Catamaran flips in Rough Seas - Fraser Island

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

I blame myself for having posted, without initially realising it, in a multihull thread

But just to make it clear before I get lambasted again, my use of the phrase "cat killer" was not intended as a sledge against catamarans (in fact one of my favourite all time boats is the FastBack 32), but rather just as a reference to the nature of the Wide Bay Bar to flip cats on their lids on a reasonably regular basis.

So if I've offended anyone unintentionally, please accept my apologies.

Reasonably regular? Just exactly how often has it happened then? I only know of 2 occasions in the last 20 years. Is that "regular"?

For comparative purposes, I've personally seen 4 monohulls that have been wrecked entering Pancake Creek in the last 6 years.

Monohull killer? No, I don't think so. Just a very popular piece of water where **** sometimes happens.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Any speculation on not being reefed enough? Surfing broaching and to much sail is a formula for disaster with a multihull.

Do we know whether they were going in or out?

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

If they were coming from Cairns, there's no reason whatsoever to think they attempted the fishermen's channel. With a building swell.

If they were coming from Cairns, why would they go round FI to get into the GSS? Far easier and quicker to come in through hervey Bay.

[Paul J. Nolan]

Some discussion this turned out to be. Look, a man wants a boat that is modeled after his shoreside condominium, fine by me. That's his choice. Then he takes that unseaworthy vessel offshore or into dangerous waters. Well, that's his choice too. But don't expect my sympathy when a bad practice results in a bad outcome.

Paul

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Paul J. Nolan

Some discussion this turned out to be. Look, a man wants a boat that is modeled after his shoreside condominium, fine by me. That's his choice. Then he takes that unseaworthy vessel offshore or into dangerous waters. Well, that's his choice too. But don't expect my sympathy when a bad practice results in a bad outcome.

Paul

If it was the cat pictured in post #61, it's hardly "modeled after a shoreside condominium".

And many a "condomoran" is perfectly seaworthy, as evidenced by the numbers currently cruising safely around the world.

[smj]

Originally Posted by Paul J. Nolan

Some discussion this turned out to be. Look, a man wants a boat that is modeled after his shoreside condominium, fine by me. That's his choice. Then he takes that unseaworthy vessel offshore or into dangerous waters. Well, that's his choice too. But don't expect my sympathy when a bad practice results in a bad outcome.



Paul

Ignorance is bliss.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[adoxograph]

Originally Posted by Paul J. Nolan

I am of another opinion. People who decide to go to sea in obviously unseaworthy vessels should not be rescued. They should be left to their fate.

Paul

Sorry Paul, but that is the dumbest thing one could post. Everyone makes sometimes some stupid mistakes. Most of us are lucky when this happen. Just visit my cockpit at a sundowner in a quiet anchorage and listen to the near miss stories everyone - including me - has to tell.

But still there is the odd one arrogantly claiming he is foolproof and it never could happen to him - and then it does.

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by Johnno

G'Day All, Sorry to be pedantic but the marine rescue unit at Tin Can Bay is not VMR! It's Coast Guard Tin Can Bay! Although VMR (Volunteer Marine Rescue) units and Coast Guard (Australian Volunteer Coast Guard) units perform the same line of duties, they are no the same organisation and we get a bit touchy when the wrong organisation gets the credit for a job well done.

I'm a rescue boat crew member with Coast Guard Southport and the Southport Seaway will be breaking hard today (Sat 27 Feb) so everyone please take care down that way.

The radio call sign is VMR417 Tin Can Bay. My understanding is the VMR bit stands for Volunteer Marine Rescue?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

The radio call sign is VMR417 Tin Can Bay. My understanding is the VMR bit stands for Volunteer Marine Rescue?

The call sign is correct, and VMR does stand for Volunteer Marine Rescue, but Johnno is also correct. There are indeed two different organizations (used to be several others, maybe still are??) doing the same sort of work. The one at TCB is called Coast Guard Tin Can Bay, as stated, and is a member of that organization.

Does this make sense? I dunno... but then I'm a Yank and not well versed in Aussie thinking on such things!

Jim

[D&D]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

The call sign is correct, and VMR does stand for Volunteer Marine Rescue, but Johnno is also correct. There are indeed two different organizations (used to be several others, maybe still are??) doing the same sort of work. The one at TCB is called Coast Guard Tin Can Bay, as stated, and is a member of that organization.

Does this make sense? I dunno... but then I'm a Yank and not well versed in Aussie thinking on such things!

There are a lot of inconsistencies, anamolies, and overlaps in the Aussie federal system (as there are in other federal systems, one example of which would be the federal system Jim mentions which also happens to be the birthplace of our Captain!) and it seems that those often bizarre 'features' are magnified in Aussie when it comes to the maritime regimes, including the volunteer marine rescue structures. Hopefully Aussie maritime will over time evolve more rationally as it is at least nominally now under a single federal regulator (AMSA) altho the individual states continue to cling to their respective fiefdoms...

Oops...a bit of thread drift there... Sorry all!

Perhaps, however, some (like us) don't mind a breather from the cat-bashing...

[RaymondR]

Hi Jim, sounds like you are still enjoying Tasmania.


There will be some sort of class conscious stuff in their somewhere; the coast guard predates the VMR and is therefor a superior organization or something.


Anyway, whichever they call themselves they all do excellent work particularly the folks at Tin Can Bay.


I always listen to the guy at Thirsty Sound in Shoalwater Bay, he has to be the most patient and understanding person in the world.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

The radio call sign is VMR417 Tin Can Bay. My understanding is the VMR bit stands for Volunteer Marine Rescue?

From http://www.msq.qld.gov.au/~/media/ms...dmrn_faqs.pdf:

Coastal Distress Marine Radio Network

Seaway Tower — AVCG
Mooloolaba — AVCG
Tin Can Bay — AVCG
Hervey Bay — VMR
Bundaberg — VMR
Yeppoon — AVCG
Mackay — VMR
Airlie Beach — VMR
Townsville — AVCG
Cairns — AVCG

Also see: https://www.facebook.com/coastguard.tincanbay/

If you scan the list at: Flotilla's Queensland
you will see that all Coast Guard stations use VMR in their callsign.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Paul J. Nolan

Some discussion this turned out to be. Look, a man wants a boat that is modeled after his shoreside condominium, fine by me. That's his choice. Then he takes that unseaworthy vessel offshore or into dangerous waters. Well, that's his choice too. But don't expect my sympathy when a bad practice results in a bad outcome.

Paul

1) The boat wasn't based on a condominium, but was a racing boat.

2) Wide Bay Bar is far from being offshore. It's right on the coast.

3) Plenty of SEAWORTHY vessels have come to grief on the WBB.

But don't let stupid stuff like facts get in the way of a mindless rant....

[salticrak]

The crew on that cat would have had second thoughts about crossing the bar if they had seen the **** storm on here.

[Mirage Gecko]

Do we actually know what the boat involved is and if they were coming or going and why they tried the bar at that particular time of night as I can not find much on the net.