Upturned Yacht - Biscay

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Ammonite

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Does anyone have any more information on the capsized yacht in the Bay of Biscay on Monday 29th July. We were on the ferry enroute to Bilbao at time when it was called to assist around 7.00pm UK time. I didnt see it as I was looking after my son but the upturned hull (which people were describing it as rather than upright and dismasted) and deployed liferaft was spotted from half a mile or so. I spoke to a member of the crew shortly afterwards and apparently a helicopter was 15 mins away so the ferry carried on. Im guessing we were 80 miles or so past Cap Finistere and conditions were pretty horrible with widespread large breaking waves. Not sure of the actuals but forecast F8/F9. Im hoping whoever it was was picked up safely.
 
Dramatic indeed

When I saw the header I assumed another lost keel but pictures make it clear it was dismasted

Highlights to me the point you need another way of making a distress call other than a mast top VHF aerial
 
Thanks rh. I thought it odd that some of those that saw it said it was upturned. My wife did see it but her eye sight is terrible and it was some way off :-)
No idea what they were doing out there given the forecast but glad they all got off safely. It was carnage on the ferry (I felt very sorry for the cleaners!) but it did mean the restaurant was surprisingly quiet. Not a fiddle in sight though so you had to be on the ball to keep your food and drink on the table!
 
That looks like a almost brand new Dufour GL 360. I bet she was on a delivery trip from La Rochelle...
 
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An emergency vhf aeriel that plugs in the back of your set is exactly for that, plus EPIRB, etc. Lots of trackers like Garmin Inreach can make a distress call. :encouragement:

Good one for the rescue helicopter! Looked bumpy. Lucky guys in the yacht......well unlucky the mast fell down......:nonchalance:
 
capnsensible said:
An emergency vhf aeriel that plugs in the back of your set is exactly for that, plus EPIRB, etc. Lots of trackers like Garmin Inreach can make a distress call. :encouragement:

Good one for the rescue helicopter! Looked bumpy. Lucky guys in the yacht......well unlucky the mast fell down......:nonchalance:
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I wouldn’t want to rely on VHF in the middle of biscay anyways.... you have more experience of that sort of thing I’m sure...

We are Epirbed up the yang yang since that yacht was run down by the ferry off the Isle of Wight a few years back and no one noticed... got a automatic self deploying big Jobbie on the back, and a PLB for when I’m solo....

With the vhf I’ve found I can pick up Holland, But everyone else seems to have us on ignore.
 
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KellysEye said:
It looks the right way up If the rudder was fine and the engine worked I would have kept going.
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The old "you weren't there" problem rises again.

Sofaguessing mayday calls adds no value and is disrespectful to both the casualty yacht and their rescuers.
 
>Yes but someone had a fractured bone. Would you have continued under those circumstances when help was available?

Yes I would have kept gong because we did the RYA first aid course and one of many things they teach is dealing with fractures, but I would get help as quikly as posible to fix it.
 
KellysEye said:
>Yes but someone had a fractured bone. Would you have continued under those circumstances when help was available?

Yes I would have kept gong because we did the RYA first aid course and one of many things they teach is dealing with fractures, but I would get help as quikly as posible to fix it.
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Awesome, a one day course makes one an expert. Thats certainly not the RYA 1st aid course I've been on, must book the right one in future.

Coulda been a complicated fracture, coulda been internal injuries, coulda been the skipper, coulda been a fracture somewhere pretty serious.

It's easy to sit in a dry, warm, comfortable chair and say what we would have done. I guess they probably made the right call based on:-
a) they were in a situation where serious things had started going wrong. What would have happened if something else had gone wrong - would it then have been too late to call the emergency services?
b) The rescue services turned up. I'm no expert, but I don't think they generally just pitch up if they don't think there's a need.
 
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