A discarded trawl net which wrapped around the propeller, rudder and keel of a cruising yacht was the “root cause” of the vessel’s grounding and subsequent loss off the southern coast of Ireland, according to that country’s Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB).

Published 4 months ago

Discarded trawl net causes loss of yacht

Source:  Practical Boat Owner

The Inish Ceinn, had  just been refitted and undergone successful sea trials before its final voyage. The skipper, a Yachtmaster Offshore and sailing instructor and the four crew, left Baltimore in Ireland on 6 June 2023 for a short trip to Cape Clear Island; all were wearing lifejackets onboard.

The weather at the time was a Force 3-4, with an easterly wind.

According to the MCIB report, Inish Ceinn was sailing under mainsail and an experienced crew member was on the bow as bowman to look out for pot buoys, as this area of the coast is well known as a lobster fishing area.

Net not visible

The yacht was sailing at 5 knots when at around 1430, the skipper felt the yacht slow down rapidly and turn in the wind. The crew could see nothing in the water so the decision was made to start the engine and the propeller was engaged.

A vibration was then felt and a burning smell was noticed; the skipper immediately stopped the engine and the mainsail was furled, but the yacht was immobilised as the skipper couldn’t turn the wheel and rudder.

Yacht grounding

The wind and tide began quickly pushing Inish Ceinn towards the shore, and the skipper tried the engine again but the propeller was fouled.  As the anchor was being prepared, the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42i hit a submerged rock.

“The Skipper decided not to use the anchor as the vessel would then go stern onto the rocks. The vessel sat beam onto the rocks and the persons onboard (except the Skipper) jumped off onto the rocks and held a rope to try and keep the vessel from banging off the rocks as far as possible,” stated MCIB investigators.

The skipper used the VHF radio to make a Mayday call, which was acknowledged by a local boat and relayed to the Valentia Coast Guard.

Abandon ship

With a rising tide and onshore wind, Inish Ceinn was being pushed onto the rocks, and the skipper decided to abandon the yacht.

As he climbed onto the rocks, he saw a bright green trawl net wrapped around the boat’s bulb keel, rudder and propeller.

The skipper and crew were rescued from the rocks by the crew of the Baltimore Lifeboat; a rescue helicopter also monitored proceedings from the air but was not required to participate.

The skipper and the RNLI crew discussed towing Inish Ceinn off the rocks, but it was decided the risk of the lifeboat being fouled by the same trawl net was too great. By this stage, the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42i was holed and had started to break up; the boat sank half an hour later.

Read the full MICB report here:

• Marine Casualty Investigation Board Inish Ceinn Report

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About the Marine Casualty Investigation Board

The function of the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) is to examine and if necessary carry out investigations into all types of marine casualties to, or on board, Irish registered vessels worldwide and other vessels in Irish territorial waters and inland waterways.

The MCIB objective in investigating a marine casualty is to determine its circumstances and its causes with a view to making recommendations to the Minister for Transport and the commercial and recreational maritime community, for the avoidance of similar marine casualties in the future, thereby improving the safety of life at sea and on inland waterways.

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Related Links:

• Marine Casualty Investigation Board
• Marine Casualty Investigation Board Inish Ceinn Report
• Practical Boat Owner

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