The buck stops here

[wavelength]

The buck always stops with the skipper!
Keep a lookout by ALL means available at ALL times.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency Press Office: MASTER FINED AFTER WIND FARM COLLISION OFF NORFOLK COAST

[paddlers]

Didn't he have a torch ??

[John Kennett]

I wonder how common it actually is for skippers to navigate using the safety lights. I guess it's been done before, or there wouldn't need to be a company policy prohibiting it!

[slate1234]

I was of Llanddulas a last week there were a lot of boats and jet skis in and around the wind farm, a guy come on channel 16 asking all craft to leave the wind farm as it was building site and divers were at work, this happend on and off for around 15-20 min's then he requested security, who is security 6 miles out to sea ??

[whisper]

I nearly hit a wind farm once, I just didn't see it

[wavelength]

Regularly done, best to preserve night vision and not rely on searchlights but main thrust probably radar not turned on or not on correct settings or not being observed. Had crew been specifically briefed on that occasion to keep a lookout? Not easy navigating a boat like that in the conditions and trying to monitor all the kit yourself esp if your crew is useless. Some of our crew have been amazingly good and I would sail anywhere with them. I've trained em up to yachtmaster and they are now really good skippers. However some have been errr...b***y useless!

It was dark and the wind was gusting up to 45mph, with driving rain and rough seas

Should have been up and away before it ever got to that stage but been there and done that...commercial pressures and trying to get the job done/sudden increase in wind speed...but whatever the pressures its the skipper at the sharp end!

[Barrowboy]

Originally Posted by wavelength

Regularly done, best to preserve night vision and not rely on searchlights but main thrust probably radar not turned on or not on correct settings or not being observed. Had crew been specifically briefed on that occasion to keep a lookout? Not easy navigating a boat like that in the conditions and trying to monitor all the kit yourself esp if your crew is useless. Some of our crew have been amazingly good and I would sail anywhere with them. I've trained em up to yachtmaster and they are now really good skippers. However some have been errr...b***y useless!


Should have been up and away before it ever got to that stage but been there and done that...commercial pressures and trying to get the job done/sudden increase in wind speed...but whatever the pressures its the skipper at the sharp end!

Hear Hear.

[Boatnomad]

Yep,bad place on a dirty night,nice wheelhouse

[wavelength]

nice wheelhouse

seen better!

[Rogue Wave]

Originally Posted by wavelength

.but whatever the pressures its the skipper at the sharp end!

did the island panther have a sharp end after the incident?

[wavelength]

did the island panther have a sharp end after the incident

probably not Stu, but then again didn't really have one beforehand.

Feel sorry for the skipper really, there were far more serious accidents with skippers who really, really, did cock it up with windfarm vessels in that period...even on the same night! News suppression must have been in overdrive with some of them that never made the news although we had e mailed photos of the damage whilst one particular incident was still at sea being sorted. And e mailed warnings against sharing any of them on social media.

But whatever the pressures from armchair admirals in nice warm marine control rooms if it all goes wrong the skipper will get hung out to dry whilst all others step back smartly "Skipper's Decision" is the mantra.
Still love the job though Get to drive some brilliant boats. Just need to remember to drive them round things it seems.

[captnjack]

Originally Posted by wavelength

The buck always stops with the skipper!
Keep a lookout by ALL means available at ALL times.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency Press Office: MASTER FINED AFTER WIND FARM COLLISION OFF NORFOLK COAST

We don't have wind farms here. But a skipper colliding with a fixed object causing vessel damage and injuring passengers is not likely to keep his Master's license here. So a mere £3,000, no fatalities or super serious sounding injuries sounds like he got off pretty easy.

[Barrowboy]

Originally Posted by captnjack

We don't have wind farms here.

..Yet

[captnjack]

Originally Posted by Barrowboy

..Yet

Ocean wind farms are not very practical here (in Washington State), they are land based as the winds on the east side of the mountains are more reliable and the distribution infrastructure is already there from the large Columbia River hydro projects.

There is considerable interest in tidal power, but also pretty substantial environmental documentation hurdle that will be going on for a long long time. Mostly due to charismatic endangered species like Chinook Salmon and the southern resident Orca whale population.

But running into any fixed object with injuries and you're probably going to lose your license here...

[wavelength]

But running into any fixed object with injuries and you're probably going to lose your license here

likely here also but the job of the court was to fine or whatever on the charges brought. It would probably be a "board" that would look at his commercial endorsements and decide if he keeps them or not.

Running into fixed objects is what windfarm skippers do every day. Just a case of hitting the right object at the right speed

But if you haven't been there and done that folk cannot really appreciate his situation. The wind has got up and its blowing a *******! Its rough, dark and raining! He has guys up at least one turbine to get down safely onto the vessel which is unlikely to stay still when he pushes on to it.
The boat may well suddenly drop a dozen ladder rungs and then shoot back up again past his original point and drop again. He will have his crew on deck at that point but hopefully not someone on the ladder. There is a chance of blood on the deck in this scenario and the consequences that would follow.
And whilst this is all going through his mind along with the thought of "what the **** am I doing out here!?" he has to actually get the boat to the right turbine through the maze of a dark rough windfarm and then get pushed onto it with shed loads of power on whilst being helmsman/radar operator/navigator/ radio operator and ships engineer, lookout and captain of the vessel managing the safety of everyone onboard.
Not at all like being the "captn" of a little rib this windfarm job!

[Barrowboy]

Originally Posted by wavelength

likely here also but the job of the court was to fine or whatever on the charges brought. It would probably be a "board" that would look at his commercial endorsements and decide if he keeps them or not.

Running into fixed objects is what windfarm skippers do every day. Just a case of hitting the right object at the right speed

But if you haven't been there and done that folk cannot really appreciate his situation. The wind has got up and its blowing a *******! Its rough, dark and raining! He has guys up at least one turbine to get down safely onto the vessel which is unlikely to stay still when he pushes on to it.
The boat may well suddenly drop a dozen ladder rungs and then shoot back up again past his original point and drop again. He will have his crew on deck at that point but hopefully not someone on the ladder. There is a chance of blood on the deck in this scenario and the consequences that would follow.
And whilst this is all going through his mind along with the thought of "what the **** am I doing out here!?" he has to actually get the boat to the right turbine through the maze of a dark rough windfarm and then get pushed onto it with shed loads of power on whilst being helmsman/radar operator/navigator/ radio operator and ships engineer, lookout and captain of the vessel managing the safety of everyone onboard.
Not at all like being the "captn" of a little rib this windfarm job!

You forgot to mention the unlit monopiles (awaiting the installation of TP's) that sit on, or just below, the surface at high water the positions of which are sent out to everyone as 10mb attachments in email updates that you've got absolutely NO chance of downloading whilst 'bobbing' around in the field miles from a reliable internet connection!

[wavelength]

yep good innit! One boat torpedoed a few weeks back! when the numpty on the platform forgot to hook in the big gas cylinder he had been using for welding! Lifted the bags over the side of the platform with the crane on the TP and the gas cylinder which must have been hanging on with friction stiction etc etc dropped out of the clutch of bags on the crane and fell all that way apparently in a perfect vertical attitude.....straight through the deck etc etc etc of the awaiting vessel pushing onto the J tubes below