Disabled Yacht - a Rescue Analysis

by Cruising Editor on 10 Apr 2007 On April 9, Jano Gibson wrote a story for the local paper about a brave rescue by the Water Police of a ketch, stranded with a broken propeller and a jammed rudder 200 km off the coast. It's a wonderful account of a ham operator 600 metres up on a mountain who heard the call and the professionalism and bravery of the water police. But in the interests of seamanship, Sail-World Cruising has some questions.

Here's the story as told by Jano Gibson, peppered with our questions:

A radio ham on a mountain and three courageous water police saved two sailors stranded in wild seas off Newcastle. The operation took 19 hours in five-metre high seas and strong winds after the propeller shaft of Bob Wilson's 14-metre ketch, Manunda broke off and jammed against the rudder, leaving the vessel stranded nearly 200 kilometres off the coast. Harold Ralston, 62, from Comboyne, was in his radio shed about 6.30am on Friday when his 25-year-old radio, which he bought for $50 on eBay a year ago, crackled with a plea from Mr Wilson.

'I heard the boat calling for the Coastal Patrol, or anyone who could hear him, and he couldn't get a response,' Mr Ralston said today. He said he probably picked up the signal because he's 600 metres above sea level, whereas coastal patrols are at sea level. 'When I responded to him, I took his particulars and at that time he was still trying to fix the problem. I said, I'll come back every hour and call you to make sure you are OK.'

After eight hours, Mr Wilson and his crew mate, Mike Ross, asked Mr Ralston to call rescuers.

Good marks to the Manunda crew for attempting to repair the problem. However, there is no indication that the sails were not operative. Could they not sail, using the sails to steer the boat?

Mr Ross said his first concern was that shipping in the area should be aware of the crippled yacht's position. 'We were lit up like a Christmas tree but we didn't want to get run down by a supertanker,' he said.

A very proper concern, as many ships don't listen to Channel 16. Since the introduction of GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System) ships keep a DSC (Digital Selective Calling) watch (not a listening watch) on Channel 70. Compliant VHF radios have a distress signal button, which will therefore set off an alarm in all ships in the vicinity. HF receiver/transmitters also have a similar process. The alarm identifies the vessel and its GPS position. If the Manunda did not have such a feature, it is a signal to all leisure sailors to consider this to be an important feature on their own VHF/HF radios.

He and Mr Wilson were also worried that if they couldn't repair or secure the broken propeller drive shaft it might disintegrate, causing water to flood into the boat.

This is the most serious concern of the story, and a good reason for summoning assistance.

Senior Constable Gavin Herbert and two crew from the Newcastle Water Police set out in the 17-metre police launch Intrepid just after 2pm for the gruelling voyage out to the stricken yacht. 'In layman's terms, [it was] horrible,' Mr Herbert said. 'We had up to five-metre seas, 30-plus-knot southerly winds and at times torrential rain. We were beam on the whole 100 miles out, which means being hit from the side by the swell. [It was] uncomfortable. 'I have seen worse, but we were put on an angle of greater than 30 to 35 degrees on three occasions. We reached the boat about 10pm. It was pitch black and it was howling [but] the rain had stopped.'

As the Manunda and the Intrepid seesawed on the heavy swells, a rope was tied between the two vessels and the Intrepid began towing the Manunda towards shore. The tow rope broke at least six times, forcing the two crews to repeatedly undertake the difficult and dangerous reconnection process throughout the night.

Again, Sail-World Cruising must question why the Manunda didn't attempt to sail, with the Intrepid acting as escort. This would have been more comfortable and effective for both parties.

It was not until about 9am that the Manunda finally docked. 'It was very frustrating, very exhausting, but it's what you expect when you're in the Water Police,' Mr Herbert said.

Mr Wilson, an experienced mariner who has sailed one and a half times around the world, told smh.com.au he would be recommending the Water Police crew for bravery awards.

Mr Wilson is genuinely appreciative. However, with the amount of sailing experience quoted here, it is even more surprising that he did not attempt to sail his boat towards a port.

He also wants to thank Mr Ralston for his efforts. 'I've got to meet this man, mate. Sitting up on the mountain with the best radio signal on the coast ... I'm going to shake his hand very solidly.' Had it not been for Mr Ralston's keen ears, Mr Wilson and Mr Ross could still be drifting helplessly, he said.

'The ultimate situation [was] we had enough water for 140 days, enough food for about 60. We would be a lot slimmer I suppose and we would probably have washed up somewhere.'

Plainly, in this story, the crew did not consider attempting to sail the boat home. Yet recently in the Atlantic the crew on a boat called Y-not sailed their boat 1400 miles, merely (in brief) by rolling the headsail in and out to control the direction of the boat. The seas were 4-5 metre, with 35 knots for much of the journey. They finally sailed into the bay they were headed for without any outside assistance. It is also worth noting that these comparatively inexperienced seamen tried using two other methods of trying to guide the boat, taught in sailing schools. They finally discovered that steering with the sails was simple and very effective.

In the current story, every mile that the sailors had been able to sail towards the shore would have saved those perenially courageous and hardy water police some effort in the bad conditions.

Maybe some training in sailing a boat with just sails should be a part of the curriculum of all sailing schools, and we end with a question for all cruising sailors: Have you practiced sailing your boat with the sails? And if not, why not? It could be a very useful skill to have at hand.

To read Y-not's story connect by clicking here