Boat on the Rocks: Scenario Quiz

[Yellowtulip]

I'm very pleased that you got out of that safely, SailorDrewG, there but for fortune, etc.
I think this and other incidents flagged up recently show that despite modern technology and the wisdom of ages, if you find yourself in trouble on a lee shore, then luck is your best friend.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by SailorDrewG

That was my boat, an S2 Yacht. The prevailing wind would have had us on a close haul, but it put us in irons Saturday. The 18-month-old motor wouldn't start. The current was flooding and we got hit by a set. It may have been 10-15 seconds before it all went bad. Thank God for Grant and Matt of the Redondo Beach Harbor Patrol.

Glad you got out off it okay.. and nature, after having screwed you once.. decided to let you have another go..

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by SailorDrewG

That was my boat, an S2 Yacht. The prevailing wind would have had us on a close haul, but it put us in irons Saturday. The 18-month-old motor wouldn't start. The current was flooding and we got hit by a set. It may have been 10-15 seconds before it all went bad. Thank God for Grant and Matt of the Redondo Beach Harbor Patrol.

I am glad you made it off the rocks safely.

Please tell us more of what it was like. Be as descriptive as possible. I am sure others would also like to know your first hand account. The following are sincere, curious questions that come to mind.

What were your thoughts while on the rocks?

Did you jump off the boat, or were the one who stayed on the boat?

Were you surprised to get off the rocks?

What damage did the boat receive?

What would you do differently?
______

Thanks in advance for any additional description you provide.

[Suijin]

I stand by my opinion of jumping off the boat at the first/best opportunity to clear the rocks and the boat.

The rocks are the dangerous aspect of this, obviously, and while the boat provides a measure of protection from them it also could easily change to being an equal if not greater threat. Several times the boat rolls 90 degrees; in those waves, it would not take much to get pitched out of the boat and then crushed against the rocks or battered by it.

I guess it comes down to how strong a swimmer you are. If I saw a lull or a long trough where I could jump off the side and get a few good strokes in, away from and perpendicular to the jetty, I'd go for it. Around 1:40 would have been a good choice. I would not have wanted to be on the boat at 1:50, when it could have pitched you onto the rocks only to have the next wave crush it against you.

Of course all of this is hindsight twice removed. Was not on the boat, much less watching from nearby.

[blueazimuth]

Always, always, always STAY on the boat. In the video, somebody jumped, or was washed overboard. He looked to be a strong swimmer -
But the boat survived. Towards the end, it looked as if the dailboat was under its own power.
Again, this is an example to NEVER leave the boat voluntarily, until she sinks.

[wolfgal]

Originally Posted by SailorDrewG

That was my boat, an S2 Yacht. The prevailing wind would have had us on a close haul, but it put us in irons Saturday. The 18-month-old motor wouldn't start. The current was flooding and we got hit by a set. It may have been 10-15 seconds before it all went bad. Thank God for Grant and Matt of the Redondo Beach Harbor Patrol.

Drew, so many of us who watched this video were SO relieved when we saw your boat managing to get off the rocks. and then it actually floated! i watched the video many times, trying to discern what was happening and asking myself what i'd do.

like many here, i'm curious to know how the experience happened:

-was all the wave-to-rock-bashing movements making it impossible to think beyond the idea of keeping a firm grip?

-i imagine those moments were extremely noisy: did anything lead you to believe the boat was or was not breaking up?

were you able to do anything that helped toward the outcome or something that may have worked (with hindsight)?

knowing now that you had a dog on board, i really and truly wonder how you managed to hang on for your own life and the dog's, especially when the boat took those breathtaking dips into the surf. was the dog down below?

your experience is a tremendous one. i'm sure i am one of many, many here who hope you and your friend and the dog (oh my) are not overly shaken.

good things to you!

[scotty c-m]

Drew, I am so glad you guys made it. Like others, I would like to hear about your experience. I often try to imagine scenarios so that should I find myself in a similar situation, I have some ideas of what to do. I remind myself that it is really easy to find myself in trouble!

[donradcliffe]

Drew,
I'm glad you made it safely, but the bigger question is what made you decide to leave the dock when gale warnings were posted?

[hzcruiser]

Originally Posted by SailorDrewG

That was my boat, an S2 Yacht. The prevailing wind would have had us on a close haul, but it put us in irons Saturday. The 18-month-old motor wouldn't start. The current was flooding and we got hit by a set. It may have been 10-15 seconds before it all went bad. Thank God for Grant and Matt of the Redondo Beach Harbor Patrol.

Amazing boat you have there, Drew! Very glad no one got killed or seriously injured!

Looking at the footage I would have expected the rudder being completely smashed or bent to the point of being unusable, yet it seems you were still sailing a straight line off the rocks. Amazing! And the boat was still sitting high in the water, no major flooding (at that stage). Very impressive.

Hope all goes well repairing the vessel!

[Mahana]

Wow, Drew!

I'm shaking just having watched the video of your S2. I can't believe you're able to sit at a keyboard and post any reply. I join the others in expressing my relief that you and your crew are safe.

Your experience was probably my worst nightmare. I often sail with my son and his dog. They both love to swim, often in surf. After the first contact with the jetty, I can well imagine my son would have said something like "forget this" and heaved his dog overboard, then dived in after him, while I'm sure I would have wedged myself into the cockpit and held on...no time for family consensus.

I agree with gamayun that the dog would probably have been fine and I like to think the rest of us would have been too, but I sure hope never to be in that situation.

...and thank you, Steady Hand, for helping to make this an outstanding forum.

[coastalexplorer]

I could only view this in small scale on my smart phone. So I could not see if the job sheets were still attached to the fore sail? If they were it seems strange that there was not presence of mind to set the sail. However since I didn't see the crew member abandoned the vessel. The bed remaining helmsman no doubt was overwhelmed with just. Controlling the vessel with the main.

I need 2005 I spent an hour on the pier at Manhattan Beach watching the waves rolling in. So I am very aware of their power.

Since then there was an incident reported on line of an accident where a sailing vessel was destroyed after being driven under that peir.

At the beginning of the video a crew member was seen trying to sort out a problem with the fore sail. There was a moment when If he had the presence of mind to just grab the clew of the sail and pulled on it. Thus ignoring The sheets they might have sailed out to safety.

So the case in point being how to prioritize action in a Criss?

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by SailorDrewG

That was my boat, an S2 Yacht. The prevailing wind would have had us on a close haul, but it put us in irons Saturday. The 18-month-old motor wouldn't start. The current was flooding and we got hit by a set. It may have been 10-15 seconds before it all went bad. Thank God for Grant and Matt of the Redondo Beach Harbor Patrol.

You gave us quite a scare with that, I'm really glad you are ok! And thanks for chiming in. I know how fast things can go south sometimes even when you think you have everything figured out.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by gamayun

Have any of you all who suggest swimming actually tried to swim in an inflatable life jacket before....? If not, you should definitely try it one day and see how far you can get, fully clothed with foulies and boots.

You are absolutely right. In my mind I have already shed the foul weather jacket and boots and I am wearing my usual PFD which is an old paddling jacket that I can swim in. Personally I would never want a PFD I could not swim in. I have never tried any inflatable jackets, I just don't trust the concept.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Don C L

You are absolutely right. In my mind I have already shed the foul weather jacket and boots and I am wearing my usual PFD which is an old paddling jacket that I can swim in. Personally I would never want a PFD I could not swim in. I have never tried any inflatable jackets, I just don't trust the concept.

I think on that boat the way it was tossing about.. stripping off could be the most dangerous thing you could do.. I'd rather jump in fully clothed than be tossed uncontrolled while trying to strip..

[JPA Cate]

Yeah, don't try to swim with a flotation device inflated. Tie it to your body, so you have it if you need it, but that was all close to protected water and a sandy beach, slow and easy swimming would get you there. However, not everybody can swim, and then, you need the PFD, inflated, and just flail away from the rocks far enough to be safe, and then, start moving towards the inside of the outer breakwall. Try to get out of the middle of the channel. Head for the power boat when it's downwind of you, if they are picking folks up, if not, swim at an easy pace, conserve energy. If you're a swimmer, you can save yourself.

Never, ever, put your flesh and blood between a boat and a hard place.

Ann