Need insurance quote. Bow ripped off by whale.

Discussion in 'Fiberglass and Composite Boat Building' started by DennisRB, Nov 14, 2012.

  1. DennisRB
    Joined: Sep 2004
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    Location: Brisbane

    DennisRB Senior Member

    Hey guys. While moored in Niue a whale got tangled in our mooring line and the beast ripped the bow off my 1992 Hunter Legend 40.5. I repaired it temporarily from my dingy while on the mooring (open ocean no lagoon at Niue). Now I am seeking insurance compensation. I will need a professional yard to do a quote.

    I am currently in Bundaberg but my home port is Brisbane. If there is anyone here that can give me a quote or recommend someone please let me know.

    Also feel free to critique my temp job :p Or to give an rough estimate of what this might cost to repair if you are bored.

    Just off the top of my head

    Toe rails ripped off at the bow (they are one piece and go to the stern).
    Anchor roller bent and cracked - bale mangled
    Anchor roller ripped off taking the hull and deck joint with it.
    Hull and deck damaged. Crack along join extends 3 feet. Glass under roller crumpled.
    Cracks around forestay chainplate.
    Anchor locker lid ripped off mangling hinges with glass damage.
    Pulpit with seat destroyed.
    Cleats sheared off bolts and bent.
    life line turnbuckles bent.
    Nav lights and wiring gone.

    Code Zero sail destroyed.
    Code Zero sheets damaged.
    Facnor furler mangled
    Facnor single line furling line damaged.
    Spin Halyard snapped.
    Spin sheave box on mast ripped apart.

    Damage pics.

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    The temp repairs we done to get us going. Many thanks to the cruising community who helped by supplying epoxy, glass, nav light etc and help doing the work.

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    No repair for this though.

    [​IMG]
     
  2. coolgps
    Joined: Jun 2012
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    coolgps Junior Member

    Pics failed.
     
  3. DennisRB
    Joined: Sep 2004
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    Location: Brisbane

    DennisRB Senior Member

  4. waikikin
    Joined: Jan 2006
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    Location: Australia

    waikikin Senior Member

  5. DennisRB
    Joined: Sep 2004
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    DennisRB Senior Member

    Bring on the puns :p
     
  6. michael pierzga
    Joined: Dec 2008
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    michael pierzga Senior Member

    The original was poorly engineered.

    I have broken anchor chains before the stem was damaged. Your overhang is extreme... even before considering the load from the sail stay.

    Ask a naval architect to design the repair.
     
  7. waikikin
    Joined: Jan 2006
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    waikikin Senior Member

    OK...... I'm qualified(Dad) whale of a time on that cruise, you'll really have a tail to tell, like the way you breached the subject, stop spouting about it..... somebody STOP ME!!!!!! Jeff. har har pune
     
    Last edited: Nov 15, 2012
  8. DennisRB
    Joined: Sep 2004
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    Location: Brisbane

    DennisRB Senior Member

    Yes the anchor roller is too long and creates too much leverage. However this is not the first failure point. Usually there is no load on it as when anchored I run a bridal straight from the cleats. I was on a mooring not anchored. The 2 cleats sheared their bolts off first and shot into the anchor roller which then broke off. The strength of the pull was so great it actually melted the 2 docking lines together I had attached to the mooring.

    The code zero was balanced by a bob stay. The long length off the roller really helps with adding sail area for light wind sails. When I rebuild it I will have a solid metal bobstay to resist load in the up and down direction.
     
  9. masalai
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Location: cruising, Australia

    masalai masalai

    My knowledge in this will be of no value but was it a whale? - was a mate of 'Submarine Tom' cruising in the region - in a submarine?......
     
  10. DennisRB
    Joined: Sep 2004
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    DennisRB Senior Member

    No yards interested?
     
  11. waikikin
    Joined: Jan 2006
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    Location: Australia

    waikikin Senior Member

    Plenty of options in SE QLD, I'm sure Allyacht spars or David Lambourne could look after the rig related stuff & there seems to be good facilities in that gold coast area. Jeff.
     
  12. FishStretcher
    Joined: Oct 2011
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    FishStretcher Junior Member

    I am impressed by the temp job done. Layup on a vertical surface while afloat? Wow.
    And I can't imagine rigging that is whale proof!
     
  13. DennisRB
    Joined: Sep 2004
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    DennisRB Senior Member

    Yeah thanks. Niue is a small roundish pacific island in the Pacific so its exposed to swell. It was not easy work. The zoomed out photo with the whole boat shows an odd tie up to the mooring ball. I angled the boat to either reduce the effect of swell or so the wind would blow the grinding dust away from the boat. I wish I had thought of the latter sooner as the whole boat was covered inside and out with fiberglass dust.
     
  14. Frosty

    Frosty Previous Member

    Did you see the Whale , sounds more like a manta ray to me. When they gut caught in a mooring chain they panic the power is unbelievable.

    You must have been in very deep water for it to have been a whale on the other hand perfectly normal for a Manta to be in anchor depth.
     

  15. DennisRB
    Joined: Sep 2004
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    Location: Brisbane

    DennisRB Senior Member

    Frosty the whole attraction at this place is whales. We did not see the whale that damaged our boat as we were onshore at night. Depth is between 20-40m. No one else saw the whale but they heard the breaking noises and saw the boat moving around as if it was under motor. Whales swim in between boats in the anchorage almost daily. Another cruiser reported a whale scratching himself on his hull. Many years ago another boat was severely damaged by a whale there too. I would love to get in contact with that person.

    This pic was taken right from our boat (without zoom!!!) as the whale swam between boats in the mooring field.

    [​IMG]

    More pics on our blog.

    http://knottyladypacific.blogspot.com.au/
     
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