Bavaria Yacht gets it wrong and so do the "rescuers"

Daibheid · 05 March 2014, 19:15

This is a pretty scary video for several reasons:
http://vimeo.com/87355387

I'd start with not least the skipper trying to enter the harbour under these conditions, his actions after the inevitable happened (although he may have had injured on board and prioritized them) and then the powerboats' clueless repeated approaches downstream to casualties in the water.

Lots to learn about how not to do it!

Into The Blue · 05 March 2014, 20:01

Compelling viewing, just hope if I ever have to do a real MOB I'd make a better job of it.
First job this spring when the rib goes into the water will be drills, especially MOBs

mick · 05 March 2014, 20:05

Have a look at bigger engine required thread

thomas · 05 March 2014, 20:40

Dangerous place, the sea, clearly not ideal conditions yet two sitting up the front and another on the coach roof, none with safety lines!!! Mad.

Silverfox · 05 March 2014, 21:02

Wow! Some very big wave sets.

GJ0KYZ · 05 March 2014, 21:33

I think some of those in the water may have been injured; they didn't seem to want to swim for the yacht or the shore. Those waves were big and the knock down looked very frightening. It just goes to show how stable yachts are though; that one's point of vanishing stability must have been well over 90 degrees and was probably something like 120.

Crusher · 05 March 2014, 22:05

WOW!! Great video!!

matt h · 05 March 2014, 22:14

seconded.. bloody slow and daft recovery tho...

Ian M · 05 March 2014, 22:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crusher

WOW!! Great video!!

Yes, but that is all that is great

Anyone know any more about it, where, when?

Alan Priddy · 05 March 2014, 23:12

Should have had the headsail up and all crew inside the cockpit or down below. The helmsman was not in control when it mattered. Alan P

Poly · 06 March 2014, 00:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by GJ0KYZ

I think some of those in the water may have been injured; they didn't seem to want to swim for the yacht or the shore.

Swimming after being unexpectedly dumped in the water with foul weather kit and (I assume) life jackets on is very difficult. I've always favoured "don't try and swim to the boat or the shore".

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt h

seconded.. bloody slow and daft recovery tho...

I dare say it could have been better - It did show how much use a floating throw line would have been. But they did avoid ending up with the powerboat upside down so that's better than some.

And at the end of the day they recovered everyone in some very tricky waves. It is easy to be smart after the event - I hope (i) I never have to deal with an incident like that; (ii) if I do there isn't anyone filming it for the internet rescue enthusiasts to critique!

Hightower · 06 March 2014, 01:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt h

seconded.. bloody slow and daft recovery tho...

Was a slow recovery. But in defense of the hard boat, would you want to risk getting swamped in some of those waves and adding to the situation or risk hitting the casualties in the water? I'd certainly be cautious.

biffer · 06 March 2014, 07:44

I've been in the Middle East and those waves can be the norm in the rainy season, we had to get into a dock with a dogleg at the entrance, you have to commit to getting through the gap and Alan's right, Stowe everything including people, look for the gap and go for it flat out

Bigtalljv · 06 March 2014, 18:17

Where was that footage from?

Ovey · 06 March 2014, 18:41

Yeah, we don't know the circumstances as to why the skipper decided to/had to come in in those waves but nonetheless he should have had everyone below or in the cockpit in harnesses +LJs. The boat would still have gone over but everyone would still have been in/with it.

As for the rescuers I think they were torn between saving the swimmers, keeping their boat upright and not hitting the swimmers. I think it's hard to judge at the time, but viewing that footage I'd have tried to keep my bow into the waves and "ferry glide" (old kayak term) side to side for the swimmers. But he at least did something when it could have been so easy to say "stuff that, it's rough out there!"

Barrowboy · 06 March 2014, 18:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigtalljv

Where was that footage from?

Northern coast of Spain

GJ0KYZ · 06 March 2014, 19:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

Swimming after being unexpectedly dumped in the water with foul weather kit and (I assume) life jackets on is very difficult.

I know exactly how that feels as I practice MOB from my jet ski regularly and at speeds up to 20kts; it's very disorientating indeed. The people I ski with never practice MOB despite my suggesting that they do if only to appreciate how far they will need to swim when their skis finally come to a halt. I suspect the people in the video were dazed and confused after such a violent knock down.

C-NUMB · 06 March 2014, 20:06

Its little difficult to evaluate the distances and conditions due to heavy zoom on the video. Conditions tends to look nicer on video than in reality.

The rescue on spot lasted from approx 8:00 to 12:25. Agree its not fast and some of the moves looks little strange. But on the other hand, it looks like they had a plan and somehow a relatively calm performance considering the circumstances and potential danger by big waves.

Guess they decided to perform the rescue one by one to minimize the risk to to catch a huge wave in position where they are most vulnerable. So after all, in my books the hardboat skipper covered reasonable well the screw up made by the Bavaria skipper.
Nice end anyway.

simon23 · 06 March 2014, 20:38

It may not have been a text book rescue but he got everyone out which is surely the important thing

Ovey · 06 March 2014, 21:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by simon23

It may not have been a text book rescue but he got everyone out which is surely the important thing

I fully agree!

As I said, he did something as opposed to doing nothing. Sometimes doing "something", no matter how little, can be the difference between life and death.