Why did it happen? - loss of Cheeki Rafiki & Tao, the analyses begin

by Nancy Knudsen, Editor on 29 May 2014 The international sailing news this week has been dominated by the sad loss of 40ft Cheeki Rafiki and her crew of four British racing sailors in the Atlantic, trying to cross the ocean for home after racing their boat in Antigua. After the first shock and sadness of any tragedy like this the questions loom large: 'How and why did this happen? Importantly, what can we learn so that it doesn't happen in future?'

In the same week another boat of a similar size, Tao, a French Alliage 42, in a similar position in the Atlantic, also capsized but the three French sailors on board were rescued.

There are some similarities. Both boats were in horrendous seas, both crews set off their EPIRBs because their boat was taking on water and the US Coastguard responded. Both boats did not utilise their life rafts. Tao deployed its life raft, but 'it filled with water and the line broke' according to a forum report obtained from the wife of one of the crew. Cheeki Rafiki did not, at that stage, deploy its life raft, but left it in its locker.

Here the similarities end. While both boats capsized, Tao remained upside down for an extraordinary five minutes and then righted itself. As the Alliage has a retracting keel it may be that the keel was retracted to 'skate' over the waves in the high seas. However it did right itself and the crew were on board for five hours after the capsize before rescue. A new life raft was dropped to them via a Hercules aircraft, followed by a difficult rescue by a cargo ship.

The Cheeki Rafiki capsized because of the loss of her keel. With the life raft still in its locker and rescue still to arrive, her crew had virtually no chance of survival.

In the simplest and briefest terms, two overriding factors seem important here. First, a boat with a keel that is not encapsulated needs special and extraordinary attention to ensure its integrity. Many long range cruising sailors, for this reason, prefer encapsulated keels. Even though Tao's life raft was not successfully deployed, the fact that the damaged boat, keel still on, remained floating for long enough for help to arrive, speaks again to its hull integrity.

Secondly, to cross an ocean with a life raft in a locker would defy belief for most experienced cruising sailors. To give the best chance of survival, a self-deploying life raft on the deck is the most common sight in any anchorage frequented by long range sailing boats.

Being wise after the event is always easy, but if the analysis allows us to learn a little, it is a worthwhile exercise. Our sympathies now are with the families left behind, and you can read the blow-by-blow stories as they reeled out this week, at the END of this news magazine.

Closer to home the focus is on the winter boat shows - Australia's Sanctuary Cove Boat Show has been judged a spectacular success, and the Sydney International Boat Show is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever, with its split locations this year.

In summer most sensible sailors look northwards, and there's lots happening in Airlie Beach during May and June - read the stories. Two new cruising guides are out or updated. Alan Lucas's Cruising the Coral Coast is now in its ninth edition, so he must be doing something right. The other is for the Solomon Islands, containing reports from multiple sailors 'on the ground' and you wouldn't want to go there without it.

The personal stories of adventure sailors are always inspiring. Another has set off this week from San Diego, coming this way, and his story is fascinating. Webb Chiles, 72, already the veteran of five circumnavigations, is off on his sixth - in a very tiny boat.

The Indonesian archipelago of tropical cruising grounds is also in the news, as yachties from the area explain just why reports of piracy are wrong – that it's safe to sail there - as well as idyllic.

Much more too, so browse the headlines to find your interest, and...

Sweet sailing!