WebreaderShopNewsletterTop harbours

Volvo Ocean RaceBoris Herrmann on the Vestas accident

Lars Bolle

 · 30.11.2014

Volvo Ocean Race: Boris Herrmann on the Vestas accidentPhoto: Boris Herrmann
Screen Shot Adrena/C-Map: "Cargados Carajos Shoal" can be seen inconspicuously in the centre of the picture. Can it be overlooked? This zoom level would be normal for viewing the competitors and the local weather. It is zoomed out even further for the large-scale strategy. At this zoom level, no land can be seen there, at "first glance" you can only see the depth indication of 46 metres
A sleeping navigator? Sloppy preparation? Errors in the programme operation? A few thoughts on the cause of the accident

The sailing-interested world public watched the incident in disbelief. The Reports of this stranding are difficult to understand. How can something like this happen? Is it possible to overlook such a large reef? It's hard to imagine.

Boris Herrmann at the navigation computerPhoto: B. Herrmann Boris Herrmann at the navigation computer

Circumnavigator and navigator Boris Herrmann has given his thoughts on the subject:

Paper charts are no longer used on the ships, only computers, usually laptops. Only a small minimum of paper charts is kept on board for emergencies. The navigation programmes used include Expedition and Adrena, and the nautical charts are mostly C-Map vector charts from Jeppesen.

What could have gone wrong?

The display of the sea depths can be adjusted in the navigation programmes. This means that the typical blue colouring of shallower areas, which is familiar from almost all nautical charts, can be completely switched off. In this case, the sea is always white, and only depth contours and depth information show the depth. This may be desirable in rare cases, for example if the weather is viewed on the chart using a gribfile and the blue areas are visually distracting when analysing the weather.

Screen Shot Adrena/C-Map: "Cargados Carajos Shoal" can be seen inconspicuously in the centre of the picture. Can it be overlooked? This zoom level would be normal for viewing the competitors and the local weather. It is zoomed out even further for the large-scale strategy. At this zoom level, no land can be seen there; at "first glance" you can only see the depth of 46 metresPhoto: Boris Herrmann Screen Shot Adrena/C-Map: "Cargados Carajos Shoal" can be seen inconspicuously in the centre of the picture. Can it be overlooked? This zoom level would be normal for viewing the competitors and the local weather. It is zoomed out even further for the large-scale strategy. At this zoom level, no land can be seen there; at "first glance" you can only see the depth of 46 metres

If this setting has been selected, it may be possible to overlook the fatal reef on the map, provided that the area is only viewed fleetingly and the viewer does not zoom in far enough. Depending on the screen size, the affected area may not be visible at first glance.

Comparison of Expedition (left) and Adrena (right) for the same zone: In Adrena, the islands are clearly recognisable like a beacon and the "Obstruction" sign even when the screen is zoomed out. In Expedition, only a blue shallow area can be seen; it appears to be at least 20 metres deep. It is the same map material (C-Map), which is displayed differently by the programmes, depending on the user settingsPhoto: Boris Herrmann Comparison of Expedition (left) and Adrena (right) for the same zone: In Adrena, the islands are clearly recognisable like a beacon and the "Obstruction" sign even when the screen is zoomed out. In Expedition, only a blue shallow area can be seen; it appears to be at least 20 metres deep. It is the same map material (C-Map), which is displayed differently by the programmes, depending on the user settings A rare but blatant case in the typically used C-Map charts: With a further zoom, where you have 50 nautical miles on the screen, it looks as if the shallows are 20 metres deep throughout...Photo: Boris Herrmann A rare but blatant case in the typically used C-Map charts: With a further zoom, where you have 50 nautical miles on the screen, it looks as if the shallows are 20 metres deep throughout... ...and only with a further zoom you can see the islands and reefs "Photo: Boris Herrmann ...and only with a further zoom you can see the islands and reefs "

However, every navigator will meticulously investigate a prominent depth contour or even a slightly indicated shallow area in the middle of the ocean. A severe lack of sleep, an error in the chart installation on the on-board computer or the use of the programme by a less experienced user, a watch leader or skipper, could be possible reasons.

How do you like this article?

Another, equally speculative scenario could also be that the navigator was asleep and assumed that the flat would not get in the way at all and that the situation then changed due to a change in the wind; at the rather high speeds of 17 knots, this can happen within half an hour. Shortly before the accident, the course was altered to port. One could assume that the planned course was to pass to the right of the flat and was then changed without consultation with the sleeping navigator.

However, it will be interesting to see what the official reasoning is.

Lars Bolle

Lars Bolle

Chief Editor Digital

Lars Bolle is Editor-in-Chief Digital and one of the co-founders of YACHT's online presence. He worked for many years as an editor in the Sports and Seamanship section and has covered many sailing events. His personal sailing vita ranges from competitive dinghy sailing (German champion 1992 in the Finn Dinghy) to historic and modern dinghy cruisers and charter trips.

Home

Most read in category Regatta