Lessons Learned From Sail Racer Vessel Abandonments

Competitors in the 53rd Newport Bermuda Race held in June 2024 faced a series of fronts that kicked up tricky conditions near the start and a choppy crossing of the Gulf Stream. Of the 162 boats that started in Newport, Rhode Island, 147 crossed the finish line and docked at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club (RBYC) in Hamilton. Fifteen boats retired, including three the crew were forced to abandon at sea.

Following the race, organizers enlisted US Sailing and the Cruising Club of America to conduct an in-depth safety review. The goal was to gather facts, analyze the incidents, and make recommendations that will contribute to safer offshore racing for all sailors.

After thorough interviews with rescued and rescuing crews, the Bermuda Race Organizing Committee (BROC) released three detailed reports, one for each incident, providing insights and lessons learned, reinforcing the importance of preparedness, training, and seamanship in offshore racing.

“We highly encourage all sailors, offshore race organizers, and offshore sailing educators to take the time to read these reports,” says Dick York, Safety at Sea chair at US Sailing. “The crews involved demonstrated that training and preparation work to preserve life and limb. Just as importantly, their experiences reinforce that fellow competitors are often the first and most critical rescue and support system in offshore sailing. These key takeaways should continue to shape best practices for safety in our sport.”

Alliance

The J/122 Alliance was sailing through the second night of racing when a crew member heard a “loud, mechanical clunk.” It was near 3 a.m., and the driver reported no rudder control. They quickly found the rudder stock adrift at the top of the rudderpost and a large breach in the hull at the lower rudder bearing area. Despite frantic pumping, the crew realized the water was rising and there was no good way to stop the ingress. A rescue was coordinated with a nearby competitor, and the nine crew on Alliance abandoned ship into their raft.

Read the Alliance report.

Solution

Solution was a 61-year-old 50-foot wooden auxiliary sloop under command of her owner with four experienced crew. Although they finished the race fine, about halfway back from Bermuda while motorsailing, the engine stopped operating, apparently due to a fouled fuel filter, and the owner was unable to repair it. The weather deteriorated, seas built, and the boat began to pound heavily. Water was rising in the bilge, but the crew was unable to determine its source, and the bilge pumps were unable to stem the rise of water. A Coast Guard helicopter arrived on scene, and the crew were hoisted and taken ashore without injury. Solution is believed to have sunk 69 hours after she was abandoned.

Read the Solution report.

Gunga Din

Gunga Din was a Sweden Yachts 41 built in 1988. The crew discovered flooding in the early hours of the fourth day of sailing. Wind and sea conditions were moderating to 3- to 4-foot seas after almost 500 miles of upwind sailing mainly in steep, short seas. The crew activated manual and electric bilge pumps and brought a high-capacity pump online. By midmorning and more than eight hours after discovering the flooding, the crew decided to abandon ship and launched a life raft.

Read the Gunga Din report.

“We want to extend our sincere gratitude to all those who dedicated their time and expertise to reviewing these incidents in detail,” says Andrew Kallfelz, race chair for the 2024 and 2026 Newport Bermuda Races, adding the most important factor is that there was no loss of life or injury in any of the incidents.

The next biennial Newport Bermuda Race is set to begin June 19, 2026.