Thanks for posting this...safety briefing for everyone, just like on the commercial cruises. At work, we ALWAYS were proactive regarding safety...the liability insurance (and OSHA) required it!
A couple times in my work career I have found myself in a military helicopter as a civilian. We always got a safety briefing. At least twice, they started with a line from the pilot giving the safety briefing on procedures if we have to ditch which went along the lines of : “If I am still alive, I will attempt to…” it definitely got my attention. We weren’t in any hostile environment or anything, just shooting promotional videos, but the point was made.
While unlikely, stuff can go sideways very quickly, and it is best to talk about it up front with everyone involved, if only to let people know you have thought of, and have protocols for the worst.
A few years ago I was on a ski trip on a Canadian motor coach. We were going into some serious winter mountain weather, and the driver recited a complete safety protocol just like a flight attendant. After a moment of thought, I realized that the chance of surviving a crash and needing that emergency information was much higher than I would like to admit, and I thanked the "pilot" for his presentation. I wonder if the mega yacht guests had any "cruise ship" training for self rescue, and if It would have made any difference.
Thanks, Jonathan, for your insights on this tragedy. Many of us are lucky enough to have boats with positive flotation. I am a cowardly sailor and would never leave the dock without it, even for an hour's day sail on a calm looking day. I have even added foam flotation to my Mac Venture 222's factory allotment. If airlines gave us each auxiliary wings, I would keep mine buckled on the whole flight. I'm sure we'll all learn a lot from this incident but in the interim, don't mess with flotation - you never know when you'll need it.
From the very limited information I have about this incident, I have come to the suspicion that bad design choices are a major culprit.
This vessel may well have been more than adequately seaworthy when properly configured. This means with most of the engine and AC vents closed off. But, practcally thinking, such is almost never going to be the case, unless sailing through a storm. When not so configured, this vessel seems horribly vulnerable to sudden, cross-wind squalls while at anchor.
I think that the angle of downflooding must be assumed to be the angle of vanishing stability during a vessel's most common configuration. In this case, that would be with the engine and AC vents open.
With sobering reminders of other deadly boating accidents, I'm keenly aware of my legal(!) responsibility for the safety of my crew or passengers and I'm often reminded that it's unwise to assume that they are knowledgeable enough of any dangers. I now give a brief safety talk!
As a small boat charter captain.40ft sail. I always give a safety briefing. It includes life jacket ,fire extinguisher,flare & first aid kit locations.
My mate if aboard and I always wear inflatable vests. My line is " I know I can come back and get you but not sure you could come back and get me" it always gets a chuckle. And tell them 1 hand for you 1 hand for the ship.
I celebrated my 13th year of volunteer service with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary in January, and nearing my 13th year as certified boat crew member. In those 13 years, often crewing with folks with decades more experience, we have never gone out without a safety and planning briefing involving every crewmember. How much more with the uninitiated?
A couple of things from news reports: The Bayesian is said to have had the tallest mast of any ship. That certainly wouldn't help when anchored and an unexpected wind gust hits. What practical reason is there for a ship of that size to be single masted? Is it going to race against other megayachts?
The second is that I read that the passengers who died were in their cabins rather than in a main cabin and able to immediately leave the ship. It sounds like there was just a general sense of complacency on a stormy day that the local fishing boat didn't venture out.
This event is so reminiscent of another unsinkable ship, the Titanic.
Commercial aircraft always have a safety briefing, which everyone ignores.
I’ll also say that cavalierly thinking you can just modify the design of a boat conceived over a lengthy period of time by an actual naval architect is similar to taking walls out of a house just because you want more room. They’re called “ARCHITECTS” for a reason! If you think you know a boat’s design better than the person who designed it, you’re wrong. If you think you can “improve” on their design with some modification they didn’t already come up with, you’re probably wrong again. At least ask them first!
Lastly, at the furthest extremes of boat design, both big and small, are theoretical choices and compromises that effect the boat in ways that even naval architects with all of the computers in the world can’t anticipate. I’ll stick with well proven designs known for seaworthiness, safety, comfort, and longevity. And beauty!
Thanks for posting this...safety briefing for everyone, just like on the commercial cruises. At work, we ALWAYS were proactive regarding safety...the liability insurance (and OSHA) required it!
A couple times in my work career I have found myself in a military helicopter as a civilian. We always got a safety briefing. At least twice, they started with a line from the pilot giving the safety briefing on procedures if we have to ditch which went along the lines of : “If I am still alive, I will attempt to…” it definitely got my attention. We weren’t in any hostile environment or anything, just shooting promotional videos, but the point was made.
While unlikely, stuff can go sideways very quickly, and it is best to talk about it up front with everyone involved, if only to let people know you have thought of, and have protocols for the worst.
Amen!
A few years ago I was on a ski trip on a Canadian motor coach. We were going into some serious winter mountain weather, and the driver recited a complete safety protocol just like a flight attendant. After a moment of thought, I realized that the chance of surviving a crash and needing that emergency information was much higher than I would like to admit, and I thanked the "pilot" for his presentation. I wonder if the mega yacht guests had any "cruise ship" training for self rescue, and if It would have made any difference.
Thanks, Jonathan, for your insights on this tragedy. Many of us are lucky enough to have boats with positive flotation. I am a cowardly sailor and would never leave the dock without it, even for an hour's day sail on a calm looking day. I have even added foam flotation to my Mac Venture 222's factory allotment. If airlines gave us each auxiliary wings, I would keep mine buckled on the whole flight. I'm sure we'll all learn a lot from this incident but in the interim, don't mess with flotation - you never know when you'll need it.
When I take friends out, I will give them a safety briefing. It is pretty quick and simple on a smaller boat.
I explain that I am responsible for them and if I raise my voice it is not because I'm mad, but because I need them to do something immediately.
From the very limited information I have about this incident, I have come to the suspicion that bad design choices are a major culprit.
This vessel may well have been more than adequately seaworthy when properly configured. This means with most of the engine and AC vents closed off. But, practcally thinking, such is almost never going to be the case, unless sailing through a storm. When not so configured, this vessel seems horribly vulnerable to sudden, cross-wind squalls while at anchor.
I think that the angle of downflooding must be assumed to be the angle of vanishing stability during a vessel's most common configuration. In this case, that would be with the engine and AC vents open.
Interesting article. I wasn’t aware, though, of SCAMPS littering the sea floor. They seem to be pretty Buoyant and stable…
With sobering reminders of other deadly boating accidents, I'm keenly aware of my legal(!) responsibility for the safety of my crew or passengers and I'm often reminded that it's unwise to assume that they are knowledgeable enough of any dangers. I now give a brief safety talk!
As a small boat charter captain.40ft sail. I always give a safety briefing. It includes life jacket ,fire extinguisher,flare & first aid kit locations.
My mate if aboard and I always wear inflatable vests. My line is " I know I can come back and get you but not sure you could come back and get me" it always gets a chuckle. And tell them 1 hand for you 1 hand for the ship.
I celebrated my 13th year of volunteer service with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary in January, and nearing my 13th year as certified boat crew member. In those 13 years, often crewing with folks with decades more experience, we have never gone out without a safety and planning briefing involving every crewmember. How much more with the uninitiated?
A couple of things from news reports: The Bayesian is said to have had the tallest mast of any ship. That certainly wouldn't help when anchored and an unexpected wind gust hits. What practical reason is there for a ship of that size to be single masted? Is it going to race against other megayachts?
The second is that I read that the passengers who died were in their cabins rather than in a main cabin and able to immediately leave the ship. It sounds like there was just a general sense of complacency on a stormy day that the local fishing boat didn't venture out.
This event is so reminiscent of another unsinkable ship, the Titanic.
Commercial aircraft always have a safety briefing, which everyone ignores.
I’ll also say that cavalierly thinking you can just modify the design of a boat conceived over a lengthy period of time by an actual naval architect is similar to taking walls out of a house just because you want more room. They’re called “ARCHITECTS” for a reason! If you think you know a boat’s design better than the person who designed it, you’re wrong. If you think you can “improve” on their design with some modification they didn’t already come up with, you’re probably wrong again. At least ask them first!
Lastly, at the furthest extremes of boat design, both big and small, are theoretical choices and compromises that effect the boat in ways that even naval architects with all of the computers in the world can’t anticipate. I’ll stick with well proven designs known for seaworthiness, safety, comfort, and longevity. And beauty!