Crew of S/V 'Sanctuary' Abandon Ship

[herbapou]

Hi!

I was the one posting the video on youtube. I have more pics I will try to update the video later on.

Has for the sea condition, we passed near them at around 8 am that morning. My cabin was on deck 5 mid-ship and when I woke up the weather outside was heavy rain, wind from SSW at 45 knots and waves at around 20 feet. Some waves came splashing into our window. The weather improved at the time of the rescue. Afterwards it got really really bad, wind turn north at 60 knots. At around 7 pm I was on a bar overlooking the pool on deck 13 when the ship knock back like it hit something, then a big splash of water came flying over the pool deck. It must have been one hell of a huge wave.

On youtube you can select to watch the video in 720p to improved quality. sorry about the movement the ship was moving quite a bit and I was at maximum zoom holding the camera over my head (people were in front of me)

I saw the crew at the blue Lagoon restaurent at around 5pm, 4 men and 1 women. Some had the french canadian accent but others had the accent from France. I am french Canadian but didnt dare to speak to them about the incident. They did had the main sail deploy at about 50% when we got there but the Coast Guard asked them to lower it for the rescue.

From what I understand they had no engine or power. But I guess they could evac the water with the manual pump. The ship didnt look too much damade from far away indeed. I heard the word "Acore islands" but I am not sure if they were heading there.

[Hud3]

Thanks, herbapou. Good to have facts from one who was on the scene! We'll look forward to more video.

[bene505]

David,

We do the best we can. That's all we can do.

Hope that helps.

Regards,
Bra

[fabrik]

I just read on a french forum a post from the owner of the boat what really happen on the boat that day if you want i can repost it but its in french

[herbapou]

Originally Posted by fabrik

I just read on a french forum a post from the owner of the boat what really happen on the boat that day if you want i can repost it but its in french

Can you put it up please, french is my first language.

[fabrik]

here it is if someone can traduce it would be nice

Cher marin bonjour,

Je suis le proprio de VSf et du bateau qui a fait naufrage ce weekend dernier. Je veux juste apporter quelques précisions concernant ce naufrage avant que vous tombiez dans trop de spéculations car je sais que plusieurs d entre vous aimer bien aller la dedans.

Tout d abord,il est faux de dire que le bateau etait sous moteur, il a toujours été en fuite sous genois pendants plus de 2 jours avec des ventes oscillants entre 40 et jusqu'a 60 noeuds avec des vagues de 20 a 40' et avec en prime des nuits sans lune donc pas besoin de vous dire que le climat etait pas une croisiere tout inclut.

Ici, on est devant un acte de bravoure du capitaine qui cummule plus de 44 ans de navigation, diplome des Master licenes skipper USA, ce dernier mériterait une medaille de bravoure pour ce qui a pu réaliser dans de tel conditions. Il a prit les bonnes décisions au bon moment et a gardé son sang froid tout au long, c'est simple il a sauvé la vie à 4 personnes en plus de la sienne.

Durant la grosse vague, il a enrégistré une vitesse de 17 kn en surf et en plus cette fameuse vague est arrivé a sens opposé ( c est a dire coté opposé aux vents) donc créant bcp de dégats dans le bateau. Par la suite, je vous évite des détails de l'horreur qui reganit à l'intérieur du bateau.

C est en partant le moteur pour recharger les batteries que le skip a senti une odeur de bruler et a donc fermer le moteur illico pour éviter un potentiel feu.

Et je parle meme pas de la nuit qui a suivie avec des vents violents avec des orages donc celui qui disait qui mettrait un petit mouchoir en avant et qui se sentirait bien et bien il est mieux d etre petit en cri... ton mouchoir mon cher !

Bref, si ca n'aurait été de cette vague tout allait passablement bien a bord et le bateau filait vers les Bermudes pour se refugier et aurait pu poursuivre sa route. Mais n'ayant plus de voltage a bord, pu de moteur, une fuite d eau important, le skip a prit la meilleur décison du monde car vous le savez les bateaux c'est du plastique et ca se remplace mais pas la vie humaine....

Par la suite devant tout ses faits et sachant qu'une autre grosse dépression leur tomberait dessus dans la soirée de samedi (météo recu via Iridium par moi) le skip a décidé de contacter la Coast Guard pour une évacuation sachant que le radeau avait été arraché par la grosse vague. Heureusement que le Norwegien passait pas loin car selon les dires du captain de ce cruising ship, dans la soirée de samedi il a enrégistré des vents de 60 allant jusqu' a 80 kn (il a la comparait a Perfect Storm) et il est de toute évidence que meme sous voile, l'équipage aurait péri.

Alors svp ayez un peu de sympati envers ces gens et chercher pas les bébittes. Mettez vous juste 2 minutes a vivre ce calvaire et imaginer durant 48 heures sans presque rien manger et boire) et vous comprendrez.

VSF organise des convoyages depuis plus de 17 ans et n'avait jamais connu autant de depressions et de mer et sacher qu'on va continuer a les faire car comme dit Yves, ca réponds a un besoin, tous vont en sortir de la encore plus fort.

A l heure on j'écrie ceci, Sanctuary doit avoir coulé car il prenait l eau et l'équipage avait réussi a évacuer jusqu'a l'arrivée du cruising ship mais avec l autre grosse tempete et ne pouvant plus évacuer son eau et bien il a du couler au plus profonds de l'Atlantique.

PS : Je suis a l'extérieur du pays donc je vais pas donner suite aux commentaires à moins de voir des sottises s'écrires.

Bien a vous
Guy
VSF

[nv5l]

Or post a link, merci...

[YADO]

Google translation:
Hello Dear marine,

I am the owner of VSF and the boat which sank this past weekend. I just want to give some details of the wreck before you fall into too much speculation because I know many of you love well go in there.

All of all, it is true that the ship was under the engine, it has always been on the run in genoa for more than two days, with sales up oscillating between 40 and 60 knots with waves of 20 to 40 'and with the added bonus of moonless nights so no need to tell you that the climate was not an all inclusive cruise.

Here we are faced with an act of bravery of the captain who Cumulative performance over 44 years at sea, skipper diploma of Master Licen United States, it deserves a medal of bravery for which was able to achieve in such conditions. He took the right decisions at the right time and kept his cool throughout, it's simple he saved the lives of four people in addition to his own.

During the big wave, he recorded a speed of 17 kn in the surf and more famous wave has reached the opposite direction (ie c is a side opposite to the wind) so creating bcp of damage in the boat. Subsequently, I will avoid the details of the horror that Regan inside the boat.

C is starting the engine to recharge the skip felt a burning smell and then close the engine illico to avoid a potential fire.

And I even talking about the night that followed with strong winds with thunderstorms then the one who said that would put a handkerchief in front and that feels good and although it is better to be small in Cree ... your handkerchief, my dear!

In short, if it would have been this wave pretty well everything was on board and the boat sped to Bermuda to take refuge and could proceed. But having no voltage on board, have the engine, a major water leak, the skip took the best has Decison of the world because you know the boat is plastic and can be replaced but not human life. ...

Thereafter before all its facts and knowing that another great depression they fall on it in the Saturday evening (weather via Iridium received by me) decided to skip the contact the Coast Guard for evacuation knowing that the raft was torn by the big wave. Fortunately, the Norwegians went no further because in the words of the captain of this ship cruising on the evening of Saturday he recorded winds of 60 of up to 80 kn (he compared it a Perfect Storm) and is any clear that even under sail, the crew would have perished.

So please have a little SYMPATI to these people and try not Bébitte. Put yourself just 2 minutes to live this nightmare and imagine for 48 hours without eating and drinking almost nothing) and you will understand.

VSF organizing escorts for over 17 years and had never seen so many depressions and sea and knowing that will continue to do so because as said Yves, that answers a need, all will come out of even more strong.

At the hour we write this, Sanctuary must have sunk as he took the water and the crew managed to evacuate until the arrival of the ship cruising but with another big storm and unable to evacuate the water and well he had to sink to the deepest of the Atlantic.

PS: I was outside the country so I will not respond to comments unless you can see nonsense written.

Sincerely
Guy
VSF








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[YADO]

Google translation is a blunt instrument, and a real translation would be much appreciated, but I get that they really were in trouble and again, I'm glad that all were safely rescued.

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Bash

A sailor doesn't need to make a passage in order to learn how to heave to.

Even the simplest of skills such as setting a drogue or rigging the emergency rudder should be practiced in calm conditions so that you at least know what tools are required. Do you need a shackle key to attach your drogue? Best to find that out before the storm. Do you need a new tether attachment point to set your emergency rudder? It might be good to figure that out before you're in 18' seas. . . .

Unfortunately, the reality of cruising is that an overwhelming number of folks set off in their little boats (and sometimes in big boats) with little or no preparation for heavy weather problems. Out of hundreds of cruising boats I met in the Caribbean maybe one or two had drogues or sea anchors and they were constantly trying to sell them during the "boat jumbles/flea market" events.

- - In the history of the Caribbean 1500 there have been boats abandoned in moderate sea conditions and other boats who deployed drogues/sea anchors and not known how to retrieve them, so cut them loose. Expensive lessons.

- - Even if the owner/captain of the boat is very experienced, often the crew is not and when subjected to pounding, bashing and tossing around in heavy seas, get seriously, if not medically dangerously, sea sick and need to be evacuated. I have had "guest" crew onboard in moderate conditions and they got seriously sea sick. Having to deal with Mother Nature's ocean - and - seriously sea sick crew can be just too much. One or the other you can deal with but not both.

- - Although in this particular case, from the cruise ship video, the rescued people seemed to be fit as they exited the rescue boat onto the cruise ship deck. So there must be something else that was the determinant in the decision to abandon ship.

- - If evacuation at sea involved climbing a cargo net, I suspect only a small minority of world cruisers, who are normally not young folks, could climb that net. Some sort of safety harness and line to the freighter deck would be mandatory in my viewpoint. Heck, even a lot of teenagers these days in High School could not climb such a net, expecting a weakened senior citizen to do it is - IMHO - surely going to be fatal.

[sailorboy1]

Guess I'm still waiting to hear more about where/why they were taking on water.

[Nusailr]

Originally Posted by Hud3

I always found that the photos and videos we've taken in gales offshore never look nearly as "bad" as it was in reality. The 2-D image flattens the perspective or something. The 24' breaking rollers we experienced in a Force 9 gale looked relatively tame on the computer screen.

And as some have said, we don't know anything about what was actually happening on the boat. If you've never been in a prolonged blow offshore, don't try to extrapolate your coastal sailing experience. It isn't the same at all, by a long shot, and for first-timers can be quite harrowing. After surviving the first one, it gets more bearable as long as you're not deathly seasick or injured.

I've never been in that kind of weather in a sailboat, but I have been thru there in those conditions in a destroyer. True the boat was still afloat, but if you don't know how to handle a situation we have to remember a Captain is ALSO responsible for the safety of the crew.

[herbapou]

This is a recap of the french post

The boat was going on the genny and was going to try to reach Bermuda to avoid the bad weather. Winds was from 40 to 60 knots with waves between 20 to 40 feets.

The skipper had 44 years experience. The got hit by a big wave and the boat surf it at 17 knots against the wind. The wave is what cause most of the damage to the boat. The wave also took down the dinghy. (me : maybe it was on a rack and everything got rip from the boat, causing holes in the hull) (Will look at my high res pics to try to spot damage)

When they started the motor for recharge they was a burning smell so they stop it to avoid a fire.

They mention the boat was taking on water, but dont specify why or how.
Knowing that more bad weather was on the way they decided to call the coast guard. The Gem captain reports wind from 60 to 80 knots Saturday night after the rescue.

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by Nusailr

I've never been in that kind of weather in a sailboat, but I have been thru there in those conditions in a destroyer. True the boat was still afloat, but if you don't know how to handle a situation we have to remember a Captain is ALSO responsible for the safety of the crew.

True but most rescue operations carry a huge risk to both the people in trouble...and the recuers....the mere task of an at sea transfer during a storm is a GREAT RISK...the only thing more dangerous is a helo evac (of course the helo crews oftenmake it look so easy..)

So it's incumbent on the "skipper", the "skipper" of the rescue teams and anyone else involved to weigh those risks.

As on scene commander during many rescue operations, for some I halted all attemps of rescue when after a period of time the situation resovled itself...like a boat punching into the sea and can't figure out why they are taking on water, like a boat with an engine running an flooding only to stop flooding when the engine stops, otr the heart attack victim that walks out to the hoisting area...etc...etc...

No sense risking anyone when the situation was never out of control to begin with and certainly when it is riskier to attempt the actual transfer.

[Nateman]

Davits could have been an issue then? Damn! Note to self, strap dinghy to cabin top!