Catamaran Rescue off Ulladulla NSW Australia

[catsketcher]

Gday Jim

Seawinds have a fair bit of trim inside them and are pretty packed with custom mouldings and all the rest. This would make them a little hard to get back to new if they have been inverted for a while offshore. If it was in a lake, I reckon you could quickly get one back up and washed out, but a few days inverted in a seaway with the water rushing around inside would not be good for the interior.

The structure should be fine. I am still worried about the watertight bulkheads though. They are not much use if they are not fully watertight. Of course, if the rudder was bent, then steering may have been impossible and then the crew may have removed the bulkhead to get to the steering. I don't know if this happened, but a cat can sail fine on one rudder so it makes no sense to remove the bulkhead unless the rudder was jammed.

The designer of my cat, a very experienced sailor, used to make a cup of tea if something bad happened. He said it made him stop and think about the best way to tackle an issue. We can now see the crew made a mistake removing the bulkhead - easy in hindsight. But what to do with a rudder bent over is a real issue. In am unsure what I would do in the same situation, maybe heave to, make a drogue, and ask for a slow tow to Batemans.

Alternatively - the tiller bar could be disconnected and the other rudder put in the opposite direction and then she may be able to motor slowly in to port under her own steam, with a small drogue (all cats should have a drogue) out the back led to a bridle, the bridle arms led to the winches.

When we hit a sunfish and lost our rudder 40 miles off Eden, we used the old
washboard on a kite pole trick. It was useless. In the end I undid the tiller extension, pulled the kite pole more vertical, lashed its upped end to the backstay and with the extension through the parrot beak turned it like a tiller. It was awful and out of the 6 crew only 3 of us could keep within 45 degrees of course, warp out the back and all. But we made it to Eden hours before a southerly came in on our own steam.

[Ozbullwinkle]

Originally Posted by Seaslug Caravan

If correct can we assume any insurance contract void?

If not correct total loss will be paid out ?

The bulkhead in the aft cabin has to be removed firstly to get access to the rudder & steerage compartment to inspect the damage then take action to try & slow the water ingress to save the vessel. I would think that most owners who found themself in such a situation would do the same thing. But I am sure that Seawind 1000 owners will be taking note of this incident. It seems like one of those classic damned if you do damned if you don't situations.

The owners were doing what they thought best to save their vessel.

Jim....I agree about the issue of the rig & the Batemans Bay bar, maybe the salvage crew were able to flip her back over, difficult but possible.

[smj]

If I remember correctly the Seawind 1000 has a partial watertight bulkhead in the rudder compartment, meaning the bulkhead may come up 3’ above waterline then has a removable access panel. Whether the water got above the bulkhead is a question, and whether my memory can be trusted is another.

[Jim Cate]

The owners were doing what they thought best to save their vessel.

I agree with this, and I think this would not negate insurance cover (at least from a legit insurer). Attempting to save the vessel does not constitute negligence IMO.

As an aside, I think having good access to the steering gear is an important design feature, along with the bulkhead to isolate leakage from the rudder post or a hole caused by a rudder strike. In a mono this is possible... and is designed into our boat. It certainly is not a standard feature in production yachts. It may be harder in a catamaran with the very narrow hulls... I dunno enough to guess.

One might even add such a feature to the list of things that define a "Blue Water" vessel!

Jim

[Factor]

Originally Posted by Seaslug Caravan

If correct can we assume any insurance contract void?

If not correct total loss will be paid out ?

Ah no. why would you think that. Your knoweledge of mercantile law appears to be misguided

[Factor]

Originally Posted by catsketcher

...Alternatively - the tiller bar could be disconnected and the other rudder put in the opposite direction and then she may be able to motor slowly in to port under her own steam, with a small drogue (all cats should have a drogue) out the back led to a bridle, the bridle arms led to the winches.

Almost correct, Seawinds have two helms, port helm is connected to port rudder and Starboard to Starboard, and on the 1000 then the two helms are connected by a chain and wire arrangement, very easy to seperate the two helms and have in the case port helm fully steering port rudder. Its why the 1000 meets commercial operation standards for emergency steering Its also why I despair at boats with one helm.

[Factor]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

...

As an aside, I think having good access to the steering gear is an important design feature, along with the bulkhead to isolate leakage from the rudder post or a hole caused by a rudder strike. In a mono this is possible... and is designed into our boat. It certainly is not a standard feature in production yachts. It may be harder in a catamaran with the very narrow hulls... I dunno enough to guess.

Jim

Also remember that this is a 9.98metre long vessel, lots of compromise going on when your boat is that short

[JPA Cate]

Tense kind of situation, Phil. Good job.

Funny how important it can be to "make it in under your own steam." That's how it was for us when our first Insatiable was dismasted. She looked so pathetic with the port side lifelines all smashed, and the bow pulpit--and of course, no mast. But it was a big deal to cope without having to ask for help, very important for self esteem.

Ann

[donradcliffe]

Its going to be a much more expensive insurance job now that the boat is inverted. The original report said they got in two dinghies. If they were inflatables, lashing them to the damaged hull before they abandoned the boat would probably have kept it upright and a lot drier inside.

[Ozbullwinkle]

Don, here is a zoomed in pic of the 2 dingys from the 3rd pic on the first post. One is a small fibreglass & the other one is harder to make out but looks like it is aluminium.

[Seaslug Caravan]

Can anyone confirm that the vessel under discussion is “dreamas duo” listed as 11 m x 6 m on marine traffic. 1000xl?
The 1000 Apparently evolved a lot of the years so this would place it as a later model maybe?

[Ozbullwinkle]

Just an update. Since receiving the photo of the overturned Seawind 1000 at the time of salvage I have tried to get further pics of the salvage & particularly the rudder damage which caused this unfortunate incident but no luck so far.

Are there any CF members who are either in the Batemans Bay area or frequent the boatyard there who may be able to do some further detective work?

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Factor

Also remember that this is a 9.98metre long vessel, lots of compromise going on when your boat is that short

Compromises can be made on layout, fitout, colour scheme, even rig and sail choice
Compromises should never be made on structure, rudders, beams and boards.

If other designers of cats that size can manage watertight BH that dont compromise the main hull I don't see why these ones can't.

[sailjumanji]

Originally Posted by Ozbullwinkle

Just an update. Since receiving the photo of the overturned Seawind 1000 at the time of salvage I have tried to get further pics of the salvage & particularly the rudder damage which caused this unfortunate incident but no luck so far.

Are there any CF members who are either in the Batemans Bay area or frequent the boatyard there who may be able to do some further detective work?

Why? Boats have real owners. Why not just leave them alone?

[Mr B]

It was pretty hard listening to the Mayday call being 3 hours north of the accident and heading south towards the Sinking vessel, and not being able to help,

Another yachty I was talking to in Refuge Cove while hiding from a Gale screaming outside said he was two hours away from the stricken vessel also,
He was too far away also to help,

I was only 5 nmiles offshore at the time, When I went past where it had occurred, 3 hours later,
There was no wind and the sea was almost flat, Nice sunny day,
My flag was hanging off the mast like a motionless rag,

They did have a shipping hazzard warning out for the wreckage, and its position, But I never saw the wreckage as I motored past,
Not that I wanted to hit it, So I had my eyeballs peeled looking for it.
From what I have been told, The owner bought it in Port Stephens,

I wonder if it was the one opposite me in the Marina at Soldiers Point, That was a Seawind 1000 and that owner had just bought it,
He didnt know anything about sailing Cats and asked if I could give him a few lessons on it,
He was still there when I left Port Stephens, But I had spent a week in Bate Bay waiting for the bad weather to clear off,
So he could have been in front of me heading south,