Pan Pan! Trouble on Riff Bank in the Moray Firth, sailing incident & Rescue by Invergordan rnli.

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  • Опубліковано 27 чер 2024
  • Our luck runs out, we run into engine issues just at the worst point, in a tidal flow, drifting towards Riff Bank in the Moray Firth.
    Just to explain why we couldn't sail out of the situation. Baru is not a yacht, she is a motor sailer, and is heavy 6.5 tonnes, while she does sail nicely when the wind is in the right direction. On this occasion the gusts were ok, but hitting only 10 degrees off our bow, so in the dead area for us, she will not sail so close hauled. We also had a 4kt current against the wind, so that was giving wind over tide, and pushing us into the sand bank. Baru also is shallow keeled, so does tend to be easily pushed, to over come this the engine is required.
    Now not knowing for sure what the bottom was like, I had a very good idea that it would soft sand or mud. we had just come out of 30 odd metres of depth rising rapidly to 5m with the sand bank 1 nm away. With a 4kt current I had 15mins only before we would have been on it.
    As to the wind following when we were under tow, yes it was, by then it was 2 hrs later, and the breeze, as it had died down by then, had shifted.
    The last thing we wanted to do was put the call out, but there was no alternative.
    A couple with a rib did try to help, the idea was to tow us into the lee of Fort George so I could change filters etc, but even with Thier 60hp outboard they could not pull us against the tidal flow so I could take the strain off the anchor chain, we tried to lift the anchor, but with the strain on the chain it caused it to jam on the stripper, breaking it.
    This video was shot during the initial breakdown and throughout the real pan pan call and rescue by the Invergordan and North Kessock rnli. Some pieces have been edited to protect identities.
    We hope the video will help others, and show how to deal with a serious incident at sea.
    We are not professionals, but have completed a number of leisure crew and skipper courses over a number of years.
    Our latest book 'Ain't Going Nowhere' can be ordered from books2read.com/u/b5X55A
    This looks at life on a boat in lockdown.
    Our first book Small Boat Big Plans.
    ia available through Amazon at amzn.to/3nFf06J
    #boats #boating #boatinglife #motorboats #sailing #sailboats
    Follow us on facebook at / myavagrace
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 48

  • @seaglassfishing
    @seaglassfishing Місяць тому +10

    Good drills on deploying the anchor straight away, nice and calm no panicking. Good radio skills, I learnt a few things here and I'm sure others will have too. All the very best.

    • @MyAvaGrace
      @MyAvaGrace  Місяць тому

      Thanks, it's a long time since I did my training, but it comes back.

  • @Rascalafm17
    @Rascalafm17 Місяць тому +4

    What a welcoming sight to see the RNLI approaching from the distance. Imagine if they didn't exist:

    • @MyAvaGrace
      @MyAvaGrace  Місяць тому +1

      Absolutely, the fact they are all unpaid volunteers as well. We do contribute to the rnli and it's worth every penny.

  • @ThamesShips
    @ThamesShips Місяць тому +2

    Great video. Thankful that everyone is safe and OK.

  • @MyAvaGrace
    @MyAvaGrace  Місяць тому +4

    Just to explain why we couldn't sail out of the situation. Baru is not a yacht, she is a motor sailer, and is heavy 6.5 tonnes, while she does sail nicely when the wind is in the right direction. On this occasion the gusts were ok, but hitting only 10 degrees off our bow, so in the dead area for us, she will not sail so close hauled. We also had a 4kt current against the wind, so that was giving wind over tide, and pushing us into the sand bank. Baru also is shallow keeled, so does tend to be easily pushed, to over come this the engine is required.
    Now not knowing for sure what the bottom was like, I had a very good idea that it would soft sand or mud. we had just come out of 30 odd metres of depth rising rapidly to 5m with the sand bank 1 nm away. With a 4kt current I had 15mins only before we would have been on it.
    As to the wind following when we were under tow, yes it was, by then it was 2 hrs later, and the breeze, as it had died down by then, had shifted.
    The last thing we wanted to do was put the call out, but there was no alternative.
    A couple with a rib did try to help, the idea was to tow us into the lee of Fort George so I could change filters etc, but even with Thier 60hp outboard they could not pull us against the tidal flow so I could take the strain off the anchor chain, we tried to lift the anchor, but with the strain on the chain it caused it to jam on the stripper, breaking it.

  • @billscott6315
    @billscott6315 Місяць тому +3

    That pregnant pause as you wait for the answer to your pan pan, have they heard me ? Then it comes, that lovely lassie at Aberdeen Coast Guard, the voice of an angel. Great video and actually a good teaching aid on how to deal with a difficult situation without drama. Top marks to the good humoured RNLI crew too. Fuel probs seem to be the prevailing nightmare of boaters these days. Would a parallel filter be an idea ? Then you could switch across and possibly alleviate the issue ?

    • @MyAvaGrace
      @MyAvaGrace  Місяць тому

      I cut some of the questions out from the coast guard, but yes a voice of an angel. It was sort of luck the cameras were running. So I thought after it would be a good training aid. Yes a twin filter system is the answer, problem as with any boat is just where to install. The current primary filter location is hopeless on her. Arms length and accessable by only one arm for a 3 part filter. So will also change to a racor as well.

  • @mitchellandmarythomas2372
    @mitchellandmarythomas2372 Місяць тому +2

    Nicely done, and cheers to the RNLI!

    • @MyAvaGrace
      @MyAvaGrace  29 днів тому

      The RNLI are one of the great British institutions the shores of the UK wouldn't be the same without those volunteers.

  • @adrianappleyard4005
    @adrianappleyard4005 Місяць тому +4

    Good experience, and I am confident this video will help others who get into trouble at sea.

    • @MyAvaGrace
      @MyAvaGrace  Місяць тому +1

      All calm on board you notice

    • @adrianappleyard4005
      @adrianappleyard4005 Місяць тому

      @MyAvaGrace You could have made a 'Don't Panick Mr Mannering' clip - it would have been funny.

  • @jonnygrey340
    @jonnygrey340 26 днів тому +1

    Good drills and well done - great training video 👍

    • @MyAvaGrace
      @MyAvaGrace  26 днів тому

      Thanks, it wasn't planned.

  • @Reh8111
    @Reh8111 Місяць тому +3

    Well done in your actions to drop the anchor to hod your position and then onto the radio for help. It just goes to show that it is usually the simple things that trip you up at just the wrong time wrong moment.
    As a biker and a sailor I started years ago to have a shammy sock made and I put it over any nozzle of any fuel delivery system I use. This catches both moisture and particles and saves allot of headaches further down the line. Well done and enjoy your sailing

  • @leonsugden4562
    @leonsugden4562 Місяць тому

    At least your all safe. nice work dropping the anchor. Brilliant channel and excellent videos.

  • @banditandsmokie
    @banditandsmokie Місяць тому

    Glad to see the lifeboat upon which my father’s in law, is one of the ten thousand names on it, was able to help you out. Thank you for posting the video nice to see him out on the water once again.

    • @MyAvaGrace
      @MyAvaGrace  Місяць тому

      That's cool.

    • @Sailngdarcy
      @Sailngdarcy Місяць тому +1

      That’s amazing , thank you so much

  • @chrisgorman2717
    @chrisgorman2717 27 днів тому

    Glad your safe ❤

  • @sverrekoxvold3834
    @sverrekoxvold3834 Місяць тому

    Reminds me of running into clogged fuel lines somewhere between Norway and Scotland. Remember how uncomfortable it was to work on the filters in choppy seas. Felt a wee bit lost outside WiFi range. But got it going and made it to Fraserburgh where competent mechanics put on double Racor filters. The yards there are fantastic; they know their stuff, no hanky-panky.

    • @MyAvaGrace
      @MyAvaGrace  Місяць тому

      Double razors are the way to go

  • @ISOSAILING
    @ISOSAILING Місяць тому

    glad your all safe, you did pick the worst place to brake down though haha the tide rips through there it's strange this video came up in my news feed as i heard about your rescue on face book a few weeks ago, i live just around the corner of the fort and spent most off my ife sailing around the moryfirth and know the coxin of the invergordon life boat and my dads name is on the side off it, it was good training for the crew too

    • @rha4374
      @rha4374 Місяць тому

      Everyone's phone nowadays have jumbo,s lug's, they're smart phones alright but they have difficulty spelling when you type something, it takes the piss. Yip I learned a few things during this rescue and everyone was very professional, well done.

    • @MyAvaGrace
      @MyAvaGrace  Місяць тому

      Strange how things pop up. All safe. Massive thanks to the crews.

  • @aquious953
    @aquious953 Місяць тому +1

    Windy app will give you wave height. It is important to add water and biocide treatments to your fuel tanks so the filters don't get fouled.

    • @MyAvaGrace
      @MyAvaGrace  Місяць тому

      We used windy, and it was wrong, has been most of this year on the east coast.

  • @R.E.HILL_
    @R.E.HILL_ 29 днів тому +1

    Nice one... May a suggest that you guys always include the word sailing in your video titles..? It's one of the most used search words on UA-cam and should give you more views.. hopefully..🙂

  • @Antipodean33
    @Antipodean33 Місяць тому

    Just curious as to why you didn't sail, you seemed to have enough wind?

    • @MyAvaGrace
      @MyAvaGrace  29 днів тому

      The wind was on our nose, the tidal stream was against the wind. Baru is a heavy motor sailer and with the force of the tidal stream even turning to tack along the wind we were moving sideways towards the sand bank. I only had a few minutes Grace to make a choice. Go aground or drop the hook and stop the boat. All my training says stop the boat don't try and be the big man and attempt to get out of trouble when the probability is fail. The other point you have to consider is we had left port at 9.0am that morning and our call went out at 18.15 we had been in rough weather all day.
      I would also add the following day another yachtsman found himself in the same area with engine trying to sail out and unable to do so, he called a pan pan also, it is known as a danger spot, but only route through.

  • @nigelhughes2947
    @nigelhughes2947 Місяць тому

    do you dose your fuel with a biocide regularly ?

    • @MyAvaGrace
      @MyAvaGrace  Місяць тому +1

      Yes every time. The filter water trap was full of water when I sorted things out, it was ok before we left the harbour. I didn't like the look of the fuel at our last fill up 100 miles back.

    • @MrGentlebutfirm
      @MrGentlebutfirm Місяць тому

      @@MyAvaGrace Polish your fuel.

  • @stephenadams9767
    @stephenadams9767 28 днів тому +1

    change the fuel filters more often, then you get to know if you got crap in the tanks

    • @MyAvaGrace
      @MyAvaGrace  27 днів тому

      They were changed before we started our run north. Checked the previous evening before the stoppage. So they are kept on top of.

    • @stephenadams9767
      @stephenadams9767 27 днів тому

      @@MyAvaGrace in that case did you have air in the system, as if you had crap in the filters, in that short time your tanks must be bad

    • @MyAvaGrace
      @MyAvaGrace  27 днів тому

      @stephenadams9767 no air. The problem was water. Bowl was clean before we departed Whitehills in the morning, but after 9 hours of running the bowl was full of water. I believe we picked up some bad fuel from a fishing harbour the day before, and the rough conditions caused the issue. Could only have been prevented by using a centrifuge, as used by the vessels coming out of that port.

    • @stephenadams9767
      @stephenadams9767 27 днів тому

      @@MyAvaGrace yes that sounds about right, good to know why

  • @SteveJones-gz4vd
    @SteveJones-gz4vd 14 днів тому

    LOL

  • @bryanfrew6603
    @bryanfrew6603 Місяць тому

    I actually owned an ex Whitehills lifeboat the St Andrews a 41ft Watson and several other ex lifeboat owners had trouble with fuel issues, this was put down to a growth forming in the fuel tanks and clogging filters believed caused by newer bio fuels. I've had the same issues with my home heating fuel where a fungus grew within the tank, on both occasions I added a fuel additive to stop the growth forming.
    I actually sailed the St Andrew back to Whitehills before I sold her, what a reception we received, a very friendly harbour if passing.
    Take care
    ua-cam.com/video/13LJP8xuzC4/v-deo.htmlsi=s-gx84huKAj97KVG

    • @MyAvaGrace
      @MyAvaGrace  Місяць тому +1

      Bio fuels are a problem, we think we picked up some bad fuel on route, it looked much darker than normal. I normally add treatments but on this occasion didn't.