Storm beaches yacht on Phuket's Kata Beach

[webfact]

Storm beaches yacht on Phuket’s Kata Beach
Anton Makhrov


The ketch lies canted over on Kata Beach. Photo LivingInKata

PHUKET: -- The Australian owners of a sailing ketch are trying again today (April 3) to get the yacht off Kata Beach where it became stranded on Wednesday night (April 1).

According to Kirill Stashevsky of Phuket’s Gokova Sailing School the two Australian – not yet named – had just bought the ketch, the Scilly Islands-registered Inisfail, from a friend in Ranong.

On the way from Ranong to Phuket, the boat’s engine started to overheat so the duo had to turn it off and continue to Phuket under sail.

When they reached Kata Beach, after dark, they decided to stop for the night and then sail around to the east side of Phuket yesterday to get the engine repaired.

“They told me that in the middle of the night a 15-minute storm came in and un-anchored the yacht.

“The owners, who were on board, first tried to start the engine but couldn’t. They then tried to set the sails but the boat was washed ashore before they could do so – though I seriously doubt that sail would have helped anyway.

“I gave them all the necessary contacts and yesterday they arranged for an excavator to dig a channel to the sea. One of the brothers told me that the Kata rescue centre had promised to provide a tug-boat but this didn’t happen.

“One possible explanation is that reaching Kata from Phuket Town with a tugboat takes around two hours. Can you imaging a tugboat captain coming all this way without a guarantee that he will be paid even if he fails to get the yacht into deep water? There is always some risk of failure.”

It is understood that another attempt is being made today to refloat the yacht.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/storm-beaches-yacht-on-phukets-kata-beach-51700.php

-- Phuket News 2015-04-03

[Shot]

Perhaps the new owners could remove the Inis

[LivinginKata]

From various blog report it would appear that these 2 Australians might not have been the most effective sea persons. Anchoring up in a new place requires some sort of anchor watch, although what they could do with a broken engine is challenging.

I can speak with some authority on this as I was a liveaboard a ketch for 8 years in the Med, Sailed mostly single handed, had 2 engine failures over the years, one engine overheat, the other a fuel pump failure, both at the worst possible time when entering a tight channel harbour. Anchoring up in unknown area is always a challenge, I got very little sleep until I was sure the anchor (usually more than one) was secure.

Best of luck to those guys, hope they refloat and repair. It's an old boat but has the look of quite seaworthy.

[Bullie]

Old, but sturdy, by the look of it. Longkeeled, which should help.

I don't understand the comment about this tug-captain not showing up. I'm from Holland, there would be loads of seasharks willing to go for this enterprise of getting them of the beach. It's all a matter of money.

Anyway, as a professional sailor I can say that they should not have anchored there, at least not without a second anchor, etc, etc., but it is still a very salvagable situation, provided they still have some money in the kitty.

[LivinginKata]

Still there today so no sucessful refloat. Indeed it was almost all out of the water at low tide.

[noikrit]

Spring tides are nearly over ... they may have to wait a few weeks ..... Never a nice thing to happen ... Good Luck guys !! ... Sail On !..

[Searat7]

From various blog report it would appear that these 2 Australians might not have been the most effective sea persons. Anchoring up in a new place requires some sort of anchor watch, although what they could do with a broken engine is challenging.

I can speak with some authority on this as I was a liveaboard a ketch for 8 years in the Med, Sailed mostly single handed, had 2 engine failures over the years, one engine overheat, the other a fuel pump failure, both at the worst possible time when entering a tight channel harbour. Anchoring up in unknown area is always a challenge, I got very little sleep until I was sure the anchor (usually more than one) was secure.

Best of luck to those guys, hope they refloat and repair. It's an old boat but has the look of quite seaworthy.

Anchoring without a working engine is difficult because you need to back down after lowering anchor to make sure it is secured at the bottom

[NamKangMan]

Old, but sturdy, by the look of it. Longkeeled, which should help.

I don't understand the comment about this tug-captain not showing up. I'm from Holland, there would be loads of seasharks willing to go for this enterprise of getting them of the beach. It's all a matter of money.

Anyway, as a professional sailor I can say that they should not have anchored there, at least not without a second anchor, etc, etc., but it is still a very salvagable situation, provided they still have some money in the kitty.

The owners may be waiting on an international bank transfer to pay for the salvage.

Given that it is Easter, and bank transactions will not be processed until the next business day (Tuesday) - this maybe why it's still sitting on the beach.

[steelepulse]

I saw this yesterday afternoon during low tide and a backhoe had dug out quite a bit of sand. With last nights high tide, I would have thought they were able to get free, but apparently not.

[BernieOnTour]

From various blog report it would appear that these 2 Australians might not have been the most effective sea persons. Anchoring up in a new place requires some sort of anchor watch, although what they could do with a broken engine is challenging.

I can speak with some authority on this as I was a liveaboard a ketch for 8 years in the Med, Sailed mostly single handed, had 2 engine failures over the years, one engine overheat, the other a fuel pump failure, both at the worst possible time when entering a tight channel harbour. Anchoring up in unknown area is always a challenge, I got very little sleep until I was sure the anchor (usually more than one) was secure.

Best of luck to those guys, hope they refloat and repair. It's an old boat but has the look of quite seaworthy.

Anchoring without a working engine is difficult because you need to back down after lowering anchor to make sure it is secured at the bottom

Well, as a result, sailors in former centuries would have never had a secured anchorage ...

IMHO we are nowadays just to accustomed to use an engine.

[Cylon]

What Storm ??????

[robertthebruce]

They are two tugs there now trying to pull it out...

Watching this from the Terrace..

Another day in ''Paradise''...

[LivinginKata]

What Storm ??????

Quite a thunderstorm that early morning. Would not be surprised if a short squall blew up.

[deepcell]

Looks like it is stucked in the sand, really hard to move on, the guys need to wait for high tide and with luck and help of the tugboat to attempt to pull it back to the water.

[robertthebruce]

The tug boats have given up, maybe waiting for the tide to come in ???

passed a mornings viewing, very interesting..

[LivinginKata]

High tide is long over. I spend an amusing hour watching the lack of progress. Tug boats - no. Low powered fishing boats. So called salvage crew had no clue and no radio coms to the beach. I never noticed the 2 Aussie owners anywhere. Fishing boats tried pulling one line from the bow and one line from the stern. Then tried in tandem. Then back to stern and bow, but the line to the bow broke 2 times.Meanwhile the Yacht never really moved. I gave up and went home.

Have a look at how they rigged the stern line. Round the rudder post. OMG...

[LivinginKata]

Anchoring without a working engine is difficult because you need to back down after lowering anchor to make sure it is secured at the bottom

Well, as a result, sailors in former centuries would have never had a secured anchorage ...

IMHO we are nowadays just to accustomed to use an engine.

My sailing instructor coached us into anchoring, coming alongside, departing, all under sail. Must say it was a harrowing and angry reaction by neighbouring boats. But it taught me how much can be done under sail.

[wabothai]

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From various blog report it would appear that these 2 Australians might not have been the most effective sea persons. Anchoring up in a new place requires some sort of anchor watch, although what they could do with a broken engine is challenging.

I can speak with some authority on this as I was a liveaboard a ketch for 8 years in the Med, Sailed mostly single handed, had 2 engine failures over the years, one engine overheat, the other a fuel pump failure, both at the worst possible time when entering a tight channel harbour. Anchoring up in unknown area is always a challenge, I got very little sleep until I was sure the anchor (usually more than one) was secure.

Best of luck to those guys, hope they refloat and repair. It's an old boat but has the look of quite seaworthy.

normally one chooses to go out to see on a small sail.

[Bullie]

Thing is, it's only worth like 65,000 dollars - at most. Still, at Thai prices it would be worth to dig a canal (easy), have a strong tug standing by at high tide, and go for it. Easy, peasy.

[LivinginKata]

Thing is, it's only worth like 65,000 dollars - at most. Still, at Thai prices it would be worth to dig a canal (easy), have a strong tug standing by at high tide, and go for it. Easy, peasy.

US$65,000 that much ?? They tried digging a canal yesterday, and where can you hire a 'strong' tug here on Phuket island for small money. Catch 22 situation.

[green job]

The very same thing happened to my Ketch in Langkawi,on the Lanai beach,in fact twice. Caused through a lac of resposibility by a so called Yacht-Master ( capitain ) out on the piss.

She was 32 ton ferro-cement. It took one tug from Wave-Master 1 hour to pull her off the beach. She was full of sand and sea water. In fact the ketch in question is very much the same

as mine,also built in Australia.

I wish them success,and not too much damage.

[BernieOnTour]

High tide is long over. I spend an amusing hour watching the lack of progress. Tug boats - no. Low powered fishing boats. So called salvage crew had no clue and no radio coms to the beach. I never noticed the 2 Aussie owners anywhere. Fishing boats tried pulling one line from the bow and one line from the stern. Then tried in tandem. Then back to stern and bow, but the line to the bow broke 2 times.Meanwhile the Yacht never really moved. I gave up and went home.

Have a look at how they rigged the stern line. Round the rudder post. OMG...

I am aware of the saying "the best shipmasters are always sitting ashore" , but anyway my 5 satangs worth:

If anyone living in LOS allows southern Thai to do such an operation without giving out clear instructions and supervising it, they are doing something wrong...

[LivinginKata]

Just had a look a few minutes ago. No change. No action. Looks like the 2 fishing boats are at anchor off the island.

[skatewash]

Maybe they're waiting for the next Spring Tide, which will occur on noon Monday (1.68 m). That's the highest tide they're going to have for the next week.

Looked like there was a little activity a few minutes ago, maybe going to pump out the water again. The fishing boats don't seem to be doing anything, although they are still connected by line to the Inisfail.

[hansgruber]

Lots of the interior of the boat is all over the beach. Seem some kids using a piece of varnished wood to dig a hole in the sand.

The gps units are sitting on the sand and are obviously ruined.

[LivinginKata]

I'm sure the interior is ruined by seawater, side windows looked broken, and over the last 4 days the surf has poured in. Owners must be wondering if it's worth the salvage costs. I would think that the 'authories' will insist the boat is moved. I would not like to be in their boots.

[Shot]

[losworld]

I am not a sailor but would it not be possible to anchor a couple good sized boats offshore and attach a couple winches and winch it out with a tide and a dig?

Edited April 5, 2015 by losworld

[LivinginKata]

I am not a sailor but would it not be possible to anchor a couple good sized boats offshore and attach a couple winches and winch it out with a tide and a dig?

Better to have a powerful tug pulling and a backhoe digging, and a properly coordinated salvage team. They tried the backhoe and no tug, then they tried the fishing boats and no backhoe. Coms beteen the various teams was not existant. Lot of waving of arms and shouting.

[losworld]

I am not a sailor but would it not be possible to anchor a couple good sized boats offshore and attach a couple winches and winch it out with a tide and a dig?

Better to have a powerful tug pulling and a backhoe digging, and a properly coordinated salvage team. They tried the backhoe and no tug, then they tried the fishing boats and no backhoe. Coms beteen the various teams was not existant. Lot of waving of arms and shouting.

I understand the tug advantage but wouldn't a couple winches be preferable over fishing boats?