MILLIONAIRE SUPERYACHT: WHY SHIPS SINK
MILLIONAIRE SUPERYACHT: WHY SHIPS SINK
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Discussion

Arrivalist

Original Poster:

2,989 posts

26 months

Monday 22nd June
quotequote all
On BBC 2 now if anyone is interested.

During intense storms on 19 August 2024, the 54m superyacht Bayesian mysteriously sinks off the coast of Sicily. Seven people onboard tragically perish. As search and rescue teams scour the coast for survivors, questions begin to be asked. Why did a multi-million-pound superyacht sink when others nearby didn’t? Could its record-breaking mast have made it more vulnerable to strong winds? This film forensically examines what went wrong and asks whether more needs to be done to keep ships safe at sea. Eyewitnesses, first responders, a former captain of the Bayesian and a retired MAIB principal investigator detail what happened.


dukeboy749r

3,506 posts

237 months

Monday 22nd June
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Caught it part way through and have made a mental note to watch it on iplayer.

Was it any good?

Arrivalist

Original Poster:

2,989 posts

26 months

Tuesday 23rd June
quotequote all
dukeboy749r said:
Caught it part way through and have made a mental note to watch it on iplayer.

Was it any good?
It was interesting to me as I’d never really followed the aftermath too closely. Had some interesting technical details on the boat, an ex MAIB investigator, and meteorologist to explain the freak weather conditions at the time.

I’m guessing a lot is already known to many on here, but for me it gave a good overview.


droopsnoot

14,454 posts

269 months

Tuesday 23rd June
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I ended up watching this and did find it interesting, though it felt as if it might have been better to wait until the final report and court proceedings are finished to draw more conclusions. Maybe there will be a follow-up. I don't remember hearing anything about the cruise ship that was having difficulties in the Norway area due to lack of oil in the generators, but it might not have made it to the news as they got it all going again before running aground.

Arrivalist

Original Poster:

2,989 posts

26 months

Tuesday 23rd June
quotequote all
I’m certainly not doing a liveaboard in Egypt!

dukeboy749r

3,506 posts

237 months

Tuesday 23rd June
quotequote all
Arrivalist said:
dukeboy749r said:
Caught it part way through and have made a mental note to watch it on iplayer.

Was it any good?
It was interesting to me as I’d never really followed the aftermath too closely. Had some interesting technical details on the boat, an ex MAIB investigator, and meteorologist to explain the freak weather conditions at the time.

I’m guessing a lot is already known to many on here, but for me it gave a good overview.
Many thanks!

Arrivalist said:
I m certainly not doing a liveaboard in Egypt!
I guess the answer to this is in the programme?

Less stringent rule keeping, (I presume) and a habit of 'losing' divers?

Arrivalist

Original Poster:

2,989 posts

26 months

Tuesday 23rd June
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To answer your last question… too many boats getting lost, not divers.

Hilts

4,684 posts

309 months

Tuesday 23rd June
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Arrivalist said:
On BBC 2 now if anyone is interested.

. Why did a multi-million-pound superyacht sink when others nearby didn t?
Mike Lynch wasn't on any of the others.

The reaper came for Mike two days after visiting Stephen Chamberlain. Busy week.

hidetheelephants

34,814 posts

220 months

Wednesday 24th June
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Arrivalist said:
Why did a multi-million-pound superyacht sink when others nearby didn t?
Available evidence suggests the ship was unseaworthy and an accident waiting to happen.

StuntCock

237 posts

210 months

Wednesday 24th June
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Haven’t watched the programme, but the boat had:
1) World’s tallest yacht mast.
2) Lifting keel….
Now I’m no yacht designer, but common sense say’s OK have one, OR the other, but it’s not a good idea to have both?

That’s before getting into skipper/crew decisions, forecast, was the side door left open, freak wind etc.

Scrump

23,893 posts

185 months

Wednesday 24th June
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StuntCock said:
Haven t watched the programme, but the boat had:
1) World s tallest yacht mast.
2) Lifting keel .
Now I m no yacht designer, but common sense say s OK have one, OR the other, but it s not a good idea to have both?

That s before getting into skipper/crew decisions, forecast, was the side door left open, freak wind etc.
That combination should not be an issue if designed correctly. The lowered keel is designed to match fully deployed sails. The heeling moment from a bare mast will be lower and the raised keel still places ballast at the lowest point in the hull.
I am not saying it was designed correctly on this yacht, I am just talking generalities.

droopsnoot

14,454 posts

269 months

Wednesday 24th June
quotequote all
StuntCock said:
Haven t watched the programme, but the boat had:
1) World s tallest yacht mast.
2) Lifting keel .
Now I m no yacht designer, but common sense say s OK have one, OR the other, but it s not a good idea to have both?

That s before getting into skipper/crew decisions, forecast, was the side door left open, freak wind etc.
There was some talk of the side door being left open, photos taken by passengers on the nearby Sir Robert Baden Powell showed that it was closed, though I imagine it could have been opened after they passed. The other thing mentioned was taking on water through vents into the engine room and further forward.

One of the interesting things about the programme was discussion of this kind of intricate detail that goes into the designing and operating of this sort of vessel.

droopsnoot

14,454 posts

269 months

Wednesday 24th June
quotequote all
dukeboy749r said:
Arrivalist said:
I m certainly not doing a liveaboard in Egypt!
I guess the answer to this is in the programme?

Less stringent rule keeping, (I presume) and a habit of 'losing' divers?
The one they featured in the programme had been modified to add an extra deck presumably to take more passengers, but it moved the centre of gravity a lot higher and made it much less stable.

StuntCock

237 posts

210 months

Wednesday 24th June
quotequote all
Scrump said:
StuntCock said:
Haven t watched the programme, but the boat had:
1) World s tallest yacht mast.
2) Lifting keel .
Now I m no yacht designer, but common sense say s OK have one, OR the other, but it s not a good idea to have both?

That s before getting into skipper/crew decisions, forecast, was the side door left open, freak wind etc.
That combination should not be an issue if designed correctly. The lowered keel is designed to match fully deployed sails. The heeling moment from a bare mast will be lower and the raised keel still places ballast at the lowest point in the hull.
I am not saying it was designed correctly on this yacht, I am just talking generalities.
Hmmm. Just watched the programme out of interest. I stand by my comment.
Outstanding points from BBC (MAIB?) are:
Bayesian had an AVS of just 70 degrees keel up. Which is bugger all. Most ocean going yachts are getting on for double that at 120 degrees plus.
72mph wind would put her past her AVS under bare poles. (a lot but very possible)
The kitchen and engine vents submerge at 35 to 40 degrees causing rapid flooding. Which on a sailing yacht really isn’t much at all.





Simpo Two

92,200 posts

292 months

Wednesday 24th June
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What is AVS? I'm getting Address Verification Service, Animal and Veterinary Science, Adaptive Voltage Scaling, Autonomous Vehicle System, American Vacuum Society, Anti-Vibration System, Applied Vegetation Science and many more but nothing that suits a boat: https://www.acronymfinder.com/AVS.html

So anyway, basically it went down the same way as the Mary Rose and the Wasa - bad design: rolled over, water went in the holes. Except the first two had a bit of an excuse because they didn't have computers to design them.

hidetheelephants

34,814 posts

220 months

Wednesday 24th June
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Angle of vanishing stability

Arrivalist

Original Poster:

2,989 posts

26 months

Thursday 25th June
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I’m impressed at the AVS for many yachts. I had no idea that a boat could right itself at 120 degrees or so.

Simpo Two

92,200 posts

292 months

Thursday 25th June
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hidetheelephants said:
Angle of vanishing stability
Thanks. 'Maximum roll angle' in other words - much clearer!

MBBlat

2,044 posts

176 months

Wednesday 1st July
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Simpo Two said:
hidetheelephants said:
Angle of vanishing stability
Thanks. 'Maximum roll angle' in other words - much clearer!
The below might make it a bit clearer.


Basically it’s the angle at which even if all heeling moments were removed you are still going to end up upside down. Heeling moments in this case would obviously be the wind but also the water flooding in through the vents.