Poppa Snake 1,399 Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-28/yacht-fire-distress-call-saint-kilda-adelaide/7206162 Print Email Facebook Twitter More Skipper of yacht destroyed by fire north of Adelaide says other boats sailed by without offering helpUpdated 24 minutes ago PHOTO: The 36-foot yacht was engulfed by flames in Barker Inlet, but seven people on board made it to safety.(Photo courtesy of Brianna Egberts) MAP: St Kilda 5110 A retired Navy officer whose $100,000 uninsured yacht was destroyed by fire says those onboard were left to fend for themselves as flames engulfed the vessel, with other boats sailing past without offering to help. Graham Marr, 64, was out on a cruise along the Port River with family friends when the 36-foot yacht caught fire in the Barker Inlet near the St Kilda channel just north of Adelaide. The coastguard received a distress call about lunchtime that a yacht was on fire and the Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS) sent its patrol boat Gallantry to tackle the blaze. "Timber caught alight in the engine room and a young lady onboard, a little girl, she noticed it and rushed in and gave us warning that there was smoke," Mr Marr said. PHOTO: Graham Marr said the yacht was his "pride and joy" but is now "just a big weight in the ocean". (ABC News) "We shut the engines down, went straight to anchor, got everybody off. "There was nothing we could do, we set off all the fire extinguishers we had on board." Mr Marr said all seven people who were on the yacht evacuated onto a tinny and then waited for the coast guard to pull them ashore. "There was nothing further we could do except wait for the water police to arrive with the fire boat," he said. Emergency services earlier said other vessels had gone to the group's aid, but Mr Marr said they received no assistance. "Interestingly, a large number of boats went past us, saw smoke coming out and kept going," he said. "It was my pride and joy. I'm retired, and that [boat] was my outlook on life. "It's down to the water line, it's a shipping hazard now. It's just a big weight in the ocean." The ambulance service said no-one was injured during the emergency. Those rescued were taken back to shore, to the Garden Island Yacht Club. Marine authorities put a control boom around what was left of the yacht in an effort to prevent any oil spill reaching a dolphin sanctuary and mangroves in the area. PHOTO: All that remains of the yacht after the devastating onboard fire. (Photo courtesy of Brianna Egberts) Chief 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tinker 1,645 Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 Poor bloke, his pride and joy burns to the waterline, and nobody seems to want to help. And he was uninsured, really feel for the guy. At least all on board escaped unharmed Poppa Snake and snapper15.4kg 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Murphysegg 31 Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 Uninsured !!! WTF ? Seeseacol 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
seagypsy 1,182 Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 Crazy that wood could catch on fire and cause that kind of fire, there must have been another source of ignition. Very sad to see for the owner, it looks like a nice vessel. Timely reminder for those with engine rooms to check their emergency fuel shut offs, closable engine room vents, fire suppression systems etc. Glad everyone is ok. PS If any ships proceed down barker inlet they are in trouble. Tinker 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Seeseacol 381 Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 No insurance !!!....poor bugga, and wait until he gets the wreck removal charge. Actually a little surprised a boat that size could navigate the Barker inlet ? Must say if I were sailing past a boat with an onboard fire of that intensity I'd be reluctant to get anywhere near it for fear of secondary explosion Tinker 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moggy23 625 Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 The beauty of marine insurance of an inboard powered vessel that a marine mechanic or shipwright has to do a condition report for the insurance company every 3 - 4 yrs. Any problems or incorrect workmanship has be repaired or rectified. I'd say the timber may have had diesel soaked into it. Chief 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
archerfish 685 Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 Uninsured !!! WTF ? Not so much being uninsured, more like being under-insured (which is still a bummer and probably a salutary lesson to us all): https://au.news.yahoo.com/video/watch/30949882/cruiser-with-retired-navy-officer-and-teenagers-catches-fire/#page1 Cheers af Moggy23 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheBerg 241 Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 Its a good thing that he had some obvious experience up his sleeve. The whole situation could have been a lot worse otherwise. Sounds like he didn't panic and did what a good captain should do. Hats off to that! Certainly feel for his loss though. jackmac 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
portluck 117 Posted February 29, 2016 Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 yeah I saw the footage, scary stuff. as they say though, you can replace the material stuff but you can't replace lives. TheBerg 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Savage 297 Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 pretty sad. feel for the bloke. I can understand not insuring a small tinny but surely once you get to 15ft and above you pay for piece of mind. A 36foot anything u HAVE to insure, no matter how old it is... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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