Aground on the Goodwin Sands!!!!!

Jon Brooks · 25 August 2007, 19:12

So there we were heading out to the Goodwin Sands today with a full boat off to see the Seals.

As we approched the North Head I spotted a sailing vessel lurch to one side.
First thought were that it was healed over catching some wind.
Oh how wrong was I!!

As we turn past North Head it became very clear that the boat was "well" aground on the sand bank.

I called the vessel on ch16 to see if they needed any help, no answer.
Decided to repeat the call, again no answer.
I even tried the loud hailer to raise there attention.
Clearly to busy with their own problems to notice the 9m, bright yellow RIB!!

I called Dover Coastguard and past on the details, what we saw, where we were etc.
I am not sure they beleived me when I told them the vessel had two crew in the water trying to dig the keel out!!!

We were asked to stand by by Dover as they launched the Ramsgate inshore lifeboat.

Here are some pix of the event, hard to believe we are six miles ofshore!!!

Jon Brooks · 25 August 2007, 19:13

More........

BogMonster · 25 August 2007, 19:53

He must have felt a tw*t for not looking at his charts

Love the photo of the bloke standing up in the water

Did they get it off/how? or didn't you hang around to see the end?

Jon Brooks · 25 August 2007, 22:01

The ILB put a man on the sands to chat with the Geman crew.

It was felt that the All Weather boat would be needed but would be unable to do anything till high tide, some 2.5 hours later.
The crew of the vessel were in good spirits with comms to Dover so the ILB returned to Ramsgate.

Both the ILB and ALB left came out later to recover the vessel.

Am not sure of the out come but will find out in the morning.

Cheers

nikster · 27 August 2007, 16:45

spring low tide 199....- i landed this on the goodwin sands

i will see if my buddy who i was with has got the photo - we landed, he jumped out the back door we left the engines running, took a snap then lept off again...... was one of the best flying jobs i have ever done.... flying up the dover straights in a 40kt breeze at bridge height on containerships, putting 2 stages of flap down and almost hovering next to the ship waving to the crew on the bridge.... random...

BogMonster · 27 August 2007, 16:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikster

spring low tide 199....- i landed this on the goodwin sands

i will see if my buddy who i was with has got the photo - we landed, he jumped out the back door we left the engines running, took a snap then lept off again...... was one of the best flying jobs i have ever done.... flying up the dover straights in a 40kt breeze at bridge height on containerships, putting 2 stages of flap down and almost hovering next to the ship waving to the crew on the bridge.... random...

Excellent, we have a few of those here in the local air service

Limey Linda · 27 August 2007, 16:58

So why has the silly buger still got his main up ?

nikster · 27 August 2007, 16:59

Stephan,

FIGAS cabs...... :-) if my friend was staying down there then i would have come down there to work for them - but she is bringing HMS DC back in November - so wont be down till next year again... have you got many ribs in the F.I?

nick

BogMonster · 27 August 2007, 17:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikster

FIGAS cabs...... :-) if my friend was staying down there then i would have come down there to work for them - but she is bringing HMS DC back in November - so wont be down till next year again... have you got many ribs in the F.I?

I account for about 10% of the RIB population I think

The last time I saw another RIB in the water at the same time as me was on New Year's Day... shame really as it is so much better when there are a few of you!

codprawn · 27 August 2007, 17:06

I take it that's a Britten Norman Islander? Never been in one but have flown in and flown Twin Otters many times. Would be a bit wary landing on a sandbank - quicksand does nothing for your undercarriage!!!

nikster · 27 August 2007, 17:12

Codders, the goodwin sands in places is very firm indeed and we only needed 150 mtrs for the landing and take off with short field flap setting - i went out 2 weeks prior in a hovercraft so was happy that i had "walked the field" prior to landing... as soon as we got back to Lydd we washed down the U/C and squirted some magic in the right places....

Stephan - are any of the Ribs coded down there? do they get much work?

Jon Brooks · 27 August 2007, 19:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Limey Linda

So why has the silly buger still got his main up ?

Have to say I had the same thought but am not much of a sailor so thought he was ok!

chris123 · 27 August 2007, 20:13

Maybe he thought he could use the main to heel the boat over and lift the keel? If he thought he could put someone overboard to dig the boat out he was obviously into clutching at straws

Cypman · 27 August 2007, 21:09

Hi All

I have the 'benefit' !!! of being a sailor as well as a Petrol Head so feel I can provide some inside knowledge regarding the Mainsail. When you first come to a grinding halt it is usual that only the bottom of the keel will have come into contact with the sea bed. If one is then quick to react and/or lucky one can heel the boat and float off, this must be done with great speed on a falling tide !!!
The best way to heel a boat quickly is to hang heavy weights on the end of the boom and swing it out at right angles to the boat, crew are usually utilised as heavy weights !!! In order for the boom to support this extra weight it is easier and stronger to leave the mainsail up, also dropping the mainsail and rigging a boom uphaul takes up time which you don't have !!!
Et voila

BogMonster · 27 August 2007, 21:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikster

Stephan - are any of the Ribs coded down there? do they get much work?

No coded ones that I am aware of, no.

Limey Linda · 27 August 2007, 21:36

Sorry Cyperman
Look at the photo again. They are way past bouncing the keel off the bottom.
The boom is not rigged out. All they are doing with the main up is putting strain on the keel bolts and causing other damage.

Bigmuz7 · 27 August 2007, 22:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Limey Linda

Sorry Cyperman
Look at the photo again. They are way past bouncing the keel off the bottom.
The boom is not rigged out. All they are doing with the main up is putting strain on the keel bolts and causing other damage.

I wondered that too.. but I agree, any force available to move off the sand must be an advantage, after all the keel is holding the boat down, so any force on the mainsail would be a benefit ? Although admittedly, they might as well have had a G&T and waited for high tide... as long as they had ice of course

Limey Linda · 27 August 2007, 23:07

And while I am on my high horse. A line that holds a boom or yard is called a topping lift not an up haul. Cheeky buger arn't I. So Cypman is a trainer???

Channel Ribs · 28 August 2007, 06:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikster

Flying up the dover straights in a 40kt breeze at bridge height on containerships, putting 2 stages of flap down and almost hovering next to the ship waving to the crew on the bridge.

Hello Nick,

A familair story.

genoa · 28 August 2007, 08:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Limey Linda

So why has the silly buger still got his main up ?

Hi Jon,
Where was the deep water in relation to the yacht. Was it a spit or the whole bank? What was the wind direction?
- Lets have the FACTS before slating the poor foreigner! (The goodwins (especially the inside channel) are not the easiest to navigate on a yacht.

In answer to your question Linda, there is a very well known example (in Swallows and Amazons) of dragging a boat over a spit to deep water by a hard sheeted main on a close reach. I have seen the same 'technique' off the Chichest bar when the skipper ran aground, but knowing he had deep water to lee, after getting over the bar, effectively dragged the boat over with a significant heel, but he felt that better than drying out. Perhaps opening hours beckoned?

From the photo, and the breaking waves he has obviously run onto a lee shore, but where if there is deep water beyond nearby there is an option.

The other reasons for keeping the main up in such a situation are:
1. to heel the boat the right way - have you ever seen a yacht dryout 'downhill'? Not nice!! - Although I'd usually go for the anchor chain for this.
2. Visibility for rescue
3. To protect the keel /hull structure by not bouncing on them in shallow water. (Often anchor warp taken up on main halyard is used to get this heel on)

What did your punters make of the diversion Jon?