April 1st, 2010
When I was asked to compete in the double-handed round Australia race in 1988, I declined because I didn’t like the idea of my fellow crewman being in charge of navigating while I slept. While I could trust his work on deck, I felt very uncomfortable about relying on his chartwork.
Of course, this was still in the days of SATNAV, before the arrival of the GPS. But at least in those days, we knew it could be hours between fixes so had to plot each one and keep track of our course and speed so we knew fairly accurately where we were at any time.
Posted in Skipper and Crew, Knots and Ropework | 1 Comment »
March 19th, 2010
Next Saturday 27 March is Earth Hour. This event, which began in Australia in 2007, is now supported worldwide. It’s an opportunity for all of us to take action for the good of our environment and a timely reminder to make sure we turn off any appliances that are often left on stand-by, as well as unnecessary lighting, to reduce our carbon footprint.
Annie and I have observed this event each year since its inception in 2007. You, too can join us this year by signing up, below.
We’re planning to spend the evening in candlelight. We envy those of you who will be out on a yacht.
Posted in Grab Bag or Miscellany | 1 Comment »
February 26th, 2010
The 86-page Internal Report prepared for the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) has been released publicly. Its authors, Rear Admiral Chris Oxenbould AO RAN (Rtd), Past Commodore David Kellett AM and Past Commodore John Brooks reviewed reports from and interviewed surviving crew from PWC Shockwave, skippers and crew from yachts involved in the search and rescue (SAR) as well as CYCA staff and race management volunteers.
Interviews were also held with the hydrographer of Australia, members of the Marine Area Command of the NSW Police and staff from Australian Maritime Safety Authority who were involved in the SAR. Information on the reliability of GPS systems was provided by a representative of Garmin Australia.
In addition to investigating the PWC Shockwave incident, the Inquiry Committee interviewed and reported on the recovery of the man overboard from Patrice VI and communications difficulties experienced by crew of that yacht.
There is lots of information in the report that is relevant to all who sail offshore anywhere in the world, whether cruising or racing.
I recommend you download and read the findings of the Flinders Islet Yacht Race Inquiry, in particular the recommendations on pages 55-59. Your life may depend on it.
Tags: CYCA, Flinders Islet, man overboard, reliability of GPS, Search and rescue
Posted in Navigation and Passage Planning, Safety and Emergencies, Skipper and Crew, Knots and Ropework | Comments Off
February 15th, 2010
It wasn’t hard to choose my subject in response to Tillerman’s current group writing project, “Worst Sailing Invention Ever”.
Motor boats, and, get me right, by this I don’t mean vessels that use motors as their only method of propulsion, but so-called sailboats that have to run their motors 24/7 to support an ever-increasing range of equipment – canting keels, water ballast, button-controlled winches, etc.
Now, if people want to take these motor boats cruising, then that’s ok by me, or they can race each other. But if they want to race them against my friends and me who are sailing on traditional yachts I don’t want anything to do with them. I want to be in a race where competitors rely on the manual exertion of their crews.
It’s not that I’m against engines: I am for them when they are used as auxiliaries. Engines are great for maintaining battery power for navigation lights, communications, navstation equipment and house power.
And I’m not against having a well-chilled beer at the end of a race.
Tags: motor boats
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February 12th, 2010
Today is the 201st anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, ‘Father of Evolution’. His voyage on HMS Beagle from 1831-1836 is being retraced by Randstad Clipper Stad Amsterdam, with his great-great-granddaughter Sarah Darwin and a group of scientists and researchers aboard. This beautiful clipper arrives in Sydney tomorrow for a four day stay.
Tags: Charles Darwin, HMS Beagle
Posted in Grab Bag or Miscellany | Comments Off
February 10th, 2010
Three competitors in the Clipper Round the World 2009/2010 race have each been given a 60-minute time penalty. In breach of the Sailing Instructions, Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, Cape Breton Island and California entered the Singapore Traffic Separation Scheme at the start of the current leg from Singapore to Qingdao.
In the first leg Hull and Humber and Cork were penalised for a similar offence, which should have made all the competitors especially careful. I was glad, however, that there were no repeat offenders – impossible in the case of Cork, who was abandoned after running aground on the Fremantle-Singapore leg.
The advice to READ THE SAILING INSTRUCTIONS is particularly important if you only race occasionally or are participating in a special regatta. You may find that marks you normally pass to starboard are designated to be left to port. This is to be expected if the race has been organised by a club other than your own.
You can’t win races unless you sail the proper course and you shouldn’t rely on following other yachts. What will happen if you are in the lead?
Tags: proper course, Sailing Instructions
Posted in Skipper and Crew, Knots and Ropework | Comments Off
January 25th, 2010
Another recommendation from the Flinders Islet yacht race incident preliminary report* was that yachts should have “a ‘mini grab bag’ that is easily accessible from the cockpit of the yacht containing at least a VHF handheld radio, 2 flares and, if possible, an EPIRB.”
Personally, I don’t think the EPIRB should be optional. I’d be much happier knowing that there was one in the grab bag if I needed to abandon ship.
If you do plan to get one, it needs to be a manually operated EPIRB so that you can activate it when necessary. And preferably with GPS, which can update rescue authorities with details of your position – particularly important when being blown along in a liferaft.
* You can read our report on the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) Board’s recommendations in our Newsletter Archive.
Tags: abandon ship, liferaft, manually operated EPIRB, VHF handheld radio
Posted in Safety and Emergencies | Comments Off
January 22nd, 2010
The recently released preliminary report* into the Flinders Islet yacht race incident recommended that:
A handheld portable spotlight be carried on board in a readily accessible position, as it has been demonstrated that the standard floating torch or equivalent does not have sufficient candle power to illuminate objects at a distance from the yacht, particularly in a search and rescue situation.
I must say that I appreciated the usefulness of such a spotlight when arriving in Southport, Tasmania long after dark. We were one of six boats sailing from Hobart to Port Davey, in the South West Heritage Wilderness. One of our fellow voyagers, Charlie, had arrived and anchored earlier. As we approached, we talked on the radio and he said he’d go out on deck and shine his spotlight to show us where he was. He also illuminated other boats, moored or at anchor in the bay. As a result we were able to find a safe place to anchor nearby.
A floating torch would certainly not have provided sufficient light to help us.
As a result I would certainly want to have a handheld portable spotlight on board any yacht I was going sail at night and recommend that other skippers do likewise.
* You can read our report on the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) Board’s recommendations in our Newsletter Archive.
Tags: anchor, CYCA, Flinders Islet, handheld portable spotlight, spotlight
Posted in Safety and Emergencies, Skipper and Crew, Knots and Ropework | Comments Off
