Strange. BOM observations for Norah Head indicate fairly benign conditions for last evening.

Glad they're all okay.

Here is another disappointing performance from an "experienced sailor"on a "well found" sailing yacht.

So where are the people who said 'insurance is not worth having'?

Strewth!

The wrong type, l can assure you it was not a Rocna of sufficient size.

Wonder, what was his reason not sailing the damned thing?
All sails furled, bagged with four on board??? Another sailing genius without insurance, at least not a statistic.

Ramona said..
Dragged her anchor on a sand bottom. Interesting to see what sort of plough anchor was deployed!

Did it drag? Or did it break? Or maybe they had insufficient scope out? Or too little chain?
I have anchored MB in gusts up to 45 kts and up to a metre of sea with a plough anchor. She has been regularly anchored in 20-25kts. Never budged.

Karsten said..
How to Look up historical Wind Data:

In above posts reference is made to wind conditions on Friday evening, which brings up the general issue of checking wind conditions in the past - say one month ago. Is it possible ?

The BOM web site seems to only provide about 48h of history for it's weather stations, unless I am missing something.

Does anyone know of any online resource where you can look up historical wind data for Australian coastal locations ?

Norah Head, New South Wales
January 2019 Daily Weather Observations

www.bom.gov.au/climate/dwo/IDCJDW2099.latest.shtml

The growth on that hull! Whooa!
Santa's beard is a 'three day's growth' compared to that. No wonder they were drifting onto shore.
The missing keel and rudder is the result not the cause, methinks.
The fact, that they had a rough afternoon 16.00-20.00, according to the weather data, is not the cause of this mishap.
It looks like, was self inflicted by a dirty bottom and lack of nous.

We sailed past there yesterday and nothing drastic weather wise. A risk factor of pulling up on anchor is to think one is safe and go downstairs and not keep a watch. Last night at mid night we had to up anchor due to dragging and re put it down which worked second time. I think the sand anchor didnt like a smooth rock seabed. I could feel it dragging. Awoke to many beeps from GPS anchor watch and Trek unit! Relocation was possible because of motor, maybe they didn't have a working one that's all I can think of.

garymalmgren said..
This type of accidents seems to happening quite frequently.
I would like to know the cause of these accidents.
When I sat my marine license in Japan, we had to read and answer questions on 4 official marine accident reports, all involving fatalities.
Very educating.

My question is, where can we access and read accident reports for these groundings in Australia?
I found this for major or commercial shipping accidents
www.atsb.gov.au/publications/safety-investigation-reports/
but nothing that covers lesser accidents.

I guess each state has a different system.
But do the states have accident report information,
Anyone know?

Gary
Found a couple
www.mast.tas.gov.au/safety/incident-reporting/
www.msq.qld.gov.au/About-us/Marine-incident-annual-reports

Thats true. A similar one a month ago. Investigation is a double edged sword. It will likely find competence the biggest issue I reckon (which also covers going out on the water in a dubious boat) but could hand the government the opportunity it so loves to make us all get licences, wear crash helmets, only go out in day time and do tests and get more $$$ out of everybody

Ramona said..

MorningBird said..

Did it drag? Or did it break? Or maybe they had insufficient scope out? Or too little chain?
I have anchored MB in gusts up to 45 kts and up to a metre of sea with a plough anchor. She has been regularly anchored in 20-25kts. Never budged.

Owner reckoned it dragged in the interview.

I wouldn't be confident he would know. If it did drag why?
MB is a heavy 34' boat and has never dragged. I have 20 metres of chain and set a minimum scope of 5 and up to 10 if it is blowing.
A plough anchor set correctly in sand or good mud works fine.

Assuming the anchor and rode are, were sufficient, I have had drag issues with weed and sea grass fouling the anchor. Not sure if that could be the issue there? but Station beach at the back of Palm Beach is a good place to experience weed fouling.
richard

MorningBird said..


I wouldn't be confident he would know. If it did drag why?
MB is a heavy 34' boat and has never dragged. I have 20 metres of chain and set a minimum scope of 5 and up to 10 if it is blowing.
A plough anchor set correctly in sand or good mud works fine.

Few months ago I anchored a very expensive 45 footer we had just towed in the river. CQR anchor with full chain. Strong Westerly and flat water. I sat in the bow for 20 minutes with my hand on the chain feeling the anchor slowly plow it's way. Traveled probably 100 metres or so and was heading in a safe direction. Wind was easing and I knew the owner was along shortly so I left it. My 13 kg Ultra copy would have stopped it dead. I had 10 metres of 10mm chain on my anchor, I have just reduced that to 5 metres. Modern anchors are the cheapest insurance there is.

I'm with Phantom32 - always a bit hesitant to criticise in such cases.

It's often said life is better if you push yourself out of your comfort zone. But of course it's more likely you'll make mistakes when you're out of your comfort zone.
Maybe the skipper was heading north for cheaper slipping than Sydney, maybe he had engine or multiple gear failures (who has never had an unexpected gear failure), maybe he didn't monitor for dragging diligently enough, maybe he didn't have a modern anchor.

Unless it is known that he was criminally negligent, I always feel such an unexpected mishap could happen to me any day - boating or driving a car or buying a house or selecting a job. And there may well be sideline calls of incompetence.

Unless it's deliberate, by criminal act or grossly negligent, I don't have a problem with the community bearing the recovery cost. Our taxes, rego, stamp duties etc should be more than enough to provide for these kind of accidents to be cleaned up. Most likely a case of inexperience, over confidence, gear failure/neglect or something like that. Forgivable in my view.

Nothing wrong with those out there having a go on very tight budgets, marginally seaworthy boats, inexperienced, old, young, whatever! Good on 'em!

Toph said..

Karsten said..

In above posts reference is made to wind conditions on Friday evening, which brings up the general issue of checking wind conditions in the past - say one month ago. Is it possible ?

Willy Weather gives you a 5 year average in a Wind Rose format.. The NOAA site also gives averages for each month on their pilot guides.

Thanks Toph, useful references.
Though I meant if I wanted to check, for example, the wind state at Norah Head around 9pm on 30 November.
The data undoubtedly exists, since there's a computerised weather station there, but I don't think it's available free of charge, unless someone knows where it can be looked up.

From my experience, the chain or rode vibrates or shimmies. In a strong wind with a sail boat, she drifts and slides side ways, rather than sailing up on the anchor in a figure eight pattern, like normal!
Cheers Richard