The trip... Securite.. as opposed to Pan Pan or Mayday.. blah blah blah

[boatman61]

Ok.. now the hullabaloo has died down and things are sorted with Officialdom, got the ‘GO’ on the afternoon of the 26th.. I figured it’s time to reflect on the 'Atlantic' Thread...
First of all Mega Thanks for all the Cheering on from you guys.. I'm glad some of you got stuck into the weather side of things.. hopefully many.. or at least a few benefited from some of the comments and analysis posted.. and, Thanks for the belly laughs as I read through the pages.. Loved the signature SM...
The purpose of the Thread was varied, a test to see if Spot worked all the way across, is it possible to safely cross from W to E this early in the year and what weather to expect.. is a more Southern route feasible and generally to give you all something to fill the winters end with.. you all were sounding bored..
So.. lets start with the purpose and aims of a Delivery Skipper.. well.. this one anyway.. To collect a boat at point A and transfer it to point Z as safely and economically as possible to the benefit of both the owner and myself. The condition and state of the boat has only to meet my standards of capability.. 'Bells and Whistles' not required just reasonably acceptable basics like hull, rigging and sails.. the rest can be worked around.. and usually is.. even when there's the 'Bells and Whistles'... lol
Now although I have a basic rate it fluctuates on occasion as in the case of my Australia trip which I knocked out at 50% plus fares as I'd never done the S. Pacific, and at my age likely I'd not get another chance, so enough to cover bills at home, some pocket money and a grand adventure was good enough for me..
It should be explained here there are those who do this professionally.. these are the Yacht Masters and are employed by companies.. then there are the newer YM's who do it to gain miles and experience so they can pick the best fruit at the top of the tree.. full time Super yacht skipper etc..
Lastly there's the likes of me who do it for the sheer kicks and challenge that basic sailing across long distances brings.. plus a couple of bob extra for beer and baccy.. However we all have the same goal.. get the boat and crew safely to port..
Next is the Spot3.. it’s a great little tool.. and that’s from a Luddite.. I did not have the time to do more than the basic settings but enough to contact the owner and crews family should things look a little hairy and let them know all was well.. and prime the SOS buttons of course. It is a basic alert system with no way of sending out any more than a pre- programed message entered before you set off.. if you want more you’ll need to go for Yellow Brick (ARC use’s these) or one of the more expensive units out there.. but I’ll rate it 8/10 for what it does.. saving the other 2 for if I ever have to use it in distress.. lol.
Next is the weather.. it’s Okay.. I sailed with an E’ly.. would have preferred a S’ly so as to cut through Providence but one takes what the gods send.. so I ran N with the Stream till I got some S’ly then hung E.. ran with those to near due S of Bermuda before it moved to SW and let me make some Southing.. I was not crazy about the lighting all around up there.. Around about then is when I could not start the genny so all elec’s went off apart from the basic’s.. AP and nav lights, along with saloon lights for when we needed the stove. From there we ran SSE till around 600 miles N of SMX before hanging a left for Madeira things were looking goad till the water went bad 1400miles W of Madeira and some 700 miles SW of the Azores.. enter Plan B..
Now we move to Radio messages you will/may hear on VHF Ch16 as there seems to have been some confusion over the interpretation of this in my last Thread..
Securite, Securite, Securite.. aka.. All Ships, All Ships, All Ships.. is an information broadcast.. it covers things like which channels to go to for weather information, changes to navigation lights and navigational warnings...
For example sometimes crossing the English Channel you may hear a Securite that a Merchant vessel is not under command.. this means they lack steerage way.. usually due to a mechanical breakdown so 'Be Aware' this vessel is in such and such a position and take pains to avoid... in Spain near Alicante a few years back I picked up a Securite regarding 2 navigational buoys that had broken their moorings in a blow and were drifting... 5 hrs later after nearly hitting them at night between Torrejaveca and Mar Minor I broadcast a Securite to advise their current position to the Coast controllers.. this was then relayed on to Shipping.
Now in my case.. due to a seeming lack of understanding of VHF procedure and the different meanings, a planned 2 night stop in the Azores was converted to what looks like over 2 weeks due to circumstances beyond my control.. it seems that even so called experienced sailors got their knickers needlessly twisted over a simple everyday navigational warning.. about me.. a ship had stopped at my request to provide me with potable water as my tanks had fouled.. and.. by law, he was required to make an MRSC report to justify the stop to the owners..
He therefore broadcast the information provided by me which was although we had no engines due to lack of power we were seaworthy and proceeding to Horta under sail.. 2 crew on board, no danger, No Assistance Required... along with Lat and Long..
Now 25 miles from us was a 2 times circumnavigator, a Horta fisherman and famous in the islands... that’s his chart you see on the wall in Peters Sports Bar... his name Genuino Madruga.. a really nice guy and a damn good seaman.. anyway.. he was listening to the conversation between the ship and myself on his Fishing boat and was prepared to come over till he heard 'No Assistance Required.. proceeding to Horta under sail'.. as he said to me when we met up later.. why pull my nets for no reason.. you were not in trouble.
Another thing that’s bothered me about this episode is the fact that in spite of the experience on this forum.. and the concern and speculation.. no one contacted the Azores/Horta authorities (who knew the true situation) to provide them with my latest Spot position and how to track my progress in case the SHTF sometime down the road.. no.. they called Joe Bloggs.. the backyard mechanic they know from the Pub.. anyway.. As a result it seems the local lifeboat burnt up close on 2000 litres of fuel looking for me in the wrong place.. they always go out in a case like this anyway... however they were working on my last known position and course.. it was all they had.
I however.. blissfully unaware had laid in a tack to Stbd to improve my approach to Horta as the drift of the Cat was setting me W more towards Flores and I needed to compensate to make the channel between Pico and Horta.. (to all who speculated I was motor sailing a lot to make those miles.. I still had 200L in each tank after 3400 odd miles).
If folk had bothered to recall.. or check my 'Page' they would have seen I've done 3 W-E solo's so the Azores are not new to me (7th time here), and living on the W coast of Portugal I’ve sailed over in the summer for a few weeks once or twice.. my approach was allowing for currents and compensating for the drift W caused by the SE'lies.. it is a Multi after all.. when JP hove into view just under 40 miles from Horta I was making close to 5kts under Genoa.. good enough for me.. and the plan was to close Horta to around 5 miles then lay over, reduce sail and slowly fore reach till dawn when.. with the set of the current and my drift it would have me set up to approach the channel.. and well within cell phone range if I needed a tow in for a couple of hundred euro.. who knows maybe even for free off Genuino as he came in that morning..lol
As to the voyage itself.. things went beautifully till the tanks fouled.. even then all looked worry free till light winds/calms slowed our progress from the ETA to Horta from 5 days to nearly 10... the tow gained me 18hrs.. if that.
So.. what’s to be learned from this..?
If you’re worried about someone out there.. please call the Rescue Services and give them all the info you have access to.. they have no other agenda other than the safety of folk at sea.. and all the info/help you give aids them and builds on what they already know and are trying to do..
Sorry its such a long one.. I’ll try and answer any other questions raised on the 'Atlantic' thread over the next few days as I can’t sail till at least maybe Wednesday with the current forecast.. no windows big enough and there’s a real Hoolie due starting tomorrow..