Human frailty blamed for

Press, 1 July 1983, Page 1

Human frailty blamed for

yachting tragedies PA Wellington Human frailty rather than a failure of boats or organisations caused the loss of eight lives and two yachts at the Queen’s Birthday week-end, a Government investigation has found.

Four yachts returning from the Auckland-Suva race struck severe weather. The Lionheart II hit rocks off Northland and sank with the loss of seven lives, while one man died as the Southern Raider crew transferred to a rescuing cargo ship in the Tasman. The Yoriko and Chicane also ran into heavy seas and gales, and summoned rescuers.

A review of criteria for the selection of skippers and crews for post-race voyages to New Zealand was recommended in a report made by the director of the Ministry of Transport’s Marine Division, Mr Hugh Jones, and released last evening. However, the report said that the crews’ “qualifications and experience appeared ... to be reasonable.”

It also said the boats, while perhaps more lightly constructed than “those of yesteryear” withstood the elements remarkably well. The Minister of Trans-

port, Mr Gair, said no formal inquiry would be held into the loss of the Lionheart II or Southern Raider “because the facts had been established.” Mr Gair asked the Yachting Federation to pay attention to aspects highlighted in Mr Jones’s report, including the review of selection criteria and:

@ Weather-reporting procedures for yachtsmen, including communication, presentation and interpretation of information.

© Improved dissemination of information on the handling and sailing of yachts in bad weather.

The Lionheart II sinking “must be attributed to the decision of the skipper to try to make a landfall and enter harbour under extremely unfavourable and difficult conditions,” according to Mr Jones. The skipper, Grant Stapleton, “was influenced in part by having two incapacitated crew members aboard — one suffering

from seasickness and one with an injured shoulder.” Mr Stapleton was the sole survivor of the sinking. He struggled ashore after attempting to save the life of a female crew member.

The Whangarei Superintendent of Mercantile Marine, Mr Nelson Connelly, said the grounding and subsequent loss of the Lionheart II were the result of the skipper’s decision to approach land in severe weather, poor visibility, and lack of appreciation of the yacht’s position.

“The basis for his decisions was the need for medical attention for some of the crew. We feel that a prudent skipper would have stood off for the night,” Mr Connelly said.

The crew had sufficient sailing experience and qualifications to sail the yacht, Mr Jones said.

“What was really lacking was judgment and firmness on the part of the skipper. He should have kept to sea or possibly tried to enter the Bay of Islands, with its better light and more open approach.”

Mr Jones said that although wind and sea conditions were atrocious, all the evidence points to the fact that the boats themselves withstood the elements remarkably well. “No yacht was dismasted and although knock-downs and complete roll-overs were reportedly experienced, no yacht foundered from this cause nor failed to right itself.

“Knock-downs are undoubtedly extremely frightening and unpleasant for the crews, but the self-righting requirement and capability of the modern yacht were clearly justified and demonstrated.” Mr Jones said, “It may be true that modern yachts are more lightly (but not less strongly) constructed than those of yesteryear, that they require more skilled handling, and that they impose greater demands on their crews. “This, however, is a matter which owners and race committees must take into account when selecting and approving skippers and crews.” The general tenor of views expressed to the division overwhelmingly endorsed the ability of modern yachts, when properly handled, to withstand and sail through severe gales and storms.

Mr Jones’s report said there had been numerous comments, some speculation and some allegations, concerning the experience or lack of experience of the skippers and crews. “Crews were not the racing crews which sailed the yachts to Suva but nevertheless their qualifications and experience appeared, on the basis of it, to be reasonable.

“Not everyone in the return journey crews had previous ocean cruising experience, but each of the yachts had at least a nucleus of persons who had,” Mr Jones said. The report said the Queen’s Birthday week-end incidents “are, unfortunately, almost certain to occur again, in spite of everyone’s best endeavours.”

“It must be recognised by all concerned that putting to sea in any vessel, large or small, carries with it some element of risk.” There was no evidence to suggest that any owner failed in his responsibility towards his yacht or its crew.

The report said there was evidence of a “lack of appreciation of the weather and failure to appreciate that local conditions within a weather system can vary considerably.”