Reminder to us all

bogib · 10 September 2005, 21:57

Lost a dear friend today and another missing after coallite with rock just out of Reykjavik, a route we need to pass on our way out and in of our marina, three are injured thereof two are kept in intensive care.

The accident happened at 02.00 am (03.00 am UK time) in dark, fog and rain.

The lesson basically is this; never take anything as granted although you know the route extremely well and fog, darkness surely will change the whole image and never count to much on your GPS as few metres difference can make a whole lot difference.

The boat involved was a brand new (two weeks old) Skilsö 33 Arctic hardboat.

Here are link to the Icelandic TV news

http://dagskra.ruv.is/streaming/sjon...file=4184518/0

Also picture taken this morning from the scene where the boat sank.

Bogi

hard1 · 11 September 2005, 01:42

Condolences on your sad loss my friend. A timely reminder indeed that the sea is to be respected, always.

codprawn · 11 September 2005, 02:20

A very sad loss - especially when they thought they were almost home and dry!!!

eupa · 11 September 2005, 08:54

Whilst I sincerely regret loss of life in any circumstance-- and my condolences
to the surviving relatives- it seems that not many small ribs,boats are equipped with radar- and for that matter,- there not many posts on this subject. While I was looking at the sailing boats in Nieuwport the other day- I noticed that practically all the yachts had radar - whereas ribs and hardboats dont seem to carry it.

I have a JRC 1500 watt radar and it is an most useful bit of kit. It will pick out small buoys up to about 1000 meters on the small scale. Basicaly its another pair of eyes and with a little experience in using it-it becomes very handy.Opinions please??. I suppose its the height of the antenna that counts?? Mine is mounted some 3 meters above sea level on the cabin and seems quite adequate

Jonathan

gavin · 11 September 2005, 09:00

It looks so calm now in the photo, I am sure many people have been caught out by it when the tide covers it, it seems a particularly nasty outcrop and out from the shore a bit too, sorry to hear about your friend ,hope the missing friend is found and the crew in hospital are okay.
After an inncident like this would the authoritys consider marking the rock with a lighted cardinal buoy or something

joakimhansson · 11 September 2005, 09:25

Only the good dies young! I hate when good friends pass away, last summer i lost a friend in paraglide.

I feel with you.

(i hope my english is good enough, so you don´t missunderstund me)

TIM · 11 September 2005, 09:27

sorry to here about loss of your friends Bogib. I hope your other friends in hosiptal make a full recovery.

bogib · 11 September 2005, 11:49

Thank you all for your kindness, unfortunately he is still missing we will be starting the search again this afternoon.

The sad thing about this all that the sea was dead calm that night and the rocks are very well known to all of us hes just cruising wrong side of the bouy in dark, fog and rain and too fast on low tide (difference between high and low at the moment is 5,5 metres).

Bogi

gavin · 11 September 2005, 12:07

In your photo are the lifeboats old ex Rnli Arun and D classes

bogib · 11 September 2005, 12:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by gavin

In your photo are the lifeboats old ex Rnli Arun and D classes

So far we have got 5 ex RNLI Arun´s two of them are located here at great Reykjavik area, one is located at each of following towns Siglufjörður, Raufarhöfn and Grindavik (which actually had the first one from Aberdeen and Bob coxwain of Montrose (good dear friend of mine) sailed it across in bad weather in October few years back.

Bogi

prairie tuber · 11 September 2005, 19:54

My condolences Bogi, very sorry to hear of this.

pressman · 11 September 2005, 21:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by bogib

So far we have got 5 ex RNLI Arun´s two of them are located here at great Reykjavik area, one is located at each of following towns Siglufjörður, Raufarhöfn and Grindavik (which actually had the first one from Aberdeen and Bob coxwain of Montrose (good dear friend of mine) sailed it across in bad weather in October few years back.

Bogi

Our Arun from Calshot went to Iceland, Margaret Russel Fraser. Along with Everyone else our thoughts are with you

bogib · 11 September 2005, 21:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by pressman

Our Arun from Calshot went to Iceland, Margaret Russel Fraser

I will see where she is located now and post here tomorrow.

Our search today was not succesful as I am just back home, weather forecast for tomorrow is not looking good force 9+ and rain if that will be the case further search on sea will be postponed otherwise back on sea after work tomorrow.

Bogi

pressman · 11 September 2005, 21:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by bogib

I will see where she is located now and post here tomorrow.

Our search today was not succesful as I am just back home, weather forecast for tomorrow is not looking good force 9+ and rain if that will be the case further search on sea will be postponed otherwise back on sea after work tomorrow.

Bogi

Good Luck Bogib

jackeen · 11 September 2005, 22:11

sorry to read about this Bogib

Paul

Nick Hearne · 12 September 2005, 10:08

Bogi, our thoughts are with you, very sad!
Nick

bogib · 12 September 2005, 12:09

On the map here the search area is marked yellow

Bogi

danny · 12 September 2005, 12:20

sorry to here about loss of your friends Bogib.
I hope that the rest of the crew will come out better.

bogib · 16 September 2005, 20:56

Police released this afternoon their preliminary report on the accident and unfortunately it confirmed my suspicions which I had hoped not to be true.

The trip started just after 19.00 hours on Friday evening and according to the boats GPS (plotter) it recorded boat heading west on right course through the "Viðeyjarsund" channel then suddenly it is taken 180 degree course on reletively high speed and hit "Skarfasker" rock. Both owners are highly suspected to have been drinking alcohol earlier in the evening and during the trip and are therefore interragated as suspects in homocide without intention.

I must say I have in number of occasions not be happy on how my friends drink alcohol and drive their boats as it is dead serious matter driving and drinking alcohol of any kind can never be justified.

It has nothing to do with that I do not drink alcohol myself and I respect all those who do and that is for their own enjoyement.

Our search for Friðrik tomorrow will now be done under heavy dark clouds of the statement from the police and I fear there will be a lot fewer people coming.

Bogi

hard1 · 17 September 2005, 13:55

Oh dear. I am dead against police interference in our sport/profession as it is one of the very last "freedoms" left. But, left to self-policing, it seems that some are intent on proving that we can't be trusted. Mostly nothing happens, but occasionally this kind of tragedy. Where I am, I see this all the time over a short 3 mile stretch of water between 2 harbours. (What a give-away!) Why no-one has been killed is a total mystery to me but many boats have been wrecked (including £100,000 damage to a lifeboat) All through alcohol. It's only a matter of time before it is "policed" for us and we will have to pick up the tab.

Bogi, sorry again for your troubles.