"WATER police braved huge swells and freezing temperatures in the middle of the night to rescue to a skipper from his stricken yacht off the Victorian coast.
POLICE responded to a distress beacon on Thursday night, activated from the yacht that was struggling in five-metre swells off the coast of Wonthaggi.
The Latrobe Valley Air Ambulance found the eight-metre yacht, but were unable to winch the Geelong skipper, who is in his 60s, to safety.
A Williamstown water police crew then battled near freezing temperatures and the huge swell to rescue the yachtie just before midnight.
The yacht remains drifting south, 40 nautical miles off the coast."
Other reports say it is an 8 metre boat.
I was out there in a 70mt vessel when we herd there was a may day about 1700 we were 40 miles away ,there were another 3 ships closer .
A small tanker stayed on station till water police arrived about 2320 with air support.
It was a cold night 4-5degrees plus the rain was coming down sideways ,in the earlier part of the evening it was squalling 35 its moderating to 20 at evening with south west swell about 2-3metere swell.
I am sure the poor yachtie was a bit buggered by the night
I went off watch at midnight haven't heard any more
I just bought and shared a beer with John. His heartfelt thanks to the air rescue helicopter, tanker Captain and water police for a job well done. A testament to the bravery and generosity of seafarers. He appears to be very pleased that he will be able to relay the story to his granddaughter.
Frant, glad to hear he is doing well. The original post hints that he was rescued from his 'stricken' yacht.
Are you able to give any insight into what went wrong?
Select to expand quotefrant said..
I just bought and shared a beer with John. His heartfelt thanks to the air rescue helicopter, tanker Captain and water police for a job well done. A testament to the bravery and generosity of seafarers. He appears to be very pleased that he will be able to relay the story to his granddaughter.
I am not one to discourage adventure on yachts and I am glad he has been rescued but I am at a loss to understand why a man in his 60s would be out alone on an 8 metre yacht off Wonthaggi when before he left port the synoptic weather map is showing a fairly high existing pressure gradient with a front coming through backed up by a 1035 hp high.
He is based in Geelong and his yacht is 8 metres long. Why would he ever go through the Pinch Gut???
Select to expand quotecisco said..frant said..
I just bought and shared a beer with John. His heartfelt thanks to the air rescue helicopter, tanker Captain and water police for a job well done. A testament to the bravery and generosity of seafarers. He appears to be very pleased that he will be able to relay the story to his granddaughter.
I am not one to discourage adventure on yachts and I am glad he has been rescued but I am at a loss to understand why a man in his 60s would be out alone on an 8 metre yacht off Wonthaggi when before he left port the synoptic weather map is showing a fairly high existing pressure gradient with a front coming through backed up by a 1035 hp high.
He is based in Geelong and his yacht is 8 metres long. Why would he ever go through the Pinch Gut???
Concur. We can all get into trouble taking risks at sea, but this was one that was waiting to happen. Glad he made it but he put himself and the rescuers at considerable risk. Having been both a yachtie and rescuer, I reckon he deserves a big rap over the knuckles with a sledge hammer.
Yep that's what I thought ,I work on a 70 mt rig tender went out Monday came back Fri morning ,it' was lumpy all week never got below 20kts all week,Thursday morning it was gusting 60kts constant 30 s.
temperature averaged low 9 s ,Thursday pm it was 4 degree .
We were about 40 miles away a good 6 hr steam away ,if we were closer we have the toys on board to rescue this guy ,I would have been one of the rescuers , I don't have problem helping any one ,it is part of my job I just wonder why he was out there when the weather was crap all week.
I sail yachts when I am not working on ships ,it doesn't make sense going out in that, he gives yachties a bad name
He needs to take up another hobby
There is no excuse
@Cisco @Morningbird @spiggie, read between the lines in my post, but don't kick a man when he is down. All he has now are the clothes he was wearing. Thanks Frant
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Water police braved huge swells and freezing temperatures in the middle of the night to rescue to a skipper from his stricken yacht off the Victorian coast.Police responded to a distress beacon on Thursday night, activated from the yacht that was struggling in five-metre swells off the coast of Wonthaggi.The Latrobe Valley Air Ambulance found the eight-metre yacht, but were unable to winch the Geelong skipper, who is in his 60s, to safety.A Williamstown water police crew then battled near freezing temperatures and the huge swell to rescue the yachtie just before midnight.The yacht remains drifting south, 40 nautical miles off the coast.
copied from a news website ............
Select to expand quotefrant said..
@Cisco @Morningbird @spiggie, read between the lines in my post, but don't kick a man when he is down. All he has now are the clothes he was wearing. Thanks Frant
Hi Frant, are you able to fill us in on what the problem was that the epirb was activated, what type of yacht was it etc. They sounded like tough conditions. Glad he is alive & grateful for the efforts of all involved in the rescue.
cheers
Select to expand quotefrant said..
@Cisco @Morningbird @spiggie, read between the lines in my post, but don't kick a man when he is down. All he has now are the clothes he was wearing. Thanks Frant
No lines need to be read between. He shouldn't have been out there in those conditions.
It is great for all concerned he was successfully rescued but his loss of everything, if that is the case, does not excuse his placing himself and others at risk in an 8 metre boat in those conditions.
Select to expand quotefrant said..
@Cisco @Morningbird @spiggie, read between the lines in my post, but don't kick a man when he is down. All he has now are the clothes he was wearing. Thanks Frant
Perhaps, 'he was sent these tribulations as a test of.....karma'?........it happened to theselkie.
Hi frant
why was he out there and on his own ?
Okay fran reading between lines here's my take
He went single handed in bass straight were the swell has been building all week , forcast of NW force 6-8with a swell running SW ,wind against
waves with a confused swell of 3-5 metres,he carried an Eprb,no survival suit ,no life raft ,he is 60 yr old,wind temp about 6 degrees, into busy shipping lane ,from what I heard on the radio the tanker was the radio relay vessel I am guessing his VHF was playing up and he had insufficient water, also he went out in all this in small sail boat
he is embarresed. ,lost his possessions but will have a good story to tell his grandchildren and he probably been hit with a fine
I would have thought as a yachtie who decides to go single handed would have been a bit more safety focused than the rest of us .
Having sailed yachts all my life logged thousands of ocean miles ,also a professional mariner I wouldn't feel confident in sailing single handled perhaps I am too safety focused and know what could go wrong
Yes we have all been caught out when things got rough but this has been forecasted all week .
I can even understand if there were a couple off crew On board
He went out there as a liability ,most likely with insufficient safety gear with the mentality of I'll be right mate !!!
As a passionate yachtsman he gives us yachtsman a bad name
why was he out there ?
Select to expand quotespiggie said..
Hi frant
why was he out there and on his own ?
Okay fran reading between lines here's my take
He went single handed in bass straight were the swell has been building all week , forcast of NW force 6-8with a swell running SW ,wind against
waves with a confused swell of 3-5 metres,he carried an Eprb,no survival suit ,no life raft ,he is 60 yr old,wind temp about 6 degrees, into busy shipping lane ,from what I heard on the radio the tanker was the radio relay vessel I am guessing his VHF was playing up and he had insufficient water, also he went out in all this in small sail boat
he is embarresed. ,lost his possessions but will have a good story to tell his grandchildren and he probably been hit with a fine
I would have thought as a yachtie who decides to go single handed would have been a bit more safety focused than the rest of us .
Having sailed yachts all my life logged thousands of ocean miles ,also a professional mariner I wouldn't feel confident in sailing single handled perhaps I am too safety focused and know what could go wrong
Yes we have all been caught out when things got rough but this has been forecasted all week .
I can even understand if there were a couple off crew On board
He went out there as a liability ,most likely with insufficient safety gear with the mentality of I'll be right mate !!!
As a passionate yachtsman he gives us yachtsman a bad name
why was he out there ?
i will totally agree with your post spiggie ........... as my "reading between the lines" post , has mysteriously gone .
Select to expand quotefrant said..
@Cisco @Morningbird @spiggie, read between the lines in my post, but don't kick a man when he is down. All he has now are the clothes he was wearing. Thanks Frant
reading between your lines ..... did any of his drinking buddies advise him prior to setting sail ? ..... as others have asked, why was he out there ?
I think the point has been taken so please let's not have another bun fight here. 
@spiggie, "why was he out there and on his own ? " I assume that you ask this as a rhetorical question? Any answer that I might offer would, like both yourself and Morningbird be based purely on speculation and conjecture. We simply don't know and speculation is unlikely to add any value to the topic.
What we do know is that he was out there.
Perhaps as a result of the critics voicing their opinions without waiting for the circumstances to unfold the Seabreeze forum has lost any opportunity to learn from this event.
I did my SSSC refresher last time with some of the crew from Skandia and learnt a lot from those who have actually taken to a liferaft and been helo rescued. Similarly, have learnt a lot from first hand account from this incident.
Unfortunately as a result of the attitudes expressed on this forum I am not at liberty to disclose this information.
Select to expand quotefrant said..
@spiggie, "why was he out there and on his own ? " I assume that you ask this as a rhetorical question? Any answer that I might offer would, like both yourself and Morningbird be based purely on speculation and conjecture. We simply don't know and speculation is unlikely to add any value to the topic.
What we do know is that he was out there.
Perhaps as a result of the critics voicing their opinions without waiting for the circumstances to unfold the Seabreeze forum has lost any opportunity to learn from this event.
I did my SSSC refresher last time with some of the crew from Skandia and learnt a lot from those who have actually taken to a liferaft and been helo rescued. Similarly, have learnt a lot from first hand account from this incident.
Unfortunately as a result of the attitudes expressed on this forum I am not at liberty to disclose this information.
Sorry Frant, we don't want to upset you or your mate. However, when there is a void, something will always fill it, and in this case it is speculation. With no information this speculation is likely to include foolish observations as well as sage ones. We all want to know what happened, but for the grace of God, etc. Unfortunately innocents like me do not know how to read between the lines....
Hi Frant I only ask why is because everyone else on board the vessel I work on would like to know why ,also it annoys me when non yachties hang crap on yachties ,I would have liked to defend Bob if I knew the truth .
I admire single handed sailors it something I wish I could have had the guts to do but I am too safety focused .
We were out there , we offered assistant if we had to rescue Bob,no hesitantion I would have volunteered !!! I could have been out there dressed in an immersion suit ,driving the FAST Rescue Craft at Midnight most likely working at 18hr watch ,perhaps rendering first aid who knows what else.
One thing I do know is that If I was involved in the rescue I would have asked him myself.
I will put this to rest
Sail safe
Select to expand quotespiggie said..
Hi Frant I only ask why is because everyone else on board the vessel I work on would like to know why ,also it annoys me when non yachties hang crap on yachties ,I would have liked to defend Bob if I knew the truth .
I admire single handed sailors it something I wish I could have had the guts to do but I am too safety focused .
We were out there , we offered assistant if we had to rescue Bob,no hesitantion I would have volunteered !!! I could have been out there dressed in an immersion suit ,driving the FAST Rescue Craft at Midnight most likely working at 18hr watch ,perhaps rendering first aid who knows what else.
One thing I do know is that If I was involved in the rescue I would have asked him myself.
I will put this to rest
Sail safe
Thanks spiggie, I have nothing further to add for now. Perhaps in time some learning may unfold.
Only thing that I will challenge based on the actual peoples involved in the rescue is that you and your shipmates would not have asked him what he was doing out there. You would have put your arm around his shoulder and offered him comfort. The bravery and generosity of seafarers is unconditional.
Select to expand quoteBlueMoon said..frant said..
@Cisco @Morningbird @spiggie, read between the lines in my post, but don't kick a man when he is down. All he has now are the clothes he was wearing. Thanks Frant
Hi Frant, are you able to fill us in on what the problem was that the epirb was activated, what type of yacht was it etc. They sounded like tough conditions. Glad he is alive & grateful for the efforts of all involved in the rescue.
cheersSelect to expand quoteYara said..frant said..
@spiggie, "why was he out there and on his own ? " I assume that you ask this as a rhetorical question? Any answer that I might offer would, like both yourself and Morningbird be based purely on speculation and conjecture. We simply don't know and speculation is unlikely to add any value to the topic.
What we do know is that he was out there.
Perhaps as a result of the critics voicing their opinions without waiting for the circumstances to unfold the Seabreeze forum has lost any opportunity to learn from this event.
I did my SSSC refresher last time with some of the crew from Skandia and learnt a lot from those who have actually taken to a liferaft and been helo rescued. Similarly, have learnt a lot from first hand account from this incident.
Unfortunately as a result of the attitudes expressed on this forum I am not at liberty to disclose this information.
Sorry Frant, we don't want to upset you or your mate. However, when there is a void, something will always fill it, and in this case it is speculation. With no information this speculation is likely to include foolish observations as well as sage ones. We all want to know what happened, but for the grace of God, etc. Unfortunately innocents like me do not know how to read between the lines....
+1 Yara.
I don't care why he was out there, the fact is he was, he could of been on a non-stop circumnavigation for all we know. But I would still like to know of what events transpired, leading up to setting off the epirb. as a learning lesson. Thanks
Got this off another forum:
My lovely C28 is possibly no more. IO have been rescued by Victoria water police from Bass Straight after 2 days of 60 to 70 knots wind and huge 5 meter plus swells. My boat was in heave too when struck and nock down smashing everything inside the boat. I have activated my EPERB and fix wing aircraft appear inside 1 hr. Also near by container ship come to my location (around 40 miles south of Eastern Port, drifting south). Later on rescue helicopter arrived but unfortunately they cud not winch me out of my boat due to the trochees conditions and the diver in the water was near exhaustion. The container ship also cud not help is it was too dangerous to lunch the boat. Fix aircraft try deploy liferaft, but no help as the wind carry away the drop. They try 3 times and finally run out of the liferafts. My life raft was thorn out and swept away. I have been inform that water rescue police was on the was and will be with me in around 4 hrs time. THis was my longest 4 hrs ever. I has inside the boat pounded by waves blows and drifting fast, south. Finally, the police boat arrived (coordinated with the container ship) and try pick me up from my boat. The container ship provided guard against the waves and wind, which help a little. After some attempts, trying avoid being smashed two boats together i jump from my boat and was able to catch rail on the police boat. All this happen in freezing temperature and midnight pitch black. My life was saved by those man who risked they lives. Later on one of the senior policeman told me that during his entire 8 year work with Victoria Police Water unit, this was the hardest rescue ever. My boat Kryspen was left a drift in the south. Hopefully i will not have to fight my insurance company. Kryspen was my home as well, but in the end i did not become statistic of missing man at sea. During departure from Geelong the weather was mild and first day and night at sea was good, the the apparent conditions arrived. Wind was from the north and i cud not return to closest port (Western Port), as i would have head wind. Heave too was working great on the first day and night, but and the second day the wind overpower my main third reef. I have folded the main and used mini jib with heave too. So that a story so far. I miss my boat. :(
www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/nocookies?a=A.flavipes
Geelong Advertiser Wed 5 August 2015 pg 5.
I'm surprised that no one from the Geelong yacht club gave the poor guy some good advise not to set sail in the middle of winter also now the fact we are receiving a constant series of winter low pressure fronts battering the southern parts of OZ.
On this particular weekend he depart there was a current front tracking towards Victorian waters and all South Oz charter vessels had cancelled there charters for that weekend.
I do feel for the poor guy , but it seems clear his decision to set sail in these present conditions has caused the loss of his vessel and he was lucky to be rescued without the loss of his own life.
Select to expand quoteLazzarae said..
Got this off another forum:
My lovely C28 is possibly no more. IO have been rescued by Victoria water police from Bass Straight after 2 days of 60 to 70 knots wind and huge 5 meter plus swells. My boat was in heave too when struck and nock down smashing everything inside the boat. I have activated my EPERB and fix wing aircraft appear inside 1 hr. Also near by container ship come to my location (around 40 miles south of Eastern Port, drifting south). Later on rescue helicopter arrived but unfortunately they cud not winch me out of my boat due to the trochees conditions and the diver in the water was near exhaustion. The container ship also cud not help is it was too dangerous to lunch the boat. Fix aircraft try deploy liferaft, but no help as the wind carry away the drop. They try 3 times and finally run out of the liferafts. My life raft was thorn out and swept away. I have been inform that water rescue police was on the was and will be with me in around 4 hrs time. THis was my longest 4 hrs ever. I has inside the boat pounded by waves blows and drifting fast, south. Finally, the police boat arrived (coordinated with the container ship) and try pick me up from my boat. The container ship provided guard against the waves and wind, which help a little. After some attempts, trying avoid being smashed two boats together i jump from my boat and was able to catch rail on the police boat. All this happen in freezing temperature and midnight pitch black. My life was saved by those man who risked they lives. Later on one of the senior policeman told me that during his entire 8 year work with Victoria Police Water unit, this was the hardest rescue ever. My boat Kryspen was left a drift in the south. Hopefully i will not have to fight my insurance company. Kryspen was my home as well, but in the end i did not become statistic of missing man at sea. During departure from Geelong the weather was mild and first day and night at sea was good, the the apparent conditions arrived. Wind was from the north and i cud not return to closest port (Western Port), as i would have head wind. Heave too was working great on the first day and night, but and the second day the wind overpower my main third reef. I have folded the main and used mini jib with heave too. So that a story so far. I miss my boat. :(
I feel for you mate, at least your alive. Let's hope your boat is still out there and you can recover it.
John obviously loves yachting. Here is a series of pics he took of the Melges 24 Australian Open Nationals 2014 in Geelong;
I'm assuming it's the same John Kowalik
www.sail-world.com/Australia/Melges-24-Australian-Open-Nationals-images-by-John-Kowalik/118639
This looks like some video of his cherished, now lost, Compass 28. Makes me kinda sad, my first boat was a C28 
I'm impressed he endured 2 days of the conditions he went through before setting off the epirb. It's some kind of credit to the boat that it remained floating and drifted off into the night afterwards.
This kiwi used to work where i do
There radio weather warnings constantly when i was near refuge cove
