Tropical Disturbance in Australia-The Death of the Venus

This is sad. More on other boats here: http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index.php?showtopic=143972#entry4021856
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Rs6XDsgHt3k

 

A sad end maybe, but she wasn't so much to get excited about previously. Frankly, I saw ample opportunity to pull her off, before the end came. Not fun work, but cheaper than replacing the boat and it's equipment.

 

Which led to my question.

Why let it beach when they could have saved her?

 

Yeah- I had to be pulled off a hard grounding in my misspent youth.

The coasties just hooked a large shackle over the rode and ran with it.
The shackle slips down the rode as the tow drives off, plucks the anchor and away you go.
Fast, relatively safe for the tow crew as no one is fusing around the plunging bow longer than needed, and not depending on the crew of the distress vessel to get a line on board.
I judge that that launch which showed up might have had enough balls to get the boat out to deeper water if they got a tow on her before she lay up on those rocks.

They grounded with two more plows still on the bow.. wonder why they didn't at least lay those out?

 

My harbour is plagued by shipwrecked fleabags. Half dozen out there now.

The fleabags either dont carry insurance and are not allowed into the port or they try to save dockage money and anchor north of the breakwater.

Costs the local authority much tax payer money to retrieve the wrecks and the pollution mess released from these fleabags persists for months. I was at the beach today and diesel fuel is seeping from the sand.

They have tried to prohibit anchoring, but just don't have the manpower to enforce it.

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Michael ....

I have never appreciated those who leach off of others. Whether they call themselves progressive, liberal, or conservative.

A beggar is a beggar. period.

And sadly, many disillusioned greedy environmentalists (Al Gore?) abuse our environment more than I ever would even if I could.

I think on that kind of environmental damage, the prior owner should be forced to pay. Regardless of ability, or bankruptcy ..... No way out.

But, I am just a realist. A pragmatist.

Would it terribly hurt your feelings should I write that I am glad it is your coastline and not mine?

 

Yeah- here too.

Mixed in with the competent and responsible cruiser out there on the hook of course......

We had the whole issue come to a head some couple of years back and the very reasonable harbor master got some city legislation passed which empowered him to tag, fine and impound untended vessels.
We have had many boats up on seawalls, dragging derelicts wandering about during any blow etc.

If the skipper is around he usually has some ethos about the freedom of the seas and wooden ships and iron men thing going as he swills beer out on his wreck of a boat- pissing in the harbor and bringing down the law on everyone..

 

Many times the port authority has been petitioned to allow a mooring field to be installed.

A professionally engineered mooring field would be a good idea...create a few jobs for young guys and prevent groundings.

The problem with mooring fields is that the water belongs to the public. The public is not keen on putting a ghost fleet of fleabags in their waterfront .

 

Sadly, many regurgitate political BS on every possible subject.

 

It's a dilemma thats worldwide the location where I have my mooring is at least half full of boats that never or rarely leave their mooring and sit there in a state of neglect and decay. The worst thing in my view is that many of these boats are "mooring keepers" tying up mooring space and preventing people who would actively use their boats from obtaining space or forcing them to install moorings in more exposed locations.

I'm not sure of the answer on one hand making mooring fees higher will get rid of the derelicts but it might make boat ownership too expensive for some people who take care of their boats and use them.

 

Looking at the vid again- the bower on chain was back on board when she struck and looks like the guy on the bow was at the windlass bringing the gear up just before she blew in..

Engine failure or fouled prop?
Hard choice- drop more gear and hope to hold or raise all and try to power off the lee.

 

Here they imposed universal standards on gear used & we all had to set Helix anchors and have a inspection done every two years to insure the rig is in good shape.
So no more engine blocks....
They also raised the mooring fees high enough to scare off some.

The real problem for us was not the moored vessels so much as the miscreants on anchor.

 

We have a similar annual inspection process here on mooring tackle. I think part of the problem is we have so few marina spots available at a fair rate that it turns protected swing and double ended moorings into a valuable commodity. Luckily we dont seem to have too many problems with miscreants laying to anchor.

 

Making them move the boat once a year, even if to a different mooring slot might help ....

 

Its a tough problem to fix. A few years ago a small company succeeded in gaining approval and laid a Pro managed 30 or so mooring field operated reasonable rates. The approval was granted with the idea that it would be good for transient yachts and good for local shops. . Within a year every mooring was occupied by Bareboat charter companies looking to run their business off the moorings and beat harbour fees. No moorings were available for transient yachts, local shops gained no additional trade, the experiment failed..

They have since pulled the moorings.

Too many boats in the world................