Capsize

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by Glenn C

HNY to you to David !

at the risk of offending any-one, it is tragic that a woman lost her life.

From the news story it is still not clear what happened. was the boat actually on a mooring when it capsized? Was it some sort of of mini tornado or something ?

I have spent quite a lot of time at Butterfly Bay at different times of the year, and it is renown for high velocity wind "bullets" hitting the anchorage. In trade wind season these sometimes get to double the average wind speed so could have been a very short intense gust that may have fliiped any vessel in its way regardless of configuration or power source.

Given the loss of life no doubt there will be an approprite investigation and statement released.

The story said the boat was lying sunken at a mooring so I would think it had to sink while at a buoy. It said 65 km winds which is only about 35 knots but it was said in the context of hampering search efforts so it maybe it capsized in higher winds.

[Factor]

Hi Glenn - what we do know is that it was in Turtle Bay, as you probably know thats on the south side of Whitsunday Island, nice little anchorage in a Northerly absolute rubbish in a southerly. Bulletts are not an issue there usually, just being very exposed to anything without some North in it. Having said that the maximum windspeed at Hamilton Island on Tuesday was recorded at 65 knots (approximately) WNW at about 1630 hrs , the rest of the day seemed to have 10 - 20 knots (approx) from the ESE to the NW. It appears from various reports that there were a number of other boats in the area and no other reports of any damage etc, so maybe there were (as is usual in most accidents) human factors involved.

And Catty

The google link page still shows some of the original text.......12 hours ago – Police divers arrived in the Whitsundays around noon yesterday ready ... sea off Whitsunday Island after a sports catamaran yacht capsized during a ... The 10- metre yacht went to Turtle Bay, off Whitsunday Island, to try to find ..........Hope this helps

Perhaps you may now understand a little more about the media and accuracy of detail. Not criticising the initial paper by any means. Who knows what the experience of the initial reporter on duty was, could have been a young kid who had never seen a boat of any description and thought they should use every nautical sounding term they could think of. A yacht to some people is anything that floats. What we usually do in these circumstances is check a few other sources before arriving at a conclusion. Assemble the known facts, do a bit of research and then arrive at an informed position.

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by Factor

Hi Glenn - what we do know is that it was in Turtle Bay, as you probably know thats on the south side of Whitsunday Island, nice little anchorage in a Northerly absolute rubbish in a southerly. Bulletts are an issue there usually, just being very exposed to anything without some North in it.

And Catty


Perhaps you may now understand a little more about the media and accuracy of detail. Not criticising the initial paper by any means. Who knows what the experience of the initial reporter on duty was, could have been a young kid who had never seen a boat of any description and thought they should use every nautical sounding term they could think of. A yacht to some people is anything that floats. What we usually do in these circumstances is check a few other sources before arriving at a conclusion. Assemble the known facts, do a bit of research and then arrive at an informed position.

We don't know what the boat was yet so your post may be a little premature. You have posted a picture boat with the logo Rapture printed on the side. That may be what the boat was but we all should wait and see before making any pronouncements I think.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by hummingway

We don't know what the boat was yet so your post may be a little premature. You have posted a picture boat with the logo Rapture printed on the side. That may be what the boat was but we all should wait and see before making any pronouncements I think.

+1

Especially as it appears that boat is still taking bookings:-

Whitsunday Sport Fishing Charters | Hamilton Island | Queensland

[IslandHopper]

The boat did not sink at a mooring, in fact it did not sink at all, it capsized and remained afloat...

It was towed (upside down) to a mooring where the divers searched the hull, subsequently finding the poor woman trapped in the cabin......

[44'cruisingcat]

Turtle Bay is wide open to the SE. But good SE shelter is only a couple of miles away in either direction, so you can only presume that this storm came upon them very quickly.

Very sad that someone should die in what may have been for them the holiday of a lifetime. Condolences to family and friends.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by hummingway

We don't know what the boat was yet so your post may be a little premature. You have posted a picture boat with the logo Rapture printed on the side. That may be what the boat was but we all should wait and see before making any pronouncements I think.

It's now a few days after the event, IMO the press should have the story pretty much right by now..



Sydney woman, 31, found dead after charter boat capsizes in Whitsundays

• by: Peter Michael and Brittany Vonow
• From: The Courier-Mail
• December 29, 2011 12:00AM
• 2 comments

• Missing woman found dead in bo...
• Boat Rapture

Missing woman found dead in boat




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Missing woman found dead in boat

The body of a woman who went missing after a boat overturned in the Whitsunday Islands has been found.
Sky News29 December 2011


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BODY FOUND: Fishing charter boat Rapture capsized in the Whitsundays / Pic: Hamilton Island Watersports website. Source: The Daily Telegraph



THE body of a missing tourist has been found after her boat overturned in severe storms at The Whitsundays.

The 31-year-old female drowned when the charter boat, “Rapture,” was overturned in severe storms in Turtle Bay just before 4.30pm yesterday.
Police divers located her body on the 10-metre vessel, which had been towed to Hamilton Island as part of the search.
Eleven people were rescued from the water shortly after the incident but extensive air and water search operations for the missing woman were inhibited due to severe weather conditions last night and today.
It is believed the woman was from Indonesia and was not a strong swimmer.
It is understood the stricken charter boat was hired out of Hamilton Island Marina.
Officers were also unwilling to name the stricken charter boat citing "privacy reasons".

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Turtle Bay is a popular snorkeling site and yacht mooring point on Whitsunday Island near the mega-resort.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by catty

Yes the original link I posted appears to update automatically as the story evolves. The mention of 10m LOA and Sailing Catamaran are no longer there.

Thanks all for answering my original question.

The 1st radio report I heard was certainly quoting a sports sailing catamaran.

Mackay Daily Mercury paper suggested similar in their first report and it certainly subsequently seems it is a fishing charter boat.

From air news video view and the photo of the vessel it seems to suggest a monohull power vessel although as someone suggested perhaps a catheredial hull.

The quaility of media reports thesedays by not using knowledegable marine reporters has led to several innacurate boating mishap reports recently.

We need to take any initial reports of marine mishaps cautiously until facts are known.

Unfortunatly a very sad event and definitely in the wrong thread catagory.

[boatman61]

To me it matters not whether its a Cat or a mono.. sail or Power...
What I do see is a 30ft boat that has been overloaded with passengers.. and to me that indicates sloppy regulation of charter vessels and even sloppier enforcement..
There are to many of these case's all over the world where boats/ships capsize in intemperate weather due to assessments based on 'Perfect Day' capabilities...
12 folks on a 30ftr... 6-8 would be my upper limit... and that would vary according to the seasonal conditions..

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by boatman61

To me it matters not whether its a Cat or a mono.. sail or Power...
What I do see is a 30ft boat that has been overloaded with passengers.. and to me that indicates sloppy regulation of charter vessels and even sloppier enforcement..
There are to many of these case's all over the world where boats/ships capsize in intemperate weather due to assessments based on 'Perfect Day' capabilities...
12 folks on a 30ftr... 6-8 would be my upper limit... and that would vary according to the seasonal conditions..

+1

But you are forgetting that it will be "a rogue wave" or a "100 year storm" - or some other such event(s) that are unexpected and therefore can't be planned for .

[southace]

I arrived back at the marina just before the micro burst hit.....there where many distress calls on the radio at 1600 till 1630......Mostly scare boats....ops i mean bare boats, the boat in qustion did not put out a maday well not what I heard and from what I did hear is that she capsized while making way back to the marina. also not confirmed is the boat you are posting on here is actully the boat that picked up the survivers and the boat that capzized is a steber 30 flybridge cruiser however i could be wrong.....The max wind speed at hamaltion island was 62knots from the W.
Latest Coastal Weather Observations Hamilton Island

[Glenn C]

Thanks for the clarification Andrew and others,

GC

[downunder]

Originally Posted by boatman61

To me it matters not whether its a Cat or a mono.. sail or Power...
What I do see is a 30ft boat that has been overloaded with passengers.. and to me that indicates sloppy regulation of charter vessels and even sloppier enforcement..
There are to many of these case's all over the world where boats/ships capsize in intemperate weather due to assessments based on 'Perfect Day' capabilities...
12 folks on a 30ftr... 6-8 would be my upper limit... and that would vary according to the seasonal conditions..

10 passengers and 2 crew on the vessel pictured would not not be overcrowded for a day fishing trip in the relatively safe protected inshore conditions of the Whitsundays. that they let bareboats loose there is indicitive of the waters. A ferry boat of same size would be set for at least 30 passengers - we are not talking offshore here.

Another person suggested it could be a Steber flybridge which would not have as good stability figures but they are considered good enough sea worthy vessels to be used by many onshore Coast Guards for rescue vessels.

There were certainly dangerous thunderstorms warnings issued for the area that day and severe microburst conditions.

It could have been a free water situation contributing to reduced stability in the vessel not recognised by the crew however we are just speculating at this stage.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Factor

Perhaps you may now understand a little more about the media and accuracy of detail.
.

Briefly stated, the Gell-Mann Amnesia effect is as follows. You open the newspaper to an article on some subject you know well. In Murray's case, physics. In mine, show business. You read the article and see the journalist has absolutely no understanding of either the facts or the issues. Often, the article is so wrong it actually presents the story backward—reversing cause and effect. I call these the "wet streets cause rain" stories. Paper's full of them.
In any case, you read with exasperation or amusement the multiple errors in a story, and then turn the page to national or international affairs, and read as if the rest of the newspaper was somehow more accurate about Palestine than the baloney you just read. You turn the page, and forget what you know.
That is the Gell-Mann Amnesia effect

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by Therapy

Briefly stated, the Gell-Mann Amnesia effect is as follows. You open the newspaper to an article on some subject you know well. In Murray's case, physics. In mine, show business. You read the article and see the journalist has absolutely no understanding of either the facts or the issues. Often, the article is so wrong it actually presents the story backward—reversing cause and effect. I call these the "wet streets cause rain" stories. Paper's full of them.
In any case, you read with exasperation or amusement the multiple errors in a story, and then turn the page to national or international affairs, and read as if the rest of the newspaper was somehow more accurate about Palestine than the baloney you just read. You turn the page, and forget what you know.
That is the Gell-Mann Amnesia effect

Damn wet streets. I was going to go for a walk and the streets are making it rain again!

Retraction to be printed on page 6.