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Thames Safety Notice-Narrowboat Sinking


Jigsawged

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I don't know if this link will work, if not I'm sure a more experienced forum member will be able to fix it but it concerns the rapid sinking of a Narrowboat at Limehouse Reach. It seems that the boat sank in 10 seconds :

 

http://www.boatingonthethames.co.uk/assets/Safety%20Bulletin%20Issue%201%20Sept%202012.pdf

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I don't know if this link will work, if not I'm sure a more experienced forum member will be able to fix it but it concerns the rapid sinking of a Narrowboat at Limehouse Reach. It seems that the boat sank in 10 seconds :

 

http://www.boatingonthethames.co.uk/assets/Safety%20Bulletin%20Issue%201%20Sept%202012.pdf

In August 2012

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The PLA website is well worth looking at. Their safety bulletins are here, there are two more recent ones

 

The MAIB's Safety Bulletin includes that same sinking but also has some photos of the boat going down, very very scary. It is in the middle of a huge document but when I get a minute I will extract the photos

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Here's what it can look like around there (OK maybe usually less boats!), on a thoroughly unpleasant but not windy day.

I could have enhanced the picture to make it look more cheerful, but it really did look pretty much like that!

 

Thamesafterpageant-1_zps54d0876d.jpg

 

If the waterlines shown in the PLA report are anywhere near correct, that boat wasn't safe even in a shallow ditch never mind the tidal Thames.

 

Tim

Edited by Timleech
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The MAIB (Marine Accident Investigation Branch) have included this report, with some more scary pictures in their Safety Digest.

 

 

http://www.maib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/MVSection2_2013.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

Case 13, unlucky for some, thankfully no one injured. The Thames is unforgiving around there.

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From my armchair, I struggle with the basic causation mentioned. An additional displacement, even allowing for some see-sawing, of 115mm (at the vent) arising from three persons persons standing on the stern deck seems very high. Is anyone willing to have a crack at an estimate of the probable weight required - of does anyone have a reasonably similar boat that reacts similarly? I did once witness a boat sink at Llangollen due to it being overloaded whilst moored - the water came over the transom but it was a small cruiser and there were a good few aboard. Interestingly, no mention is made in the Bulletin of listing even though those in the cabin could also contribute to this effect.

 

Assuming each person made a pro-rata contribution, arithmetic would suggest just two would have been enough to put the vent below the water line - maybe even one if the stern digs-in under way. Was it the case that (since overplating) there had never been more than one or two persons on the stern deck? It is possible, I suppose.

 

The "new" factors as stated appear to be (possibly) choppy waters and the previous days launching. Maybe water was taken on due to the boat being lifted aft-down?

 

The safety lessons makes sense.

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I felt sorry for the dog, at least the 'adults' has some say ion the matter, Darwin was seriously right in this case. look like continuous moorers to me smile.png

The narrow boat was delivered by road and was

craned into the sheltered waters of the marina.

With all seeming to be well, the new owners

and their friends boarded the boat with the

intention of sailing to another marina for the

night.

 

 

 

Ah, yes, let's knock CM'ers again....

your facts available for your assertion Mr Marmalade sandwich??

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I went 'out' of Limehouse a few years back.

There was another boat behind me...a couple probably mid to late 60's

He was messing with the horn..but it didn't work...

He was asked about..lifejackets...VHF radio etc.

He told me..that he had told the lock keepers that he had them..but thought it funny that he did'nt..

No lifejackets....radio....no horn...

They seemed to think that the lock keepers were idiots and it had nothing to do with them...

 

Why...do we bother !!

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The narrow boat was delivered by road and was

craned into the sheltered waters of the marina.

With all seeming to be well, the new owners

and their friends boarded the boat with the

intention of sailing to another marina for the

night.

 

 

 

Ah, yes, let's knock CM'ers again....

your facts available for your assertion Mr Marmalade sandwich??

 

Yes sounds like someone lost their home which is just awful but you cannot say "with all seeming to be well". Don't go out onto a tidal river without doing some basic research and doing some basic checks on your boat.

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You may remember the boat that sank near Rawcliffe Bridge on the Aire and Calder Navigation East Yorkshire that according to her owner was hit be a freak wave that spun the boat killing the engine then came back and hit them again, he enlarged these type of air vents to aid engine cooling, guess what the insurance company never paid out and there has been no more freak waves in the area.

Edited by Northernboater
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The narrow boat was delivered by road and was

craned into the sheltered waters of the marina.

With all seeming to be well, the new owners

and their friends boarded the boat with the

intention of sailing to another marina for the

night.

 

 

 

Ah, yes, let's knock CM'ers again....

your facts available for your assertion Mr Marmalade sandwich??

 

I bet marmalade did that as a bet to try and get us CC'rs going again. Quite right Matty for your post, and marmalade, keep it quiet if you have no corroborating evidence

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And the MAIB findings are to be found where?

The MAIB (Marine Accident Investigation Branch) have included this report, with some more scary pictures in their Safety Digest.

 

http://www.maib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/MVSection2_2013.pdf

 

Case 13, unlucky for some, thankfully no one injured. The Thames is unforgiving around there.

  • Greenie 1
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I wonder if there should be some onus on the part of the fabricator who over plated the boat to calculate the increased weight and remove an equivalent amount of ballast, or at least advising the owners to do so before putting it back in the water, thus, hopefully leaving the boat to perform as designed?

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You may remember the boat that sank near Rawcliffe Bridge on the Aire and Calder Navigation East Yorkshire that according to her owner was hit be a freak wave that spun the boat killing the engine then came back and hit them again, he enlarged these type of air vents to aid engine cooling, guess what the insurance company never paid out and there has been no more freak waves in the area.

Strange that isnt it?

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