Gone in Sixty Seconds

by Media Services on 9 Oct 2006 A yacht being towed by a NSW Maritime vessel on Sydney Harbour on Saturday afternoon, October 7, was 'Gone is Sixty Seconds'. But unlike the popular movie of the same name the yacht being towed did not make a speedy getaway.

Instead the NSW Maritime boat with it's cargo in tow rounded the Rushcutters Bay port channel marker when the stern of the yacht submerged. It quickly filled with water and in less than 60 seconds it was sunk. Prior reports suggest the yacht had been holed in a port-starboard incident.

The only visible evidencet was the mast and several items of rigging that were left protruding from the relatively shallow water on the sandbar where the wreck came to rest.

Peter Edwards, Vice Commodore of the Royal Australian Naval Sailing Association (RANSA) said, 'It's absolutely remarkable to witness speed at which a vessel can sink. In all it took less than 50 seconds.

'Yachts participating in any recognised sailing club races must meet annual certification requirements to ensure they minimum equipment, accommodation and, in some cases, training standards. And all racing yachts are required to carry life vests (or personal flotation devices). However, having seen first hand just how quickly a vessel can founder, the real concern is that your crew may not have time to retrieve their life vests when required.

Governments in Victoria and Tasmania have recently introduced controversial regulations that make the wearing of life vests compulsory in many cases.

Edwards, however, says, 'It's unreasonable to draw similarities between Port Phillip Bay and Sydney Harbour. Sydney Harbour is mainly sheltered and is close to rescue facilities. And in any case the fundamental rule in sailing is that the safety of a boat and her crew is the sole and inescapable responsibility of the owner of the yacht.

According to Edwards it's a rule taken seriously by sailors.

'At RANSA we have members of all ages, though we do have a significant number of older and disabled members. However, regardless of ability, all are prepared to wear life vests when racing inshore if conditions warrant. In fact, during a routine safety inspection just last week a skipper of a similar sized vessel to the one that sank commented to me that he had no hesitation in putting on a life vest during a particularly windy race in the season just finished.

'To my mind government regulation is not the answer. Instead, skippers and crew must continue to undertake regular practice drills for these sorts of contingencies that you hope will never happen. You can never be too prepared.

It was just one incident of several on Saturday afternoon in the harbour where a brisk nor'easter gusting to 25 knots created choppy conditions and produced some spectacular broaches by even seasoned competitors.

It is likely that salvage boats will attempt to recover the yacht over the next few days.