So does anybody have any information about the 50' yacht that sunk off Evans Head, Wednesday last week?
All 5 onboard were saved.
Without passing judgement and not having been there, this sounds mighty like incompetents afloat.
There is a case here in Bundy of a guy who has bought an Adams 40 motor sailer cheap and has neither the physical or mental capability to manage this yacht at sea.
He is a nice guy and all but over 70 years of age without the where with all, memory or learning capability to manage a 16 ton yacht.
I do believe recreational vessel masters certificates of competence are handed out way too freely.
As we all know there are lots of idiots on our roads but there are plenty of them on our waters too.
Select to expand quotecisco said..
Without passing judgement and not having been there, this sounds mighty like incompetents afloat.
There is a case here in Bundy of a guy who has bought an Adams 40 motor sailer cheap and has neither the physical or mental capability to manage this yacht at sea.
He is a nice guy and all but over 70 years of age without the where with all, memory or learning capability to manage a 16 ton yacht.
I do believe recreational vessel masters certificates of competence are handed out way too freely.
As we all know there are lots of idiots on our roads but there are plenty of them on our waters too.
Some of the blokes down here did a course a couple of weeks ago for their boat licences and it consisted of half a day of theory, and for the afternoon the instructor taught them how to launch and retrieve his boat (around a 16 foot 1/2 cab) on and off the trailer and then he showed each of them how to handle the boat, come alongside the yacht club jetty, use springs etc
I was watching them for a while and it was a lot more comprehensive than when I got my licence years ago
Regards Don
According to the brief news story it happened on the 22nd of July, conditions would of been fine, wonder if they hit one of the two reefs that are about half a mile or so off Evans Head, could be a case of poor navigation???
6 on board including 2 children, you'd want to at least hope there was 1 or 2 competent persons onboard.
You don't need any qualifications to skipper a sailboat in NSW; only vessels that motor faster than 10kts. So any fool can buy a 50 footer with no prior experience or training and away down you go. Quite ridiculous really.
I only did a couple of sailing courses and some sails on otheres'yachts before I bought mine. I chose not to do the boating course. Logged hours (3 trips) with an experienced skipper is also accepted as the basis for a licence in lieu of the course. So I suppose I'll have to get a licence before I sail interstate.
Reckon you are right Bluemoon and from what I remember of the TV news they were just about there!
SS Cahors (+1885) <!-- LEFT COLUMN --> <!-- BEGIN TR GENERAL --> Details 
general nationality: australian purpose: transport type: passenger ship propulsion: steam date built: 1883 status: unknown details weight (tons): 1254 grt dimensions : 76.4 x 9.6 x 6.3 m material: steel engine: 1 x 2 cyl. compound engine, single shaft, 1 screw power: speed: yard no.: 49 IMO/Off. no.: 89867 about the loss cause lost: ran aground (wrecked) date lost: 10/06/1885 [dd/mm/yyyy] casualties: about people builder: 
Key & Sons - John Key, Kinghornowner: Australasian United Steam Navigation Co.Sydneycaptain: about the wreck depth (m.): orientation: protected: yes war grave: updates entered by: Lettens Jan entered: 14/05/2008 last update: Allen Tony last update: 06/09/2013 
<!-- END TR GENERAL --> <!-- BEGIN POSITION --> Position insert new position <!-- END POSITION --> <!-- BEGIN WKTODAY --> The Wreck today 
<!-- END WKTODAY --> <!-- BEGIN MOVIES CPY --> Movies insert new movie <!-- END MOVIES CPY --> <!-- RIGHT COLUMN --> <!-- BEGIN Pictures --> 
Pictures 
Lettens Jan14/05/2008Cahors; Passenger Ship; 1254 tons; 76.4x9.6x6.3 m.; Owned by Australasian Steam Navigation Co.; Built at John Key & Sons in 1883. Registered at Sydney. Registration no. 52/1884.
They had radio'd for help so you would think if they had hit something they would have included that in their mayday. It could also be something simple like a hose or skin fitting let go and the boat started to take on water, once again, with them not knowing how to stop or slow the water ingress. They managed to get aboard their tender so it must have not been all to sudden, you'd think
I spoke to a long term local in Evans Head today who happens to be a yachtie and was a prawn boat skipper.....in that order!!
He told me that the boat apparently lost a through-hull fitting or water intake and the bilge pumps either malfunctioned or weren't up to the job.
Happened in daylight but boat went down fast....very few personal effects were saved.
No rocks, reefs or other vessels involved!
