Watson, bulk carrier 'both to blame' (the other 16 year old girl sailor)

news.com.au ^ | 15th June 2010

[naturalman1975]

TEENAGE solo sailor Jessica Watson and the watchkeepers of a bulk carrier were both responsible for their collision off Queensland, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau says.

The ATSB today released its final report on the September 9, 2009 collision between Jessica's yacht Ella's Pink Lady and the Hong Kong registered bulk carrier Silver Yang off Point Lookout.

The collision happened when the then 16-year-old was on a preliminary solo journey to Sydney, ahead of her ultimately successful bid to sail solo and unassisted around the world.

It led to calls for her parents to ban her from going on her global odyssey.

The ATSB said that when the two vessels collided "neither the yacht's skipper nor the ship's watch keepers were keeping a proper lookout".

It said: "Nor were they appropriately using navigational aids to manage the risk of collision."

The investigation also found that following the collision, the ship's watchkeeper did not offer to assist Jessica.

[BlueStateMadness]

Bulker has right of way, ask any deckie or watch standing mate, classmate of mine ran over a sailboat with a tanker in Long Beach harbor, totally the blow boat’s fault

[dalereed]

rag sailers suck!!!

I damn near cut one in half going to Cabo years ago.

I was runing in 24’ seas and this dickhead was running north, no sails up and no lights.

I was pitching so much that the radar missed him.

[diogenes ghost]

"Bulker has right of way..."

As a practical matter, yeah....sailing vessel has the right, but not the might.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

As an occasional pedestrian in LA if I ever depended on drivers following the law for my safety I would long ago have been turned into street pizza.

[tpmintx]

"Bulker has right of way..." As a practical matter, yeah....sailing vessel has the right, but not the might.

Chapman's Piloting 59th Edition 1989

Ranking

• Vessels not under command (our 16 year-old friend)
• Vessels restricted in ability to maneuver (our bulk carrier)
• Vessels engaged in fishing
• Sailing Vessels (Does not apply)
• Power-driven Vessels (Does not apply)

Bulk carrier should have kept out a watch and kept clear of our young friend.

The rules read the way they do, because of the possibility of short-handed boats on the high seas.

[navyblue]

Not in my Rules of the Road. Powered vessels ALWAYS yield to vessels under sail.

[pbear8]

As a practical matter, yeah....sailing vessel has the right, but not the might.

Not necessarily, Rule Nine applies in shipping lanes.

[Oztrich Boy]

Bulker has right of way, ask any deckie or watch standing mate, classmate of mine ran over a sailboat with a tanker in Long Beach harbor, totally the blow boat's fault

"In harbour". At sea it's still power gives way to sail

With the co-rider that the little guy should try to duck.

[Oztrich Boy]

Chapman's Piloting 59th Edition 1989

Ranking

• Vessels not under command (our 16 year-old friend) Nope that applies to the present state of Abby Sunderland's boat
• Vessels restricted in ability to maneuver (our bulk carrier) restricted by water depth or nearby land, doesn't apply in open sea (unless dredging or minesweeping)
• Vessels engaged in fishing
• Sailing Vessels (Does not apply) Ella's Pink Lady
• Power-driven Vessels (Does not apply) The Silver Yang

you score 1 out of 5

[I Buried My Guns]

My crusty sailor Dad calls it the "tonnage rule".

"He who's got the tonnage makes the rules".

[Hot Tabasco]

classmate of mine ran over a sailboat with a tanker in Long Beach harbor

How the hell does that happen? Was it at night and the guy was sleeping in his sailboat?

Here in S.E. Michigan the freighters sail thru Lake St. Clair and the Detroit river and you can see those monsters coming from miles away........