Haul Out at Phithak Shipyard & Services
Historic Vessel Vega
On the 8th of February we were getting historic vessel Vega ready for the Singapore Boat show and the start of our 2019 deliveries. With everything working, for a change, we arrived right on time at PSS shipyard in Thailand for our annual haul out. We planned on a short stay to touch up the paint work and renew our antifouling. Unknown to us, fate planned a nightmare. I should have said to hell with the bottom paint, turned around and scarpered back down the river as if all hells demons and a tax collector were chasing us.
- 8 February 2019, Historic vessel Vega approaches the haul-out bay at PSS shipyard on the Chebilang River at precisely the date and time specified by the boatyard. This was Vega’s third visit there.
- Unknown to us the local tide that day was only 2.7m and falling. Not nearly enough to haul Vega. After several attempts, they secured Vega on the trolley and the winch began pulling. Shortly before the next image there was an all mighty bang. Vega tilted toward the stern and slipped backward one metre. The winch stopped puling. Knowing something was wrong we asked the yard for information… They claimed a minor glitch and told us not to worry.
- The truth is, all three back wheels had broken off the trolley. After watching them recover the wheels, we recommend blocking Vega up in situ until the next high tide. By then the water level was falling fast. With Vega blocked up on the trolley and securing chains connected, the shipyard refused to listen to us and began pulling again, without wheels on the back of the trolley.
- At about 16:30 hours the winch hauled again creating a series of powerful jerks causing the hold down brackets on the starboard side to fail. Vega slipped backwards then fell heavily on her port side, springing a multitude of caulking seams and two plank ends.
- Vega half on and half off the cradle at low tide.
- On both the port and starboard sides clamps holding down the boat bent straight allowing her to fall over.
- Caulking seams along the port side were sprung by the impact.
- Vega’s three onboard bilge pumps were unable to control water flooding in on the portside from spring caulking seams and where the hull hit the edge of the trolley.
- All three of Vega's bilge pumps were running but could not keep up with the water ingress. We ask the shipyard for additional pumps. After 2 hours the first portable pump arrived. More appeared over the next 3 hours. Out of the 5 pumps they brought us only 3 worked.
- At about 2100 hours a crane arrives to assist to return Vega to the upright position.
- At that time the switchboard, radios, navigation instruments and batteries were still above water. Vega’s own pumps and the external pumps had the water ingress under control and going down slowly.
- At about midnight the crane returned Vega to an upright position. The pumps rapidly began lowering the internal water level. We asked the Shipyard to block the boat in that position with the crane still attached for safety and wait for the next low tide to patch the leaks. They ignored our request.
- Instead the shipyard continued tightening three large chain hoists attached to the starboard side and hauling with the crane until Vega went past vertical and fell on her starboard side.
- Since we could not close the main hatch due to all the pump hoses, water poured in flooding 80% of the interior. After an impressive display of smoke and sparks, the lights went off and our bilge pumps stop working.
- Next, they decided to remove the cradle from under Vega by lifting her bow with the crane. This caused the boat to slip into the deeper water effectively sinking her.
During this incident the shipyard had several opportunities to stop the haul out procedure and secure Vega safely but choose to continue. We belive that safety issus where ignored to get the haulout slip ready for next days sceduled boats haulouts.
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