A "perfect" crew in all areas of expertise
In January 2019, Philippe convoys his catamaran to Guyana for a future cruise to the West Indies. Covid obliges, the boat remains blocked at the marina Jacaré, in the port of Cabedelo, on the extreme eastern tip of the South American continent. At the beginning of 2021, he learns that his catamaran will be requisitioned if he does not come to recover it. He prepared a crew of friends and regulars, composed of a professional skipper, a mechanic and himself, a dental surgeon.
Philip explains: "Euros 3 of us were the perfect crew, able to cover all the needs on this type of sailing: manage the routing, the weather, navigate, repair and care or operate" .
Death of one of the team members
After 8 days, 750 nautical miles from their starting point, the main halyard broke. The conditions were good, 9 knots of wind and the sea was calm. But the repairs did not go as planned and tragedy struck. Philippe lost one of his crew members, but above all one of his friends. He first contacted the CCMM in Toulouse, thinking it was the right contact, before realizing that it was the CROSS that handled these emergencies. The first one is in fact a medical center, which advises you in case of injuries or diseases occurred at sea. It is also the organization to which the medical files of the crew members on board are entrusted before a big departure.
Philippe alerts: "When you are sailing, you don't think that this can happen. In case of a serious accident, all or part of the crew will lose their means, among other things, at the sight of blood, of an unconscious person, and risk a "sideration" leading to an inability to think and act, and may have a negative attitude for the management of the accident"
Anticipate the main problems that can occur at sea
That's why he wants to share some tips from his experience, and details:
"You have to learn how to handle an accident that can happen. The safety briefing is essential even for short crossings. You have to anticipate the main problems that can happen: managing a broken halyard in the middle of the Atlantic, approaching a cargo ship in 25 knots of wind to recover diesel or other, managing the relationship with the CROSS in case of an accident, with the CCMM, managing a death on board, climbing the mast if it is essential"
Make choices and stick to them
In the middle of the Atlantic, two solutions were offered to the two crewmen: to leave for Guyana, 1,200 miles downwind, or to go upwind towards Cape Verde, Mindelo, 750 miles away, but only with a solent, as the mainsail and the spinnaker were not usable. After some time to think about it, the crew decided to opt for the 2 e solution. Two Japanese fishing boats are 8 nautical miles away and will be able to supply them with fuel, their reserves being well exhausted. But the catamaran never got any answer. It was finally "escorted" by the CROSS from the land, that it rallied Cape Verde after three transhipments of diesel and a navigation of 8 days.
"Until you've experienced it, you can't imagine having to board a huge cargo ship. Often, the maneuvers take place in the middle of the night. You can see the cargo ships coming, but the VHF is only 10 nautical miles away. The AIS allows you to see how the cargo ship is coming, to see if it is reducing its speed. It allows you to see and be seen."
