www.stuff.co.nz/national/116582701/bay-of-islands-yacht-rescue-reports-vessel-was-returning-from-fiji-investigation-launched

we've had fronts after fronts here at least once a week.

Ramona said..

Sectorsteve said..
www.stuff.co.nz/national/116582701/bay-of-islands-yacht-rescue-reports-vessel-was-returning-from-fiji-investigation-launched

we've had fronts after fronts here at least once a week.

Another report on the same accident. The aircrew were outstanding. Especially the sar diver. I spent only 12 months as a winch operator in helos and I was always glad I wasn't a sar diver!

www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12276619

Agree. I spent 2 years on 723 Squadron in 84/85 after the Trackers were gone. The SAR diver who recovered the remains of Ralph McMillan deserved a medal.

I was in San Diego years back, and our navy escort were enthusiastically telling us how they copied the Aussie method of deploying liferafts out of an Orion. I can't remember what it was but they were very impressed with the ability of the crews to nail a liferaft almost dead on target.

The life raft blew away before anyone got into it ....

Never having launched a life raft, I wonder how strong is the painter attachment to the raft ?

Ie. if the raft inflates with the painter tied to a cleat on deck, is there any chance that a 50kt wind gust can lift the raft and rip the painter right out of the raft?

Common sense would argue no, because that would be a manufacturing priority for any raft maker - never ever let the painter rip out of the raft.

Yara said..

Karsten said..

The life raft blew away before anyone got into it ....

Never having launched a life raft, I wonder how strong is the painter attachment to the raft ?

Ie. if the raft inflates with the painter tied to a cleat on deck, is there any chance that a 50kt wind gust can lift the raft and rip the painter right out of the raft?

Common sense would argue no, because that would be a manufacturing priority for any raft maker - never ever let the painter rip out of the raft.

There might be a weak link so that the raft is not pulled down with a sinking vessel if the survivors cannot reach the attachment point.

Na ain't no weak link other than the hydrostatic that triggers the gas and cut the raft loose if it hasn't been activated manually and is in about 10ft of water. It's worth doing a at least a GPH (deck hand) course or one of the yachting courses just to do the survival at sea and the fire drill.

One of the hardest things to do is to flip over a raft that has deployed upside down . This is difficult in no wind , I can imagine in a gale it would be a real struggle!