Spirited 380 Lost in the Coral Sea

[minx]

S V Minx was abandon in the early hours on Wednesday Dec 21, 2011 during a dramatic, life threatening rescue. Position : 17*20' S 154*13' E approx 380nm East of Mackay on Australia's Eastern Coast.
We are forever grateful for the assistance by the aircraft crew from the RCC and the crew of the ship Ocean Lord (coal carrier) during the three and a half hour rescue operation.
We had endured 72 hours in rough seas (3-4 metres) and winds to 35knots with a developing cyclone chasing us.
We could not sail with the damage to our Genoa and main sail and when both sail drives failed within 24hours we had run out of options. Water began entering our engine compartments, salon area, the head and aft- cabin from the surging sea. We deployed a para anchor which held us in positions for the pending rescue.
The para anchor was severed accidently during the first rescue attempt which send us drifting.
Launched in 2007 Minx was the first production built S-380.
We are grateful for our lifes though have lost everything we owned.
Any feedback, a sighting or information relating to Minx would be appreciated

[Ocean Girl]

So sorry for your ordeal and so glad you all are safe.
Mrs. Rain Dog

[Ozbullwinkle]

I'm very sorry to hear of the loss of your vessel but glad that you and your crew survived to tell the story behind the loss. I noticed that "rodcat" who was the owner of the Spirited 380 that was lost off South Australia when it hit a floating container said that he found that the engine compartments leaked on his vessel under heavy conditions. Can you also advise how the water was getting into the head and aft cabin was the saloon door not able to stop the ingress of water?

After you were rescued did the cyclone track through the area that Minx was in and would you anticipate it to be still upright?

[minx]

Thank you.
Yes unless Minx has been hit by a ship or run on a reef she should be afloat with her stern under water to the bridge deck.
I expect there will be water inside covering the hull floor by now.

[minx]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

So sorry for your ordeal and so glad you all are safe.
Mrs. Rain Dog

Thank you.

[dirkdig]

So glad to hear you are ok,
What do you think happened to the sail drives?

[rusky]

Very sorry to hear of the loss of your vessel.
Wonderful to hear of your successful rescue.

When you feel up to it, could you write a detailed post describing the lead up to the need to be rescued and how the rescue eventuated. Your experience will be an invaluable learning tool for the rest of us.

best regards
David

[Ozbullwinkle]

Originally Posted by rusky

Very sorry to hear of the loss of your vessel.
Wonderful to hear of your successful rescue.

When you feel up to it, could you write a detailed post describing the lead up to the need to be rescued and how the rescue eventuated. Your experience will be an invaluable learning tool for the rest of us.

best regards
David

Yes, this would be most appreciated and invaluable to everyone. Can you also include things like recommendations for other cruisers, other equipment that could have helped your situation & with the benefit of hindsight what would you have done differently?

[SeaKing]

Great you are here to talk about it, sad to hear your loss. How many people were onboard?
Hope things work out for you from here on.

[cat man do]

Sorry for your loss but glad you got off OK.

Just to recap are you saying:
Following seas rode up the back steps and filled cockpit area?
and
Poor cockpit drainage and poor engine room hatch seals & drainage gutters on a outside accessed engine room allowed the engine room to fill?

Can I ask how many and what size drains are in the cockpit?
(gets out hole saw to add more)

[SaltyMonkey]

Very sad to hear this news. Sorry for your loss, but am glad you are safe.

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by minx

S V Minx was abandon in the early hours on Wednesday Dec 21, 2011 during a dramatic, life threatening rescue. Position : 17*20' S 154*13' E approx 380nm East of Mackay on Australia's Eastern Coast.
We are forever grateful for the assistance by the aircraft crew from the RCC and the crew of the ship Ocean Lord (coal carrier) during the three and a half hour rescue operation.
We had endured 72 hours in rough seas (3-4 metres) and winds to 35knots with a developing cyclone chasing us.
We could not sail with the damage to our Genoa and main sail and when both sail drives failed within 24hours we had run out of options. Water began entering our engine compartments, salon area, the head and aft- cabin from the surging sea. We deployed a para anchor which held us in positions for the pending rescue.
The para anchor was severed accidently during the first rescue attempt which send us drifting.
Launched in 2007 Minx was the first production built S-380.
We are grateful for our lifes though have lost everything we owned.
Any feedback, a sighting or information relating to Minx would be appreciated

Sorry to hear of your loss, at least you got picked up. Thats a big ocean, the Coral sea,
I came through there early November, A bit more south than you ,and I copped 10 metre waves,
Force 6 wind. Got that one from a passing ship. weather forecast. As I did not have communication except for VHF

S 22.38 E 154.28 course 300 degrees, was not a good day. I just rode it out.
My course should have been 200 degrees, but impossible due to the conditions and I cant sail for ****,

I had two wave formations, one to the north and one to the north west. The north one filled the cockpit and the north west one stood vertically over the transom, If it had of dropped on me, I was gone,

How did you damage your main and Genoa, I came through mainly on the Genoa,
The main made me roll over too far, and swung me beam on, Very scary, so I left the main down,

If the boat is sealed up and every thing closed, How did you take on water, even tho you had no power,

Do you know why the sail drives failed,

I would like to know these as it may help me or others in the future,

If your boat doesnt sink, There are shipping lanes going through there and a ship may give its position as a shipping hazard, so you may get your boat back,

The salvage crews will certainly get it back for you if they know where it is,

Cheers,
Brian,

[Boatguy30]

Sweet as you're OK, but what were you doing in the middle of the coral sea in the middle of cyclone season??????

[rodcat]

Glad to see your okay hope you find your boat again ours washed up about three months after we we winched off but it was upside down still insurance had already paid out so insurance cut it up. Be interesting if you hear any feedback from the designer as l sent a few e-mails but got no response just wanted some feedback from the designer so we could all learn from the experience

[minx]

Originally Posted by dirkdig

So glad to hear you are ok,
What do you think happened to the sail drives?

I guess the the damper-plates failed within 24 hours of each other.
I dont believe the drives are designed for continues operation.
Seals and oils were changed before the crossing from the solomons.