Washington State Ferry and Coast Guard in newsworthy rescue

[RobLL]

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-ne ... io-strait/

After a wave took out a windshield, causing injuries the wind was too high for operating the boat. A Coast Guard crew handled the boat the WA DOT Ferry, the Samish ran wind interference.

No bad acting boaters, but a genuine accident. The only lesson I see in this is no multiple radios. Thataway's emphasis on this is right. They should have had at least one extra radio, and probably two. Standard handheld plus the satellite capable one.

 

[Salish_Explorer]

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/wa-ferry-crew-coast-guard-rescue-6-people-2-dogs-in-rosario-strait/

the wind was too high for operating the boat.

I read this and came to a different conclusion.

The idea of the wind being too extreme to operate the boat is belied by the fact that a coast guardsman took over the vessel and drove it safely to the nearby marina.

Additionally, before the CG arrived, the WSF vessel was able to ferry a couple of them off in an open RIB. WSF captains are conservative, and especially with the coast guard on the way would not have attempted this in a biblical storm.

Further, in photos published by the San Juan Islander newspaper, your can sea the sea state, and it's basically flat. Photos from the Coast guard show the same - lumpy waters, but nothing extreme.

What I see in those photos is a new, powerful boat - with a low, fine bow - floating on choppy but far from extreme seas, with a busted windshield.

To me the most likely explanation is an inexperienced operator going way too fast for conditions and burying the nose hard.

Photos:
https://sanjuanislander.com/news-ar...ew-and-coast-guard-rescue-6-people-and-2-dogs :note

 

[thataway]

It appears that the boat is an Axopar. I had wondered about the sea worthiness although I have never been aboard one, Certainly a poor design to have a windshield disintigrate under the conditions seen.

Certainly some of the passes off Rosario Strait get really gnarly depending on state of tide/currents and other sea state issues. I have taken water over the bow of a C Dory 22 in one of the San Juan Passes. (not into the Rosario Straits however), but can see under the right conditions that could occur.

The design of the bow of the Axopar boats seem to have minimal flare and reserve buoyancy foreward. You don't have to be going fast or be reckless to stuff a bow in some sea states.
The Axopar 37 is classed B or C (CE European yacht certification):

CE CLASS C boats are designed for travel close to the coasts and in large bays, estuaries, lakes and rivers in which winds can be up to force 6 (not exceeding) and waves may reach a height of 2 meters (not exceeding).

I am not certain this is the same model as in the rescue. But it has the same reverse shear of the windshield, and the wheel and instrument panel are very similar.

 

[olsurfdog]

Those boats look like they were specifically designed to go through waves- though I doubt that’s what the designers had in mind— a case of style over function. I know some sailboats these days are designed with going thru waves in mind but they don’t have open bow cockpits. With low freeboard, no flare, little reserve flotation and an open bow that boat has no place in open water. The only trick the designers missed to complete the “water shovel” was reverse shear forward (I guess the freeboard was already so low they couldn’t fit the downward sloping sheer???) YUCK!

 

[Robert H. Wilkinson]

Certainly a poor design to have a windshield disintigrate under the conditions seen.


The Axopar 37 is classed B or C (CE European yacht certification):

CE CLASS C boats are designed for travel close to the coasts and in large bays, estuaries, lakes and rivers in which winds can be up to force 6 (not exceeding) and waves may reach a height of 2 meters (not exceeding).

At the time of the incident wind was gusting to 30knots and waves predicted @ 2 meters - this would have been at the limits of its class.

I suspect inferior glazing / structure components. It is generally considered an advantage of the reverse rake that it is not subjected to the entire weight of green water coming down on it in a stuffing situation.

Glad all were safe.

Rob