Expensive yacht holed in a T-bone collision.

Boat launched : Atlantic 85.

Date : Saturday 23 August

Launched at : 13:10

Returned at : 13:56

Weather : Fine and with a slight sea but a F4/5 W wind.

Holed yacht coming into harbour.

Holed yacht coming into harbour.

August ended with an accident that left a couple leaving for a two week cruise devastated. A very smart 40ft Hallberg-Rassy yacht had just left Chichester Harbour under sail and was on starboard tack. Therefore they had the right of way. A yacht on a collision course with her and on port tack probably thought they could pass ahead of the Hallberg-Rassy. They misjudged it and ploughed into her port bow making a sizeable hole, fortunately above the water line. They immediately accepted responsibility for the damage done. The couple on the holed yacht called for assistance and the lifeboat crew were quickly on scene. A crew member went aboard to check how much water had come into the yacht. As they motored back towards the harbour nothing further was coming in through the hole, so the lifeboat escorted them (see picture) into Sparkes Marina where they could take stock and make calls to their insurance company! Sadly their holiday was ruined. All skippers need to always take avoiding action clearly and safely when they do not have the right of way and they are closing on a collision course with another vessel.

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Service Numbers 2019

Total Launches: 84
Atlantic 85: 42
D-Class: 42

Services Totals

2015 - 67
2014 -77
2013 - 86
2012 - 77

Tide Times

Tide times and heights not available for http://www.tidetimes.co.uk/rss/chichester-harbour-entrance-tide-times

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