I don’t know what that statistics are for the area in regard to collisions between yatchs/pleasure craft and merchant vessels, nor do I give a rats. But from my experiance when two vessels of the size in this case collide in the dead of night at sea somebody usually ends up dead or seriously injured.

I think luck had a pretty big part in our young lady friend being with us to sail another day. She should break open her piggy bank and invest in as many lottery tickets as possible

Not sure what she was doing down below (down stairs) at the time of the collision at 0237L but I had read she was asleep. If that was the case she should have got her head down for a sleep earlier and made sure she was fully awake when transiting through this area.

The area off Straddie Is where it happened would be one of the busiest sea lanes in the country with large amounts of shipping traffic. It is definantly somewhere where you need to be wide awake and on deck at all times, keeping a proper lookout both visualy and blind (radar) for other ships.

Old mate Master Mariner is correct that power vessel must give way to sailing vessels, but at 2 in the morning it’s pitch black. It’s a little hard arguing your case in court when you have been a long time dead. I have been ” at sea” for the past 24 yrs and apply Daisymay rule number 1: Might has Right.

Old mate Master Mariner is being a little selective with his applications of the rules. Whilst power does give way to sail except in an overtaking situation, there is also an obligation for every vessel to keep a proper lookout by sight and radar ( if fitted). Then there is the rule regarding actions to avoid a collision which appy to both vessels etc.

Tim from Doug Walters home town has even gone to the trouble to copy and paste some of the rules onto his blog just to confuse everyone. There once was a time many years ago that I new all the “rules of the road” verbatim. By the way when refering the the word “road” it is refering to the sea. Very confusing haha.

When you read, understand and apply the rules as laid down in the publication it is telling you that all parties will be held resposible if you have a collision at sea.

Our young navigator is a very lucky girl to be alive. I wish her luck on her upcoming voyage, and through life she certainly seems to have a ton of guts and a bit of luck. All of which she is going to need in spades. Just need to learn how to sail smart….Fair Winds and a Following Sea….

Regardless to what the “Rules of the Road” articulate you need to fully alert and ready to take whatever action needs to be taken to avoid being run down by something larger than you.

Having a look at the Collision Regualations:

Rule 5: Lookout

Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision.

How does a single handed yacht maintain a ‘proper look-out’ at all times? Or do yachts get a freebie due to the Rule 18(a)(iv) and just hope everyone gets out of their way?

Or

RULE 2
RESPONSIBILITY

(a) Nothing in these Rules shall exonerate any vessel, or the owner, master, or crew thereof, from the consequences of any neglect to comply with these Rules or of the neglect of any precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of seamen, or by the special circumstances of the case.

(b) In construing and complying with these Rules due regard shall be had to all dangers of navigation and collision and to any special circumstances, including the limitations of the vessels involved, which may make a departure from these Rules necessary to avoid immediate danger.

Now wouldn’t (b) mean that young sailing girl, even though her vessel had right of way, should have taken action to avoid collision?

Makes about as much sense to me as standing on a pedestrian crossing, with a truck roaring towards you and you don’t see or hear it braking. The rule will not protect you.’

Thats all I wanted to say.

After the awful press coverage and everyone wanting to be her mother (you, Jillian) it’s about time someone who knows something about ocean going vessels made a pertinent comment. Bankerboy, exactly how many yachts have been run down in this area? Bugger all. James, she did have an active radar transponder as well as a reflector - the ship’s watch didn’t see it. Scottyea is right - she is more likely to come to grief being a dull sofa spud than roaming the high seas.

This was a fortunately minor incident, brought about by what I would consider negligence by the ship’s watch. Ms Watson got herself back to port amid a flurry of inaccuracies by breathless know-it-alls.

In the scheme of things, in a well found yacht and given Ms Watson’s competence as a sailor, this is not a high-risk venture. But it might seem that to people who spend their lives in a rut and desperately frightened by the 6pm news.

I have been sailing for 35 years and have travelled hundreds of thousands of sea miles under sail. I wish her well and only wish that I had the opportunity - to do it at that age. But my mum probably wouldn’t have let me.

Jillian, don’t you think that even statistically speaking, at least one in twenty one million of us box-fed, tv-zombified cardboard cutouts of people should break free and do something actually challenging and inspired.. ?

It is amazing that this girl is encouraged by those who should know better and who should be insistning on her getting an education and to learn how to interact with her peers and family. I am not sure where the current fashion for sending younger and younger children to sea by themselves to circumnavigate the globe arises - but it is a poor form of parenting that gives a child a toy of such value and then encourages them into high risk taking behaviour which could easily be fatal.