Disaster will cost underwriters $11M

Press, 18 August 1979, Page 6

Disaster will cost underwriters $11M

NZPA Plymouth; The Fastnet ocean race in which 18 yachtsmen died and 23 boats sank or were abandoned, could cost the insurance world more than SIIM. Ocean racing boats often iare valued at more than $200,000 according to the London “Daily Telegraph,” and $900,000 is not unusual.

It is thought that most of [the sunk or abandoned boats, as well as those noti accounted for, will have been insured either with Lloyd’s or Eagle Star Insurnac’e,” the newspaper reported. “It was the deputy chairman of Lloyd’s (Mr Peter Green) who once described ocean racing as like standing under a freezing shower tearing up £lO notes.” The death toll climbed to 18 yesterday after the recovery of another body by a passing ship. There was no immediate identification.

The ship docked at Milford Haven, in South Wales, one of a dozen English and Irish ports where storm-bat-tered yachts sought shelter from the storms.

The body was from a yacht named Lotus, a nonentry in the race.

In spite of renewed gales that stopped overnight air I and sea search for pos-i sible survivors, Cornish fish-’ ermen were at sea in search of salvage prizes. The fishermen, whose weather knowledge persuaded them to stay safe at home during the storms which hit the race armada, hoped for considerable prizei money.

A port official at Milford Haven said that if an owner abandoned his boat at sea the salvagers had a clear case to claim the maximum.

Australia was provisionally listed as the winner of the teams’ race and the Admirals Cup. An official inquiry is being called by the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s management committee. The Department of Trade has also promised an investigation of safety aspects in ocean racing yachts.

Australia’s elation at winning the Admirals Cup was tempered with sorrow.

"On Wednesday evening we had a little party with our wives and a few friends from other yachts and other countries,” said the manager of the Australian team, Mr Lou Abrahams.

“But we kept the celebrations low key. Generally the yachtsmen are seasoned enough to say that there are certain risks when you are out sailing,” he said. “Perhaps they look at it and say these yachtsmen were lost because they were less experienced. This we do not know until we see an analysis of the people, the [types of yachts and the reasons for the disasters. Once we see this I think it will be of benefit to future yacht races,” said Mr Abrahams. One of the lucky survivors of the race, Charles Fox, aged 37, a building surveyor from Kingston-on-Thames, gave a graphic account of his ordeal.

“I was one of six crew on th: British yacht Polar Bear and we were doing very well in the race, about 60 miles from Fastnet Rock, when the wind sprang up fiom the south on Monday. “After flat calm at Land’s End we had put up a heavier spinnaker and it was near ideal racing conditions,” he said.

“But then it turned nasty. I was on deck and saw a red distress flare behind us about 1.30 in the morning and we decided to turn

i around to try to help. There [were three boats in trouble lin the vicinity and we I stayed the night to do what Iwe could,” said Mr Fox. “In the morning we saw th- stricken yacht Trophy and had just radioed to a rescue Nimrod aircraft to tell them what was happening when our boat was turned head over heels by a huge wave. I was down below and everything just ■went black. The movie Poseidon Adventure flashed into my mind. All the things in the boat crashed down on top of me and I had to clear away our stowed sails from the locker where our lifejackets were kept. “I also managed to grab some food and clothes; the only thing I forgot was the whisky. Luckily everybody on deck had been attached to lifelines and were able to climb back on board. But our mast had broken and there was a six-foot hole in the deck and the boat was filling with water. I actually picked up a section of deck and threw it overboard,” said Mr Fox.

“After the big wave struck, our boat came upright again, but we had to leave very quickly. The waves were up to 13 metres

high.- Luckilj, about a half-1 [hour after we got into the! liferaft, the Dutch rescue; i boat Overijssel came along I [and picked us up. “We were bobbing up and down, and every time we went up we actually reached the deck of the Dutch ship and climbed on board.” he said. “At that stage 1 had been wet for three days ar.d was just numb'. But T have been sailing all my life and am certainly not of going to sea again.” The yachts now safely in port had proved themselves more seaworthy than their predecessors 20 years ago, said the New Zealand yacht designer, Ron Holland. Holland, one of the world’s'leading designers of racing yachts who was himself rescued by helicopter during the race, said design faults did not appear to have been a factor in the 22 yachts which sank during the Tuesday night hurricane. “It is too early to tell just why they sunk. But the boats out there are a lot more seaworthy than those racing 20 years ago.” he said. But the seaworthiness defended by Holland was criticised in some quarters. “Some of the Fastnet com-

■ ipetitors put to sea in clothe ; I baskets.” one yachtsmu lisaid. Another said yacht) I were built of materials tha had not been fully proved. I Although a row of ques • tion marks hung in the ait I there was no doubt that th > tragedy would have bee > worse if the rescue effor I had not been so thorough. I It was directed by th > Royal Naval Air Station I i Cuidroses, over 32,0 Ci '(square kilometres of ocean. It worked in tiers. Hig] i above, Royal Air Force Nim ; rod tracker aircraft watchei ■ for yachts and receive , radar messages. Below then : helicopters searched secton of ocean. On the sea a Roys ; Navy frigate, a Dutch des : troyer, ocean tugs, lifeboat . and passing ships crosses ■ and recrossed the searci i area. i “We have complete con ! fidence in the rescue opei j ation,” said an official. “I demonstrated great effj . ciency.” ■ A Royal Navy craft am : helicopters will remain o) i standby until the last yach reaches Plymouth. A church service con ducted by the Bishop of Ply ; mouth yesterday replace the traditional post-raa party.