Urgent help needed to recover abandoned yacht NW Barbados

[Bleemus]

Originally Posted by Suijin

The OP was two days out from Barbados after making a crossing, so say 300 miles out give or take. I think the depth around there is in the neighborhood of 600 fathoms. Dropping the hook would not have been of much use, other than perhaps keeping/delaying the boat from grounding when it drifted close to shore.

My thinking was that if, by some fortuitous luck, the boat actually came upon a shoal before going on the rocks having your ground tackle deployed would add to the chances of the boat sustaining less damage. Low percentage but every little bit helps.

[RPZ]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

As I recall my Boat US insurance newsletter stated that salvage is defined by the circumstances. If you have a hard grounding or your vessel is in jeopardy, you call for help and then receive help that is a salvage. I have a form that they recommend that you get signed, before help is rendered if possible, that gets the salvor to agree to a predetermined price. Otherwise the value of the salvage is based on the risk to & expenses of the salvor. I believe that means that if the OP finds the boat & then tells someone where it is & they then go out to the boat & tow it to safety the boat has been salvaged. Whether salvors engage in piracy is a matter of perspective.

If a call or request for assistance is rendered that is one thing. Simply boarding and claiming salvage on a disabled vessel that is occupied is another.

[DumnMad]

Originally Posted by ak5609

I offered you my help a few days ago. I am in St.Martin, in the Lagoon, Nettle Bay, French side.
My boat is a Leopard 38 ready to go sailing with you and me and better one more experienced sailor. It is free of charge, so don't worry.
Anyway, if you want to check it out, come to my boat or cale on Channels 10.
My Name is Alex
Boats name is Apaleo.

Hey MarkJ Just listen to this talk about salvage rights. 1st thought for some people. Being cautious about publicising the boat's location is not that stupid. There are a lot of boaties like Alex above. BUT, also plenty of hard eyed boat owners out there who are like the pirates on your blog, who would rip the last dollar off the needy before giving a helping hand.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by DumnMad

Hey MarkJ Just listen to this talk about salvage rights. 1st thought for some people. Being cautious about publicising the boat's location is not that stupid. There are a lot of boaties like Alex above. BUT, also plenty of hard eyed boat owners out there who are like the pirates on your blog, who would rip the last dollar off the needy before giving a helping hand.

I don't quite get your point.

I know Apolao. They are in St Martin this season and were last season. His offer is lovely. Any cruiser would do something to help up to their limit of ability and capacity. However, I doubt Apalao's offer includes sailing east, working to windward 250 nms for free. In the Christmas Winds which have been up around 30 knots for 2 weeks it makes getting to windward very difficult.

Further , there are an absolute myriad of boats out here at the moment. I had 180 on my AIS yesterday, the majority Superyachts. Today these boats have split from St Barts and have headed out cruising in all directions.
NONE gave been made aware to be on the lookout for a disabled boat.
MRCC Fort Dr France has issued no such directive
St Martin Sea Rescue has issued no such directive
St Martin Cruisers Net had issued no such request
The USCG had issued no such request.
No directive or request has been heard by me on VHF16
No such request had been passed by DSC.

So if the OP thinks he can find his boat without any resources except one cruiser who will unlikely sail upwind, he is seriously deluded.
He has not used the resources available.
He has failed in assisting to find his own boat.
He has refused to supply information to MRCC and other authorities.
He has refused to ask for assistance of other marine users.


So please don't pick on me for giving USEFUL ADVICE!

[allwentwrong]

I'm sorry but please advise me on how to get this information out there? MRCC told me they are sending out reports to vessels on ais within the area. I've tried to contact us coastguard to send out navarea warnings. But they won't deal with me. I'm going to see st Martin coast guard tomorrow to try that angle.
I would much rather people try and help me with information like this on this thread than all the other blab.

I'm happy to post a position

[DumnMad]

Hi MarkJ
I've already boosted your brilliant post re the reward etc. :-)

[meatservo]

MarkJ,

You pretty much covered it! Would be an excellent strategy to follow, I feel for the OP, and I hope this saga has a positive outcome...


meatservo

[philippd]

I follow this thread since a few days. I am glad that you and your family are safe and really hope that you will find your boat.

I am wondering if your search via Satellite AIS already covered all the different operators of AIS capable satellites? As far as I undestand there are different companies like Spacequest, ORBCOMM, Spire, and maybe others that operate their own satellite networks and sell data to companies like Marine Traffic or Vessel Finder. Maybe you could contact the different operators directly and ask for recent data sets belonging to you MMSI? Perhaps an operator can identify helpful data sets in logfiles which were not received completely due to weak signal and in consequence not processed automatically to be available on common tracking websites.

I do understand the approach to try to hide the vessel name on forums, but I think this is already too late. It took me less than 30 seconds to Google name / MMSI as several news sites, facebook groups and other forums already published reports about and dicussed it.


I really wish you all the best and a recovery of the boat in acceptable condition.

[allwentwrong]

Originally Posted by philippd

I follow this thread since a few days. I am glad that you and your family are safe and really hope that you will find your boat.



I am wondering if your search via Satellite AIS already covered all the different operators of AIS capable satellites? As far as I undestand there are different companies like Spacequest, ORBCOMM, Spire, and maybe others that operate their own satellite networks and sell data to companies like Marine Traffic or Vessel Finder. Maybe you could contact the different operators directly and ask for recent data sets belonging to you MMSI? Perhaps an operator can identify helpful data sets in logfiles which were not received completely due to weak signal and in consequence not processed automatically to be available on common tracking websites.



I do understand the approach to try to hide the vessel name on forums, but I think this is already too late. It took me less than 30 seconds to Google name / MMSI as several news sites, facebook groups and other forums already published reports about and dicussed it.





I really wish you all the best and a recovery of the boat in acceptable condition.

Thank you

[allwentwrong]

We abandoned 16'31.92N 52'38.87W 21/12 1200utc
Last AIS position 17'15.56N 53'28.76W 23/12 1200utc

After 11 days of drifting I think it's in the area
15-30'N 57-59'W it's a huge area, but it all depends on whether the drouge lines have chaffed through.

If anyone is in this area please keep a look out
Pic is how I left it minus the life raft

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by allwentwrong

After 11 days of drifting I think it's in the area
15-30'N 57-59'W i]

You probably mean 15N to 20N.

I will be back in St Martin tomorrow or Wednesday. I have an office we can meet and can check your figures. If you are open with me I will get a guy in to do a proper drift analysis, polar plot and *guess*.

In the meantime please make contact with the people in the lists in previous posts.

Mark

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Bleemus

My thinking was that if, by some fortuitous luck, the boat actually came upon a shoal before going on the rocks having your ground tackle deployed would add to the chances of the boat sustaining less damage. Low percentage but every little bit helps.

Bleemus, you're right, in some circumstances, with all the rode out, the anchor will snag on the area where the coral rises up. It depends on the shape of the reef, of course, but we once blew out of a bay, unknowing, and the anchor hung down, and did bring us up short of the reef astern.

Ann

[Bleemus]

Drift analysis is useless. This boat had half a mainsail up. It could be anywhere within 1000 miles.

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by Bleemus

I probably would have let the ground tackle out with as much scope as possible. Would slow the drift and if it does get near land it may just set the anchor before it hits rocks. A long shot but worth it IMHO.

Originally Posted by a64pilot

The anchor thing, I had not though of it myself, but as I have 900' on board, 600' rope and 300' chain, that is an idea if I ever had to leave.

Great idea Bleemus. I haven't heard anyone ever suggest that before which is pretty unusual with this forum

Agree with you A64. You might as well let as much as you can out. If you have 300' of chain held up by 600' of strong rope, your anchor likely wouldn't even need to set to stop the boat way off shore. I hope to never be in this situation but if so, also hope I remember to do this.

It may make sense to lash the wheel over to one side also - I don't know, but you probably want the boat to not surf forward to fast. With this situation where the sail wouldn't drop, maybe cut the clew off the boom also.

[Alastair A]

Hi all. Kindly in hope. Laying out all ground tackle is well known evacuation procedure at ocean abandon / personal rescue. It is however very difficult to safely achieve in the time and conditions usual in a real rescue situation. Life comes first always. It may buy time on a shoaling shore. This may be within sight of land and coastal vessels / cruisers passing. The OP did the right thing saving his family. My "hat is off" to him and his family. I know this. My best wishes and hopes for all. A.