Liquid Vortex

7/30/2019 Liquid Vortex

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Command Navigation

Liquid VortexSerious Injury Onboard The Yacht

D1MC31 A

399 Wan Mohd Azizam WM

400 Mohd Faiz Farhan Abd Manan

Captain Mazlan Hamid Hamzah


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Yacht Particulars

Vessel's Name : Liquid Vortex

Flag : UK

Classification Society : N/A Coded under MCA Code of Practicefor small commercial sailing vessels.

IMO Number : N/A SSR no 113244

Type : Beneteau First 40.7 Sailing Yacht Fractional Sloop

Registered Owner : Hot Liquid Sailing Ltd

Manager(s) : Hot Liquid Sailing Ltd

Construction : Glass Reinforced Plastic

LOA : 11.99m

Displacement : 6900kg


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Voyage Particular

Port of Departure : Southampton

Port Of Arrival : Weymouth

Type of Voyage : Yacth Race

Manning : 10


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Sailing Terminologies

Gybing : Change course by swinging a fore-and-aft sail across a

following wind.

Mainsheet : A sheet used for controlling the mainsail of a sailing

vessel. Spinnaker : A large three-cornered sail, typically bulging when

full, set forward of the mainsail of a yacht when running in high

wind conditions and downwind.

Genoa : A large jib or foresail whose foot extends aft of themast, used especially on racing yachts. Its large surface area

increases the speed of the craft in moderate winds.

Boom : A mechanical device usually a rope on a sailing vessel.


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Choronology

27th May 2011 :

Myth of Malham offshore race started off Cowes, Isle of

Wight at 0740 hrs.

230nm, race to the Eddystone Lt.House and back toChristcurchBay, organised by the Royal Ocean Racing

Club (RORC).

On board Liquid Vortexwere her skipper, mate, and 8

paying crew.

As the yachts cleared sheltered waters of the Solent, the

wind was WNW-F4 but forecast to increase to F5-6, and

back to the SW.

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Choronology

28th May 2011 :

At 0600 hrs, Liquid Vortexrounded EddystoneLt.House and her crew replaced the genoa with alight running spinnaker in order to make best

speed downwind.

At that time, the wind was Westerly at over 25 kts,and the sea was moderate to rough.

At 0930 hrs, the wind on Starboard quarter, andthe mainsail out to Port when her spinnakersuffered a major tear.


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Choronology

28th May 2011 :

The skipper, ordered the mate to replace the tornsail with a smaller but heavier spinnaker.

During that time the skipper, deliberately gybedthe yacht onto a heading about 070 to put themainsail on the starboard side.

As the mate and two of the crew lowered thedamaged sail, and begun to hoist the heavier

spinnaker,it became wrapped around theforestay.

The skipper shouted instructions to the materegarding how to unwrapped the sail.


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28th May 2011 :

But communication between them was difficultdue to the noise of the wind and the flappingspinnaker.

The skipper became frustrated and decided to goforward to take charge of the situation himself.

The skipper handed the helm to nearest memberof the crew, a 23 years old female and told her to

alter course to 040.

This was the first occasion for the helmswoman tosteer the yacht during the race when runningdownwind.


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Choronology

28th May 2011 :

Before the skipper left the cockpit, he noticed afishing vessel on a westerly heading of the yachtstarboard bow.

The helmswoman and a second crewman noticedthat there is risk of collision with the fishingvessel.

The helmswoman shouted to the skipper on the

foredeck for guidance.

The skipper, in response pointed over the portside and shouted go around the bow and do notgybe.


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Choronology

28th May 2011 :

The helmswoman was unclear with the skipper'sinstructions. She put the helm to starboard and,without warning the yacht gybed causing the

boom, mainsail to swing rapidly across the cockpitfrom the starboard side to port side.

The helmswoman was knocked to the cockpitdeck and suffered bleeding from a head wound

and appeared to be unconcious. She also had a mark on the right handside of her

jaw which is caused by rope burn.


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Root Causes and Lesson Learned

Boom preventer was not rigged during the racewas held.(Boom preventer is a mechanical device usually

rope on a sailing vessel which limits the boom'sability to swing unexpectedly across the boat.)

Inexperience crew. The helmswoman had steeredthe yacht the previous day but during the race, it

was her first occasion to steered the yacht whenrunning downwind.

Material defects were not rectified before the racewhich is the luff foil on the forestay, instrumentillumination, and the rigging of a second mainsail.


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Root Causes and Lesson Learned

Difficulty in communication, between the skipperand the crew due to noise of the wind andflapping spinnaker.

The skipper had not fully assessed the potentialrisk of collision with the fishing vessel.

Fatigue.(Some of the crew are tired and lacking in

motivation. In regard to sea and weathercondition, a more caution and encouragingapproach to their training was warranted.)

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Liquid Vortex