Cat Capsize Lake Macquarie

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Fore and Aft

I have seen a 40 foot Wharram capsized due to wind pressure in Wellington Harbour so anything’s possible.
Cheers

I think the statement should go " in Wellington harbour ANYTHING is possible", at least in reference to capsizing!

Jim

[valhalla360]

Looks really shallow...

If it was gale warnings and the owner was showing off doing 20kts...if it hit bottom, that could have caused it to cartwheel....?

[ozsailer]

Just for those that are unfamiliar with Lake Macquarie. It is one of the largest Salt water lakes in the Southern Hemisphere. It is approximately 160 KM (100 miles) around its shores with an abundance of sheltered bays and anchorages. While there are some shallow spots the lake is very well marked with navigation aids with the depth well over 7 metres in most spots. Maximum depth is approximately 14 metres.


Greg H
Lagoon 440
Lake Macquarie

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by ozsailer

Just for those that are unfamiliar with Lake Macquarie. It is one of the largest Salt water lakes in the Southern Hemisphere. It is approximately 160 KM (100 miles) around its shores with an abundance of sheltered bays and anchorages. While there are some shallow spots the lake is very well marked with navigation aids with the depth well over 7 metres in most spots. Maximum depth is approximately 14 metres.


Greg H
Lagoon 440
Lake Macquarie

Judging by the picture (admittedly small), I would estimate it's sitting in about 2m of water (maybe 3m)...so clearly they found the well marked shallows...only question is did they find them before or after they went over....given how high it's sitting, I find it highly unlikely that the capsized vessel drifted into that position...hence my assumption that finding the bottom had something to do with it.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

Well that’s what I call a failed sea trial

Bummer for both parties. Lesson learned: dont schedule a sea trial during gale warnings! [emoji37]

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Judging by the picture (admittedly small), I would estimate it's sitting in about 2m of water (maybe 3m)...so clearly they found the well marked shallows...only question is did they find them before or after they went over....given how high it's sitting, I find it highly unlikely that the capsized vessel drifted into that position...hence my assumption that finding the bottom had something to do with it.

Someone should tell them there are easier ways to confirm depth. [emoji6]

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Looks really shallow...

If it was gale warnings and the owner was showing off doing 20kts...if it hit bottom, that could have caused it to cartwheel....?

In theory yes, Ive tested first hand, on a Hobie 16, a maneuver I dubbed the "terrestrial pitch pole". Zipping along flying a hull on a flooded lake, I suddenly noticed park benches sticking out of the water, uh oh...I had sailed into a flooded park area and I was rocking...double digit speeds...then I saw the grass sticking out of the water dead ahead. [emoji33] The leeward hull hit bottom, stopped abruptly, and the rest of the boat and me cartwheeled over that pivot point. [emoji44] I landed with a wet thud in about 3" of water.

[smj]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Judging by the picture (admittedly small), I would estimate it's sitting in about 2m of water (maybe 3m)...so clearly they found the well marked shallows...only question is did they find them before or after they went over....given how high it's sitting, I find it highly unlikely that the capsized vessel drifted into that position...hence my assumption that finding the bottom had something to do with it.

Facebook report stated full sail up and daggerboards fully deployed. They had a 32kt. gust and hit bottom causing the capsize.

[ozsailer]

SMJ, I caution what I say as I don't know the owner or any details other than what has been recorded at the local Marine Rescue who stated they had been advised that the boat had been overpowered by the condition and flipped. Thankfully the five on board were located and taken back to land. SMJ Can you advise what facebook page is saying they hit the shallows. Being a local to those waters and sailing my own cat I really struggle how they hit shallow waters and tipped. As stated by me previously this lake is particularly well marked by navigation markers and one would hope there are no areas I am aware of that go from navigable waters to shallows without considerable shoaling first. In saying that they would not be the first boat to hit a well marked shoal. This could be an area I am unfamiliar with and as such I would like to know about it for my own benefit. I do stress I know nothing of what occurred and cast no aspersions on the skipper or crew as the cause could well have been mechanical etc and only speculating on the cause at this time


Greg H
Lagoon 440
Lake Macquarie

[smj]

Originally Posted by ozsailer

SMJ, I caution what I say as I don't know the owner or any details other than what has been recorded at the local Marine Rescue who stated they had been advised that the boat had been overpowered by the condition and flipped. Thankfully the five on board were located and taken back to land. SMJ Can you advise what facebook page is saying they hit the shallows. Being a local to those waters and sailing my own cat I really struggle how they hit shallow waters and tipped. As stated by me previously this lake is particularly well marked by navigation markers and one would hope there are no areas I am aware of that go from navigable waters to shallows without considerable shoaling first. In saying that they would not be the first boat to hit a well marked shoal. This could be an area I am unfamiliar with and as such I would like to know about it for my own benefit. I do stress I know nothing of what occurred and cast no aspersions on the skipper or crew as the cause could well have been mechanical etc and only speculating on the cause at this time





Greg H

Lagoon 440

Lake Macquarie

It was on the multihull appreciation site

[ozsailer]

Thankyou for that quick response SMJ Greatly appreciate that, I know the author, and I also noted that the source stated "people are saying they hit bottom" not confirmed. I also read the other comments and it appears like here there is no firm details on what occurred. I have put out some feelers in an endeavour to see if we can get to the bottom - no pun intended.


Greg H
Lagoon 440
Lake Macquarie

[Group9]

Originally Posted by arsenelupiga

should be easy to right.

Benefit of racing in shallow water.

Hopefully, easier than the two Hobie 16's I used to have were to get back right side up!

[catsketcher]

Boat back on mooring now. Friends watched them pull it back up yesterday, said it took over two hours. It seemed to have full main up. The starboard hull was flooded and needed support to get to calm water for pumping. I have seen some shots my mate took and the boats that pulled it back upright seemed rather small - 24ft alloy twin outboard boats, no tugs. Well done people.

Like Ozsailer says - I would caution about the shallow water theory. If you hit shallow water with full boards down in a huge wind you tend to break boards. In fact some boards (like mine) have the bottom 30cm cut off and then re-glued back on to cater for this. But I can't see how you could get any real overturning moment from hitting the bottom. Boards can take much less moment before they break, than a cat has stability.

The capsize seems to have taken place at Sunken rock. There is a shoal there but it is rather small. The Spirited would touch bottom in about 2 metres and in the photos it would have to be in about 4 -5 metres. I have seen the boat racing and they do give it a bit of curry. So it seems as though it was probably sailed over near a rounding mark. We will wait and hopefully someone will get the real deal from the crew.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by chrisr

but a cat like that should never flip in flat water just due to wind pressure. should be impossible...the force needed should be more than sails / rig can bear....

That is just silly on the face of it.


a. The rigging needs a 5:1 safety factor to last long. Add a factor so that it would fail reliably, and the rig would be so flimsy it would probably fatigue motoring in chop.
b. Someday you will need full power to drive off a lee shore.


Thus, the rig should be able to fly a hull with a 5:1 safety factor. Keeping both hulls in the water is seamanship. If you don't understand how to handle a multihull pressed hard in gusty conditions you probably shouldn't sail one. Seriously, they aren't for everyone, yet more and more, everyone wants to buy a fast cruising cat.



They often under size the rig on charter boats, to protect the boat from credit card captains.

[Montanan]

Per chance was it labeled with this notice on the transom like all catamarans should.

When 4 Wheeling our offroad rigs are appropriately labeled.

As is my PWC, but the PWC also has detailed instructions as to the preferred method of righting which can only be read if the vessel is turtled.

Being given that this is in Ausieland, a.k.a. Downunder, perhaps the vessel was just trying to correctly orient itself by rolling onto its top side, so as to become Downover.