Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 28-03-2011, 10:53   #1
Armchair Bucketeer
 
David_Old_Jersey's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 10,012
Images: 4
1 Dead - 2 Rescued. Ferry Mows Down Boat in Fog.

"A French fisherman onboard a boat that was hit by the Condor Vitesse this morning has died" (no pics of the French boat - but from description sounds like around 10 metre / 30 foot commercial fishing boat. in that location probably a Potter).

"The ferry was en route from France when it struck a vessel at around 7.45am, 45 minutes into the journey" (it's about a 40 mile crossing - usual journey time around 1 hour 15 mins).




"It was in French waters, east of the Minquiers" (just over half way into the Journey....bang on schedule - at service speed of 38 knots).

"Channel 103 spoke to passenger Marilyn Tomes onboard the Vitesse shortly after the accident happened. She described a 'sudden jolt'. Then she saw a plank of wood passing by the window". (given the height of the windows that plank didn't float past. and "sudden jolt" on something that size wouldn't be 5 knots)

"Describing the conditions at sea, Marilyn said the water was calm but it was 'very foggy'. " (From the passenger videos on TV, fooking foggy would be more apt. I'd have been worried about hitting something on a sailboat).


Jersey Insight - Your local Jersey directory, news, weather and classifieds

Fisherman dies after Channel collision - Fishupdate.com


Service speed of 38 knots - given the location of the incident, seems pretty clear that they were relying on radar and in an area known to be used by commercial fishermen as well as other vessels (not a formal shipping lane - just the route to France / Jersey).



HSC Condor Vitesse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

From my own experiance of these vessels (onboard) and from sea level - they do seem to expect others to clear a path. Which given there size and speed (and inability to stop) folks do.......but to my mind 38 knots in thick fog is just homicidal

IMO really just an incident waiting to happen. All very sad for those concerned, but a bit of a conundrum for other boat users..........
David_Old_Jersey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-03-2011, 11:04   #2
Registered User
 
rebel heart's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,185
Images: 3
Re: 1 Dead - 2 rescued. Ferry mows down Boat in fog.

Sad. A large and thorough investigation will be carried out no doubt, and I'm sure the entire bridge crew of the ferry will be drug tested and not let near a boat for a while.
rebel heart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-03-2011, 11:14   #3
Registered User
 
Rhapsody-NS27's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: VA, boat: Deale, MD
Boat: 1981 Nor'sea 27
Posts: 1,414
Re: 1 Dead - 2 rescued. Ferry mows down Boat in fog.

Very sad.

That is a pretty big ship.
__________________
Daniel - Rhapsody Blog,
“A sailor’s joys are as simple as a child’s.” — Bernard Moitessier
"I don't need therapy, I just need my boat"
Rhapsody-NS27 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-03-2011, 11:26   #4
Registered User
 
Cormorant's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Catskill Mountains when not cruising
Boat: 31' homebuilt Michalak-designed Cormorant "Sea Fever"
Posts: 2,114
Re: 1 Dead - 2 rescued. Ferry mows down Boat in fog.

Gotta wonder if the fishing boat had any sort of radar reflector on board.

Talk about "worst case scenario.". . . .
Cormorant is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-03-2011, 11:32   #5
Registered User
 
rebel heart's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,185
Images: 3
Re: 1 Dead - 2 rescued. Ferry mows down Boat in fog.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cormorant View Post
Gotta wonder if the fishing boat had any sort of radar reflector on board.

Talk about "worst case scenario.". . . .
I'd imagine that 30' fisher was made of steel with a pilothouse. Even a West Marine special should pick up that blip.
rebel heart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-03-2011, 11:58   #6
Registered User
 
Astrid's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Northern British Columbia, part of the time in Prince Rupert and part of the time on Moresby Island.
Boat: 50-ft steel Ketch
Posts: 1,884
Send a message via MSN to Astrid Send a message via Yahoo to Astrid
Re: 1 Dead - 2 rescued. Ferry mows down Boat in fog.

I would imagine at 38 knots the mega cat was probably not able to perform any radical evasive maneuvers, so it would largely be up to other vessels to get out of the way.
__________________
'Tis evening on the moorland free,The starlit wave is still: Home is the sailor from the sea, The hunter from the hill.
Astrid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-03-2011, 12:17   #7
Registered User
 
Sabbatical II's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Lake Macquarie
Boat: Bluewater 420 CC
Posts: 756
Images: 1
Re: 1 Dead - 2 rescued. Ferry mows down Boat in fog.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Astrid View Post
I would imagine at 38 knots the mega cat was probably not able to perform any radical evasive maneuvers, so it would largely be up to other vessels to get out of the way.
And if the other vessel was a displacement type or a yacht in calm weather, how does one get out of the way of a huge vessel that just appears out of deep fog at 38 knots?

Greg
Sabbatical II is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-03-2011, 12:23   #8
Registered User
 
SvenG's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: East Coast
Boat: 382 Diesel Duck
Posts: 1,176
Re: 1 Dead - 2 rescued. Ferry mows down Boat in fog.

"The victim should have stepped out of the way of the bullet I fired."



-Sven
__________________
Shiplet
2007 Diesel Duck 382
SvenG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-03-2011, 12:26   #9
Registered User
 
wolfaroo's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: UK South Coast
Boat: Unknown MFV 60ft
Posts: 111
Re: 1 Dead - 2 rescued. Ferry mows down Boat in fog.

my sympathies to all those affected...

if it transpires the ferry was travelling at 38 knots in those conditions it's hard to see how the captain will avoid a prison sentence imho - rule 19 in the colregs is pretty unambiguous.
__________________
"It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end."
Ursula Le Guin
wolfaroo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-03-2011, 13:10   #10
Moderator
 
Dockhead's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Denmark (Winter), Helsinki (Summer); Cruising the Baltic Sea this year!
Boat: Cutter-Rigged Moody 54
Posts: 33,750
Re: 1 Dead - 2 rescued. Ferry mows down Boat in fog.

Quote:
Originally Posted by wolfaroo View Post
my sympathies to all those affected...

if it transpires the ferry was travelling at 38 knots in those conditions it's hard to see how the captain will avoid a prison sentence imho - rule 19 in the colregs is pretty unambiguous.
I agree. I encounter those monsters flying in and out of Poole harbor and give them a w i i i d e berth. In a fog they would be simply - well, your death. RIP the French fisherman. How sad.
Dockhead is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-03-2011, 13:15   #11
Registered User
 
markpierce's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Central California
Boat: M/V Carquinez Coot
Posts: 3,782
Re: 1 Dead - 2 rescued. Ferry mows down Boat in fog.

At first appearance, the ferry operated in a criminal fashion.
markpierce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-03-2011, 13:23   #12
Registered User

Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Houston TX
Boat: Pacific Seacraft 25 "Turtle"
Posts: 364
Images: 35
Re: 1 Dead - 2 rescued. Ferry mows down Boat in fog.

I have to deal with the Boliver Ferries here on Galveston Bay and they are a complete nightmare. They will detour a little to avoid you but not much. The speed at which they travel is inescapable for a small sailing boat even under power and they come every few minutes. The are 3 or 4 ferries running most of the time and the trip is less than 15minutes. Add in other large commercial traffic, pleasure boats with more power than sense on board and a current that can put you on the rocks very quickly if you stray out side the channel for "safety sake" and the place can make you very very uncomfortable.

There is no excuse for deliberately being dangerous especially if just the shear size of your vessel is almost for sure going to kill someone if there is a collision.
I understand that pleasure boats often make these guys lives difficult but it is still their responsibility to make every effort to be extra careful.............m
__________________
I must go down to the sea again.........
cantxsailor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-03-2011, 13:53   #13
Registered User
 
S/V Alchemy's Avatar

Join Date: May 2008
Location: Nova Scotia until Spring 2021
Boat: Custom 41' Steel Pilothouse Cutter
Posts: 4,976
Re: 1 Dead - 2 rescued. Ferry mows down Boat in fog.

This is rough. For once, it's not the guy in the little boat screwing up...
S/V Alchemy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-03-2011, 14:02   #14
always in motion is the future
 
s/v Jedi's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: in paradise
Boat: Sundeer 64
Posts: 18,757
Re: 1 Dead - 2 rescued. Ferry mows down Boat in fog.

RIP fisherman...

Jail the ferry officers...

Find out who else allowed this to happen...

Buy AIS transponder if not done yet...

Nick.
s/v Jedi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-03-2011, 14:04   #15
Marine Service Provider
 
Factor's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Brisbane Australia
Boat: Multihulls - cats and Tris
Posts: 4,859
Re: 1 Dead - 2 rescued. Ferry mows down Boat in fog.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cormorant View Post
Gotta wonder .
Quote:
Originally Posted by rebel heart View Post
I'd imagine
Quote:
Originally Posted by Astrid View Post
I would imagine
Quote:
Originally Posted by wolfaroo View Post
if it transpires
Quote:
Originally Posted by markpierce View Post
At first appearance,
Awful lot of leaping to conclusions here - might be nice if we see some evidence before we lynch anyone.
Factor is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
accident, collision, Ferry, fog

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Can I find " The Boat "? Bluefuss Monohull Sailboats 12 19-03-2012 18:05
A Guide - Choosing and Wiring Your Boat's Solar System follyrob Electrical: Batteries, Generators & Solar 6 19-03-2012 10:04
CO2 Cartridges in St. Maarten Winch dog Atlantic & the Caribbean 16 17-03-2012 16:10
Leaving Your Boat Unattended nhpr General Sailing Forum 13 17-03-2012 01:30
Crew Available: Available in May to points north from s. fla. artsteffey Crew Archives 0 15-03-2012 10:28

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 00:10.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.