Yacht carrying two people collides with Sandbanks Ferry

[wonkywinch]

Yacht carrying two people collides with Sandbanks Ferry. Although the url of the newspaper link says "sandbanks-ferry-collides-yacht-poole-harbour". I think the ferry is stand on!

Yacht 'collides' with Sandbanks Ferry in Poole Harbour

 

[Stemar]

Indeed. "All vessels not subject to compulsory pilotage shall give way to the chain ferry"

Having said that, the current around the harbour entrance can be fierce, making it easy for a stranger to get it wrong. I wouldn't want to try and enter under sail except in the most benign conditions, including slack water.

IIRC, there was a sailing dinghy that went right underneath the ferry and came up on the other side a few years ago. The crew were fine

 

[Fantasie 19]

"Blythe Crusader" - based on the Hamble apparently.. Crusader Owners

 

[LittleSister]

Yacht carrying two people collides with Sandbanks Ferry. Although the url of the newspaper link says "sandbanks-ferry-collides-yacht-poole-harbour". I think the ferry is stand on!

I don't think 'collided with' carries any implication of responsibility. As I understand it both vessels have 'collided' (and/or there was a collision between the two vessels). Am I mistaken?

 

[Plum]

I don't think 'collided with' carries any implication of responsibility. As I understand it both vessels have 'collided' (and/or there was a collision between the two vessels). Am I mistaken?

No

 

[Lucky Duck]

Indeed. "All vessels not subject to compulsory pilotage shall give way to the chain ferry"

Having said that, the current around the harbour entrance can be fierce, making it easy for a stranger to get it wrong. I wouldn't want to try and enter under sail except in the most benign conditions, including slack water.

IIRC, there was a sailing dinghy that went right underneath the ferry and came up on the other side a few years ago. The crew were fine

MAIB report from the incident back in 2001

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/547c711940f0b602440000f7/bramble-bush-bay.pdf

Juggling by the google search results this does seem to be a semi common occurrence

 

[Mark-1]

IIRC, there was a sailing dinghy that went right underneath the ferry and came up on the other side a few years ago. The crew were fine

It happens a lot. I was out there one year when an open keelboat with elderly crew went right under. They survived.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

MAIB report from the incident back in 2001

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/547c711940f0b602440000f7/bramble-bush-bay.pdf

Juggling by the google search results this does seem to be a semi common occurrence

One of the very few XODs to be lost permanently disappeared under the Sandbanks ferry. It was quite some time ago, possibly before I was born. So it’s nothing new either.

 

[Stemar]

Lucky Duck's MAIB report is about an XOD, which was a total loss. It was in 2001.

Interestingly, at that time, it was the ferry's job to keep out of the way of everyone else. I wonder when it changed; possibly as a result of that incident

From the MAIB summary:
Under an obligation to keep out of the way of all traffic, the skipper reversed the chain ferry to allow the leading group to pass to the south. However, the next four XODs could not avoid the ferry and landed alongside in the strong ebb tide.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Lucky Duck's MAIB report is about an XOD, which was a total loss. It was in 2001.

Interestingly, at that time, it was the ferry's job to keep out of the way of everyone else. I wonder when it changed; possibly as a result of that incident

From the MAIB summary:
Under an obligation to keep out of the way of all traffic, the skipper reversed the chain ferry to allow the leading group to pass to the south. However, the next four XODs could not avoid the ferry and landed alongside in the strong ebb tide.

I looked at the word ‘dinghy’, which hardly describes a 20ft 1300kg keelboat! That is the second XOD to be lost there, I think. there was another in the 50s or early 60s.

 

[Lucky Duck]

I looked at the word ‘dinghy’, which hardly describes a 20ft 1300kg keelboat! That is the second XOD to be lost there, I think. there was another in the 50s or early 60s.

Mr. Bond, they have a saying in Chicago. Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time is enemy action

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Mr. Bond, they have a saying in Chicago. Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time is enemy action

In truth, its probably that the boat is so slow it’s at the whim of the tide, and as all us South coast sailors know, it rips in and out of that entrance as fast as pretty much anywhere. The poor old chain ferry can’t exactly steer to avoid.

 

[LittleSister]

In truth, its probably that the boat is so slow it’s at the whim of the tide, and as all us South coast sailors know, it rips in and out of that entrance as fast as pretty much anywhere. The poor old chain ferry can’t exactly steer to avoid.

Curiously, it was in fact the chain ferry skipper's change of course (in an attempt to avoid a potential collision with three XODs) which led to its collision with four other XODs, of which one was lost.

But you'll have to read the report to find out the full story!

 

[Stemar]

I can't help thinking that having a mix of boats without engines, a ferry that can't steer, and a vicious tidal flow is bound to lead to problems from time to time.

It's tempting to go all Something Must Be Done, but what? In my experience, Something Must Be Done never works as expected, and most often does more harm than good.

 

[Boathook]

Whilst the chain ferry has right of way, I've found that they use a bit of common sense. The 'ball' goes up as the ramp is raised and boats then adjust speed and a gap starts to appear. Light flashes on ferry and it starts to move and clanks its way across.
When there is not much boat movement I've seen / had it wait for a short period as boats bash against a spring tide or get swept along.

 

[wombat88]

Going back to the original post the yacht is a Cheverton. You could sink a ferry with a Cheverton...

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Whilst the chain ferry has right of way, I've found that they use a bit of common sense. The 'ball' goes up as the ramp is raised and boats then adjust speed and a gap starts to appear. Light flashes on ferry and it starts to move and clanks its way across.
When there is not much boat movement I've seen / had it wait for a short period as boats bash against a spring tide or get swept along.

The same with the medina ferry, they don’t go out of their way to screw you over, far from it. But you still need to anticipate their departure, have a backup plan for if they leave. And it’s not hard to detect when that is likely. The XOD fleet were clearly concentrating on racing, not on the ferry.

 

[dunedin]

.... The XOD fleet were clearly concentrating on racing, not on the ferry.

Do they race through the narrows?
I thought the issue with the one a few years back was the ferry slowing for one group of XOD, but then caused a wind shadow which meant the other group lost steerage way?

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Do they race through the narrows?
I thought the issue with the oneba few years back was the ferry slowing for one group of XOD, but then caused a wind shadow which meant the other group lost steerage way?

I think they do, sometimes. I’m sure I’ve done it in Poole Week

 

[LittleSister]

The same with the medina ferry, they don’t go out of their way to screw you over, far from it. But you still need to anticipate their departure, have a backup plan for if they leave. And it’s not hard to detect when that is likely. The XOD fleet were clearly concentrating on racing, not on the ferry.

Do they race through the narrows?
I thought the issue with the oneba few years back was the ferry slowing for one group of XOD, but then caused a wind shadow which meant the other group lost steerage way?

I think they do, sometimes. I’m sure I’ve done it in Poole Week

Read the report (the synopsis is only one page) and you'll find out what really happened!