Narooma bar charter boat close call

[thylacene]

A mate of mine caught this on video


http://youtu.be/zDgWzxWLw4A

Could have been nasty.

[rexwatto]

Oh man - bet the captain changed his undies when he got back to port!!!

[Captain Seaweed]

that was bloody close

[Jarrah Jack]

He should never have been out there with that swell around. Very lucky boy. It would've been interesting watching him go out as well.

[thelump]

Slow boat fast waves. Bad combination.

[sharkcat 23]

I feel sorry for the poor buggers that were hanging out at the back of the cabin unprotected as such and could see the wave coming but could do nothing about it, and then had to hang on for dear life when the boat almost went over.......could have been a lot worse, the skipper was very lucky that day.

[Back In Black]

That was my thought Macca. Seemed he was too slow & as you said, quick waves. Either way, a lucky lad.

Tony

[Noelm]

dont necessarily need high speed to negotiate a bar, skipper experience will beat speed any day, that appears (for whatever reason) he stopped, motor died? someone/thing fell over? throttle bumped/knocked to idle? I guess only the skipper knows for sure, but whatever the reason, it was pretty lucky.

[billfisher]

You need enough speed to keep up with the waves - if you are on the back of one then the folowing wave cannot catch you.

[billfisher]

Actually it occured at Bermagui:

Rough ride for Bermagui charter boat: Gallery & Video Save (http://www.naroomanewsonline.com.au/story/1265876/rough-ride-for-bermagui-charter-boat-gallery-video/?cs=1741#)


A CHARTER boat entering Bermagui harbour on Monday morning was violently tossed around by huge swells brought on by ex-tropical cyclone Oswald.
The large fishing vessel was caught by a wave rolling onto its side before it righting itself and powering into the harbour.
It did lose its inflatable life raft canister from its roof, which washed up on the beach just north of the harbour mouth.
Two smaller trailer boats also went out on Monday morning but were able to negotiate the harbour entrance safely, although one came very close to a group of surfers floating at the entrance of the harbour.
The large crowd that had gathered on the Bermagui headland to watch the large swells and surfers watched in horror as the large fishing charter was hit by the wave.
Fishing in the Bermagui Bluewater Classic was cancelled on Sunday and Monday due to the treacherous seas.
The Bermagui harbour crossing is normally quite safe and unlike the Narooma entrance is not classified as a bar crossing and so life jackets are not required.

[thylacene]

Apologies all, I am guilty of the sin of assumption. We were talking about him heading to Narooma to check out the bar the night before we came home. I have only seen the video on a smartphone, and my eyesight is so crap that I failed to notice the coastline.

Sincerely

Thy

[fishing111]

Bit better video posted on Fishnet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mfj5sOTgMpc

[copie]

Well I have watched both videos appears to me to be a totally under powered peice of c....p that should never have been out in those conditions.
Just my honest opinon, things like that put lives at risk.

Mark

[Darren Mc]

I hope that skipper has realised how close he might have just come to having the rest of his life ruined if anyone had of been killed in that act of stupidity.
He should know the capabilities of his vessel inside and out and that ocean swells especially from a cyclone can move at 20 knots or more.
It's pretty obvious that boat would never be able to stay on the back of those swells, just not enough power to handle those conditions.
I bet the swells and slop out side there would have made fishing bloody crappy anyway.
Should never have been out there in my opinion...

[johncar]

It seems like the boat was either under powered, having engine/propulsion problems, or the skipper hesitating not keeping up with the swell. Either way it must have been scary for those in the boat and almost disaster..
It's a good indication though how far a good hull can be pushed and come back up.

[honda900]

that was close, plenty of "fully Loaded" underwear on that boat..


Regards
Honda..

[FisHard]

Very lucky!!!!!!

[WalrusLike]

Yeah I was very surprised how well the boat recovered from that roll.

I understood yachts self righting because of the big lumps called keels but I didn't expect such quick righting action from a powered hull. Very pleasing to see.

Obviously most hulls will right from a bit of a roll else we would all be swimming..... but that was right over and pressured by the wave and yet it still bobbed quickly back. Hope my hull would do the same....

[Fed]

Should have squared up to the second wave then backed off & taken it up the arse like a man.
Easy to say with 20/20 hindsight when looking at a video, perhaps he didn't feel comfortable aiming his boat at the wall, it could have been closer than it looks. Sometimes stuff just happens.

[Smithy]

Does anyone know the boat in question? It looks more like a semi displacement crab type boat rather than a full planing hull. In that case a lot of the comments are way off the money. The way you would handle things would be way different to how you would attack it in an outboard skid boat. I don't know how he should have attacked it if it was a 12knot sort of boat but I am guessing being a charter boat he has been out and back across it a thousand times. I guess if it was a 8knot sort of trawler or longliner or other sort of commercial vessel you would attack it different again. My current boat has the hull shape of a single screw crab boat just that I can do 20knots with it but for about 29 litres and hour. One of the other charter boats here is a 52'er that cruises at 10knots and he probably only burns the same fuel as me but on a 52'er with up to 18 customers so in the commercial game, it is all about "econmies of scale". The charter boat in the video is probably a good compromise for the bloke 95% of the time in normal conditions for his fuel burn V speed V carrying capacity short of anyone knowing the boat first hand.

[ranga7]

No expert but when the first wave went under him he should have been full power got behind it and rode it through. The first wave went through and he didn't start to power up to half way between the set and the second wave was on him before he new it. The first wave went through and it was like he was just sitting there. Saying that i and we don't know the full extent of wat was going on inside the boat at the time. Said it once and will say it again, it can happen to anyone, at any time with any level of experience. Glad everyone was alright.
Theres often posts on here about wat h.p should i get etc. Im a believer in the max for your hull, in situations like this you want all you can, its good just to have it there then not.

[WalrusLike]

If he had inboard motors then that low weight in the hull may have contributed to his boats excellent righting moment.

Probably my little boat with outboard would not be so good at self righting. It probably would, but maybe not as well as the video boat did.

Just musing out loud as it were....

[cormorant]

Different boats different strategies.

Smithy it is a 42 foot randall with a big cat in it. I think you will probably add to your comment that they are one of the most well known and seaworthy boats out there. You really don't want breaking waves behind you but at some point he had to slip inbetween breaking sets. In between sets there would have been a 10knot suck out off the back of that first wave so throttles probably were trying to get it moving but it looked like it stood still.

With me running bars in boats that do 8 -10 knots , have bloody big keels, sails and dodging surfers you get used to a knockdown to hold your line on the leads and it hurts and looks horrible . I think that people need to respect the way different semiplaning boats with keels handle.

I'm going to ask around but I don't know of a Randall that has gone over and a lot spend their lives beam on to swells.

Moulds sold pretty recently out of interest

Here is the underwater shape for those interested

http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-for-sale/boatdetails.aspx?R=11294314&Silo=Stock&Vertical=Boat&Ridx=0&eapi=2

[Smithy]

Very similar hull shape to mine. There is a flop of a 43 Randall here with 2x440 Yanmars made as a game boat that is very seakindly by all accounts.

[MTAQ/BTAQ]

I have read how the old sailing clippers (prior to steam power) crossed the bar under sail - they would have a large sea anchor with a trip line attached to it being dragged behind the vessel - they would sail into the bar and if a big wave knocked the boat then they would "untrip the sea an anchor" which would straighten the vessel up, then pull in the tripping line and sail on over the bar - what do they say "ships of wood and men of iron".

[thylacene]

"Ships of wood, men of iron", 100 years ago I may not have been the boating/fishing enthusiast I am now at 50 years of age LOL. Sounds like it was a hard work high risk hobby. BTW, the boat is called "the Eden Explorer" out of Bermagui.

[Snapperscott]

http://www.edenexplorer.com/vessel.htm

[cormorant]

Hope someone links him to the footage as I wish I could see some of my both good and bad bar crossings. Hairs standing up on neck just thinking about it. He might even comment on his strategy. Looks pretty bad but not sure he could have done alot else and fully self draining boat with a keel to get steerage back it worked.

I have been on yachts with ropes trailing out the back to slow us down ( old form of drouge) in huge seas and high winds prevent broaching but never done it over a bar or considered the old boats having to sail over bars.
I remember reading a book about the old paddlesteamers going over bars to go and load timber and wool onto trading boats on the NSW and Vic coasts . Thought of being on one of those in a bar scares the bejesus out of me.

[smclaren]

Sort of looks like it stalled when it was time to chase that 1st wave in ! Giving an experienced skipper the benefit of the doubt ... that would be my first guess !

[nathank]

Coming from Narooma for most of my life and knowing the bermi bar/ harbour, this looks like a big case of misjudgement. The boat has stalled or coudnt get purchase in the white water.. He got stuck inbetween a set, these guys down south know their stuff but in this instance it just went wrong... Man the clients would have had a story to tell the kids/grandkids.. Hope they got a few kingies!

[Boat Hog]

Roads and Maritime Services has just posted on Facebook;

"A YouTube video has helped RMS investigators fine a commercial operator $1500 for negligent navigation after an incident in January this year at the entrance to Bermagui Harbour."

With a link to this video;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfj5sOTgMpc

[Midnight]

I saw tonight on the ch9 Sydney news, that the skipper was fined.
Interesting.....

[oldie]

wonder how the youtube poster feels about it?! but i guess whos fault is it that the skipper was fined?! his for the un predictable situation or the Guy who filmed it then posted it online

[cormorant]

What the hell??? Was it this example or a smaller boat ? Exactly what was the fine for? Not having your liferaft secured? . That is a terrible precedent and may lead to skippers saying no cameras on board but you can't stop people on shore. Not a facebook person and it isn't on the RMS newsfeed that I can see.


You have to wonder with RMS

Here is one of their earlier efforts of a captain and crew that ran aground. Hmm what were they doing in NSW waters?? Was in a baitfish area???
They love fines and dislike prosecution. So the rule is don't talk to em . Let em fine you and then walk away as long as no one got hurt.


Media Release - 7 March 2013

RMS completes investigation into the grounding of fishing trawler 'Challenge'

Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) Maritime Director Tony Middleton today announced the RMS investigation into the grounding of the fishing trawler Challenge at Cronulla on 19 February 2013 has been completed.
“While the owner and all crew declined to be interviewed, there was sufficient evidence to issue $4500 in penalty notices,” Mr Middleton said.
“This included $1500 to the master for negligent navigation for falling asleep while on auto pilot.
“The owner of the vessel received two $1500 penalty notices – for operating a vessel without NSW Certificate of Survey and for operating a vessel with unqualified crew,” Mr Middleton said.
About 1am on 19 February the fishing trawler Challenge ran aground on the shoreline of Shark Island off Cronulla.
The 100 tonne, 23.5 metre, steel hulled vessel registered in Queensland was carrying about 6,000 litres of diesel.
The four crew members were rescued by Water Police after a member of the public dialed 000 to raise the alarm.
The vessel was successfully refloated on the second attempt in the early hours of 21 February.
Sydney Ports led the recovery effort as the combat agency under the NSW State Waters Marine Oil and Chemical Spill Contingency Plan.
Sydney Ports was supported by a number of other agencies including Transport NSW’s Freight and Regional Development team, RMS, NSW Police and local councils.

[frosti]

i saw the same boat come in through the same bar last week and totaly stuff it up again . a trawler 20 times his size sat and judged the bar that was working for a good 5 mins before judging it perfectly and making a safe entry . this same boat just came in and got sideways to a good wave and it was only the fact that the conditions were not as bad as the last time it didnt repeat history . all punters on board were not wearing jackets again

[cormorant]

Bermi is not a declared bar I think so the fine wouldn't be for jackets would it? Unless they went down the path of increased risk to impose fine?

List of NSW Bars

http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/rec_boating/listofbars.html

The reason the charters work out of Bermi is that out of the other bars they are not permitted to go unless it is under ( edit swell of) 2m and 20 kn from memory. More working days out of Bermi and a better marina with deeper access for yachts

Edit

Crossing Coastal Bars

Masters of Class 1 and Class 2 vessels carrying passengers require an endorsement to their Certificate of Competency to cross a coastal bar. Coastal bars are listed in Schedule 6 of the Marine Safety (General) Regulation 2009.
To apply for an endorsement to cross a coastal bar you will need to provide evidence that you have completed at least 10 crossings both inwards and outwards of the port for which the endorsement is sought. For any subsequent endorsement, evidence of only five crossings is required. These crossings are to be completed either under the supervision of a person with an endorsement for the port concerned or as master of a vessel with no passengers.
For a Statutory Declaration - Bar Endorsement click here (http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/docs/cvdocs/stat_dec_bar_endorsement.pdf)
To apply for an endorsement:


Completed Maritime Application for Marine Certification form;
Provide proof of your identity;
Provide your Certificate of Competency;
Provide evidence that you have completed the required number of crossings; and
Pay the endorsement fee (http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/cv/cv_fees.html#cert)

You may lodge an application (http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/docs/cvdocs/Application-Marine.pdf) at any Maritime office or mail an application to Marine Certification, Maritime, Locked Bag 5100, Camperdown NSW 1450. Your Certificate will be sent to you by registered mail.
Conditions applying to crossing bars

Bar crossings must be made between sunrise and sunset. Crossings must not be made if the maximum wind speed is in excess of 20 knots or the swell height is greater than 2 metres. Masters must ensure that all passengers are in an open area of the vessel and wear an approved life jacket when crossing a bar.
The above requirements do not apply to fishing vessels

Masters of fishing vessels do not require an endorsement to their Certificate of Competency to cross a coastal bar and the conditions described above do not apply.
The Boating Handbook (http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/sbh/safety_on_the_water/specialareas.html#bc) provides information for recreational vessels crossing bars
If your Certificate of Competency was issued in another State or Territory

If you hold a Certificate of Competency issued outside NSW, its conditions may not include the bar endorsement that you require. In that case you need to apply for an equivalent NSW Certificate of Competency (issued in recognition of the interstate Certificate) and have it endorsed to cross the relevant bar (mutual recognition plus bar endorsement fees (http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/cv/cv_fees.html#cert) apply).