Cowes Week Yacht Hits Bulk Tanker

[beneteau-500]

Cowes week regatta commenced this week end with a dramatic end for one yacht , see news report and photos in the mail on saunday ,

heres the link .
News | Mail Online

[seadrift]

Video of the collision:
BBC News - Cowes Week yacht and oil tanker crash in Solent

[nigel1]

Here's the video,
not too clever.

‪Yacht dismasted by supertanker off Cowes, Isle of Wight‬‏ - YouTube

[cabo_sailor]

Looks like he might have kept his rig if it hadn't snagged on the tanker's anchor.

[Capt Phil]

Marvelous seamanship on the part of the sailing skipper! Risking his life and those of his crew members... what an idiot! The visibility from the bridge of the commercial vessel is probably close to 1/2 a mile under the bow. They are lucky to be alive. What is it about racing competitors that makes them feel invincible. I've done my share of buoy and ocean racing but don't ever recall seeing this level of irresponsibity. Thankgoodness every one is OK. Capt Phil

[Jim Cate]

Moron.

Don't know about Cowes, but if racing in SF bay I believe that he would have been DSQ even if he had made it across the bow without a collision.

Pity the pilot and watchkeeper and skipper on the oiler -- I am sure that they were not happy campers while this was going on. Personally, I hope that his insurance company stiffs him... otherwise his intractability helps raise the rates for more conservative sailors.

Jim

[Blue Stocking]

Very interested to hear the skippers version. It almost looks as though he left his decision making about that chute until too late, and had nowhere to go. Thats a long ship.

[tartansail]

Originally Posted by Capt Phil

Marvelous seamanship on the part of the sailing skipper! Risking his life and those of his crew members... what an idiot! The visibility from the bridge of the commercial vessel is probably close to 1/2 a mile under the bow. They are lucky to be alive. What is it about racing competitors that makes them feel invincible. I've done my share of buoy and ocean racing but don't ever recall seeing this level of irresponsibity. Thankgoodness every one is OK. Capt Phil

Since we're supposed to be nice here on CF, I won't comment on the sailboat captain's judgment and seamanship.

I am interested in what is considered a safe distance to cross the bow of a large commercial vessel. In particular, I'm thinking about crossings outside harbors. I've generally felt that 1/2 a mile was OK for a ship going normal speed in coastal situations and more like a mile offshore. When in doubt, I cross astern. I got a couple of blasts on the horn from a ship in the Gulf of Maine last year when I crossed with what seemed like a reasonable safety zone. What do others use to determine whether to cross the bow or change course and cross astern?

[mbianka]

Wonder what happened to the guy who jumped off before the boat hit the tanker? They are just lucky they were not rolled by the tanker otherwise they might have been trying to hold their breath for a LONG time under the tankers hull.

[speciald@ocens.]

I guess he never heard of "tonnage rules".

[Capt Phil]

The issues racers and pleasure sailors need to keep in mind is that visibility from the bridge of a LCC or VLCC looking forward over the bow is very limited. The skipper or pilot cannot see you if you are ahead and less than about 1/2 mile from the bow of the ship. Additionally, trying to to turn or stop a vessel of that size within a mile or two is impossible even at slow speed. Their speed must be maintained to provide maneuverabitilty and they need room to account for other commercial traffic of similar size, windage is a major issue, in major ports they are many times under the direction of a shoreside master pilotage office who is directing marine traffic not unlike an air traffic controller.
My advice would be if you are approaching a large commercial vessel from abeam, your are both underway but they seem to be standing still against the horizon, you are on a collision course and should adjust to pass astern. Try and make your intention/course change readily apparent to the larger vessel as soon as you are able. If you elect to cross their bow, you better be absolutely certain you pass at least 1/2 in front of their bow so they can maintain visibility of your position and you better be absolutely certain that there is no possibility of wind shift or change in wind velocity while you are performing this maneuver otherwise you may be more than embarrassed! Capt Phil

[Vasco]

I know we're supposed to be nice but there's only one word for the skipper.....idiot!! This may add nothing to the discussion but it's my only thought after seeing the video. Lucky there were no fatalities.

[hummingway]

His sails were luffing and he was carrying no speed. It's a shame we don't get a bit more video before the collision. Judging by the boat behind him his line might have been carrying him into the freighters starboard side and he decided to cut cross the bow thinking he would carry past but lost the set on his spinnaker and his speed. Whatever put him there it wasn't well thought out.

[beneteau-500]

well my thought is he should be charged with criminal negligence with endangering lives how he thought he could go in front of the bow of the tanker is beyond belief i believe the skipper of the yacht was not the owner of the yacht but may be wrong

[John A]

Originally Posted by tartansail

Since we're supposed to be nice here on CF, I won't comment on the sailboat captain's judgment and seamanship.

I am interested in what is considered a safe distance to cross the bow of a large commercial vessel. In particular, I'm thinking about crossings outside harbors. I've generally felt that 1/2 a mile was OK for a ship going normal speed in coastal situations and more like a mile offshore. When in doubt, I cross astern. I got a couple of blasts on the horn from a ship in the Gulf of Maine last year when I crossed with what seemed like a reasonable safety zone. What do others use to determine whether to cross the bow or change course and cross astern?

If you have to wonder if it will be safe to cross the bow of such a large vessel - DON'T. At 15 knots it takes a long distance for them to miss you.

At a half mile distance a course correction of 10* can clear his stern.

A singelhandler would never have crossed in such a manner close