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50' Catamaran Sinks

Discussion in 'General Catamaran Discussion' started by Kafue, May 4, 2014.

  1. Kafue

    Kafue Senior Member

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    Captain cannot find where the water is coming from?
    Four men and one woman rescued from catamaran One World after abandoning ship off Sunshine Coast | News.com.au
    Next to a fire, this must be an open ocean passage makers nightmare.
    Like to hear theories on how this can happen on a yacht built for a round the world voyage, twin hulls, assume twin generators and twin battery banks.
    Especially the part where a 50’ catamaran loses power to the bilge pumps.
    It would have to be a priority, or would be for me, to have my boats bilge pump power supply high away from the water to kill the power.

    Not making any judgements this early in the piece, in fact the opposite. I feel for the Skipper and crew, just would like to put the question out there:
    5 crew.
    50’ Production boat equals standard schematics.
    Last stage of a “Round the World Voyage”!

    Worthwhile to discuss I believe
  2. Capt Bill11

    Capt Bill11 Senior Member

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    "We had three bilge pumps working, but couldn’t stop the water.’’

    Doesn't sound like the pumps stopped working.

    Sounds like the cause is what is mentioned in the report, cracked hull somewhere where they could not see or get to it.
  3. Old Phart

    Old Phart Senior Member

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    I dunno
    Thought article stated boat was being transported to different location for purpose of selling, not last leg of “Round the World Voyage", as you infer.
  4. Kafue

    Kafue Senior Member

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    To clarify:
    In a news interview the skipper said the water was coming in and none of the crew could find it, the main bilge pumps were not working any longer.
    Work it out, 3 bilge pumps for twin hull 50 foot cat! I have more in my engine room alone.
    As for the voyage, the owners had flown home after a long voyage and holiday in the South Pacific, so maybe "Halfway around the world" Is there I difference when it comes down to the hull filling up with water, 5 crew, equal 1 for every 10 foot, checking each hull at a time and you do not know where the water was coming from?
    Yes, the boat was to be sold in Australia.
  5. Capt Bill11

    Capt Bill11 Senior Member

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    Yes it seems like there should have been more bilge pumps. But if the leak was big enough it still may not have mattered.

    If the leak was behind or beneath some built in structure you may not find it without cutting things apart. Should it be that way, no. But sometimes boats are built like that anyway.
  6. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Most boats whether cats, mono, power etc... Have large section of hulls that are not accessible making finding a leak very tough.

    Three bilge pumps on a boat that size it a joke, but unfortunately all too common especially on sail boats. I do wonder if it wasn't 3 pumps per hull though. Unfortunately builders often undersized the pumps anyway...
  7. Kafue

    Kafue Senior Member

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    Not a good advertisement for the builder, whatever the case. I bet this is all over the sailing forums. I would have thought a catamaran this size and make would be quite capable of taking on the type of conditions the captain mentioned. 35 knots and 3 metre seas are not good, but I would expect they experience much worse over that two year voyage. Maybe that time of heavy going took it's toll.
    It looks like a French made Lagoon?
  8. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Is a Lagoon and they have had problems with cracks before. Suspicion among sailors is either hull failure or problems with hull and deck joinery. The boat is quite well known for creaking a lot but that's just an accepted characteristic. But then others refer to their brass through hulls which are known to corrode and break. I don't know if their total cracks or failures are high compared to the number of boats they make or not. As a powerboater, they seem so to me. But then the torsion on a catamaran sail boat is great.

    Sailors do often remind powerboaters of the capabilities of their boats and claim greater seaworthiness. But then perhaps that believe in ability to handle anything is why they seem to have a large share of the rescues and sinkings.
  9. Capt Bill11

    Capt Bill11 Senior Member

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    Yes you would think it could handle those conditions no sweat. My guess you're right and the failure built up over time.
  10. brian eiland

    brian eiland Senior Member

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    Where did you see a photo??
  11. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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