Chairman's Report
Cruising home - Is this Saltfleet?
Two to the rescue
Editor's comment
Recommended repair
Notes
Letters
Editor - Ken Pack
Having recovered from instant appointment at the AGM, it really is no great change. Thelma still makes sense of everything I do but by no stretch of the imagination could she be described as a boating enthusiast, our joint record still suits me.
I should like to start by thanking Stuart on your behalf for his sterling, expert 7 year stint to the Association. His determined, humorous enthusiasm will be missed, he took our interests into several related associations and undoubtedly knows more about Sailcraft fleet than any dozen of us but fortunately he has promised to help us when he can. Stuart capped the whole thing at the AGM with an excellent film show and description of his trip to Tallin.
Secondly thanks to Sue who helped us so readily on the Solent Meet and in agreeing to become Secretary for 1990.
It is rather a shame to start my first Newsletter with this leeboard problem, it's fun we have these boats for, not drama but such comments as 'not reporting, being irresponsible etc.' spurred me on. Our guide to "Sailing the Iroquois" recommends a maximum 3/5th use of leeboards for twoboards down, personally I tack them for efficiency and to stop them rattling. As I am sure you have read before, we need to hear from you, you must have a detail like the excellent stern step described later or perhaps you have a super Mk2. McAlpine Downie gave us the greatest leeboard capability within the scope of the envisaged use as an offshore racing cruiser.
Several boats have changed hands during the year and we welcome the new members (in detail in the Autumn Newsletter) when the register has been brought up to date. This Club is, of course, nearly finite in that only a few more boats are likely to be produced but we agreed some time ago to embrace Cherokee, Apache, Comanche and Chieftan. If we are sending you the Newsletter and you have disposed of your boat, please forward to the new owner who hopefully will join us.
It was decided at the AGM to move the Solent Meet at Newtown Creek a week earlier to satisfy the schools lobby. If we come again this year in the Apache perhaps we shall not need to be quite so anti-social. Last year we were on a series of flat tides and were concerned not to get neaped. This year on the 21st July, 1990 we have a good tide on rising springs. Hope to see you there.
The AGM approved the 18" Iroquois Owner's Pennant, white tent on blue background. I suppose the Tee Pee should have been in multicolours but catamarans raise enough hackles. We have ordered a supply and the cost is £6.00 whilst this order lasts. Cheques to Iroquois Owners please.
Officers for 1990 are:
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Chairman |
Secretary |
Treasurer |
As last year's Chairman I would like to thank all the members who braved the winds and not very special weather to attend the Newton gathering. Those present included an assortment of Iroquois - lots of interesting modifications and some nearly pure.
In alphabetical order and not in order of arrival mainly because we would have been the last but for Katiki having to stop off in Cowes for a sail repair they were:
Lots of chat was had during the afternoon with everyone going ashore for the usual barbeque.
Now for a change of hat following my election as Treasurer at the AGM. I have looked into the financial situation and the bank account stands at £1192. The system that Stuart has operated for subs is unique, with much of the expense being borne by his business and we have obviously benefitted from this. Whilst I am sure everything is in order I have not been able to sort it out thoroughly. Last years' inactivity does nothing to help this but we have decided that no subs should be due for 1989. Cheques arriving during the year are being returned with the 1990 requests and we should be grateful if they could be revised where they were in respect of 1988 and those who paid in advance will be credited.
Elsewhere in the Newsletter you will see we are proposing to associate with MOCRA. It was proposed and agreed at the AGM that the yearly subscription rate should be increased to £5.50 to include this.
J Russell Jackson recalls a family cruise up the north Norfolk coast.
The swimmer I hailed as she lay in the North Sea surf of this deserted, somewhat desolate, north Lincolnshire beach could only smile shyly at first. She soon recovered from her obvious embarrassment, however, and confirmed that our landfall was as accurate as we had hoped.
It was late afternoon on a sunny June day but, as Henry Irving points out in his Tidal Havens of the Wash and the Humber "Whatever the case, Saltfleet is no easy harbour or refuge….". We were anxious to find the entrance to the Haven at the right state of flood tide and with plenty of daylight to spare.
Our boat, a 30ft Iroquois Mk II catamaran called Papoose, is the ideal craft - in name, temperament and voluminous accommodation - for our family of four growing children, an occasional dog, Sue and me, plus Bernard, our much appreciated extra hand. This was our week’s summer cruise out of our home port at South Ferriby, high up the Humber estuary.
Our ultimate destination was Wells-next-the-Sea, a much famed ancient port on the north Norfolk coast, with Saltfleet the nearer alternative if the original passage plan failed. Both harbours were unknown to us as this was only our first full season on this coast and with several youngsters on board, night passages offshore are a daunting prospect without a lot of planning, and even more luck as far as wind, weather and extra crew are concerned. On this occasion we were sailing short-handed, with only two adults to the four children.
Looking back, it isn’t surprising the woman and her family on the beach were a bit startled by my arrival in their midst. Papoose was ‘parked’ on the kedge in two metres of water just beyond the line of small breakers about 200 metres off, and I had just motored and rowed ashore in the inflatable to ask them the way! I seem to remember someone in Yachting Monthly advocating this sort of thing recently, and it’s quite exciting to be able to confirm that it actually works.
With the confidence born of knowing where we were, we motored gently a mile or so south along the two metre sounding until we sighted the landfall buoy and other marks so diligently maintained by local fishermen and members of the Saltfleet Haven Boat Club 'in the face of often violent sea conditions'.
At last we had reached the start of the tortuous course we had to take to get through and round the infamous bar that guards the entrance to the Cut, which in turn leads to the Haven. At this state of tide, about three hours before High Water, we began to understand that what appeared as a long spit-like dune of sand on our starboard bow was, in fact, the bar itself. At High Water this lurks just below the surface, agitating the sea into a frenzy of lethal foam.
Our arrival at the Haven was quiet and uneventful. Getting in early meant frequent gentle groundings on soft mud, followed an instant later by more rapid progress as the tide rushed up the mile-long channel from the bar to the Boat Club moorings.
As visitors, we could not have timed our arrival better. The fact that it was a Sunday evening meant that we were unexpectedly greeted by virtually the entire Boat Club committee, including the commodore, Tony Pitt the secretary and, perhaps most fortuitously, Alan the Berthing Secretary. We were guided to a vacant slot on the bank, our lines were secured, and almost at once we were asked if we were all right for water and other essentials.
Unless you have experienced the warmth of such a welcome it is hard to appreciate how satisfying and exciting an end it can provide to even a short coastal passage. The whole family felt the bond between mariners, something often discussed but rarely felt so acutely in everyday family yachting. Boat Club members and some passers-by from the village came to inspect the strange new arrival, adding to the sense of achievement we don’t often get from a day’s easy sailing.
Anyway, we enjoyed being a phenomenon for two more nights; and had a day on the beach in brilliant sunshine and a cooling and typical easterly breeze off the sea. Sue and the children swam, and we all played beach cricket on the vast expanse of sand.
The mornings had been marked by some dense sea frets which, by 1100, had been burnt off by a brilliantly hot sun. The morning of our departure was no exception. When I got up stealthily at around 0530 to catch the shipping forecast and work up a passage plan, the Cut was shrouded in thick fog.
Any skipper would have been apprehensive since it was now imperative to leave the Boat Club moorings to avoid being neaped. Against this ran the fear that, if it didn’t disperse. there would be the prospect of setting out in fog so thick that beacons and buoys in the tricky pilotage might be missed and, later on, the heavy shipping traffic of the Humber would present its own inhospitable prospect.
As it turned out, my fears were unfounded: the fog dissipated obediently by 1000, when we lifted from our mud berth and bade farewell to Saltfleet - both the friendly club members and the tranquil haven itself. Club boats accompanied us down the Cut to the sea, bound for a few hours’ sailing and some inspection and repair to the buoyage which they take pride in maintaining.
In fact it was not quite time to leave Saltfleet completely; we anchored off the bar to wait for the turn of the tide three hours later. While we waited we were treated to an enthralling aerial display of low level flying, at what seemed mast height, and even real bombing off RAF Donna Nook, about 10 nautical miles north of Saltfleet. Even here the stalwart Saltfleet Haven Boat Club has exercised its influence. Some decades ago the entrance to the haven was within the official danger zone but, by way of some determined anchoring of boats out in the fairway, the RAF came to accept that mariners have ancient rights that simply cannot be thwarted. Anyway, that’s the story the locals tell and, whatever the truth of the matter, it's hard to ignore the danger zone buoy that still sits just off the harbour entrance.
The cruise had other excitements both on the way to Saltfleet and on the return leg: a thunder squall with gale-force winds; a night at anchor with lightning so close we inflated the tender in case we were struck and had to abandon ship; and, on a more cheerful note, the grey seal that came to play whilst we ghosted along under spinnaker alone. None of these thrills compared, though, with that of exploring a new haven successfully, and of meeting warm and friendly fellow sailors on a coast that otherwise presents an austere prospect on the best of days.
Russell Jackson is a former monohull sailor with 10 years experience. He made the transition catamaran sailing to accommodate his growing family. Much of his sailing has been in the North Sea, but he has recently discovered the pleasures of the East Coast.
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Cruising home - a new YACHTING MONTHLY series and your chance to own an original Chris Ryley watercolour of your boat. Cruising home will feature accounts of home waters or near foreign cruises. Drama or accounts of incidents there may be but the emphasis will be strongly on cruises successfully made without fuss and bother. We’ll be looking for informative accounts that may be of value to other readers, for entertaining and amusing stories as well as those from which lessons can be drawn. We are offering for every account published an original Chris Ryley watercolour of your yacht as portrayed in your narrative which will be published with the article. How to submit your cruise - articles submitted should be between 1,200 and 1,300 words in length, typed with double spacing. Each submission should be accompanied by a colour photograph or photographs of your boat and, if relevant, a sketch track chart of the cruise. |
Reproduced by kind permission of Yachting Monthly
When Stuart and Sally Dodd left the Algarve last November, bound for Madeira in company with two other cruising yachts, they could not have imagined the dramatic rescue effort that would soon engulf them. Sally Dodd recounts the challenge:
THE THIRTEENTH: there was a lengthy discussion among the three yachts, which for some time had been enjoying each other’s company; whether to set sail or not. However, two factors decided their fate. First, it was November, and hence the season was already late for the crossing from Portimao on the Algarve to Madeira and onwards via the Canaries to the Caribbean. Secondly, a forecast check by telephone to the Vilamoura Marina office promised three days, possibly even eight, of fine settled weather with Force 4 northeasterlies. There was no holding them then - ideal conditions for the 450-mile passage.
The first to clear harbour, at daybreak on the 13th, was E Pao/o, a Moody 33 belonging to Allan Duffy and his wife Caryl. For them, this was approaching the end of a three-year voyage from Scotland, round the Mediterranean, to the USA.
About one hour later, Suleika had raised her anchor and was motoring for the entrance. Suleika, a Bruce Roberts 43ft heavy displacement steel ketch, built and crewed by Stuart Dodd and his wife Sally, was at the start of a four-year world voyage.
Around 11.00, via VHF Channel 72 which the crews had agreed to monitor, Elegance radioed that she too had set sail. This was no delay as the 48ft Mayflower ketch, befitting her name in every way, would soon overhaul the other two. In the forecast conditions, she soon caught up with Suleika and by the evening had passed well on her way. E Pao/o, with serious VHF antenna problems, remained just ahead of Suleika, but out of VHF range. That Suleika and Elegance should follow in each other's wake was not surprising since both enjoyed the comfort of a satnav, system. However, it was E Pao/o's equal ability with the time-honoured sextant that provided a position accurate enough for Suleika to close with them by the evening of the second day. In increasingly lively conditions, the two then sailed on in company, Suleika passing the intermittent satellite fixes to E Pao/o by radio.
By morning, both yachts were fully reefed and flying, in the case of E Pao/o a hitherto pristine storm jib and, for Suleika, a No 2 yankee. During the afternoon, even this required changing to her storm jib as the wind had increased to Force 7-8, thankfully still from the north-east, giving them good, fast sailing. Both yachts settled down to a storm-tossed night, with the weather worsening.
As dusk fell, Stuart glanced round the horizon from the comfort of Suleika's inside steering station - and, out of the corner of one eye, he caught a brief glimpse of a yacht’s port light way down on the horizon. Idly wondering what poor souls were trying to sail to windward in these conditions (already Suleika was taking 'green meanies' right over her high coachroof), he watched it sink slowly down.
Masthead lights don't sink! A red flare in these conditions! Throwing the VHF to Channel l6 - 'Mayday yacht Neron, position 34.27o59N, 14.9 o43W’ (sic). Those spine-chilling words brought a reaction, Stuart simultaneously acknowledged receipt, gybed around to the last of the flare, noted the course, groped for pencil and logbook and told Sally to man the radio, whilst Stuart sorted out the course. Sally, thankful for Neron's strong VHF signal, confirmed the casualty's name and position, and relayed the message to E Pao/o who had heard nothing, but who had been watching Suleika’s antics with some amusement; it was, after all, just after 'happy hour'.
E Pao/o logged the position using a larger scale chart than was available to Suleika and, using their own and Neron's satellite fixes, plus DR, Caryl produced a course for the two yachts to steer. Meanwhile, it was established that Neron, a catamaran was holed and had lost a rudder and tiller bar; the lee board had been forced sideways by the seas, ripping out the side of the port hull. But she was not in immediate danger of foundering, had three males on board - no one injured - an inflatable dinghy, a life raft, adequate flares (even if they did require mole grips to fire them) and their EPIRB had been activated. There was a feeling of relief all round that there were no young children aboard Neron that would have increased the rescue problem and deepened our anxiety.
Suddenly, Neron's transmissions ceased. Cold dread entered the rescue yachts. At best, perhaps water had entered her batteries - at worst…? Fortunately, Suleika had requested a flare at 1845 for the two yachts to home in on; if that wasn’t spotted, and with only an approximate course, what hope would there be of finding poor Neron in the dark and with those seas running? 1845 arrived; eyes were more than peeled, bared would be a better description, and nerves too. Espying E Pao/o port light emerging from behind a wave caused Sally to give a near-disastrous false alarm. But milliseconds later, E Pao/o spied the real thing and quickly took a bearing. Suleika acknowledged with a white Very pistol flare and the yachts swung on to l60oM - approximate distance to sail, eight miles.
Suleika continued to call Neron. At last came a reply. Generator and battery problems had been the cause of the nerve-wracking silence. Again, it was established that Neron was not in imminent danger of sinking as the starboard hull was holding up under the strain. However, the crew needed to be taken off as they seriously doubted the cat’s ability, in her injured state, to survive the storm without breaking up. The storm certainly gave every indication of being around for some time, caused by the passing of an intense pressure system.
Neron’s troubled state was the story of the horseshoe nail and the battle: at about 1700, during washing-up duty, the windward stainless steel pivot bolt sheared and the leeboard had crashed fully down to the bottom of its casing. Dashing on deck, skipper David Harvey tried to prise it up with a screwdriver, for it was already beginning to thrash around ominously. In less than a minute, it had peeled back a 6ft section in the outside of the GRP hull. The slightest forward motion threatened to increase the gash to lethal proportions, so all sails were dropped and, in the difficult motion, they had managed to pass two ropes right around the hull in an attempt to secure the damaged section into the side of the yacht. At this stage there was still hope - although, by then, they had gone through two sea anchors - since simply drifting under bare poles did not seem to aggravate the situation. They nursed the hope of riding out the storm, patching the hull and limping slowly to the nearest port, but the sea dealt a mortal blow when a swamping wave carried away one rudder and the tiller bar.
A cool discussion between Neron’s crew of Cornishmen decided that her chances of survival now were slim, so the EPIRB was activated at around 1730 and VHF Mayday calls were transmitted. Dishearteningly, there was no response - until, at around 1810, a jet was seen flying perhaps a little lower than usual. Had it picked up the EPIRB’s signal? In a desperate attempt to alert it a red flare was sent off and a further Mayday transmitted - the one Suleika picked up. It came as a shock in the darkened, tossing world of the catamaran, to hear a response at last; a tremendous relief too, to know there was assistance nearby - particularly from yachts thus avoiding the dangers of evacuating on to a steamer. Thoughts of death by drowning now changed to hopes of rescue and survival.
Suddenly, the VHF lifeline was cut: the generator spluttered and stopped. As it was stowed in a stern locker, it meant that someone was going to get very wet and cold trying to restart it - this was essential, but it proved impossible. So a transfer of batteries was effected, giving reduced and limited power.
A long hour later Suleika at last saw Neron and, thankfully, VHF contact was also possible. It was agreed between E Pao/o and Suleika that, unless the state of Neron made it necessary, it was sensible to await daylight to take off the crew - a tow was never possible. To conserve Neron’s power, she was asked to keep her VHF use to a minimum, only replying if a message or instruction was unclear or incorrect, but at all costs to keep her masthead light going. Should their position become untenable, they were to fire a flare for immediate evacuation. The two rescue yachts decided that in this event, the steel hulled Suleika would manoeuvre her bow on to the catamaran’s lee quarter - if necessary right on to the quarter, thereby allowing the crew to leap directly from their cockpit to Suleika lifelines. Meanwhile, the more fragile E Pao/o would stand by to provide light and be prepared to pick up anyone from the water. Neron checked she had no lines trailing, and Suleika's towed generator was shipped. Thus prepared, the yachts began their long vigil of standing by Neron, both helmsmen keeping a more than anxious eye on her masthead light.
As might be expectcd, neither yacht had any experience of transferring crew, nor indeed of heaving to in winds Force 7-8 with rain squall gusts of up to perhaps Force 10 - during the night, the needle on Suleika's windspeed indicator hit the stop on Force11 and remained there! E Pao/o carried on under a very reefed main and no jib, forereaching slowly back and forth the whole night long. With no experience of Suleika's performance in such conditions, it was discovered that she hove to nicely under reefed mizzen, but needed her engine to force her to tack and to run off downwind in pursuit of the fast-drifting Neron. This routine of reaching and running was interrupted unexpectedly by Neron's third and successful attempt to launch a sea anchor - during the course of this she was completely swept by a huge sea which had the crew member on deck hanging on for dear life.
Although the sea anchor greatly assisted the yachts, since they no longer had to chase Neron downwind, it disorientated the helmsmen momentarily. This was all too easy
with nil visibility in the rain squalls and when a new helm took over after two hours' "sleep" Suleika and E Pao/o found themselves chasing each other. But the situation was saved by a system of flashing navigation lights, and it thus became routine for a VHF exchange requesting the other rescue yacht to identify itself: too routine, perhaps, for the use of the full Mayday procedure throughout the night, which seemed rather superfluous, for no one else was around... or were they? Suddenly in the middle of one exchange, the irritated voice of the MV Brebe's radio officer requested, ‘channel 16, silence’. Chastened, the MV Brebe was informed of the Mayday situation and given the latest satellite fix of the three yachts. Being 5,000 tons, she could at least provide a good lee for the evacuation process. Poor E Pao/o, whose radio continued to provide only a very limited exchange, was momentarily confused by Suleika's strange one-sided conversation, and particularly by her sudden firing of a white Very light. MV Brebe's captain and two deck officers sighted the flare and gave the yachts her ETA which was understood to be + two hours at around 0800 - at last dawn must be approaching after the longest night any of us had ever known.
The long, and for E Pao/o's crew in their open cockpit so very wet, night was finally drawing to a close. The endless routine of tacking and of keeping station on a small gyrating light in the welter of the night and endlessly mulling over the plans for the morning would cease and a much more fraught exercise commence. Daybreak revealed to the crews the conditions that their yachts had battled against all night (at the time, wind Force 8 - 9 gusting 11, heavy swell and rough seas were later confirmed by telex to Lloyd's by their agents in Madeira). The rescue yachts' crews were confident of each other's sailing ability, but what of Neron's crew? Would they panic? Supposing someone was injured in the transfer… or lost overboard? The plan was finally agreed: the lighter and more manoeuvrable E Pao/o would undertake a pass round Neron's stern and up her lee side, as it was essential to assess the very real danger of a mast head collision and entanglement of the shrouds.
From Suleika, it seemed at times as though E Pao/o was slalom skiing down hill around Neron - tiny vessels on a huge, angry ocean. Down around the stern she approached, under engine with a scrap of mainsail for stability, her sprayhood dropped for maximum vision. It was apparent that the relatively stable platform of the catamaran would reduce the mast risk, and E Pao/o began the run to collect the crew's personal belongings. Three times she approached the catamaran, successfully retrieving all three bags without the hulls touching once. The last and heaviest bag to be thrown across was nearest to falling short but was deftly fielded by Caryl; Allan was fully occupied at the wheel. It was a superb feat of seamanship - and now they could only watch and wait, for it had been decided to effect the rescue of Neron's crew before exhaustion overtook everybody. VHF contact with them had been lost as the battery that had powered the navigation light had expired shortly after being connected to the set - but they were aware of the plan in outline. So now it was Suleika's turn; she made a practice run whilst stowing her mizzen, and then circled for her final approach - praying that Sod's Law wouldn't operate and the engine would keep going! Stuart took the heavy ketch the full length of Neron, up the leeward side from stem to stern (Neron's sea anchor had been streamed amidships, keeping her whole starboard side downwind). The crew of the Neron waited towards the bow of the catamaran and, as a wave lifted her, they were able to step over to Suleika as though from a pontoon - all safe, and only an 8in scratch on Suleika's topsides.
Neron now presented a danger to shipping, particularly to other yachts. Three or four times Suleika passed across the catamaran's stern to allow her crew to fire Very lights into her saloon through the open hatch; with that wind and those seas, only one shot entered which failed to ignite anything, and at last she was abandoned, with all hatches open, alone on the ocean. However MV Brebe, who had arrived on the scene by then, transmitted the position to the Portugese authorities. Suleika also attempted to contact the same authorities via a relay contact with Elegance, now safely anchored in Porto Santo. It was Elegance's intervention that prevented the Portugese sending an aircraft and a ship to Suleika's (sic!) rescue - radio conditions were almost impossible in the noise of the storm, without added language difficulties.
With everyone safe, it was Porto Santo as soon as possible. Twenty-four hours' hard fast sailing saw both yachts being talked through the unlit harbour entrance by a welcoming Elegance. Some 46 hours later, with all crews well rested, the three yachts enjoyed a superb sail over to Funchal in Madeira, where there was quite a committee to meet them in the marina, including the Honorary Consul and the Harbourmaster - the former was very gladly welcomed as one passport and many traveller's cheques were still aboard Neron.
In the light of hindsight, the crews of E Pao/o and Suleika were glad to have had the opportunity to test themselves and their yachts in this way and, for weeks after, the nights' events were discussed, re-analysed and criticised over many a sundowner.
Neron was a 30ft Iroquois catamaran, crewed by three young fishermen from the area of Penzance. They were on passage to Madeira as part of a voyage to Florida, where they planned to sell the yacht. It is doubtful whether they would have survived the storm if the main beams connecting the hulls had not stood up to the amazing stresses. They were fully insured, having fulfilled the insurer's usual requirements of a three-handed crew for ocean voyaging, whereas neither Suleika or E Pao/o had been able to secure insurance since each had only a two-person crew.
It was regretted that more gear had not been recovered, but in those conditions it would have been foolhardy to endanger the rescue yachts for the sake of personal possessions.
Neron was transmitting a Mayday on Channel 16 but the only yachts in the vicinity at the time (Suleika and E Pao/o) were able to pick it up. Suleika's dual watch facility had failed, unknown to her crew, whilst E Pao/o had antenna problems which restricted the range of her set. It was therefore providential that Stuart Dodd spotted the dying moments of Neron's distant red flare fired to attract the attention of a passing airliner.
This was at the forefront of everyone's mind during the long night; the ultimate success of the method used is due to the fact that the casualty was a relatively stable catamaran and her crew fit, young, men, uninjured; a weaker crew, or one with young children, would have called for other tactics. At one time it was proposed inflating their liferaft and letting it float, manned, down to a rescue vessel on a long warp firmly attached to Neron, which was obviously not going to founder so long as the sound hull remained undamaged. However, this was rejected for two reasons; first, the sea conditions and, secondly, the raft would arrive on the windward side of a rescue vessel.
The arrival of MV Brebe on the scene enabled the authorities in Madeira to be alerted, which was important as a foundering catamaran would be a hazard to navigation for some time to come. It was Suleika's satnav and visual observations which enabled the MV Brebe to locate the yachts. Although all three yachts carried radar reflectors, one a correctly mounted conventional tetrahedron and two mast-mounted Firdell types, at no time in the proceedings did MV Brebe manage to discern the yachts on her radar in the storm conditions, not even when she had them in visual contact. It was Suleika's satellite fix (the MV Brebe did not have the benefit of satnav or Decca, and later admitted that this was the best update of her position since her afternoon sight!) - followed by her white Very flare - that enabled the MV Brebe to close the scene.
A lesson learnt from this latter event was the advantage of a countdown over the VHF, prior to firing such a signal.
Neron would be a danger to shipping for some time, and in these circumstances it should be the responsibility of a casualty's master to do all possible to ensure the speedy demise of a vessel after abandoning. This should include opening her seacocks and, if appropriate, saturating with petrol so that a flare from a rescue vessel will ignite the casualty. This is, admittedly, a very drastic measure but preferable to causing the sinking of another yacht running into the wreckage. In the case of Neron, the Portugese Navy reported later they were unable to sight the wreck but did find a small oil slick that may have originated from her. (Yachting Monthly - June1986 issue - reported "one of the abandoned hulls was towed into Los Cristianos by fishermen, the port hull was floating on its side 6" out of the water when found").
It came as an unpleasant surprise to the crew of Suleika, when they arrived in Madeira, to be told that in the last resort their's was the responsibility for the Neron's crew and for their repatriation. Fortunately in this case, the crew were solvent and had sufficient resources to fund their own return home. But if they hadn't? Would we have been allowed to continue our circumnavigation?
Sally Dodd and her husband, Stuart, are currently sailing the South Sea Islands. They devoted six years of their spare time and cash to converting a bare steel hull ? a fully fitted ocean cruising berth, based on a Bruce Roberts Mauritius design, at the Sussex Yacht Club in Shoreham. They met while captaining the sailing teams of their representative universities, each having been sailing since the age of three. Stuart is an engineer and computer specialist and Sally was Financial Director of Captain O M Watts for four years before their voyage. Suleika departed from Shoreham in September 1983 and is on her way to Australia via Tonga, Fiji and New Zealand.
REPRODUCED BY KIND PERMISISON OF YACHTING MONTHLY
Reading Yachting Monthly's report on the loss of the "Neron" it would appear to be the same fault that befell "Snoopy". At the time everyone took this very seriously and Harry Faulkner reported meticulously in Autumn 1978 Newsletter.
Of course drop keels and our rudders are primarily intended for boats operating in shoal waters and racing, one must consider the suitability of this equipment for ocean cruising. It is known that in confused seas, two boards down mean that the hull is resisting forces of conflicting particulate speeds of 11 knots.
Looking at the sketch you will see the drop keel acting as a leeboard resists the Force A by the segment resting against the base of the hull and the top restrained by the rubbing strake reinforced deck which is satisfactory. Considering the resistance to Force B (dragging outwards) the top against the deck is again satisfactory but the bottom has very little strength (a small edge lip weakest at the fore end). Add to this the lever arm is shorter and any failure will result from shear force up the line of the joint between the hull and forward end of the drop keel casing in the form of a disastrous tear where any forward movement worsens the problem. I have tried to make this point to demonstrate that none of us are immune, it is always more difficult to raise concern the second time around but remember that "Neron" was built around the time of "Snoopy's" sinking.
Whilst not wishing to be alarmist, the failure is sudden in bad conditions and our boats are now nearly 10 years older. Obviously until the work is done we should not cross an ocean or sail with two boards down in heavy seas. It may also be prudent to provide reduced limiting leeboard stops which can easily be withdrawn and have a good effective sea anchor on board. Whilst inspection is obvious, it is of doubtful use, the thing to do is strengthen the slot this winter.
The Sailcraft recommendations are attached and these were based on the accident details supplied by Charles Dennis of "Snoopy". Hopefully someone more qualified than I will look into the added possibility of replacing the leeboard location pin with a plate on the leeboard, a bolt from externally through to the present back plate suitably reinforced.
Recommended repairThe following repair has been recommended by Sailcraft. Please refer to the attached diagram Drawing No F149 by RHB 4.7.78, Sailcraft Ltd with the following notes: Exterior reinforcement 3 layers 1½oz CSM + 3 layers 12oz WR alternate. Decrease radii by ½" per layer. Note Any fracture in hull to be repaired before applying the reinforcement At each end of the slot mark an 8" radius. This must then be well abraded, preferably with a grinder. However if a grinder or electric power are not available coarse sandpaper can be used. A total of 12 layers of glass should then be laminated using the end of the case slot as the centre of the radius. The glass should consist of 6 layers of 1½oz CSM (chopped strand mat) and 6 layers of 12oz WR (woven rovings) laid on alternately, each layer should be smaller by ½" than the previous one. Each layer must be well wetted out with resin and rolled. (The quantities described here are for repairs to one hull). This means you have now covered the end of the slot over by 8" and you must trim the glass before it becomes too hard. When the glass is hard you should sand down any rough edges, making sure the slot is completely clear and finally seal the reinforced area with gel coat and re-antifoul. Where damage has occurred to the slot ends, any damage must be repaired before proceeding with the recommended reinforcement at the slot ends as follows: Grind around damaged area a minimum of 2" making sure you get to the bottom of the fracture. Remove any loose glass making sure that the area is completely dry and free from oil. Make the repair using layers of CSM and WR alternately until the hull thickness is back to normal at the centre of the repair. Allow to harden, grind off excess glass to make hull fair, and continue with extra reinforcement. |
During the last meeting the question of the desirability of an inner foresail on the baby stay was raised. The people who have used this say it has a limited use up to about Force 3 for two reasons:
On Thelken the baby stay has a number of rings on it for use with the sail hanks. It is proposed to replace the roller with a dinghy roller furling lathe so the bolt will engage on inner of forestay.
McAlpine Downie and Sailcraft set their pitch to produce a sturdy Racer/Cruiser in the Iroquois and I doubt they envisaged the kind of voyages various members have taken on them.
Dr. Reg Crampton ‘Vahine” No.74 gave a most interesting account to 1988 AGM of his voyage to Brazil and back. Cruising a boat is much to do with careful planning as my son avers in his book “Countdown to Ocean Cruising” and Reg did this thoroughly.
I append a list of modifications he considered necessary to uprate his boat for his use.
Aat Marinissen, #187 Superstar, wrote some time ago that he had in Iroquois sketch book and this access ladder is one example - I can't wait for more. He also said "I followed the advice of an Iroquois friend and checked the position of the rudder blades. To obtain an exact 90o angle to the transom for the blades I had to shorten the tiller connection beam by 2". The impression is that there is less turbulence and better steering.
Letter to David Millner, Chairman MOCRA
Dear David
Our outgoing Secretary gave the AGM a general run down of our proposed affiliation. I am sorry this has taken so long but our activities are limited to Newsletters and two get-togethers which inevitably draws things out.
The feeling of the Meeting was that while we are fascinated by the high-tech machines of today's racing multihulls the Iroquois was there a quarter of a century ago. Racing for us on anything like comparable terms is short round the buoys or a similar series like the Silk Cup at Brighton several years ago.
Our main concern is that we support through yourselves and the RYA any negotiations you conduct with respect to Common Market Regulations. We are about 100 members and I enclose a cheque for £25 being our subscription. I will appoint a member to liaise with the Group Sub-Committee and for the moment perhaps you will let me details of venue etc. for the March Meeting.
Yours sincerely
Letter from Sue Keeler, IOA Secretary
Dear Ken
The object of this letter is to remind you of the Solent Meet at Newtown Creek on 29 July. Should this present weather hold it promises to be the best ever. With High Water at about 9.30 on a rising Spring we should be able to come in any time during Saturday and have a Sunday sail having got off at a civilized time. It is of course, the first day of Cowes Week when Formula 40 will be demonstrating off the promenade in the early evening.
We plan to put the Apache on during the afternoon and we hope to welcome you alongside having returned from the French Bicentennial celebrations and hopefully fitting in the multihull party at Cornouaille.
On trying to contact your erstwhile worthy scrivenor, as Stuart is wont to be known, I found he had lifted off for Russia in one of 3 Wood's Striders (the navigation from what I remember is easy, you keep the cold to your right and the very cold to your left). However, we can wait with baited breath to hear more of this when he returns in September. In the meantime, without his records this must be a limited edition.
Out of interest I attach a correspondence with Russ Dordi and my reply.
Looking forward to a great meet!
Yours sincerely
Sue
Dear Russ
Searching through the immense amount of rubbish I have on multihulls proved more of a job than I thought but finally Peter Smith’s address is:
Peter Smith Yacht Services, 76 Regent Road, Brightlingsea, Essex. Tel: 0206 30 2854
Alternatively ring Reg White on his Sailspar number to know who made the boards originally.
I append my thoughts when “Snoopy" went down. Personally I feel well laminated marine ply treated with the West system would be perfectly adequate. We have seen time and time again the boards are too strong for the hull but the pivot and flange is crucial and I am sure most of us do not look at this enough.
Hope all goes well,
Yours sincerely etc.
Dear Ken
Many thanks for drawing of centreboard and your letter. In fact I managed to contact Reg White and he suggested an alternative using a slightly thinner board and beefing it up with something akin to the West epoxy system.
The board is coming from Bruynzeel in Holland via their Essex agents (Tel 0376 519924). For your Iroquois info sheet the particulars are:
1 board ref GABM 5A/B25/E Gaboon AB 2500x1720x25mm at £175.64 plus VAT. Delivery £32.50 - total cost £239.36.
Reliable Plywood Ltd. Who originally fabricated the board are no longer in business.
Many thanks
Yours Russ
