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Reply in Topic: Sobering news
Ramona
Ramona
NSW
7754 posts
NSW, 7754 posts
19 May 2026 8:54am
In NSW it's a legal requirement to wear life jackets when crossing designated bars. Professional fishermen are exempt. They are exempt due to the risk of being trapped inside a cabin if the trawler capsizes. I personally would always wear a PDF crossing the bar if in the cockpit or driving an open boat. The obvious advantage of wearing a PDF during a capsize is its much easier to recover the bodies. Quite a few accidents over the years at my local bar with amateur fishermen capsizing while not wearing PDFs has resulted in searches lasting up to 3 days to find the bodies.
Reply in Topic: Sobering news
Ramona
Ramona
NSW
7754 posts
NSW, 7754 posts
19 May 2026 8:40am
Chris 249 said..
On PFD use, I saw that all boating drownings in which a PFD was not used or is not known to be used are classed as “avoidable” when they are gathering stats on the effect of PFDs on drownings. That is a ridiculous way to approach the issue and a childish over-simplification of a complex topic. The Southerly 23 owner appears to be wearing a PFD which would be a terrible thing to have on if your boat is lost on a bar or a breakwall and you’re a half decent swimmer but I bet that won’t be used as evidence by the simplistic pro-PFD lobby.


The body recovered did not have a PFD. In the video he appears to be wearing a spray jacket with the hood possibly giving the impression of a PDF.
Reply in Topic: Sobering news
Ramona
Ramona
NSW
7754 posts
NSW, 7754 posts
15 May 2026 8:37am
Southerly 23.
Ramona
Ramona
NSW
7754 posts
NSW, 7754 posts
13 May 2026 8:35am
Certainly gives ex-professional fishermen a bad name!
So an anchor gave way. Let's see what sort of CQR it was!
Reply in Topic: Sobering news
Ramona
Ramona
NSW
7754 posts
NSW, 7754 posts
8 May 2026 5:57pm
saltiest1 said..

Quixotic said..


Ramona said..
This was a tragic event for the Rescue Association. What I find strange is the lack of information about the 54-year-old yachtsman who lost his life and any details on his yacht. We don't know whether he was entering or leaving. The Australian media seems to have lost the ability to report anything that represents news! So far, all I have heard is that the yacht will be recovered.





I don't think the media are at fault, they can only report what is known. Apparently the yacht sank, so entirely likely, given no distress call from the sailor, the name of the yacht or any other identifying details wont yet be known. Reported that divers are going to go down, so more may be discovered by them. Also unknown, if he didn't log his intentions, is whether he was coming or going. It's possible family or friends may yet come forward with information about him and his boat, but again the media cannot report what is not yet known, and if they are not chasing up his family and/or friends to find out more, that's OK with me. No doubt more detail will come out in official investigations as they are done and in the coroner's report when that is done.



The knowledge I have from the local crew is the boat name was Orion and was a small, and looked to be live aboard, 20ft trailer sailer that I saw when we walk the dogs most morning tied to the pontoon behind the Calypso caravan park Yamba for many months. It did appear to be In a condition that wasn't seaworthy but I never had the chance to look inside. It appeared to be early 80s / late 70s and narrow with large Perspex windows each side of the cabin. Certainly not something I'd personally be crossing a bar in weather. He did well to get out from Yamba in the morning. I was surfing that day and was a good 6ft with exposed areas larger and the bar wasn't pretty.
No VMR was contacted prior to departure or voyage logged according to updates.


Thanks for that.
Reply in Topic: Sobering news
Ramona
Ramona
NSW
7754 posts
NSW, 7754 posts
8 May 2026 9:00am
garymalmgren said..
ballinanewsdaily.com.au/2026/05/why-was-the-yacht-even-there-police-hunt-for-answers-after-bar-tragedy/

Reported to be crossing the bar at (around ) 6 pm.
Sunset was 5;08 pm.


Thanks for that Gary. The yachtsman not wearing a lifejacket while crossing the bar might indicate he was not from NSW or was unaware of the rules. The compulsory wearing of lifejackets crossing a bar in NSW might also account for the rescue crew members that were trapped in the rescue vessel. Professional fishermen in NSW do not have to wear life jackets crossing a bar for this very reason! When I was fishing and had to cross a bar in difficult conditions, I made the deckhands stand on the back deck while I steered the boat standing next to an open door. The rescue boat in this case is similar to one of our local ones with the door at the rear of the cabin. Even when uninflated, those buoyancy vests have a lot of buoyancy.
Reply in Topic: Sobering news
Ramona
Ramona
NSW
7754 posts
NSW, 7754 posts
7 May 2026 8:30am
This was a tragic event for the Rescue Association. What I find strange is the lack of information about the 54-year-old yachtsman who lost his life and any details on his yacht. We don't know whether he was entering or leaving. The Australian media seems to have lost the ability to report anything that represents news! So far, all I have heard is that the yacht will be recovered.
Ramona
Ramona
NSW
7754 posts
NSW, 7754 posts
3 May 2026 8:47am
Trek said..
The new Seabreeze looks OK to me.
My only suggestion is the forecasts should default to the next day. Not the next 7 days. I think most of us use the forecasts to check whats happening tomorrow, not what might happen in a week. ie. Tide. Time of sunrise. Wind.


Actually, I like the weekly forecasts. For a retired person, it gives a glance at the weather prospects for the next week, so I can plan what I can fit in. Not just sailing, but also other outdoor activities. For example, if I intend to take a dive to clean the bottom, I prefer full sunlight and top of the tide in the middle of the day. My mooring is in an estuary with a sometimes strong tidal flow. The weekly weather and tide charts are particularly handy for picking the right day. Being able to go sailing any day of the week means that if you can, you may as well go on the nicest day!
Reply in Topic: Trailer Sailer Yachts
Ramona
Ramona
NSW
7754 posts
NSW, 7754 posts
1 Apr 2026 6:02pm
There are several excellent WA built trailer sailers. One good choice is the Windrush Wildfire. 23 foot long with a largish centre cockpit. A boom tent over the centre cockpit would make an excellent place to sleep on hot, muggy nights. They are one of the better trailer sailers for sailing performance.
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