# Search for missing sailor resumes in NSW



## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

Not a good way to go.. I wonder what their MOB procedure was?



> The search has resumed for a yachtsman missing after being thrown from his vessel off the NSW coast. The yacht was hit by a huge wave near Broughton Island on Wednesday afternoon as bad weather moved through the area. The man in his 60s was part of a crew returning home after competing in the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour yacht race.A NSW Police spokesman said the man's crew had joined rescuers in the search for their friend, before returning to Port Stephens last night.


Search for missing sailor resumes in NSW


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## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

Latest update:



> Experienced sailor Mal Lennon is feared drowned after being swept from a yacht off the NSW coast in 'perfect storm' conditions.Mr Lennon, 62, was believed to be at the helm of the 36ft yacht Amante when he was was struck by a huge wave that swept him into the water off Broughton Island about 11.30am on Wednesday.Crew members and investigators believe Mr Lennon was struck by a 'green wave' - a wall of water that had not yet broken.Rescuers are still searching for Mr Lennon but believe there is little chance he could have survived the night in the rough seas without a life jacket.


There's a lesson in there for those of us who don't habitually wear lifejackets..


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

Think harness would have been more important. Jacket is just for recovering the corpse.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

outbound said:


> Think harness would have been more important. Jacket is just for recovering the corpse.


Agreed.

The article mentions "perfect storm" conditions. Anyone know what they actually were? A "green wave" pooping the boat sounds pretty serious.


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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

outbound said:


> Think harness would have been more important. Jacket is just for recovering the corpse.


Well it is not like they are mutually exclusive.


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## alctel (Jan 25, 2014)

A life jacket would have probably made him easier to see as well when they were searching right after he went over


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

In those sort of conditions, 50 knot winds etc, he should have had a harness and a life jacket.


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## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

What concerns me most is that it isn't the first time I've heard of an experienced skipper getting washed out the boat and drowning.

For some reason, people tend to think that lifejackets/harnesses are for the crew going forward and that the guy with both hands clamped onto the helm doesn't/shouldn't need them.. but it simply isn't the case at all and here is yet another tragic example to prove it.

BE WARNED, PEOPLE. IT COULD BE YOU!


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## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

Details in the press are as confused as the sea, but it now appears he wasn't the skipper but was one of the crew taking a turn at the helm..

Must have been pretty nasty, though. Here's one of the other competitors:










M3 crew have to abandon ship and let Sydney yacht run aground | Daily Mail Online


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

Classic30 said:


> Latest update:
> There's a lesson in there for those of us who don't habitually wear lifejackets..


I'm sure you know those waters much better than I, so honestly, do you really think a life jacket would have made any difference in those conditions with the water temperature what it was?
Remember, this gent was 62 years old.


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## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

capta said:


> I'm sure you know those waters much better than I, so honestly, do you really think a life jacket would have made any difference in those conditions with the water temperature what it was?
> Remember, this gent was 62 years old.


Actually, yes I do.. but only because (a) it's a fully-crewed ocean racing yacht with all the gear and training and (b) they saw him go. If their MOB procedure was up to scratch they'd have at least had a chance to get him back on board alive ...but with no lifejacket, then, in those seas, I'd expect they'd be lucky to eventually find the body (they didn't) no matter how good they were.

One similar 'skipper drowning' on here in my home waters of Port Phillip occurred when apparently the tiller broke during a crash-gybe sending the guy over the stern, still hanging onto it. Again no lifejacket, but this time not far from shore and with other boats nearby - but with a less-experienced crew and a disabled boat, the guy drowned before he could be picked up. The lesson being: lifejackets do help.. even if only a little bit. ..and a harness helps even more.


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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

capta said:


> I'm sure you know those waters much better than I, so honestly, do you really think a life jacket would have made any difference in those conditions with the water temperature what it was?
> Remember, this gent was 62 years old.


They likely would have gotten the body when they first searched and would not have had to "resume" the search. May not have have made it so he could survive, but would have made it easier on the coast guard.


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

I know those waters.
The water temp is quite warm. Its middle of summer.
However the waves would be the killer.
The boat has a very short window to return and recover the MOB so a life jacket is useful.

BUT...

A life jacket is only a decoration if you ate CLIPPED ON!

And in that area, at night, in those conditions he should have been firmly attached. In these days its just not acceptable for a skipper to allow any crew on the boat who doesn't clip on when he says.

Sometimes racers act like school boys.


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## hannah2 (Nov 15, 2012)

It is pretty amazing that some skippers don't demand everyone clip in while in cockpit or on deck. But sometimes crews have their own mind and do what they want when the boss is below. But you would think on a race boat the skipper knows his crew well. 

We now use portable AIS devices on all of our PFD's and we make everyone use a tether. 

Not sure that even if they could have located the crew member early on in those conditions if they could have been able to get him aboard. A very hard thing to do even with a full crew.


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## rckfd (Dec 3, 2015)

A view from the drink.
I crew on one those little 30 foot rocket ships, I'm the guy in the middle of the boat tailing then trimming the jib and down wind trimming Spinnaker. I'm the guy on the leeward rail always yelling at the ship to bring her up or down. I'm either looking at tell tails or my nose on the compass or gps feeding the info on lifts or pushes of current. Very rarely in a race type situation is my head past the rails of the boat and it was one of those times moments after hearing the words "tacking" I found myself summersaulting over the rail into the drink. 
I was in full foulies, no life jacket and the main trimmer immediately tossed a square. My foulies filled with air I was pretty much the red pillsbury doughboy. Although buoyant I could not swim with any efficiency my retrieving the square almost impossible. 
Skip brought her into heave to (is that right) put the boat a mere 10 yards away, again the square was harder to retrieve than getting to the boat. Once to the rail I hand over hand to the stern reaching the swim ladder I could not get up because of the air filled foulies, crew could not pull me up for lack of getting any grip on the slick inflated gear. I had to undo the jacket to deflate only then was I able to get my legs enough under the water to get a foot on the ladder rung to lift myself to safety.

Oh by the way we got a 3rd in that race.

On my own boat I have things setup so in heavy weather (i'm a solo sailor) I don't have to leave the cockpit to reef and have a pad eye on its floor that I can clip onto, I keep a lifejacket on the ready in the starboard locker on top most times , ....well it's there somewhere. I practice storm tactics reefing and hove to and had occasion once using it in the middle of a 50 plus knot Atlantic I being huddled in the center rolling pitching tossing about repeating my mantra "all fit little boats wash to shore" and made it unscathed. 

I'd have to say in my own experiences chances are if eye contacted was lost he was gone, matter of fact have you ever heard of anybody surviving alone lost overboard at sea other than NFL players and Navy Seals? I have to agree with Outbound and the recovery of a corpse.

With all that being said is it really all that bad of having an epitaph that reads"Body not recovered".


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## uncle stinky bob (Feb 28, 2016)

rckfd said:


> A view from the drink.
> I crew on one those little 30 foot rocket ships, I'm the guy in the middle of the boat tailing then trimming the jib and down wind trimming Spinnaker. I'm the guy on the leeward rail always yelling at the ship to bring her up or down. I'm either looking at tell tails or my nose on the compass or gps feeding the info on lifts or pushes of current. Very rarely in a race type situation is my head past the rails of the boat and it was one of those times moments after hearing the words "tacking" I found myself summersaulting over the rail into the drink.
> I was in full foulies, no life jacket and the main trimmer immediately tossed a square. My foulies filled with air I was pretty much the red pillsbury doughboy. Although buoyant I could not swim with any efficiency my retrieving the square almost impossible.
> Skip brought her into heave to (is that right) put the boat a mere 10 yards away, again the square was harder to retrieve than getting to the boat. Once to the rail I hand over hand to the stern reaching the swim ladder I could not get up because of the air filled foulies, crew could not pull me up for lack of getting any grip on the slick inflated gear. I had to undo the jacket to deflate only then was I able to get my legs enough under the water to get a foot on the ladder rung to lift myself to safety.
> ...


Well said. I want to feed fish, not worms!


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## dreamdoer (Mar 7, 2013)

Well one thing is certain. In this case, no PFD and no harness definitely did not work. My choice is a PFD with integral harness, because I would rather feed my face than worms OR fish. Condolences to his family and Loved ones.


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