Fishing Trawler hits Sailing Vessel

Sh...... happens !

This was one of those typical accidents that happen, because humans are involved.

Dutch fisherman normally are very professional sailors that can handle their vessels safely even when being asleep. But this is a very typical situation. The last pull has been completed, the bunker is full of catch, the vessel is heading home. Crew is downstairs for lunch, the adrenalin level of everybody goes back to normal. The officer of the watch by himself on the bridge, the autopilot is on.

The large sailing vessel Alexander von Humboldt 1 is an 1906 build 3 masted square rigger (bark), 62 meters long and 829 tons of displacement. It has only one engine with 615 hp. A.v.H.1 is not a purpose build sailing vessel. As you can see by the lines of this model, this ship is not very maneuverable. It was build as light ship and after its retirement converted to a sail training ship. Half of its crew were sailing trainees during the accident.

When detecting the conflicting course, the crew of the sailing vessel did everything to alert the fishing vessel without any reaction. When the officer of the watch of the fishing vessel, finally woke up , he only fully reversed without any course change. He did the wrong thing to late. Thats why he was given the full responsibility for that accident in court.

Because of its age and its deficiencies, the A.v.H.1 is replaced by the new build Alexander von Humboldt 2, a purpose build and great looking / performing sailing vessel.

Nobody was hurt, and there was only minor damage (errare humanum est). But things like this should not happen.

The final advice by the judge during the trial was very correct. "The journey is over when the vessel is tied to the pier and the engine is called off and not a second earlier".

I thought this was going to be about the sailboat being hit by a fishing boat last weekend off Cape Cod in the fog. 50 foot race boat dis masted and seriously holed.

Alexander von Humboldt 1

Alex 1 was and the new Alex 2 is operated by the German Sail Training Association. This is a non profit organisation with the purpose of training young people in sailing by making sailing trips affordable for them. These ships are not taking passengers, only additional crewmembers on trainee status. The permanent crew normally concists of professional sailors and engineers, which work on the ship temporarily without payment.

I am a member of this association and others (historical ship associations) myself. As a sponsor and active crewmember, I like to support the preservation of historical ships and the education of young people towards seamanship and teamwork.

I know the Alexander von Humboldt 1 quite well. I served on her as a relief captain without payment a few times and I can assure you, she is not a race horse. With a minimum permanent crew according to safe manning list and a bunch of young trainees, you were very happy, when all 24 sails where trimmed perfectly and you where getting some 8 or 9 Kts out of her. At 5 kts or below your started slowly loosing rudder authority and you as the skipper started sweating. Docking her without the help of a tug was not funny either. And only 615 HP at 829 tons against current and crosswind can ruin your day easily.

But Alex 1 was very famous in Germany with her green sails, as she was the background of all TV and printmedia commercials of her main sponsor, the Becks brewery of Bremen.

Because it was far to expensive to keep Alex 1 according to all SOLAS, IMO and SBG/BSH (German rules) requirements, she was retired in 2011 and replaced by the newbuild Alexander von Humboldt 2. Alex 1 is running now under offshore flag and is doing charter trips in the caribbean.

I must admit, charity is not my sole motivation, sponsering and working with and on historical ships. It is an unbelievable amount of personal fun, being the part time skipper of a tall sailing ship or an old coal and steam powered icebreaker or tug boat .

Below two pictures of Alex 1 before her conversion and in action as a sailing ship.

In that case I have probably paid for the ship several times over...