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Cork on the Rocks

2K views 4 replies 2 participants last post by  mattny08 
#1 ·
BBC News - Sailors rescued near Java during clipper race

I don't think this made the news back in the US, but it was all over in the UK.

Now I know that every armchair quarterback's reaction is to say - "oh, amateurs shouldn't race around the world", etc.. But this is a school boy error by what is supposed to be a seasoned, professional skipper with excellent seamanship (in coastal waters none the less). The worst part is that the reef he hit was supposed to be left to port and the boat lies on it's starboard side... Luckily (miraculously really) no one was seriously injured, but many are probably scarred for life. I didn't appreciate how horrifying hitting a reef in the middle of the night is until I spoke to some of the crew after being rescued. The boat is a complete loss with 6 large holes in it's side.

Lesson to be learned: If you are ever, ever in doubt of something on a chart, stay the hell away - even in a race. We left this mark 2 miles to our port side because we couldn't see the light. Turns out it's been extinguished, which is in the notes of the chart.
 
#3 ·
I am in this race and luckily not on that boat. In addition to the above mentioned, there was also a pretty serious start line collision involving cork as well. Another bonehead move. It does cast an ugly light on the race, but it really is isolated to one particular skipper.
 
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