Yacht “METAPHOR” – ETAP 32

ksutton

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 Jul 2005
Messages
908
Visit site
On 9th August this year a British flagged ETAP 32 yacht named METAPHOR with (2 males on board), departed from St Peter Port Marina (pontoon berth number 10) at 22:50. METAPHOR collided with my starboard stern breaking the ensign staff off at its base and floating in the dock and bending a substantial S/S ensign mounting bracket through 90 degrees. METAPHOR continued without stopping also managing to bounce off at least another two yachts on its way out.
The incident was immediately reported to St Peter Port Control who called back after 10 minutes saying the yacht had been contacted and the skipper would return to the port to exchange details. Suffice to say this did not happen and METAPHOR is now the subject of a “hit and run” incident.
METAPHORE had been berthed alongside my yacht (next pontoon), all day.
Has it now come to this where even neighbouring yachtsman cannot be trusted? Has the ill manners and deterioration of British morals now escaped to sea!
I don’t wholly expect that the persons responsible for METAPHOR – ETAP 32 that night in St Peter Port Marina are intelligent enough to read, but am sure that someone seeing this post will know the yacht if not the actual low life concerned.
Regrettably St Peter Port Marina where of little assistance they are a marina who choose not record contact details of visiting yachts. Visiting yachts are also obliged to file a customs form at St Peter Port, but METAPHOR did not file a customs declaration.
 
Looks like there is only one UK registered yacht of that name on the ITU Ships Particulars Register. There is a name and SSR number. The SSR number and detail could be consistant with an ETAP 32.
 
It you are certain that it is the same yacht can you chain it to the pontoon and arrest in it lieu of the monies owed? Might not be legal but would certainly make a point.

Either that or just pump your holding tank out through one of his hatches...
 
Hope you nab him,
Part of the problem with the pontoon fingers at SP Port is that they were designed for smaller boats and ever larger and longer boats seem to be trying to use them.
Get two 36 footers opposite each other and there hardly seems room to get a dinghy out.
There is a drama or collision on most high summer days. It is time they restricted max loa in this area.
 
I have just returned home and would like to endorse what KENV24 said about the yacht Metaphor's antics in Saint Peter Port, Guernsey. Mine was one of the other yachts that Metaphor crashed into. Her skipper assured me he would return once he had berthed on an outside pontoon but he did not appear, although I waited up until 1 am.

Of course accidents happen, especially in Victoria Marina, but to damage other people's boats, promise to return to sort things out and then sneak off without doing so is cowardly.

I would certainly like to take this matter further by circulating the details to the various yacht insurers and any marinas I can think of. Any help tracing Metaphor's owner would be much appreciated.
 
There is an ETAP with a sail number of "26" and it is called "Metaphor", it sails out of Brightlingsea on the east coast. Its owner is Graham Adams. Could this be the yacht?

It is a 28 footer but it is interesting all the other details fit?

It came 8th in the Pursuit Series in 2007:

http://www.colneyachtclub.org.uk/2007_result_tables.htm

It came 6th in the CYC regatta in 2008:

http://www.colneyachtclub.org.uk/2008_race_results.htm

It came 4th this year (2009) in the Pursuit Series:

http://www.colneyachtclub.org.uk/2009_race_results.htm

CYC can be contacted here:

http://www.colneyachtclub.org.uk/
 
Yes - thanks for that.

Looking back through old sent emails I find that I did email the Secretary of the Colne Yacht Club about this in September last year. I don't have a copy of his reply but, as far as I recall, he was unable to help for some reason.
 
He possibly was hiding under the DPA and 'closing ranks' around 'One of his Own'? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Do you have a photograph of the yacht in question. The SSR reference to a "Metaphor" refers specifically to a motor launch and not a yacht and the motor launch belongs to someone called Scouthern or similar.

There are a few ybw forum members who know this area and are possibly members of the Brightlingsea yacht fraternity, they might be able to help.

Where were you hit and where was this yacht likely to have sustained and damage or scuffing?
 
Fortunately, my boat was not noticeably damaged by Metaphor [although I did not know that until daylight next day] but that of Kenv34's was. My reason for trying to trace her skipper was simply to let him know what I thought of him.

Just to recap, when backing out of her berth in St Peter Port, Metaphor collided with Kenv34's boat on his port side, damaging her pushpit. He then went ahead and rammed my Monitor windvane. I called after Metaphor and told her skipper he had hit, and probably damaged two boats, he replied saying he would berth on a pontoon in the outer harbour and return at once. I then called up the Harbour Master and he chased Metaphor out to the outer harbour and he was also assured by her skipper that he would return. During the night he sneaked off.

Next day the harbourmaster told me he had had some dispute [unspecified] with Metaphor's skipper earlier in the day of the crash. [Looks like he makes friends wherever he goes!].

I didn't take a photo of Metaphor because there was no time to go below for a camera and, in any case I did not expect another yachtsman to behave in such a way.

I am sure that Metaphor must have sustained some scratches and possibly a bent pulpit.
 
[ QUOTE ]
He possibly was hiding under the DPA and 'closing ranks' around 'One of his Own'?

[/ QUOTE ]

Whilst I appreciate that your above comment is only a personal opinion, you do need to be VERY careful making suggestions such as that! I am not a member of the Colne YC, but do know the owner of 'Metaphor' and think it most unlikely he was the person involved in this rather sad incident.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
He possibly was hiding under the DPA and 'closing ranks' around 'One of his Own'?

[/ QUOTE ]

Whilst I appreciate that your above comment is only a personal opinion, you do need to be VERY careful making suggestions such as that! I am not a member of the Colne YC, but do know the owner of 'Metaphor' and think it most unlikely he was the person involved in this rather sad incident.

[/ QUOTE ]
Hello John and thanks for your reply.

My message regarding the DPA was specifically directed, and replying to Twisterowner when he said:

"the Secretary of the Colne Yacht Club about this in September last year. I don't have a copy of his reply but, as far as I recall, he was unable to help for some reason."

I have spent too many long years in Crown Court and appreciate laws on libel.

We are trying to discover the whereabouts of the yacht Metaphor and the only one I can trace is a member of CYC. I never suggested that they are one and the same but seeing that the name of the yacht "Metaphor" and the fact the yacht is an ETAP, it would seem to be good idea to try and eliminate it from the search?

I hope this explains everything?
 
[ QUOTE ]
...the Secretary of the Colne Yacht Club about this in September last year. I don't have a copy of his reply but, as far as I recall, he was unable to help for some reason."

[/ QUOTE ]

Just for the record, I am not for one moment suggesting that the Secretary of the Colne Yacht Club was trying to shield anyone. It was just that I cannot remember any details from his reply, except that it was courteous.

["Unable to help" does not necessarily mean the same as "unwilling to help"!]
 
Top