Sailing Schizophrenia - Clipper yacht abandoned as 'not economic'

by Des Ryan on 18 Jan 2010 While organisations such as Sailors for the Sea and Oceans Watch work for sustainability and the preservation of our ocean environment, the sailing world has just shown further evidence of its schizophrenia.

The organiser of the Clipper round the world yacht race, the legendary Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, has just announced that the a racing yacht and its contents, holed and sitting on a reef in Indonesia, will be 'donated' to the Indonesians. The yacht, the Irish Cork Clipper, had been sailing from Geraldton in Western Australia to Singapore when it hit a rock and was badly damaged.

In his announcement there was no responsibility taken for the fact that the Indonesians living in the remote island of Gosong Mampan in Java Indonesia, 200 miles north east of Jakarta, did not ask for more plastic to be left on their pristine reefs. Sir Robin merely said that 'Clipper accepts the surveyors' practical opinion and I'd like to thank all of those who have assisted in our rescue efforts over the last couple of days.'

Thanks to modern rescue training, communication and systems, the 16 crew had been quickly and safely transferred to other boats. They were all reported safe and well, and their families were immediately informed.

However, when called, ocean surveyors and salvage experts concluded the 68ft (22.72m) yacht, which cost £1m, had been so weakened by the pounding that she would not survive being refloated and towed 450 miles to Singapore. Even then the extent of damage put her beyond economic repair, organisers said.

Race organiser Sir Robin Knox Johnston said: 'It is with very great sadness that we have to accept that Cork Clipper will remain on the reef as we lose her to the sea.'

In this era of growing enlightenment, when so much effort is being put into raising awareness of the damage that plastic can do to the ocean environment and the sea life that depends on it, how can we, as sailors who call the ocean our home, not be held responsible for making some effort to retrieve our rubbish, arguing merely that it is 'not economic' to do so?

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Letters from Readers:

Sender: Derek Armstrong

Message: So the true colours of the honoured and knighted are laid bare for all to see. Is this really a true reflection of the international sailing community or just the arrogance of the English sailing elitist, hiding behind the excuse of 'commercial realism'? Its fair enough to write-off the boat (and its contents) ...but it is utterly disgusting to not attempt a clean-up of the debris. Do we think that other company's like BP or Shell would get away with this - i think not. RKJ - 'clean it up' ...otherwise where is the example that the so called 'environmentally friendly sailing community' that the likes of RKJ hail to promote?

If others like Ellen, The Green-Blue, RYA, MCA, etc etc (just used as examples) don't come out and at least criticise the practice of 'leaving it to the sea' then i for one will be disgusted to call myself a 'sailor'.

It will be a very sad blow to both the sailing and environmental communities (which includes all of us) if this group is allowed to get away with such pollution.

Related News Item: Sailing Schizophrenia - Clipper yacht abandoned as 'not economic'

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Sender: Bill Petrie

Message: Agree 101% with this article. I cannot understand why Clipper Ventures PLC and none other than Sir Robin Knox Johnston can come to such a decision, and make such 'non economic' comments. It's scandalous !

More than this I would strongly suggest that you read the latest Press Releases on Clipper Ventures PLC Corporate Web Site. The two principle shareholders, Robin Knox Johnston and William Ward are in the process of purchasing the balance of shares they don't own for the princely sum of 5p per share, a price which values the entire company at around GBP 1.95 million. The company made a profit of around GBP 723,000 in the last financial year.

It's a shame that someone like RKJ has taken what appears to be a commercially expedient line in this, perhaps influenced by his own commercial interests, rather than doing the right thing and removing the damaged and broken yacht, and disposing of it in a more environmentally and ecologically acceptable manner.
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Sender: Sandra Doran

Message: I am appalled at the flagrant disregard for a reef, a coastline and a country. 'Donating' a million dollar yacht to the Indonesians is simply using the ocean as a garbage dump!

As off shore cruising sailors, we were disgusted at the amount of junk washed up on uninhabited, otherwise pristine, beaches. As people who now live on an island on the west coast of Canada and still sail, we see boats abandoned in remote coves, detritius of boaters lining tide line and rotting hulls abandoned everywhere.

Sir RKJ should set an example of caring for the environment not just pandering to corporate greed.

Sincerely,
Sandra Doran
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Sender: Richard Longman

Message: This thread is made ridiculous by its poor research and inaccurate reporting.

It talks about the poor islanders living on the reef which made me laugh out loud. Check it out - anyone who sails these waters knows that the reef on which Cork came to grief is nothing more than a shingle spit around 100 meters in length barely above the tide. Because of that, NO ONE LIVES THERE, so we can straight away dismiss the romantic notion of islanders sobbing at the state of their beach.

Lets just reconfirm the fact; the island is uninhabited. On to the next criticism of removing the remains of the boat. According to my extensive maritime knowledge, if a boat don't float, then its impossible to recover and with a very large and structural hole in the side, its not going to be possible to sail it camly towards the nice Disney world existence where blue birds sing, candy floss grows on trees and is inhabited by people who stir up nonsense with no knowledge of the facts.

I'm now going to send an e-mail to the Queen forthwith demanding that she clears up the Solent because the Mary Rose was left to rest by King Henry VIII and furthermore, demand that she cleans the remains of her ships that were sunk in two world wars as they continue to pollute the sea bed.

Des, Bill; I have no particular desire to stand up for Sir Robin or Clipper but when you attempt to stir sensational nonsene hidden behind a 'green' agenda based on pathetic incaccuracies, the pair of you deserve to be shot down in flames. Hopefully in the middle of somehwere remote where the planet will do its bit to deal with the wreckage.

The world would appear to have survived pretty well so far with your ignorant interferences!

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