Postscript. Ladybug damaged in southern ocean

I have pieced together some information on Ladybug from various emails I have had from Brian Reid, the gentleman to whom I sold her back in 2014. Brian had bought Ladybug specifically for trips to remote and challenging places such as Fiordland, Stewart Island and the Auckland Islands. A few years ago he sailed her to Stewart Island and earlier this year to the Auckland Islands. 

Brian writes:

I have sad news.We took Ladybug to the Auckland Islands and on the way back were knocked down and she is quite badly damaged. Repairable but the insurance company  is considering selling her to someone who wants a wrecked boat. She did well in that she picked herself up straightened her skirt and carried on . The three blokes inside were a mess but we all survived. I was hurt the most severely with a broken shoulder blade. Still very sore and taking painkillers. This event occurred  on the 20th January.

Quite an experience.A story to tell my grand children.

and later when I asked for more details, Brian replied:

We sailed her to Pegasus on Stewart Island then to Lords River and on to Horseshoe Bay where I have a mooring. The wind, lots of it dogged us most of the way. Fortunately my two mates were not seriously injured, I was horizontal, as the least painful place to be. Our bedding and clothes were wet. No we did not set off the epirb as we were in no mortal danger. Had she been knocked down again and serious hull damage occurred that would be a different story. I do have a cat1 liferaft aboard.

We towed her across Fauvaux Straight to Bluff. She is tied to the fishermans wharf as there are no facilities to get her out of the water. Bluff is about big ships not little yachts. The insurers are trying to figure out what to do next.

And later:

I have been paid out and she has been sold in Bluff ( as is where is ) to a local man who intends to do the work himself and keep her for himself.  I have just returned from Bluff with my personal stuff off the boat.


Brian told me later that they suffered three knock downs! I am very surprised that given the injuries and damage (described below) that he and his companions managed to sail her back from the southern ocean. Bear in mind when reading this that Brian is well into his seventies. Apparently the propane stove/oven came off its gimballed mounts and smashed into the opposing side of the boat wiping out electronics and the two radios. A lot of water also entered the boat. A partial description of the damage from Brian follows:

• The stbd side spreaders were bent and the shrouds were slack. Our wind was from the west so the mast stood up. 
• I suspect the rudder stock has been damaged.
• The dodger that I installed two years ago was ripped to bits.
• The starboard side solar panel before it disappeared severely chaffed the hull .
• The Monitor self steering device is damaged. 
• The diesel heater was not working when I left.
• The cooker was dented and torn off its gimbals 
• The radar scanner is somewhere in the Southern Ocean
• The SSB was damaged as was the VHF by the flying cooker
• A lot of water came on board, we were knocked down 3 times. When I left her in Bluff there was still much there
• Two of  the ports on the starboard side were damaged The after one cracked as windscreen glass cracks possibly by the cooker striking it, the forward one had two longitudinal cracks. To me that is an indication that the cabin top flexed to a remarkable degree

Brian concludes:

Ladybug did very well, she survived and got us home. The Yanmar engine runs upside down.

I notice that as of October 2019, Ladybug is listed for sale on TradeMe by the new owner in Bluff. I am disappointed that he has decided to flip her rather than fix her up for himself. Hopefully he has done a good repair job that addresses the obvious issues as well as any hidden damage the boat suffered in her Southern Ocean ordeal.