Boat Capsizes: Woman swims ashore but man, 72, dies.

[rgranger]

Woman swims ashore but man, 72, dies after sailing boat capsizes at Boat Harbour

I ran across this strange article.

https://www.theleader.com.au/story/5662177/updated-fouled-propeller-on-stricken-boat/#slide=1

In the article they say the boat capsized but ... the boat eventually washed ashore. So I'm guessing it must have been a knockdown and not a capsize event. The other strange thing in the story is they imply the capsize was the result of the prop fouling with an "anchor" line.

And the "anchor" line in the photo looks like polypropylene so does not seem likely that it was an anchor rode. Tragic non-the-less.

 

[rgranger]

Here is another news outlet on the same story .... no new info but some better photographs.

https://www.9news.com.au/2018/09/24/07/03/one-dead-cronulla-boat-capsized-wanda-beach

 

[Benny17441]

It is not unusual for reporters that know nothing about sailing to confuse terms and misreport events. They tend to focus on certain things and fail to report on some important factors. There is no mention of the weather conditions and no explanation yet for the probable cause for a line to be wrapped around the prop. Cause of death will be determined and marine investigators should be able to piece together a likely chain of events.

 

[jssailem]

Let’s break this down. 24 year old woman. 72 year old guy. New boat to him. Sailing at night along the coast. Pitch black night. Choppy seas. Small boat.
What could go wrong?

 

[Scott T-Bird]

It is not unusual for reporters that know nothing about sailing to confuse terms and misreport events. They tend to focus on certain things and fail to report on some important factors. There is no mention of the weather conditions and no explanation yet for the probable cause for a line to be wrapped around the prop. Cause of death will be determined and marine investigators should be able to piece together a likely chain of events.

Absolutely. The circumstances leading to the tragedy may be reasonably logical, even if it is totally illogical for a 24-year old woman to be with a 72-year old goat (unless she is grand-daughter)! But, this could also be the makings of a con game story! I hope the old guy's last few days were good. (he's less than a decade older than me … yikes! )

 

[jssailem]

Granted we should all take the high road.
Old is not dead, yet.
But this is Australia guys. Where men are men even if they are 70.

 

[JRacer]

24 goes into 72 a lot more times that 72 goes into 24. Just sayin.

 

[The Shadow Knows]

I guess my question is, the photo of the rudder area.
Is that an actual picture?
What's with the under waterline condition??

 

[rgranger]

I guess my question is, the photo of the rudder area.
Is that an actual picture?
What's with the under waterline condition??

There was a lot that I could not understand (normal condition for me). There is this picture of a police boat towing the boat

but the article says the boat is still awash on shore.

Here is a pic from a video found in the second link

 

[jssailem]

Not sure that is the same boat. The one under tow is missing the hard Bimini

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

As a 77 yr old, who still single hands, and occasionally has younger crew aboard, often female- what does the age of the people have to do with it?

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Not sure that is the same boat. The one under tow is missing the hard Bimini

Look again- it's there

 

[rgranger]

Not sure that is the same boat. The one under tow is missing the hard Bimini

@jssailem zoom in. It is partially hidden by the sail.

 

[rgranger]

As a 77 yr old, who still single hands, and occasionally has younger crew aboard, often female- what does the age of the people have to do with it?

Jealousy! Some (myself included) are afraid we won't make it to 77.

 

[Jackdaw]

I don't understand all the comments about the dude sailing with a younger woman. Is everyone here so provincial? They are SAILORS. That happens all the time. I sail with people of all ages. Often with all-woman crews. No big deal. Because we're sailors.

 

[jssailem]

Your right @rgranger it does have the Bimini. The zoom on this phone just does not do the image justice.

 

[Leeward Rail]

I don't understand all the comments about the dude sailing with a younger woman. Is everyone here so provincial? They are SAILORS. That happens all the time.

Who are we to judge if the guy's boat attracts younger women ?

Seriously though. That was my first thought. We take people out any time they are interested. Our requirement is they be legal adults, unless their guardians are aboard.

 

[Leeward Rail]

FWIW: And heck... if it was a younger GF.... and they are happy.. who cares ?
I've seen it more than a few times, and have a friend in his 70's who married a girl half his age. He's not rich. She's not a gold digger, and most men and women are just jealous when they whine about it.


Strange report though.. wonder what happened

Edit: more info posted now...

https://www.theleader.com.au/story/5662177/updated-fouled-propeller-on-stricken-boat/#slide=1

UPDATE


Water Police have towed the sailing boat, which capsized off Boat Harbour on Monday, into Port Hacking.

UPDATE

A rope wrapped around the propeller may be a clue to why a sailing boat capsized off Boat Harbour, Kurnell, leading to the death of a man, 72.

The fouled propeller became apparent when the stricken vessel was fully exposed on the beach at low tide.

“There is a line wrapped around its propeller, possibly the anchor line as it runs up to the bow,” said an observer who sent a photo to the Leader.

“A fouled propeller may have disabled the vessel’s engine.”

Police did not reject the suggestion.

"He was a healthy, wiry little bloke," Mr Bates told Fairfax Media. "As far as I could tell from what he was telling me he was an experienced sailor.

"It certainly wasn’t his first boat."

 

[Joe]

Sorry, but this kind of uneducated guessing, blind speculation and pre biased judgment seems fruitless. No one knows what happened... including the news reporter. What's the point?

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I would normally think that picking apart newspaper accounts is fair game for entertainment in an internet forum. However, in today's climate, where just about anybody can be touched by speculation and innuendo in such a public manner, perhaps it isn't so harmless, or kind.