On April 25, 2023, off the coast of Guernsey, an extraordinary sea rescue took place. Corto, a modest 8-meter sailboat owned by Belgian yachtsmen, had left Cherbourg earlier that day when damage caused difficulties. The distress call was intercepted by the Götheborg, a majestic 47-meter Swedish three-masted square-rigged vessel, a replica of an 18th century historic ship and considered one of the largest wooden sailing ships in the world. David Moeneclaey, one of the Corto's co-owners, recounts the events of the day.
Prologue: ready for adventure
Corto is a small 8-meter Jeanneau Fantasia sailboat. She has been completely renovated by her co-owners Ronan Guédé and David Moeneclaey. These two experienced sailors, who already have several ocean crossings under their belts, have strengthened and adapted her for ocean sailing. Every year, these passionate sailors leave Brussels, where the boat spends the winter in the BRYC (Bruxelles Royal Yacht Club) basin, to explore new horizons. In the summer of 2022, they sailed the Baltic. In 2023, their destination is South Brittany, Ronan's home region. The principle is simple: they take it in turns to ferry the boat to the destination, then each in turn explores the region with his or her family. That year, Ronan carried out the first part of the convoy from Brussels to Cherbourg, before handing over to David and one of his friends, Simon Standaert, for the second part of the trip.
Leaving Cherbourg: heading for Lorient
After three days of waiting for the right weather window, we left Cherbourg at 1am on April 25, bound for Lorient. We chose this early hour to take advantage of the favorable currents north of the Channel Islands. Our route has been carefully planned to optimize variations in wind direction. Simon, who has just completed a circumnavigation of the Atlantic, and myself, who are used to this type of delivery trip, are planning to sail non-stop for just over two days. However, if necessary, we could stop for a few hours, either at Aber Ildut, or at Camaret, should we need to wait for favorable currents to go around the famous Pointe du Raz, located at the extreme west of Brittany and renowned for its strong currents. Before each multi-day cruise, we make sure that everything on board is in order. Every detail is meticulously checked. The supplies are complete, and we have our watch sheet posted on the chart table. The sea is calm, with a 3 to 4 Beaufort wind pushing us westwards. Our sailboat is making good headway, carried along by the tailwind, with only the jib partially unfurled.
An unexpected incident
There's no need to rush our little ship, we have all the time we need to enjoy this pleasant crossing. We keep the navigation watches, alternating between running the boat and resting. At 3.30pm, Simon calls me louder and louder. I rush out of my bunk and see Simon holding the helm in a strange way. I look towards the stern of the boat and see that the rudder is only held in place by the upper pintle, which is itself twisted.
Everything is racing through my head. My first reaction is to secure the boat and crew. Simon and I look at each other. It's imperative to act quickly to save the rudder and everything else that can be saved. We fully furl the jib to immobilize the boat and reduce the stress on the rudder. With the help of a rope, we secure it so that it can be quickly recovered on board. Despite the boat's small size, the rudder is a substantial part of the boat. Measuring 2.20 meters, it has a considerable initial weight, to which must be added the force of the water on the scoop and the boat's drifting movements, pushed by wind and waves. It's a risky manoeuvre, and we're very careful not to get our hands caught in the process.
Once the safety measures have been taken, we quickly take stock of the situation. Corto's rudder is of a simple design: an external rudder attached by two sturdy stainless steel hinges to the boat's transom. Simultaneously, the two lower stainless steel plates connecting the rudder to the hinge rotation axis tore. The windvane blade was also damaged. It's clear that we've hit something floating in mid-water and it's hit our rudder.
We immediately decide to make a PAN-PAN call on the VHF, to warn the authorities that we are not manoeuvring. We are more than 50 nautical miles off the coast of Brittany, just south of the shipping route in the English Channel. So it's important to share our position and our situation. In such critical circumstances, it is preferable to simplify the actions to be taken. The emergency radio call procedure is the first page of our "in-house" logbook, and the boat's exact position is constantly displayed on the screen of our small GPS, enabling us to transmit it easily.
The arrival of the Götheborg
After issuing the PAN-PAN call on the VHF radio, we hear a response from another vessel: " We are a 50-metre three-masted sailing yacht and we can tow you to Paimpol ". Simon and I look at each other, puzzled and perplexed. Several times, we tell them that we're aboard a small 8-meter sailboat. However, the answer remains unchanged: " We are a 50-metre three-master, and we offer to tow you ". We're puzzled by the size difference between our two boats. We're afraid of being towed by a ship that's too big and too fast, which could cause serious damage to our own boat. Despite our worries, we can't hesitate too long in the face of this outstretched hand.
The Götheborg's arrival on the scene was swift and surprising. We weren't expecting to see an 18th-century East India Company merchant ship... It's a grand and majestic sight. A real journey back in time. From our vantage point at the water's edge, this ship seems very large and imposing indeed. Some of the crew have climbed the mast, positioned on the yards to rig the sails. Very impressive indeed.
The crew of the three-masted vessel turns out to be a team of skilled and experienced sailors. It's a very strange moment, and we begin to wonder if we're dreaming. With our rudder detached, this boat from another era approaching, we wonder about our situation. Where are we now? What time are we really in? I wonder: what if it's all just a dream? I'll probably wake up soon and everything will be back to normal.
