I have just seen a report of Morning Tide being abandoned off Byron Bay. The crew are reported as OK and I hope that is the case. The photo shows the boat floating OK and the mast still up, although the back stay can't be seen. She may be recovered when conditions out there subside.
I hope to get the story from the owner in due course.


www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au/news/sailors-skippers-warned-after-rescue/1414040/

Saw it on the tube tonight, it was getting an absolute pounding. Reporter reckons she capsized not long after the rescue. Good to see both skipper and crew safe.

Was just on the news and they said they crew might go back to get the vessel....

Question

1 - 45 knots, 2 people, doing a delivery/cruising - had the kite up.
2 - Did you not check the weather? Personally I would have waited a day or two if I thought I might get hammered.


I could go on about a couple things - but not being on the boat it's hard to make that call. I would say that the corener should be put on the boat if slavaged and if it's found that its of sound condition and they could have controled the vessel (heave to, anchor) and there where no life threatening injuries they should be given a bill.

S&S 34's are renouned as a reasonably seaworthy design.

The news people don't seem to be capable of reporting facts.
In this article the bloke is 63 and they were on their way to Malaysia.
www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/204645/lake-macquarie-man-rescued-from-yacht-off-cape-byron/

Other articles have him as 72. Sailing Anarchy has a thread.
forums.sailinganarchy.com/index.php?showtopic=135992

I think we can look forward to some more knee jerk legislation from the NSW government.

My initial thoughts were, what numbty leaves for a 3 month trip short handed when a storm hasn't settled!? No matter how experienced you are, surely you would wait for a couple of days.

Lots of cross reporting, I saw the footage too, boat looked ok, crew looked worse for wear. No backstay though.

Oh well, hopefully they will learn a lesson, they have put not only themselves at risk but the dudes that had to go and collect them!

MorningBird said...

The weather wasn't that bad in the circumstances, max gusts of 45kts. The skipper is one of the most experienced and competent sailors, numerous S2H, dozens of Lord Howe trips, years cruising the Pacific. He has extensive experience including in far worse conditions than these. He was on Berrimilla when she was dismasted a few years ago and finished the 98 S2H, both more severe conditions than now. His boat is very well set up.
I suspect the reported head injury to his crew caused the alarm and decision to call for assistance. The first consideration with a head injury is the welfare of the person and such injuries can occur in relatively benign conditions. Once you have called for assistance you have little choice but to abandon the boat. Rescuers don't stuff around with indecisive actions from crews.
Many short handed yachts go up the coast 50 miles out. There is no coastal traffic and you are outside the east oz current.
I hope to find out the details when possible.

Good to hear a voice of reason in this world of news dis-information. I think it would be a good idea to sit back and see what the skipper has to say, rather than listen to the conjecture that journos keep coming up with. Remember with journos the maxim is "Never let the facts get in way of a good story".

S&S 34's are one of the bestest boats to have iffn the fertiliser is going to hit the fan.

A spinnaker up in that sort of weather???

Thrill seekers to say the least!!

Not trying to make excuses for Morning Tide, if serious errors of judgement have been made we will find out. I do believe that sailors prejudging what might have happened does not add to anybodys knowledge base.
If you are going on a long passage you are going to have to wear bad weather at some point. At the beginning, middle or end it doesn't make much difference.
Many cruisers won't sail with the wind forward of the beam or a bit blowie. Others will go knowing that bad weather is inevitable at some point.
Those lacking experience, the inshore sailors, would be unwise to go. For those whose experience is that this weather is not abnormal are not taking greater risks than they can cope with.
The forecast wasn't that bad, 35 gusting 45 from astern. Staying away from a potential lee shore makes sense as does keeping outside the strongest part of the EAC. Even going to Lord Howe you know you are going to be hit at some time with gusts well over 35 kts.
However, sometimes things go bad. If you go sailing offshore on longer passages accidents can and will happen.
It doesn't necessarily mean negligence or bad decisions.