TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Grounding off Anegada

Radio reports of 51 ft power cat aground off Anegada with damage to both rudders and powershafts. Apparently not taking on water. No other details.

Did the Two Sisters strike again?

Last trip, I saw a power cat going straight into Setting Point (From North Sound area), ignoring the crowd that were all head to the outer channel marker. No grounding that I could identify, but likely a matter of luck and not skill.

We saw a power cat come barreling in like a ferry boat and came to a dead stop when they hit the reef.

I imagine that my reaction to that would be a cross between heartbreaking horror and laughing my [censored] off at the idiot who finally got what they deserved!

Don't know the details of this incident, but likely not done by the owner and not what the owner deserved

I don't know any more than what has been written here, and I agree, likely not the owner of boat. I don't make a judgement about what the owner deserved or not (and I also agree with you about him probably not deserving what that call could be), it is the business some of us are in - and that is one of the risks we take for the rewards we accept. If you don't want the risk, don't get in the business.

That doesn't change how I'd see the guy who was "barreling in like a ferry boat" thru a reef area. Just sayin'.

The risk is indeed real - it is just becoming increasingly evident that 1) some charter companies are not properly vetting credit card captains and letting the power of the dollar speak most loudly and 2) there are a lot of people who really don’t care at the helm. I trust my charter company but maybe I am too risk averse for this….these kinds of posts make my anxiety level go haywire.

Unless the charter company requires a on the water checkout the vetting process is pretty much the same for all the companies. In the end it comes down to the honesty of the charterer. CYOA is the only company I know currently requiring a demo sail.

On my first visit to Anagada last week, I found the channel to be well marked. Having said that, I was a bit nervous going into and out of that anchorage based on warnings from the charter company and in the cruising guide. If you don't get a bit nervous navigating through shallow reefs that are hard to see, you should not be there. I did not find the chart plotter to be as useful as the detailed descriptions in the cruising guide.
We did see flamingos on the wing above the anchorage - a particularly big treat for the birders in my crew.

I was always the bad example, would go direct from NS to the Anchorage and even come in at night. But my boat and local knowledge. But if anyone was following me I would be politically correct. I also only needed 3 feet of water.

Please don’t mention that on some of the Facebook forums - it will only encourage more bad behavior.

I have had boats with 3.5 foot draft to 6 foot. You do have to adjust your routes and anchorages. Even a foot makes a big difference. I had someone on a monohull try and follow me through a area with 4 feet of water. Tried to warn them off on the VHF but of course they did not have it on. They came to a abrupt halt!
G

I've been to Anegada many times with the largest boat for me being a Lagoon 50 (which handles horribly in tight quarters). I am comfortable going there for sure....but even having done it multiple times, I don't think my butt is puckered more in any other situation. I don't want anything to do with the reef, especially on someone else's boat! Slow and Low is my MO for Anegada. What's the rush anyway!?!?!

Great to see Kneafsey back on here..you are missed MIke..here and in the islands!

Bad example? My first trip down was with JD Leopold (daix). We were sitting at Marina Cay when a boat (you, of course) came screaming around the south side UNDER A SPINNAKER.......rounded off around the reef, doused the chute and coasted to a mooring - y'all 'member that one? I was stone impressed. Had a great dinner with Hartzman that eve, been hooked ever since. Good to see you here Mike!

I don’t think you need to worry about Mike. He has way more sailing knowledge than any of us.

Yes, if you know what you are doing as Mike K, you certainly can take shortcuts. After we sold our charter boat we bought a glacier bay 27 ft power cat to island hop while staying on Virgin Gorda.

I would always use Walkers approach and didn't worry about it. After developing a serious neuropathy following some radiation that lasted 2 years during which just getting up from a chair was a difficult procedure, taking out by ourselves was not an option. We have a good friend on island who was with Dive BVI for years, now captain for Little Dix and dove lobster for years. Any way we would grab Rudy on his day off and go somewhere, the two of us and Rudy. He had spent many days lobstering around anegada. So the first time he went with us to Anegada we went in as usual. Coming back he just turned left and we took off through the maze of coral heads at enough speed they looked like a picket fence. . The boat had about an 18 inch or so draft but I did wonder if we might oughta trim up those engines a bit more. I will admit to some concern but it was no problem..out in the middle somewhere he waved at someone coming fast in the other direction. He said it was one of the Soares.

Anyway like many other things "don't try this at home." Unless you are sure you know what you are doing and preferably with one's own boat.