Catamaran flips in Rough Seas - Fraser Island

[Mirage Gecko]

Sorry to be repetitive but after reading all the thread again I can't see where it has been confirmed what boat this thread is about.
Chris

[Factor]

Originally Posted by GoingWalkabout

Can't be compared at all to the usual home away from home heavy cats that sit much deeper in the water and have much better heavy weight stability then these racing cat things.

Being heavy does NOT make a multihull safe, to the contrary, overly heavy is less safe not more so.

[boatman61]

Want an Open Bridgedeck Cat that is known Not to flip.. unless you do EVERYTHING wrong..
Buy a Wharram..


Permalink Reply by peter logan whitehouse on June 28, 2010 at 8:55pm



Kiaora wharramites, i am the owner of the capsized tiki 21' Ruru. Kinda strange to come across a forum discussing my miss-adventures!
Anyway it appears i owe you all an explanation. Firstly, although i haven't owned ruru for long i am not a novice sailor and my wharram claim to fame is that i actually learnt to walk on a Tangaroa 35' that my father built back in 1970.
Conditions on the day were 25/30 knot NE winds with heavy gusts close to shore. Both hulls were very lightly loaded and i was single handed. I was still carrying full sail and was sheeted in hard sailing as close to the wind as possible trying to get clear of a narrow ,rocky seaway (Opito bay area). i was sitting on the outside of the windward hull. it was a combination of things that led to the capsize. firstly i was hit by a very heavy gust , this 'bogged' the leeward hull . because this suddenly slowed that hull down (almost stopped) the windward hull overtook it, instantly bringing the boat beam on to the wind and swell. At the same time a steep wave lifted the windward hull and up she went. I let the main sheet go but it didn't release as well as it should have.(possibly too small blocks, as well as the angle of guides.)
i ended up in the water clear of the boat, i quickly un-hooked the outboard and got it up out of the water ,(a quick squirt of CRC and it was sweet), then swam around and reached under to let the anchor down as the tide was taking me closer to shore. luckily i didn't have long to wait for a fizz boat to pass by and they called the coast guard. we threw a heavy rope over the hulls and towed it sideways untill it came back over. the mast popped off its seat but there was no damage to the rig/sails. i lost one tiller which has just magically shown up 3 weeks later! as we towed the boat sideways to pull it over, it submerged one hull which filled with water. the other hull was pretty much dry with dry clothes and a smoke!
Anyway, in the light of all you wharram owners out there and in the name of good seamanship i am sure i deserve to be flogged for even being out there single handed in those conditions. (i'll give you the stick Sam!) The other factor worthy of contributing to the situation is that i am in the middle of a messy divorce and i was only out there to try and blow out a few demons. but now i'm making excuses. i learnt alot. it was me that got the boat in the situation and no design fault of the boat. in fact i now have greater confidance in their beautiful, simple design.
Sorry Sam, at least i got to check on the condition of any oyster damage (none.) You built a fantastic boat which my kids are already in love with
great site to find and hopefully i will meet some of you around the bay of islands or at the gathering in january

[geozeck]

Hi Folks...... I've seen some boom brakes on catamarans recently and thought that one of those might be a welcome addition to our Belize 43 cat. I have not had the opportunity to discuss it with the boat owners. Does anyone have experience these contraptions on big cats? Is there a brand or size that ould fit my boat?

[svstrider]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Went in with the 6hp OB working.. no sail.. last thing I wanted was a gust changing my angle even slightly.. else it would have gone downhill fast.. and no recovery.

I have crossed Wide Bay Bar in & out five times. I always have my main up (reefed if there is a lot of wind) and jib ready to go. My concern with a 6hp outboard is that if it stopped due to bad fuel / swamped / **** happening, you have no other form of propulsion, you may end up in the impact zone before you can get your main up or your jib out. You can always dump the main, if you are being overpowered. On the Wide Bay Bar in the washing machine section from WP 1 to 2, if you have your main up the boat won't be thrown around as much.

It is easier going out over the WBB as you can pick your time of departure, while coming in you are tempted to attempt the crossing even though you might be too early or, even worse, too late for the right time of the tide after a long journey from the south. Normal human response is to want to get the journey over. Unfortunately once you have committed to go in it would be very hard / dangerous to turn around. On the way out you still have that option. Just my 2c

[D&D]

Originally Posted by svstrider

...coming in you are tempted to attempt the crossing even though you might be too early or, even worse, too late for the right time of the tide after a long journey from the south. Normal human response is to want to get the journey over. Unfortunately once you have committed to go in it would be very hard / dangerous to turn around...

Wise words. Double Island Point is right there with a reported reasonable anchorage and 'Plan B' when approaching WBB. Happily, we've not needed to go there, but it's always our backup option whenever we approach WBB.

[Seaslug Caravan]

Can anyone confirm that the capsized vessel was washed ashore just north of Hook Point.

I understand it was pounded into very small pieces by the prevailing seas.

Unfortunate it didn't stay as intact as the Spirited 380 that capsized south of Kangaroo island a while back and fetch up near the Great Australian Bight, minus deckhouse from memory.

ps. You may have lost your 10 bucks Factar dee.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Seaslug Caravan

Can anyone confirm that the capsized vessel was washed ashore just north of Hook Point.

I understand it was pounded into very small pieces by the prevailing seas.

Unfortunate it didn't stay as intact as the Spirited 380 that capsized south of Kangaroo island a while back and fetch up near the Great Australian Bight, minus deckhouse from memory.


ps. You may have lost your 10 bucks Factar dee.

If it's the one you posted a picture of in Post #61
(http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2057057), then the answer is definitely no. I'm currently berthed in the Cairns Marlin Marina and I've seen that cat at the CYC jetty 20 meters from me several times in the week that I've been here.

(Heading back to Port Moresby this coming weekend - should be a good ride - forecast for 15-20 just aft of the beam all the way. Perfect cat conditions )

[Seaslug Caravan]

Originally Posted by StuM

I'm currently berthed in the Cairns Marlin Marina and I've seen that cat at the CYC jetty 20 meters from me several times in the week that I've been here.

)

Nice one StuM, can you tell us the name of the one at the CYC jetty 20 meters
from you.

This one went really quiet quickly. would be interesting to confirm the boat.

thnx

[Factor]

Originally Posted by Seaslug Caravan

Can anyone confirm that the capsized vessel was washed ashore just north of Hook Point.

I understand it was pounded into very small pieces by the prevailing seas.

Unfortunate it didn't stay as intact as the Spirited 380 that capsized south of Kangaroo island a while back and fetch up near the Great Australian Bight, minus deckhouse from memory.

ps. You may have lost your 10 bucks Factar dee.

Nope - no one can confirm that, Where did you get your info on washed ashore?
My 10 bucks is safe

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Seaslug Caravan

Nice one StuM, can you tell us the name of the one at the CYC jetty 20 meters
from you.

This one went really quiet quickly. would be interesting to confirm the boat.

thnx

It's generally moored outside the marina, If it comes in before I leave, I'll check the name.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by StuM

It's generally moored outside the marina, If it comes in before I leave, I'll check the name.

I wouldn't bother. He's been asked to name boats in his marina he's made disparaging comments about, but has failed to. He's also been asked to name the boat he's been sailing on when we've supposedly motored past, but has refused to.

I wouldn't dignify his questions with an answer.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Factor

Nope - no one can confirm that, Where did you get your info on washed ashore?
My 10 bucks is safe

Same place he gets all his other "info" apparently.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Seaslug Caravan

Nice one StuM, can you tell us the name of the one at the CYC jetty 20 meters
from you.

This one went really quiet quickly. would be interesting to confirm the boat.

thnx

07:30 and it's just motored a few meters past my bow.

(Of course it was motoring, it's a cat isn't it?

Number on the bow: 66
Name on the stern: Barefoot.

[maxingout]

I crossed Wide Bay Bar once in daylight hours in a column of about ten yachts. It was a memorable experience because the sailboats crowded up behind slower yachts, and then some tried to pass in close quarters in rough seas.

If I ever do it again, I will be at the end of the pack with a good distance between me and the yacht ahead of me.

I would never attempt it at night. I will trust my eyes before I trust GPS waypoints and a chart plotter.