Thread: Boating rules

Originally Posted by vnx205

If the waves get bigger in the Bight than the Bass Strait one that broke windows on the second top deck of the Spirit of Tasmania, then I don't think I want to go there.


20m waves force Spirit of Tasmania back to port

When we went overnight on the Spirit Of Tasmania in early March I got up early and was having a coffee when the sea was so rough the water was hitting the windows of the deck with the restaurants, so I can imagine it breaking windows.

Search for missing boatie Tony Higgins and the Margrel off SA coast enters third day

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-...ggins/12695380

An air search for missing sailor Tony Higgins in waters south of Adelaide has resumed this morning, but police have admitted the chances of finding him alive are "diminishing".

Part of the back deck of his boat, the Margrel, equipment from it and a wallet containing Mr Higgins's identification were found washed up near the Murray Mouth yesterday, two days after he put out a distress call near Victor Harbor.

SA boatie Tony Higgins still missing as police call off search after third day

SA boatie Tony Higgins still missing as police call off search after third day - ABC News

Police have called off the search for missing sailor Tony Higgins in waters south of Adelaide.
It concludes the third day of efforts by air, on the water and on land to find the 57-year-old boatie.


SA Police said in a statement this evening that the search has been been called off pending "any further sightings or information".
The latest search covered about 500 square kilometres of ocean off Victor Harbor, Goolwa and the Coorong.
Sea Rescue volunteers, police patrols, water operations officers, the police helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft were all involved in the search.
But the plane and the helicopter could not be used today because of poor weather conditions.

In the 80s my mates father was the SA agent for Shark Cats.

We would regularly demonstrate them to KI fishos in Backstairs Passage during some seriously rough conditions.

We had all the gear and those things were near bullet proof in rough seas with a competent Captain.

Originally Posted by Old Farang

Search for missing boatie Tony Higgins and the Margrel off SA coast enters third day

Part of the back deck of his boat, the Margrel, equipment from it and a wallet containing Mr Higgins's identification were found washed up near the Murray Mouth yesterday, two days after he put out a distress call near Victor Harbor.

Tony Higgins probably should not have been allowed back on the boat after the first effort. It was never going to end well.

"He said he knew "a thing or two about wooden boats" — Goolwa is home to a wooden boat festival — and planned to restore it."It's a very seaworthy boat — a very seaworthy vessel — so we dragged it out of the water, straightened its bum and cleaned all the muck off it, went over it, put a bit of caulk here and there where it needed it and loaded it with stores and then off we waddled," Mr Higgins told ABC Radio Adelaide.
About 120 kilometres into their journey, near Port Lincoln, the boat hit either a turtle or a submerged log and one of the propeller's three blades broke off.


They were sailing a 10-metre wooden-hulled fishing boat called Margrel, which Mr Higgins bought as a restoration project.
On Monday, police said they had "grave fears" for the men's safety and described the Margrel as a "somewhat dated" riverboat that would struggle on the rough ocean between the Yorke Peninsula and Kangaroo Island.
Police found the vessel on Thursday morning and towed the men back to Victor Harbor, but Mr Higgins has stayed on the boat, moored off the Granite Island causeway, to make sure it does not sink.

Originally Posted by Tombie

In the 80s my mates father was the SA agent for Shark Cats.

We would regularly demonstrate them to KI fishos in Backstairs Passage during some seriously rough conditions.

We had all the gear and those things were near bullet proof in rough seas with a competent Captain.

MV Mongrel is/was not a Shark Cat but a wannabe Timber boat Restoration Project. Maybe he should have bought a Shark Cat?
For all we are aware it could have been falling to bits when he bought it, add a bit of rough stuff & it being a Timber Boat obviously in need of some repair, maybe it was just too much for it. If he broached to with a wallowing low aft section & the donk had conked out & the boat filled with water it was going to be curtains. If the busted Prop hadn't been replaced he'd virtually had no power anyway. Did it have a usable Bilge Pump & could it have kept up with a cockpit full of water? The Cockpit was like a large tub so always flooded. How was it powered? Engine out, no power? A bucket probably couldn't have kept up with the incoming water.

But, thinking positive I hope he still turns up & this very minute could be hanging on to a very lonely floatable section of boat & washing around near Penneshaw or some point East. I suppose he could still fetch up at one of the near Antarctic Islands ie. Heard, McQuarie, McDonald but they are sort of 4000km away but if he couldn't get it right from Eyre Peninsular to Victor...... Well,. What hope? Hang on, he'd need a boat for that . or Tassie or his remains could, God help him. Unfortunately the really crap weather is against a decent search at the mo. It also depends on what clothing he was wearing at the time of the mishap & it may be that immersion etc does for him at the end of the day. The colour of his clothing may be such that the Searchers may not spot him amongst all the breaking waves.

Anyway it is all theory & guesswork at the mo, so what will be will be, but I tell you one thing if he he does get out of this alive I bet he will not go near the water ever again.

Just my point of view loosely based on what is known so far. I know, a lot of ifs, buts & maybes.

An old river boat, past it's use by date, on th high seas in bad conditions; who'd've thought that'd end badly?

Originally Posted by V8Ian

An old river boat, past it's use by date, on the high seas in bad conditions; who'd've thought that'd end badly?

The old drum esky in the deck house looks like it's full of just what you need in an unseaworthy boat with a broken prop. What a pity there was no one to save him from himself. I have wondered how any one could buy a wreck like that, and sail away without some one raising some concerns. More likely old mate had this dream, pulled this wreck from the river , patched her up, and set off to fulfill his dream. About the only thing he did right this time was he was alone. When dream met reality I hope good fortune finds him safe and well. If not, I hope his end was quick.