Sailing Fatality in Cork

Talent

Reports today that John O'Leary from Allihies in west Cork died after being in the water reportedly for 4 hrs after the dinghy he and his son were sailing capsized. His son successfully swam to shore to get help but he had died by the time help arrived.

No details yet on type of boat or the gear (wetsuits, etc) being used.

Heartfelt sympathy to his family.

Talent

Forecast (Windguru) for Bantry Bay had been SW about 10-11 knots, gusting 15. Allihies might have been exposed to swell.

Talent

Evening Echo reports they were fishing.
http://www.eveningecho.ie/2012/08/14/dad-65-dies-at-sea/

RTE says was a sailing dinghy.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0814/mans-body-recovered-from-the-sea-off-county-cork.html

fergal.b

Sad news indeed, also to hear of the two fishermen off Clare My thoughts go out to the families involved.








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pedroeibar1

Very sad news.

Talent wrote: »

Forecast (Windguru) for Bantry Bay had been SW about 10-11 knots, gusting 15. Allihies might have been exposed to swell.

It was blowing a lot more than that at times yesterday further up the Kenmare estuary, regularly 20 kts and gusting, more in the rain squalls.
P.

Skuxx

fergal.b wrote: »

Sad news indeed, also to hear of the two fishermen off Clare My thoughts go out to the families involved.

Terrible news indeed, the older man was an uncle of a friend of mine!! Scary how small a world it is really!!!

Talent

According to Afloat magazine's website, O'Leary was sailing an Enterprise sailing dinghy (although The Irish Times reported that it was a boat called Enterprise).

In an ideal world righting the 14 ft Enterprise (or any similar boat) after capsize is straightforward, especially if you have assistance of an energetic young crew. Sailing dinghies are designed for such an eventuality. But it's a different matter if it's an older model which uses buoyancy bags (the later GRP version has built-in buoyancy tanks). Should one of the buoyancy bags burst or if a retaining strap breaks (or becomes detached from the hull and a bag pops out) it will be virtually impossible to sail it. The boat can be righted but it will be so full of water that the gunwhale is practically awash and boarding it becomes futile. It will rapidly fill with water and become so unstable that another capsize is inevitable.

I know some people may find a discussion indelicate in the immediate aftermath of tragedy but it might help prevent something similar happening again. About 20 years ago I was involved in a search for a capsized boat between Skerries and Balbriggan and which had been spotted from the shore. I was looking for an upturned hull and initially ignored the dinghy with blue sails (Enterprises have blue sails) about a mile off. But as I got closer I could see three heads in the water alongside it. The gunwhales were practically awash. They had capsized and one of the bouyancy bags had popped out and floated away. One of the people in the water was so cold that he could not aid himself and it took a bit of work to drag him on board.

Another boat in the search had made the same error as we did and initially thought the boat was OK because they could see the sails aloft.

There's a lot of assumption here in relating the above incident to the O'Leary tragedy, that it was indeed an Enterprise and that it had bouyancy bags. Other factors could include a broken centreboard making it difficult to right, or it could have become holed after striking something. What caused the capsize is less of an issue than why the boat could not be properly righted afterwards.

Talent

Just learned that Mr O'Leary was a Wayfarer sailor but still not clear if that was what he was sailing.

Ned_led16

Rip thoughts are with the families.
I knew it was dodge to go out over the last few days but thought the storm had passed today - i went out today and it was too dodgey!!!
My interpretation of the forecast was that it was grand this afternoon.. a local fisherman said u have to wait a few days to let the seas calm... who would expect that in August!!! my boat can handel those conditions today but its when complications enter the equation... accidents happen.. expect the unexpected i suppose....

the seas by the soverigns today and newfoundland bay were moving in all directions and massive rip currents!!!

Seems harsh being caught out in August!!! shocking news

5th body recovered from irishwaters from one storm

http://www.newstalk.ie//2012/news/body-recovered-off-west-cork-coast/

Mr.Boots

Very sad all right.
I has me thinking though, as I'm about to buy my first dinghie I am thinking about safety.
Would it not be sensible to have a handheld VHF and a couple of flares in a small waterproof barel with you all the time???
Or is that overkill?

Tabnabs

Mr.Boots wrote: »

Very sad all right.
I has me thinking though, as I'm about to buy my first dinghie I am thinking about safety.
Would it not be sensible to have a handheld VHF and a couple of flares in a small waterproof barel with you all the time???
Or is that overkill?

If you are sailing alone, or in relatively open waters then it's an excellent idea.