Boating chit chat thread.

Thanks for that, gives me a coherent plan anyway.

I also need to find an actual boat first; there is a lad raffling a fairly high end RIB off but that's probably a bit beyond what I need, and also, well, a raffle!

Latest on the Balesian is the mast is intact and the lifting keel was retracted, normal for yachts like this when moored and apparently they're quite stable sailing in moderate conditions even with the keel retracted.

Everything points towards a catastrophic piece of bad luck/weather that knocked it over coinciding with reduced righting moment with the keel up and all deck openings, hatches, doors etc open for convenience at anchor.

This video is enlightening, frightening even, to see just how incredibly powerful a localised water spout or mini tornado can be along with the knockdown effect on another tall masted super yacht. You'll definitely replay it for the cat part.

https://youtu.be/G8-b6CsEueQ?si=uQNPFnH7JgQniPU_

A lot of people were blaming the mast in that it broke and sank the yacht. This never made sense. It had to do with stability and the most likely reason was the keel was retracted, then she was top heavy.

Interesting video on the sinking of the yacht

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFOpw5UCn8s

Yes. The boat anchored in front of her was classically rigged with twin masts. A lot more windage than a clean modern aluminium mast. They ran their engines to reduce the strain on their anchor. When the squall passed they looked around and she had vanished, then they saw a flare from the life raft.

If the water spout hit the boat/mast at just the right angle, you would have had all that wind as well as tons upon tons of water hitting it, which was obviously enough to knock her down… and once she started heeling, there was enough sustained pressure to keep pushing her over..

Must have been an absolute nightmare on board.

These super yachts are extremely stable keel up because of their size and mass. Any pivoting keel is going to have some play in it so could cause erratic thuds through the boat in even gentle breezes or tiny waves/swells.

Lots of uneducated comment in the media. The blame game has started, reputations to be protected. eSysman has an interesting video with good comment from another designer, Chris Freers.Interesting observations on doors, keel position, heeling moment, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFOpw5UCn8s

It depends on several factors. Keel down and hatches etc open it'd probably right itself near instantly with limited water ingress albeit with significant injuries to occupants.

Keel up hatches mostly secured, it'd be as above but righting more slowly.

Keel up and mostly open hatches, it could swamp and fail to right which is IMHO likely what happened in Sicily.

There are a host of competing interests vested in what happened so we won't know for certain until the actual investigation report is published. But Global Warming and the effect it's having with more extreme weather - see "summer" in Ireland 2024, may have been a factor. That and Super yacht bragging rights.

Indeed…. (same(ish) boat, same guy)

I saw that, spectacular but is she not alongside and therefore (potentially at least) at right angles to the wind, whereas facing into the wind would (as you are at anchor) be the optimal position

Interesting looking visitor in howth this evening

so as an update to this post, I fitted a new raw water pump yesterday and we are back in business…

just need to get some Volvo green paint to protect it…

Also, and as expected, when I tried to remove the old cover plate, 2 of the 3 remaining bolts that hold the cover plate on sheered off at when the slightest force was applied….

the original impeller was still intact surprisingly, but there was a little bit of wear on it as well as on some of the internals so I’ve ordered a rebuild kit for it and will recondition it, test it and then keep it onboard as a spare…

Tom Dolan rocking up to a stage win on leg 2 of the Solitaire du Figaro in the next couple of hours - looks unbeatable unless he sinks the boat, or something

He took part in an online seminar/Q&A thing during covid, it was the first time I really got to know anything about him beyond his name and solo racing, and I've been a firm fan ever since - he's very understated but sound out. That documentary was fascinating.

Tom Dolan has won the Figaro

First non French winner since 1988

Incredible achievement.

he’s only gone and bloody done it!!!!!!!

Not a mention on any of the big Irish news websites…..

You'd think RTÉ would be onto it given they showed a doc about him a few weeks back (which should rightly get a lot more plays now)

https://afloat.ie/sail/events/la-solitaire-du-figaro/item/64702-tom-dolan-wins-the-solitaire-du-figaro-it-is-a-dream-come-true

Got a mention at the very end of the 9pm news tonight

Hardly unlucky?

It looks like a straight up port/starboard issue and the boat on the port tack didn't keep sufficiently clear.

I suspect that 2Farr's insurance will be paying for a new mast for Headhunter. I'd be absolutely hopping mad if I was on headhunter (as the guy shaking his arms in the air appears to be), especially considering they travelled from the UK and were disabled at the very start of the very first race!

From the protest documents filed on RacingRulesOfSailing.org

DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT
Both boats on starboard off startline. 2269 circa 50m to leeward, after approx 1 minute 30, 2269
tacked onto port. As 2269 approached Headhunter, 2269 made a very late decision to bear away
behind Hesdhunter, resulting in the rigs colliding. Headhunter’s rig came down and struck the
helmsman.

FACTS FOUND

1. The incident occurred shortly after the start of Race 1 for Class 2, when the wind was 14 knots and there were small
   waves.
2. GBR5694 was sailing close-hauled on starboard tack, with IRL2269 sailing close-hauled on port tack. Both boats on a
   collision course.
3. When the IRL2269 was at a distance of 5 boat lengths from GBR5694, IRL2269 bore away.
4. IRL2269’s main sheet got jammed while bearing away to pass astern of GBR5694.
5. While IRL2269 was bearing away, and the boats were level with each other, IRL2269 became upright and there was
   contact between the rigs.
6. As a result of the contact, the mast of GBR5694 broke and fell on the deck injuring the helm of GBR5694. There was
   also severe damage to the mainsail and the bow fitting was broken.
7. GBR5694 did not finish Race 1.
8. IRL2269 retired from Race 1.

CONCLUSIONS AND RULES THAT APPLY
Rules: RRS 10, 14,

1. IRL2269 on port failed to keep clear of GBR5694 on starboard, and broke RRS 10.
2. IRL2269 did not avoid contact when it was reasonably possible, and broke RRS 14.
3. It was not reasonably possible for GBR5694 the right-of-way boat to avoid contact with IRL2269 when it was clear
   that IRL2269 was not keeping clear. GBR5694 did not break RRS 14.

DECISION
The protest is upheld. Since IRL2269 took an appropriate penalty by retiring, she is not further penalized under RRS
64.2(a).

I would have thought that a stuck mainsheet would cause a boat to heel to windward if bearing away rather than make it stand up?

I do understand that a stuck main would make bearing away very difficult, it's the boat coming upright that confuses me.