That storm was so obviously approaching (I live in Sydney) that I was amazed that Canada's wing was left dangling from the crane as the storm hit. The boats that were left moored out in the bay withstood the winds so much better.
It wasn't "left dangling", it was in the process of de-rigging the Canadian boat, which is the most vulnerable stage of docking/stowing the boats if the weather whips up. The boats on the water were head-to-wind, fully rigged and in control. Still, lots of lessons to be learnt here. A bigger factor is the tents containing the other rigs that blew apart, damaging those.
Russell maybe you should take a job with SailGP as operations nanager given you are an expert and we could have avoided such damage with your expertise. 😜😜😜
I was there. I had been out on a boat all afternoon. The storm clouds were there as the race ended. I walked from Darling Harbour down past the Casino to watch the lifting of the boats out of the water. On the GB boat I saw a crew member pointing frantically at the looming black clouds and making hand signals to get his boat lifted as a matter of urgency. They were just attaching the crane to the Canada boat. People seemed more interested in media and photo opportunities than getting the boats out. My wife and I walked into the Skyy Vodka bar and ordered a drink. EVERYONE in that bar was pointing at the storm clouds and saying it was going to wreck the boats. Security ordered us to drink up and get out as the wind may blow the entire bar away. We walked out as the storm hit, and saw the chaos as the sail was swinging around, and hitting the tents. NOTE - this was the cause of the tent blowing away. All of the other team tents remained unscathed. I was not an “expert” after it happened. I knew it was going to happen.
I was there. I had been out on a boat all afternoon. The storm clouds were there as the race ended. I walked from Darling Harbour down past the Casino to watch the lifting of the boats out of the water. On the GB boat I saw a crew member pointing frantically at the looming black clouds and making hand signals to get his boat lifted as a matter of urgency. They were just attaching the crane to the Canada boat. People seemed more interested in media and photo opportunities than getting the boats out. My wife and I walked into the Skyy Vodka bar and ordered a drink. EVERYONE in that bar was pointing at the storm clouds and saying it was going to wreck the boats. Security ordered us to drink up and get out as the wind may blow the entire bar away. We walked out as the storm hit, and saw the chaos as the sail was swinging around, and hitting the tents. NOTE - this was the cause of the tent blowing away. All of the other team tents remained unscathed.
As a sailor, I fimd it disappointing that GP sailors didn't act on the weather warning that was given prior to the incident, and what the crane driver was thinking I'll never know.
Probably trying to get the sail away from the boat so that the entire boat didn't wipe out a bunch of people. Why assume the worst? Got delayed by the Aussies doing the same thing.
The should absolutely have left the boats in the water until the storm had calmed down. This is textbook stuff for recreational waterman - dont derig your kit in a squall. Either stay in the water or secure it on the beach.
I was there the next morning and all the boats were moored closeby with wings insitu, only AUS not visible, and poor CAN boat and wing in the same place as was in the videos,
What were they thinking? Hinckley won’t even step my mast (no sail), if wind is over 15kn or so. Trying to step a foil in a gale??? Irresponsible and very dangerous.
