Canadian Yacht in Trouble

[MarkJ]

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said it took six hours to winch him on board amid 10-metre waves and 50 knot winds.

Thats the relaxed way we work, us Aussies


Glad the guys OK. It must have only had an outboard.

[DeepFrz]

It's a long way up an 18 metre swell in a small boat.

Cricky (did I get that right? Just practicing Ozzie speek)

[MarkJ]

Speaking more seriously... how in the world does a ship recover someone in those conditions?

Do they get trained in that sort of stuff?


Mark

[Cherp]

Nearly Deep,,,crikey! MarkJ, I think they must do some training. Otherwise I can't see how it could be done. It would involve some sort of good communication between the crew and the captain manouevering the boat. It would take a lot of skill and some time I think.

[DeepFrz]

It was a diesel. It mentions in that first link Gord posted that he had checked the motor mounts because he was concerned about the motor coming loose in rough weather. What a premonition.

[Don1500]

How ever they did it, they did it right. Glad he's safe. Sorry about the boat.

[bangkaboat]

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!

[avb3]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

It was a diesel. It mentions in that first link Gord posted that he had checked the motor mounts because he was concerned about the motor coming loose in rough weather. What a premonition.

That's got to be rather unusual a situation for the motor mounts to let go, especially if he had checked them. I wonder what caused him to do so, as I would think that is not something that one would regularly think of?

[DeepFrz]

avb3, it should be something that is checked regularly. Offshore boats (especially boats heading to the high latitudes) should, in my opinion, be equipped with constraints so that if a motor mount does break in stormy seas the engine doesn't break loose. I have seen boats with cables bolted to the engine stringer in such a way as to constrain the engine.

The mounts were checked in his preparation for his circumnavigation, I don't know if they were ever checked afterward.

[smurphny]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

I have seen boats with cables bolted to the engine stringer in such a way as to constrain the engine.

That is a great idea. Have often thought about the consequences of a motor somehow breaking loose. Once one mount went, it would likely "zipper" the rest of them. Some pieces of old s.s. wire threaded through holes in the engine bed and crimped together would probably do the trick and stop it from ripping out the stuffing box. Putting it on the to-do list.

Glad he's ok but wonder about the decision to be in the Southern Ocean at this time of the year.

[markpierce]

My mentor! Now I'm going to plan a venture into the Bering Sea next January and expect a crab boat to rescue me! Maybe I'll get on TV!

[motion30]

I always say it must have seemed like a good idea at the time..

[BillKov]

Just saw on Fox news that he was rescued without issue but the boat was lost. . .

Thank you God for keeping him safe. . .

Oh Lord, thy sea is so great. . . and my ship so small. . .

[SabreKai]

According to the article in the Toronto Sun,

"According to ABC News, Lim got himself into trouble when he took the risk of travelling on rough waters because he wanted to get back to Canada.

“I thought I’d take the chance of a winter trip to try and go South Africa back to Canada non-stop in the Southern Ocean, and of course, it’s taking a big chance because the Southern Ocean in the winter is pretty terrible, as I found out,” he said."


There you have it.

[Blue Stocking]

A 500 lb diesel trying to shake itself free of a 1 1/4" prop shaft would not be something that I would want to deal with in 40 ft seas.
Exhaust elbow, battery cables, control cables, intake and heater hoses. Not fun.