Teen sailor 'didn't detect ship'

[admin]

via The Age

ARI SHARP
October 21, 2009

TEENAGE sailor Jessica Watson failed to detect a 64,000 tonne cargo ship on her yacht's radar and then went to sleep less than five minutes before the two collided, transport safety investigators say.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau yesterday released its preliminary investigation into the September 9 incident in which the 16-year-old's 10.4-metre sloop, Ella's Pink Lady, collided with the Hong Kong-registered bulk carrier Silver Yang.

Ms Watson was on the first night of a trip from Mooloolaba, on the Sunshine Coast, to Sydney as a trial run for her bid to sail around the world, which started on Sunday.

Releasing the report, the safety investigators declined to comment on whether it was wise for her to proceed with the eight-month trip, saying it was up to Ms Watson and her support crew to decide.

But before Ms Watson left Sydney, the safety bureau took her to visit the bridge watch-keeper's position on a tanker ship, to help her understand what could be seen from that vantage point.

They also suggested she visit fatigue management experts in an effort to better manage her sleep patterns on the solo journey, and urged her to fit radar reflectors to make her craft more easily seen.

The six-page safety report says Ms Watson checked her radar ahead of planned sleep, at 1.46am, but did not detect the Silver Yang on her radar despite it being only one mile from her position.

But a Silver Yang crew member had spotted the Pink Lady at 1.25am, and 23 minutes later altered the ship's direction by 10 degrees in an effort to avoid it.

Silver Yang turned the ship's rudder hard to the right to steer out of the path, but at 1.50am Pink Lady's bow collided with Silver Yang's port side.

Lead investigator Peter Foley said Ms Watson had used high-quality equipment, but improvements had been made ahead of her journey around the world.

''She's got a very well-equipped vessel, and the radar system, no, we're not concerned about the adequacy,'' he told reporters.

The bureau said it would take up to six months to complete the report.

[PMC]

Hypocrisy on a global scale. Every maritime authority issues alerts for vessels to keep watch for sailing vessels competing in single-handed long distance races.

I will never understand how the "authorities" justify throwing the rules out the window regarding adequate lookouts, when it comes to small sailboats.

[Jemplayer]

My personal opinion is that anybody who can go to sleep on the open ocean with out a proper watch at the wheel has not had enough experience.

Hell I get in arguments with guys all the time for not wanting to hold a regular watch while tied up to the dock, much less when offshore. My argument is you know those things called generators, they use this thing called diesel, it's highly flammable. Just because were at the dock does not mean it can no longer magical start a fire.

I hope the guys on the tanker don't get in any trouble.

[Captain Electron!!]

Not a good headline . . .

Should have read "Solo sailor fails to observe even the most basic of the international marine safety regulations" . . Film at 11 . .

[rjbpilot]

This is the most difficult challenge involved solo sailing. It is an inherent danger, obviously, to sail without a proper lookout, not to mention illegal. I know sailors have been practicing this for a millennium, but it doesn't mean it is a smart thing to do.