Click for Furuno Click for JetForums Click for Walker Click for Comfort Click for Nordhavn

Part 1: Northern Marine 90' Yacht Capsizes Upon Launch...!

Discussion in 'Northern Marine Yacht' started by olderboater, May 19, 2014.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. dsharp

    dsharp Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2009
    Messages:
    240
    Location:
    lake jackson, tx
    It seems that they have building boats that require ballast to stay upright in that area of the United States for years. My Dad went and looked at a 58' Delta limit seiner for a relative in the late 70's and he thought it was a bad design. I won't repeat what he actually said about it.

    When that boat was shown a couple of days ago I tried to find a video of one of there boats but couldn't find it. It looked like it was going to lay over just from crossing it's own bow wake. It's really sad to see. U.S. yacht builders don't need any more problems. Thankfully no one lost their life.
  2. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

    Joined:
    Dec 22, 2002
    Messages:
    20,350
    Location:
    South Florida
    Just received a PDF with the Weight & Stability Report. I'm copying the first page to this post. The PDF is attached...

    Attached Files:

  3. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,097
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    Well, fancy report or not, looks like a number of people need to review how they use their slide rules...
  4. Marmot

    Marmot Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 20, 2007
    Messages:
    3,311
    Location:
    9114 S. Central Ave
    It is certainly an odd way for someone to describe their ticket. It is meaningless and probably intended to blow a bit of smoke around the marina to impress the natives.

    It is hard to be partly licensed, if the guy holds a USCG license, it is commercial, there are no MCA type yacht tickets with "commercial endorsements" for driving private registered yachts around, and "unlimited range" ratings that holders of such tickets toss around as unlimited but with limitations on tonnage or power.

    This guy didn't formerly work for a couple of brothers in Thailand did he?
  5. Kafue

    Kafue Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2006
    Messages:
    1,164
    Location:
    Gold Coast Australia
    The owners may well be in shock and mourning now, but they should really be counting their blessings that this happened at the vessels launch.
    Imagine cruising to places an 85' ocean going passage maker should be sailing and overnight a small storm occurs and we are all left wondering what happened to the ship and it's crew.
    Let's say they had "fiddled" the ballast to get past the shakedown (no pun intended) and the owners had felt comfortable and excited to load themselves, their family and crew for a long voyage!
    In this day and age I cannot understand how this could happen in a first world country.
    I would be checking my build contract with Northern Marine if I had one, and cancelling ASAP.
  6. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,429
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    Nobody knows what really happened. It could be that the boat is fine and the travel lift/railway lift gave out and rolled the boat on it's side....much like it did with Sacajaweja back in the day (but rolled it foward on it's bow) .in the picture of the starboard side near the rear, it looks like there is a big area that was pushed in (in the bottom paint)
  7. Old Phart

    Old Phart Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2011
    Messages:
    1,332
    Location:
    I dunno
  8. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,131
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    Easy to cancel contract. Not easy to get your money back.
  9. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,131
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
  10. Kafue

    Kafue Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2006
    Messages:
    1,164
    Location:
    Gold Coast Australia
    Spending $10million on a new build with a design brief that included:
    " breaking new ground in every step, this project would redefine innovation, ingenuity and design in the yachting industry."
    Why no tank testing?
    I am asking, not accusing. Is a tank test so expensive or worthless?
    As this build was breaking new ground, I would have thought the testing would be done before the money was thrown in the fire.
  11. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2005
    Messages:
    7,385
    Location:
    My Office

    Attached Files:

  12. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2005
    Messages:
    7,385
    Location:
    My Office
    Hi,

    Extrapolation, something the biggest boys are involved in, they all like to use something they have used before just tweak it a bit.

    It can help to get things pushed through if it can be demonstrated that the same was previously accepted and this is a "Sistership"
  13. ScotL

    ScotL Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2009
    Messages:
    511
    Location:
    Green Bay/Milwaukee,WI

    Attached Files:

    • pi2.jpg
      pi2.jpg
      File size:
      57.5 KB
      Views:
      2,403
  14. Marmot

    Marmot Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 20, 2007
    Messages:
    3,311
    Location:
    9114 S. Central Ave
    In several areas ... it seems he is no longer claiming an "unlimited" license.

    Any "captain" who holds himself out as a prospective employee but will not openly state the level of license held is highly suspect in my opinion.

    It is like advertising something but not stating the price ... it's just trolling for leads, usually because the price is not good enough to attract knowledgable customers.
  15. PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2009
    Messages:
    1,987
    Location:
    Dana Point, Ca
  16. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,131
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    Police Capt. Lou D’Amelio told the newspaper that the boat began to roll onto its side in shallow water as it was being launched. As it began to roll, several people went into the engine room to adjust ballast. The yacht continued to roll, and the engine room began to flood. Most of the workers on board were easily rescued, but one man was trapped inside.

    This seems to be a slightly additional twist that the workers who were on it were trying to adjust the ballast. I'm not very familiar with the use of ballast but didn't perceive of it being something that you could just go below and start quickly moving around. Someone more knowledgeable can educate me on this please. But could it have shifted like the cargo on the Korean ferry?
  17. revluc

    revluc Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2013
    Messages:
    59
    Location:
    Gulf Coast
    I read another report from a "mechanic" who was onboard that the starboard stabilizer seems to have hit some rocks during the launch and that they were trying to "thrust down" when the roll started.

    You would hope Northern knew, or checked, the lamp for clearance and that if they did get stuck they didn't just put the yacht in reverse to get it in the water.

    They YouTube Channel "YachtVid" shot the owner's last boat for sale (a Marlow 61') and had a video of them moving "Baden" out of the shed. They also did a video of Northern's most recent fishing boat launch, so I would think they have a video of this (failed) launch.
  18. dsharp

    dsharp Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2009
    Messages:
    240
    Location:
    lake jackson, tx
    Some of those designs use fuel or water in tanks to adjust ballast. I doesn't happen quick enough unless she laid on her side for a while. It sounds like it took a little time to roll. If those port holes at the waterline were compromised it wouldn't take long to sink.
  19. AMG

    AMG YF Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2004
    Messages:
    5,375
    Location:
    Sweden
  20. dsharp

    dsharp Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2009
    Messages:
    240
    Location:
    lake jackson, tx
    There are three images at the Seattlepi website. The second image looks like there is damage to the hull. Any thoughts?
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.