Yachting FAIL - Jessica Watson

[rusky]

From what i've seen with ships in shipping lanes/ narrow shallowish channels and in the same area that Jess went thorough, I have a very healthy respect for ships. They will be on top of you within 10-15 minutes from a loom on the horizon. they change course without reason. They may have their AIS on or off. The VTS (ship reporting system) may monitor you and them or not. Thus you do not trust them at all. We have had a ship attempt to scare us by playing 'chicken' with us. So keep a good watch. Catnapping only kicks in after 24-48 hrs.

Therefore - leave her be. She is a sailor as we are. The ship and the very near Brisbane Port Authority are resposible for shipping traffic in the area. She was lucky and therefore is a lucky sailor - JESS - KEEP THE LUCK & learn from it.

Any of you been catnapping and felt yourself nod off? If not, try solo sailing sometime in a shipping channel. Then you can talk about her experience or lack of!

I bet you do not get my point.

[Lodesman]

From the online chart catalogue it looks like AUS814 is the relevant chart - does anyone know where this can be viewed online? Failing that - does anyone know if there is a traffic separation scheme in the location of the accident? Just trying to satisfy my own curiosity as the news accounts leave out such details.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by rusky

Any of you been catnapping and felt yourself nod off? If not, try solo sailing sometime in a shipping channel. Then you can talk about her experience or lack of!

Been there done that but I believe my original comment back here....

Originally Posted by cat man do

Perhaps while she had the opportunity, she could have dropped the pick in behind Cape Moreton and rested in Safety for the first night.

Would that not have been the responsible and safe thing to do instead of going to sleep in a shipping lane?

Perhaps she should have sailed another 20 miles east , well out of the lanes before heading south, if, she had to prove some point by sailing through the first night?

....are valid.

I bet you do not get my point.

Perhaps you could explain it to us

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

From the online chart catalogue it looks like AUS814 is the relevant chart - does anyone know where this can be viewed online? Failing that - does anyone know if there is a traffic separation scheme in the location of the accident? Just trying to satisfy my own curiosity as the news accounts leave out such details.

99% sure there is not a traffic separation system in that area, without looking at my charts cant be 100% sure.

But you can see the ships coming up the coastline from shore clearly, very rarely see them further out, so one would think stay further out if you are sleeping.

Last run south I did was about 20nm out and no ships sighted on 4 day run.

[rusky]

Hey guys,
The bottom line from here on is that she is going to continue so all post mortems aside, wish her a safe trip. fair winds etc. I expect she is being lectured on a few points while the boat is being repaired.

My charts don't indicate any seperation.. Ships seem to run pretty close in as cat man do said.

[Nauticatarcher]

Seems some peoples Karma is due to be run over by their Dogma

[sabray]

Neat kid my best to her. My daughter sorry Sadie will not at this age and experience be doing this. Jessica has zero solo experience. And is
attempting the most challenging solo experience available. I can think of some more controlled single handed experiences that a young sailor may e joy and benefit from. This experience is primarily about a record. I don't think it is a good idea. My judment on this would be no you can't go. Thank god we are not yet in a place where that judgment can be made we still have freedom for some choices. Hopefully Jessica understands that she has other choices. She could be the first 16 year old to sail to the marshal islands etc...

[Factor]

Originally Posted by sabray

My judment on this would be no you can't go. ..

As a 16 year old in Qld Australia, whilst she cannot drink/vote etc, she does have the lawful right to make her own decisions in life.

[sabray]

Iwish my 8 year old thought like you. As a parent I need to balance my fears while encourage aspirations. I stress with my younguns that with every moment they are making choices. I hope that Jessica understands her choices. I am historically and rightly concerned to wish government intervention. It is odd that Jessi a state on her web sight that she is to young to legaly solo sail and as such hasn't. Governance and freedom can be very difficult. I prefer dificult over governance.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by sabray

....... It is odd that Jessi a state on her web sight that she is to young to legaly solo sail and as such hasn't. Governance and freedom can be very difficult. I prefer dificult over governance.

Just to clear up this, legally in Jessica's state of residence, she must be 16 before she can be in charge of a vessel fitted with a > 6HP engine. Jessica has only recently turned 16 therefore has been unable to sail solo until her 16th birthday.

Of course she could have sailed an engine-less yacht but they are pretty thin on the ground these days. FWIW, some QLD marinas only berthing under power.

[sabray]

Thanks for the clarification. So the government regulates and restricts her abilty to gain experience. The point though is she has zero solo experience. I think she has her witts about her more then most 16 year olds. How ever for anyone to try this route I would hope they may choose some less strenous trials before trying a solo circumnavigation. Government is poor at regulating choices community knowlege suggests that this is stupid.

[Wotname]

To be accurate, the law (QLD) tells us we must be 16 before gaining solo experience in a powered vessel - seems reasonable to me.
Nothing to prevent a younger person one gaining solo experience in an un-powered vessel - seems quite liberal to me (and IMO, good)

[sabray]

I undestand the intent of the law. It fails in reality and that is the problem with legislating it gets complicated. Either way this sailer in an attemt to break a record has vey few years sailing experience and zero as a solo sailer. The stress of isolation sleep deprivation is an obstacle that every solo sailer faces. Experience has taught me in circumstances like these where I need to be watchful and changed my process of evaluating conditions when sleep deprived and deprived of a sounding board that is human. Any way if Jessica chooses to go fwd my hopes are with her I hope she makes a decission to bag this stunt

[osirissail]

If you look at her website and the follow the link to the photos of the boat returning to harbor - this is no child! She is confident, cool and capable. She took care of everything after the collison in a professional and seaman like manner securing the mast and rigging and then brought the boat into harbor by herself. If you look at the photos of her on land you will see the face of a determined and experienced woman who is capable of handling herself and her boat.

JESSICA WATSON YACHT CRASH | Stock Photography Photo Gallery Stock Image | Stock Photo AAP Image Australia

And if you look carefully the mast it is one of the new 2-piece masts and the failure was at the joint just above the lower spreaders. To save money the boat builders are making masts in short pieces so they can be shipped in normal containers. Full length masts are expensive to ship. Then the mast is riveted together at the destination. I never liked that kind of structure as it introduces a significant weakness at the joint.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Wotname

To be accurate, the law (QLD) tells us we must be 16 before gaining solo experience in a powered vessel - seems reasonable to me.

Is that the same stupid QLD law that has forced me to get a license to drive a yacht like I have done for 30 + years?

The same stupid QLD law that had me do the test in a 12 ft tinny, but apparently means I am competent to run a powered or sail vessel up to a gazillion feet long?

That License is nothing more than name on list and revenue raising.