooring lines.

I marvel at your faith in authorities that you think because it hasn't been done it shouldn't/couldn't be done and how you seem to feel its an affront that anyone suggest otherwise. Are you by any chance a civil servant? No, probably not, or you would be more cynical. Not sure why you would be defensive.

It will be the overly bureaucratic nature that prevents anyone trying anything. They have the "committee approved" system Emergency Wreck Marking buoys but that's not coming for this if its not in shipping channels. And improvising is so verboten in these days and particularly those types of circles. "But what if we stick a non-committee approved strobe on it and someone gets confused will we be liable? Safer for us if we do nothing!" And of course the "not our job" division of labour and responsibility eases the conscience. Put a notice to mariners out that barely any pleasure skippers will read and stick the kettle on. "A bit weak"

Lets see how long its there. Local Notices, Nav Warnings and Directions | Royal Navy
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I've seen the emergency blue and yellow buoys deployed twice. The same day as the sinking and not in shipping lanes.

I see no reason why the same couldn't have been managed here.
 
Sandy said:
Thanks for posting an interesting view.

As people will know I have zero interest in racing. Seeing one dismast on the clip I wonder how often that happens amongst racing boats?
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I wonder how many racing skippers going downwind check their current speed against the hull speed and think "we're got enough sail up now". Not all of them by the look of this

 
I thought Virtual AToNs (using AIS) were designed be used for this sort of thing, especially close enough to places where the transmission could easily be made from.

Virtual Aids To Navigation

Edit: Apologies that the link above might not be UK specific but it was the first description I found.
 
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Sandy said:
Thanks for posting an interesting view.

As people will know I have zero interest in racing. Seeing one dismast on the clip I wonder how often that happens amongst racing boats?
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Raced hard and cruised a lot and broke 3 masts, 2 racing and 1 when cruising. The loads when racing are much higher, you carry more sail, sit the weight aft and power away. But mother nature will always find the weak spot whether you are racing or cruising.

Notice how the asymmetrical spinnaker boats handle the winds and control much better than the symmetrical boys.
 
Athomson said:
I wonder how many racing skippers going downwind check their current speed against the hull speed and think "we're got enough sail up now". Not all of them by the look of this

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There was some fairly animated discussion on Responsive about whether we should put the spinny up. A couple of the crew wanted to, but the skipper said no. We weren't going quite as fast as we would have liked, but the asymmetric was quite enough to handle in the gusty wind and lumpy sea. A decision that paid off when the helm suddenly said "Oh, we've lost our steering" Getting the asy down in those conditions was challenging enough without a working rudder, I hate to think about adding a wayward spinnaker to the mix!

Steering issue turned out to be a sheered bolt. It took a few minutes to sort out the emergency tiller, it was a real struggle to fit and difficult to use - when was the last time you checked yours? We finished the race with the link to the wheel literally held together with string.
 
stemar - I’m impressed I don’t think I could sail with my emergency steering in anything but ideal conditions. I’ve only tested it with the engine and that was tough enough.
 
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KHM -
Coco de mer , the gunboat 66 has been moved 800m sw of bembridge lifeboat station and made secure
 
ylop said:
stemar - I’m impressed I don’t think I could sail with my emergency steering in anything but ideal conditions. I’ve only tested it with the engine and that was tough enough.
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A friend of mine has a Hanse 44. Couple of years ago on a west east transatlantic, his steering broke leaving the Azores. He and his mate, the only 2 on board, hand steered using the emergency tiller for 6 days to get to Lanzarote.

He really doesn't want to do that again.
 
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