Offshore Cruising Club

Previous Page

The passage was planned so as to cross the Alderney Race during the last of the flood tide and the time of the incident was just after slack water. During the passage, positions taken from the vessel’s GPS were marked on the paper chart in use, with additional positions noted in the log when passing prominent parts of the French coast such as Cardinal buoys. At 1320 BST the vessel’s position was plotted on the chart at 49o 43.77, 002o 06.06. A few minutes before the incident, the vessel’s position was 49o 44.30, 002o 09.50. At that time I asked Henry Jeffries (Mate), who was navigating and monitoring our position using a paper chart along with the chart plotter, if we were on course to pass safely to the NE of the island and just after that last position had been charted he advised that we should head more Northerly which we did and the course was set at 300OM. I also engaged the engine as the wind was easing, in order to make sure of passing the island safely. Prior to the event I had been monitoring the depth of water and a least depth of 11m was indicated. Soon after this we encountered a larger swell of about 1.5 m and when the bow was descending after passing over this wave there was a loud bang and the vessel shuddered and heeled further over to port.

After the incident we checked for damage and water ingress and at that time found none and proceeded to moor to a buoy in Braye Harbour. A more detailed inspection of the vessel was made and slight water ingress was found and also some of the seams above water line were visible no doubt caused by the impact. My initial thought was that we had hit an isolated rock and we discussed this with local people in the harbour; they confirmed that the only rock in that area was known as Sauquet Rock but said it could not be the cause as when the incident occurred there was ample height of water. The chart indicates that even at LAT it is still 0.9 m below water. Moreover on re-checking our last position prior to the incident we were clearly well away from this danger. Even if the position had been incorrect there was sufficient rise of tide to pass over any of the charted dangers. …”

Initial examination at Alderney found cracked hull seams and some slight seepage of water but no immediately crippling damage and the crew brought Overlord back directly to the Elephant Yard at Bursledon where she was hauled out and an insurance survey took place on 1 May. We found extensive damage to the lead keel which has a large rectangular gouge and some foreign paint marks and which has parted from the wooden hull. There is extensive cracking of the paintwork along the seams, affecting more than half the hull area. If there is good news, it is that the impact was on the lead; if it had been further up the hull, it could easily have smashed through the planking with much more harmful consequences – to boat and to crew. But de-kit was quickly done our insurer has now given instruction for the work to go ahead, so repairs should start without delay The headline tasks are removal, repair and refitting of the lead keel and raking out and caulking of the affected seams. The headline cost is £37,000 and the work is expected to take about 12 weeks.