Boat Lost Entering Harbor

Justin_NSA · Mar 31, 2017

Wow. Never underestimate nature's power! They all had PFDs on.

jdhohmann · Mar 31, 2017

CRUNCH!!!!!!!!

jeepbluetj · Mar 31, 2017

Wow. I'd sure like to know what happened in the 10 min before that video.

I learned to sail out of King Harbor in a Columbia 5.5. Always sailed back in. I can understand how a big wave could push you from the breakwater over to the pier if you didn't have enough way on.

Richard19068 · Mar 31, 2017

jeepbluetj said:
Wow. I'd sure like to know what happened in the 10 min before that video.

Longer video here. Looks like the sheets were fouled. I think they would have been okay if they could have got the jib trimmed in.

kloudie1 · Mar 31, 2017

woof .. not good.. looked like they were doing better going south/southwest and could have gotten out a bit to clear the lines ? Dunno..
was that an anchor that they threw over at the 1:00 mark on the video?

Justin_NSA · Mar 31, 2017

Wow! It's a miracle they didn't get thrown right into the pilings when they went over!
Thanks for posting the rest of the story!

Richard19068 · Mar 31, 2017

kloudie1 said:
was that an anchor that they threw over at the 1:00 mark on the video?

Looked like a hat to me. I'm guessing the anchor would have been buried below and probably ineffective at that point anyway.

weinie · Mar 31, 2017

Captmayhem · Mar 31, 2017

not going to try and monday morning quarter back this, but to my eye, one skipper and three crew, should have been able to get that situation under control.
Main was down, lash it, work on the sail that's up, to least give headway, even if the wrong direction.
very lucky crew, waves sure tore that thing up pretty quick

Scott T-Bird · Mar 31, 2017

It looks like an engine would have been helpful there much earlier on. I wonder what the explanation was for apparent lack of power to motor out. Jib was evidently jammed so they couldn't get it furled and couldn't claw away from the pier. Lee shore and pier in a gale looks very dangerous. Very sad outcome. Lucky that nobody got killed when that wave launched the boat into the pier.

RussC · Mar 31, 2017

What I was hearing was that there was a previous knock down that fouled the main and the jib sheets. couldn't get that sorted before the events that unfolded at the pier.

Scott T-Bird · Mar 31, 2017

I wonder if jib sheets got wrapped in prop. Could rapidly develop into a helpless situation.

Richard19068 · Mar 31, 2017

Scott T-Bird said:
It looks like an engine would have been helpful there much earlier on. I wonder what the explanation was for apparent lack of power to motor out. Jib was evidently jammed so they couldn't get it furled and couldn't claw away from the pier. Lee shore and pier in a gale looks very dangerous. Very sad outcome. Lucky that nobody got killed when that wave launched the boat into the pier.

The Martins around here rarely hang out their engine unless there isn't enough wind to get to the start line. If they had one it was probably stowed below amidships and you wouldn't be able to get it out and mount it in those swells.

David in Sandusky · Mar 31, 2017

Trying to think through what if we were in a similar situation with our main down, and jib sheets fouled.

- With big breaking waves in the entrance, would I call a rescue tow right away?

- Then we would get the main lashed to the boom. Use reefing lines or spare line if necessary.

- Rig a new jib sheet, and cut the old ones free.

- Sail to the windward side of the entrance. If unable to hold the jib on the required course,

- Then sail away and await assistance.

This all reminds me to beware of sailing anywhere near breaking waves higher than the beam of our boat. This is the sure recipe for a capsize.

You can really feel the fear and frustration of the crew. I watched a racing fleet return to this marina after racing. I remember how difficult it was for the boats to make the entrance. We are so lucky on Lake Erie where most of our marinas are in shipping harbors with well constructed entrances!

RussC · Mar 31, 2017

from another angle:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10154658843366028

thinwater · Apr 1, 2017

Another thing this demonstrates is the unfortunate tenancy people have to fixate on only one solution under pressure.

Could have stood out until the sails could be properly rigged. There was no reason to head in.
fresh sheet could have been rigged.
There was a main sail. Could have been set deeply reefed and the jib dropped.
An anchor could have been set a little farther out. Funny how seldom people think of that one, but it is an excellent way to buy time.

JamesG161 · Apr 1, 2017

Could anyone see his power source?
I could see a rudder and a thin keel, but never a propeller. His jib only had wind at the last moment, which helped tip him.
Jim...

jon hansen · Apr 1, 2017

i'm an anchor guy. just like a fire ext. having it not on the ready at all times is scary to me. my anchor is my emergency brake. i set my ground tackle up so that it can be deployed within sixty seconds at all times. seconds count if a fire starts, they grow so fast. same with entering harbors. the video shows there was plenty of time to deploy an anchor. i have been saved many times by anchors. i teach my crews that an anchor is the number one most important piece of equipment. just stop the boat, bow into the weather. simple seamanship for a 20 footer or a 1000 footer

jon hansen · Apr 1, 2017

having an anchor cleared for the ready and the warp set up so to not snarl is a must for me