L E O B L O C K L E Y M E M O R I A L C A M P A I G N

Swamping Safety Database

Details of incident 91

Date	25 Sept 2004
Location	Roodeplaat Dam, Pretoria, SA
Water Temperature	Unknown
Boat(s) involved	various
Boat Construction	various
Outcome	3 boats swamped. 1 sank, 1 broke up and sank. Everybody OK
Description	3 boats in the race were all blown off the course in high winds and ended up on the far bank of the dam. Some crews ended up side on to the wind and waves and due to inexperience and some panic started to ship water eventually leading to 2 of the boats sinking, and 1 of them breaking during the sinking. The boat that broke snapped at the bulkhead in front of the cox's feet (bow loader) after the boat had filled with water. This boat was at least 12 years old. The other boat that swamped ended up floating just with the gates above the water level. The third boat did not sink and had water up to about midway up the shoes. All girls were ok and clung on to the boats or remained seated. The umpires assisted them toward the bank until the girls could stand on the bottom. The boats were then left in the reeds on the bank while the girls were ferried back to the boathouses. Nobody was injured.