Rescued in the Atlantic
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- Опубликовано: 18 окт 2024
- On October 21, while sailing solo through a force 10 gale in the Atlantic, the rudder of my Sonic 23 broke off. I assessed the damage and realizing that I couldn't repair during the storm, I decided it was safer to send a distress call. With my satellite device I was able to reach the Coast Guard which then contacted all ships near my position. Following the nautical tradition, the 'Seaways Lookout', a 180 meter long gasoline tanker, answered the call and diverted its course to rescue me.
Being 70 nm away, I had to sit tight and wait for 6 hours before its arrival. Once within VHF range, I contacted the captain of the rescuing ship. He told me we would try to let my boat drift alongside his ship and then I would use the rope ladder to climb onboard. To facilitate the operation, he asked me to "drop" my mast. I removed the retaining pins from the starboard shrouds and waited for the boat's rocking motion to snap the mast. After about an hour, the captain realized the sea was way too bad for the initial plan, and decided to use a rope in order to pull me in the water to the ship.
Using a small rocket, a line was shot to my boat and I started pulling it in order to get the larger line with the life ring. Because of the intensity of the storm, my boat was drifting very fast and I didn't manage to pull the first line onboard. It took almost another hour for the tanker to maneuver again and then launch a second line. This time I was quicker and managed to pull the heavy line and the life ring onboard. The thin line chafed my hands as I had to overcome the strength of the wind pulling on the line hanging down from the ship.
Having stowed my logbook, all my valuables, electronic devices and documents in dry bags, I fastened them to my waist with a long rope and jumped in the water. The ship's crew pulled me to the ship and then proceeded to winch me up to the deck using a cargo net. This part proved the most difficult since the waves kept shoving me up and down along the ship's hull. My "waterproof" bags also filled up with water and the heavy load was pulling hard on my waist while I was trying to move into the net, and then from the net to the deck. After some struggle, the crew managed to hoist me onboard safely. Unfortunately all my electronic gear was soaked with seawater, destroying the incredible footage of the storm filmed prior to the rudder loss.
The next two weeks spent onboard with the Filipino crew and Russian officers was the most friendly and enjoyable vacation one could ever dream of, and I will remember it fondly for the rest of my life. All things considered, the incident was an amazing experience and it only further fueled my attraction to offshore sailing.
I am deeply thankful to the ship's captain, officers and crew, I'll be forever in their debt!
thanks for sharing - easy for armchair sailors to come up with good ideas of what they would do. I think your friends and family will be very pleased you called for help.
I believe this is a great opportunity for armchair sailors to learn from the mistakes of others for the moment they get sailing. It is important to point out the mistakes and miscalculations which led to this situation. as far as I understand it was a combination of following: An inexperienced sailor sails with a sailboat which is made for coastal cruising on the north Atlantic ocean in the time of the autumn storms. The 40 year old boat was probably not well maintained and updated. The rudder usually breaks because of a hidden delamination and ingress of water which weakens the structure over a long period - not just high wind pressure.
In aviation I believe there’s a saying that goes something like “once the propellor quits, that plane is now owned by the insurance company and do anything you can to get on the ground safely”. Fuck a piece of property, life is precious!
I would have brought a spare rudder. And a spare boat. 😉
I think its pretty damn inspiring that when one ship is in trouble, any ship that can help drops what they are doing and tries to immediately. Not a lot of that kind of behavior left in this world.
Not to put a damper on it, because it *is* inspiring, but they have a legal obligation to assist if able
It is international law.
Humans are aholes at times...but we didn't get this far without caring for one another...glad that the sailor's safe
Its law, Applies to cars too
@@pilsner2930 I don't believe that's true, at least not in my state. You're only required to render aid if you're involved in the accident
big compliment to the sailors involved !
A great rescue by fine seamen!!!!!
Venturing offshore with a Sonic 23 weighing just 3400 lbs requires being completely disconnected from reality, even with sailing experience! It's a miracle to have sail till there and have been rescued... say thank to heaven!
A mix of poor planning and inexperience. Still, I think the boat was sturdy enough to cross the storm with a proper storm sail. My rudder broke off due to the stress from the fully reefed mainsail, still too large for the strength of the wind.
The OP admits to a lack of preparation and equipment which was the problem in this situation rather than the size of the vessel. There are many channels on Your tube of people who successfully sail offshore and cross oceans in small sail boats less than 7 metres. Hurley 18 crossing the Atlantic ruclips.net/video/h34KzYRYiLk/видео.htmlIf Roger Taylor and his Corribee 21 crossing the Atlantic ruclips.net/video/UvOBLawxA5k/видео.html The most extraordinary is still probably Shane Acton and his Caprice 18, weekend trailer sailer in which he completed a circumnavigated between 1972 and 1980. It took him 8 years as he had to earn money as he went along. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shane_Acton
@@FedericoLucchi Federico? Come on now. The sonic 23 is a ridiculous boat to cross the Atlantic and if you dont know that then you are not experienced enough to do transatlantic. At least you're honest enough to admit you did poor planing and are inexperienced and without a storm jib and taking a sonic 23 you certainly are. Your rudder did not break off because of the stress of a reefed mainsail, it broke off because its only a pin and pintle rudder not much bigger that a 20 foot dinghy. I dont know Federico, I think a lot of experienced sailors who made a decision to do a transatlantic in a ridiculous sonic 23 without a storm jib would probably not post their video up on you tube. I dont mean to bust you up Federico and all the comments here are so supportive and things can go wrong the best prepared boats for sure but that does not mean a bit of reality needs to be recognised too and man to man that was a pretty dumb thing to do on a sonic 23.
I sailed a 10,000 mile Atlantic Circle with a 24 ft boat that weighed 2800 pounds. It’s not the weight or size but the construction that matters. The Sonic 23 isn’t a bad boat but does need some beefing up in some areas.
Your " heaven" had nothing to do with. Thank the captain of the rescue ship. Judging someone in their time of need, is the opposite of heroism. You should feel shame, unless of course, you have never made an error of judgement.
If you havent thrown away your electronics, the footage is most definitely salvageable. While the camera or phone might not work, the sd card or even the actual chip where the footage is saved is still usable. Just needs a good data recovery company.
He did salvage the footage, he posted a video 9 months later.
All the armchair sailors commenting here, who can barely get off their butts from the couch, to go get another beer, so quick to criticise. Not worth reading their comments after the first words. Waste of space. Well done Sir for your rescue and hope you can return to sailing soon.
I was similarly rescued on Lake Superior 21 years ago. I understand the level of gratitude you feel towards the captain & crew of that ship for saving your life. I can’t image staying on board for 2 weeks though. I was only on the tanker that rescued me for about 12 hours. I am certain if that ship hadn’t been there I’d be dead. I foolishly underestimated how bad Lake Superior can get during a storm.
Thanks to the Captain and crew of that ship. It’s nice to see we still have people like that in this world.
I love the Russian comments: "- What a bitch of a situation. Haha, he even brought the bags!"
There is something about the comradery, and human compassion in sailors that gives me chills. It is something so deep rooted in our nature, and seeing it on full display is just beautiful. Glad you're back safe. Kudos to all involved.
Bravo to the captain and crew of the Seaways Lookout !
If you look at the sailing boat between 4:38 and 4:49 you can get a sense of the sheer height of these waves during that storm. Truly amazing rescue by the fantastic crew!
Thank you seaways lookout and crew. x
Indeed! I was very pleased that the great naval tradition is still maintained, regardless of geopolitics and race!
The ocean is dangerous and we sailors need to stick together even if it is 6 hours in the other direction. I'm glad you're ok.@@FedericoLucchi
@@FedericoLucchi Unless you are _POON LIM!_
Dam these men are incredible. God bless you all for rescuing this man. Kudos 🎉
This is the best rescue video I’ve ever watched-it really makes you reflect on life in a whole new way! The combination of the song, wind, and night creates such a deep and powerful atmosphere. The rescue crew did an amazing job, and he handled everything with skill, from filming to the rescue. Thank God you’re safe-a boat can be replaced, but a life cannot.
As a fellow sailing enthusiast, this truly touched me.
Sending the 100th comment from Morocco,
Peace and love!
Every sailor has mistakes or regrets in his wardrobe. That is why I've found sailing communities generally very supportive. I'm sure you have learnt a couple things and it's great you wanted to share all those videos with us. This rescue is a fantastic display of humanity and solidarity which shines brightest among the deep waters.
Good luck on your future adventures wish you all the best
You should know better. It's a sailboat, not a cruise ship.
The calming music was necessary - that looked terrifying. The crew worked hard.
wow some youtubers would turn this rescue in to a 4 part documentary
some do 3 episodes just because their boat was scratched 😂
I like how this experience only served to increase your passion for sailing! I get freaked out just thinking about being in the water with only a small rope connecting me to the barge... And keeping me from being lost in the dark, rolling sea
I'm glad you're here to share, and i'm also very glad you got to experience that "vacation" onboard with the saving crew! That's an awesome turnout for an otherwise terrifying story.
The bond of the sea, never leave a sailor if you can help.
Comme quoi la solidarité des gens de mer n'a jamais été un vain mot ...alors un grand bravo à l'équipage de ce cargo .
I have always admired and respected the camaraderie of Sailors and Seamen, going to the aid of fellow Mariners in distress!
The bond between the Captain and Crew of the rescue vessel and yourself is lifelong and will always be so.
Irrespective of the cause of one's distress, knowing that someone is coming to your aid, out in the ends of the earth and in a savage sea state, must be such a great comfort.
I am so glad that you were saved and get to enjoy the rest of your life, what an incredible experience you've had.
Thank you for sharing your remarkable story and I'm sorry you lost your boat.
Subscribed.
Agreed. I think its pretty damn inspiring that when one ship is in trouble, any ship that can help drops what they are doing and tries to immediately. Not a lot of that kind of behavior left in this world.
it's required by law l believe
@@iwaswrongabouteveryhthing Let's be honest, its not the legal aspect that compels Captains and Crews to immediately abandon their route and to race to the last known location of a fellow mariner in distress!
There IS no law out in the middle of nowhere in a rough sea state, only the bond between mariners on the sea to come to the aid of their fellow sailor.
@@felixcat9318 "Under international maritime law, all ships anywhere at sea are obliged to provide assistance to people in distress. Rescue at sea is anchored in maritime tradition as a human duty and is recognised as customary international law everywhere at sea [1]. In addition, three international conventions regulate the coordination and implementation of maritime rescue: the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS, 1974) [2], the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR, 1979), [3] and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS, 1982)"
ship owners assist in rescue because they must,
not out of their big hearts or christain spirit but because they are required to
@@felixcat9318 Actually, the duty of ships to render aid is codified multiple times in international maritime law and the closest vessels must do so as long as there's no danger to the rescuer.
Unglaublich, dass so eine Rettung gelingt. Als Segler kann man sich kaum vorstellen was ein Kapitän können muss, der das grosse Schiff führt. Selbst wenn man ruhig in einem geschützten Hafen liegt, bekommt man Herzklopfen bei diesem Film.
The things sailors will do for one another is incredible
If your relation to your boat is anything like mine, the moment of leaving your vessel for the last time must have been absolutely heartbreaking. I doubt I would have given up that easily, but not because I have more skill than you: Only because I'm stubborn and far to emotionally attached to my boat. You made a very good decision and you are still here because of it. Good work.
I think when you are in this situation self preservation might make it easier to leave the boat :D but I get what you are saying
thank you captain ❤❤❤
take the memory cards and get the data retrieved....the devices can be cooked but the data is usually still there after water damage
This!
Take some advice from an old yachtmaster. If you’re faced with two options - Option 1 is sail 50nm into a force 10 to get to safe harbour or Option 2 which is to sail 400nm away from a force to reach a port further away. Option 2 is 100% of the time the best option. Beating into a force 10 puts untold amounts of stress through your rig and your body.
Of course not ending up in a force 10 in the first place is the best option of all. After all there are old sailors and there are bold sailors, but there are no old a bold sailors.
9:37 pm, Tuesday 8 Oktober 2024. Thank you sharing your journey to us
Holy COW, you were out of the boat to grab the line, just one hand, one point of contact between you and gonzo eh!!! Incredible dude, glad you have good grip strength!!!!
Amazing experience? To sail offshore with such a tiny boat is just nuts!
you are nuts
glad it all worked out, thanks for sharing your experiences. kudos to the Seaways Lookout sailors.
Russian commentaries by the cameraman are priceless, lol!
Well done to the crew for the rescue.
its crazy even after such incidents people find ways to get back on the journey.
who goes in the atlantic in October? especially on a 23ft yacht why?
Well, September is still hurricane season... so not too many options
@@FedericoLucchi waiting is an option
Running from or to something.Definitely running.
@@FedericoLucchi still didnt learn i see October can still be storms.
@@FedericoLucchi 10 other options according to my calendar
Wow! Amazing!! Great job communicating and what a story to tell!! Glad you made it!!
sailors are a diff breed ...im glad your safe
Glad you made it! Brilliant thinking to bring your valuables. I imagine it was terrifying so having the wherewithal to pack stuff into dry bags and GTFO on a whim is impressive.
Русские парни на мостике удивляются: ещё и с сумками!
A beautiful story man. U are really living the life
He was nearly dying bro
@@tommasorenzi6939 yeah well sometimes it happens. That’s what happens if u are living the life. Adventure comes with danger sometimes but who cares… r
@@A57697 I agree with you but sailing an entire ocean with that tiny boat is suicide, not adventure...
@@tommasorenzi6939 well I guess you see it that way. And I understand it. But it’s mostly your anxiety or fear what is taking over you. Tiny or big boat. If the oceans wants it it wil take it.
@@A57697 :)
Go back on that boat captain Schettino! Immediately!!!
Props to the other ships for responding. It takes a team
I fully realize what you were going trough. One time in Sea of Thieves I went afk to get something to eat and when I came back my mast was gone and the Kraken was just about to finish my ship off. Thankfully I didnt have to resolt to calling for water police. I just relogged. Maybe you should sail with a party next time?
Must have hurt 💔 to see your battered boat drift off in the darkness 😢
The crew seeing the end realizing they’re gonna have to do this again
Harrowing, one can not fathom the might of those waves and that wind. Humbling, too.
That's cool that somebody took such a good video of it. Glad you are safe
Great video, great story, well done everyone.
Wow, absolutely amazing! Glad that you're still with us :)
this is now an old video, however, it is possible to recover the footage from before the rescue. You will need to find a data retrieval specialist to get the data off of the flashchip in the device. Hopefully you still have it and can retrieve it someday.
The ocean is scary and unforgiving asf.
Helping the others is normal and if you do get behind on ANY schedule to do so, nobody will ever tell you did wrong
1:41 yiiiiiiiiiiiiikes this is terrifying, i’ve never seen a mast move like that
What a amazing people on that ship!
While it sucks that your boat sank, glad you are okay! Very interesting video and sounds like a very interesting experience!
Coast gaurd: "u guys got it?"
Tanker: " yah one sec..."
WONDERFULL . SEAMEN ARE GREAT FAMILY.
both videos were amazing
I really appreciate the seafarer solidarity where any vessel within relative vicinity of somebody in distress is called into action to help. How long has that been seafaring tradition (for lack of a better term)?
Sweet Lord, Gale Force 10 in a 23-ft boat. Absolutely wild
More like force 6.
Look up the Beaufort Scale. That's not even close to a 10.
Better yet, look on RUclips and see what a force 10 storm really looks like.
This was intense.
The rough conditions and the difficulty to retrieve the man from the water would have been better expressed without the music. It soothes a hard experience and morphs into an afternoon TV show for the housewife.
Too bad.
Most bad ass video I’ve seen in a while.
Wow that's intense. Glad it worked out for you.
this world is sometimes amazing
what was the fate of your little sailboat? did it sink or popped up ashore somewhere?
Considering how stormy the ocean was, it most likely capsized and sank
What an awesome video! Thanks for sharing this. What happened to the boat though?
Glad you’re safe! It doesn’t look like you scuttled your boat. Is it more left as a hazard to navigation?
I left the cabin hatch wide open. Considering that waves regularly washed over the boat, it probably sank within an hour.
@@FedericoLucchi That is awesome!! I’m do glad to hear that. I’ve gotten quite frustrated with the amount of people abandoning ship and leaving the boats afloat. Thank you!
Heroes saved the day for you and your family!
I have always been curious:
What happened to the mast and the boat? Were they ever recovered?
Also.... did this experience have any legal or financial ramifications (apart from the boar repair/loss)?
Why couldn't the boat be towed? It's a pity to lose such an expensive property.
I almost died. But then I had a good time, so I’ll keep doing the thing that nearly killed me.
Were the sd cards containing the footage really toasted? 🤨
To all that helped a massive 👍👊
Lots of criticism of your boat..but the boat survived!
Looking at that rescue, it appears more risky than staying on board.
Dropping the mast for a start could have seriously injured you, similarly being hoisted and bashed against the tanker.
If you had not been rescued, I suspect you may have been able to jury rig a rudder of sorts and get into port?
Bog vas blagoslovio🙏💝💪👍
🇭🇷
Моряки на корабле говорят: ещё и с сумками😂 А вообще выглядит жутко, Слава Богу спаслись.
It must have been a bit painful to intentionally snap your mast off!
Stupid question here. Were you forced to pay for this service after the rescue?
Bravo !!!!!!!
your harddrives are probably recoverable if you pay a recovery service to extract the files
Damn you’re a crazy mofo to take that dinky 23’ into the open ocean!
Happy birthday!
I kissed the ground after watching this
Now imagine that with a person that has barely any strength left
The offshore sailing is crazy idea :(
So what happend to the boat? those are quite expensive. is it just adrift for someone to find now?
I believe a Sonic 23 goes for about 5k....
Humans being awesome humans 😊
God bless, these guys🙏
What an experience!
Away from loosing the ship were you not using gopro or so? Why did you lost the filming? Was it from a normal camera? 🤔
Sailor James of Triteia had the same thing happen to him on the way to Hawaii. He manned up, improvised, and made it anyway.
still might be recoverable, if an expert looks at it. hopefully you didn't destroy or throw anything away.
Awesome save.
Et qu'est-il advenu du voilier après le sauvetage? Est-ce qu'il flotte au hasard dans l'océan sans lumière ni réflecteur radar? Je navigue souvent de nuit, comme des centaines d'autres marins qui font ce trajet à l'automne, et ma plus grande crainte est de frapper votre voilier durant la nuit ... Il y a déjà assez de risques en mer la nuit (bouées de pêche, débris flottants, etc), qu'on n'avait pas besoin d'un voilier fantôme à la dérive.
Non j'ai enlevé la plug du SONAR pour justement éviter ce genre de problème.
Excellent, merci !
Can someone please calculate the odds of hitting an abandoned sailboat, at night, in the Atlantic Ocean. My guess is that it would be somewhere in the order of zero.
Me who only saw the ocean only once in my life: 👀 interesting
they saved a life
Literally Titanic 2. Lucky coconut
How can a bit of seawater destroy an sd card. Good drill for those boys though 💪🏼
Wonderful
Is your boat at the bottom of the sea presumably?