Wrecked boats down to bad luck, says harbour master, but other owners disagree
Wednesday 26th October 2011, 11:30AM BST.
Two men check the remains of the boats wrecked in Belle Greve Bay during Monday’s storm. Harbour master Captain Peter Gill said that the men were unlucky and could not have done more. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 1192004)
BAD luck is to blame for the damage caused to two boats by strong winds, the harbour master has said.
A 35-year-old yacht and a Plymouth Pilot boat both came loose from moorings at the Salerie on Monday afternoon and were swept into the seawall near Admiral Park.
‘I think to be fair even the most careful boat owners cannot help certain situations and I think what happened on Monday was a severe case of bad luck,’ said Captain Peter Gill.
But passers-by felt differently and said they would have moved the boats after they knew what the forecast would be.
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mmm, Harbour Master vs “passers-by” – I wonder whose view I consider more convincing…?
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Good afternoon,
“I think to be fair even the most careful boat owners cannot help certain situations and I think what happened on Monday was a severe case of bad luck,’ said Captain Peter Gill.”
I echo Peter Gill’s sentiments. I remember I and several others suffered a terrible ordeal some years ago, where at least 3 yachts were written off in a case of bad luck that wakes me at night to this very day. It started off as a day like any other, we were all sailing to our hearts content, drinking merrily from our thermos’s when that freak gust from above tore into our little armada. That single gust resulted in 3 brand new yachts smashing into one another, each boat sinking down to the bottom of Davy Jones locker. It was at that moment that I vowed that I would never sail my boat on the moddle yacht pond again.
Godfrey
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People do seem to leave their boats down longer every year. So I am not surprised. when the weather takes out a few.
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It`s not down to bad luck, it`s down to Bad Judgement and failing to heed forecasts.
The SE gales and strong winds were forecast at least a week before they happened.
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I sincerely hope the boats were insured. But that’s life, no doubt the “Act of God” or whatever clause they use these days would not pay out
Also anyone who bothered to read local weather forecasts would have seen this coming
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Nothing could have been done….except listen to the long range forecast and put your boat on the visitors pontoon in the harbour, simples!
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