Would this happen in the UK?

TiggerToo

TiggerToo

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I refer to the last line of this report:


Back flip
(More pictures at Sail-world.com)
These astonishing pictures show a yacht that tried to leave Southport on Australia's Gold Coast yesterday. The forecast was for 9 to 10 metre seas and winds of over 60 knots had been recorded.

The yacht's engine apparently failed as she was knocked down. The crew managed to unfurl the genoa to turn the bow away from the wind and they sailed, presumably somewhat shaken, back in to port.

It's been reported that charges may be brought by the water police.
 
I think 3 people were killed leaving Hartlepool a few years ago in a small boat during a big easterly blow... IIRC people tried to warn them to stop, but they had zero experience and no radio....
 
20 odd years ago we were in Zeebrugge on our way back from The Baltic. There were very strong Westerley winds and the entrance to Zeebrugge was extremely lumpy.

The harbour authorities would not let any vessels under 26ft leave the harbour. We had a Vancouver 27 and were just legally able to leave - we inched out far enough to realise that any further progress was futile.
 
yes, I know about these stories: but my question was:

would reckless behavious (going out to sea in those conditions) lead to being reported to the police? What offence was being committed (apart from attempted suicide)?
 
I do think that if that was a charter yacht in the UK, a investigation by the MCA would follow... I doubt if it were a private yacht it would get much beyond the "Captain Calamity" whinge by the RNLI and be duly reported in the Daily Express.. complete with a £1/2 million valuation on a 22 foot colvic......
 
Well maybe. As far as I know, everyone is free to report anyone for anything to the police. Doesn't mean the police are going to bring charges or even investigate.
 
[ QUOTE ]
What offence was being committed (apart from attempted suicide)?

[/ QUOTE ]

Is suicide an offence? What's the punishment then? If not, how can the attempt be?
 
I would think that if a skipper of any yacht survived the sort of event described above and others did not then some sort of charges could and would be brought.
 
[ QUOTE ]
What offence was being committed (apart from attempted suicide)?

[/ QUOTE ]

... depends on the law of the country. For instance here in Greece the port police can forbid any commercial boat (and that includes charter yachts) to leave harbour if there is more than a F6 forecast. They don't always enforce it but sometimes they do if the forecast is really bad.

If you ignored them and sailed you could be prosecuted. Maybe similar where this took place.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What offence was being committed (apart from attempted suicide)?

[/ QUOTE ]

Is suicide an offence? What's the punishment then? If not, how can the attempt be?

[/ QUOTE ]
Suicide (attempted or successful) is not an offence, nor is stupidity. People are free to act in this way in the UK.
 
Its just embarrassing. I'm hoping he is a foreigner.

Never heard anything about it on the news. Best punishment is to make these photos more public and name names. Says a lot for the local news crowd when you find this sort of info from overseas sources.
 
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