Total loss at the harbor mole

In April 2013, a skipper laid his sailing ship at anchor in a bay in southern France and then went away to Switzerland. The bulletin of the nearby harbor announced that they were expecting westerly winds with a magnitude of 6 - 8 on a Beaufort scale (strong to gale-force winds with rough to moderate high seas), and for the following day southwest winds with a magnitude of up to 7 on a Beaufort scale (strong wind with very rough sea; après-midi: SW 3 Raf 3 devenant force 5 raf 7; soirée: SW 6 Raf 7 devenant 7; nuit: W 7 Raf 8).

A very strong wind from the southwest („ … vent … très violent … et ayant tourné au Sud-Ouest …“) tore the anchor from its base. The harbor master’s office had advised the skipper to place his ship at the designated anchorage. The ship crashed at the harbor mole and suffered total loss.

The (marine hull) insurer asserts that the violation of elementary seamanship rules is responsible (the disregard for weather forecasts, whilst also ignoring advice from the harbor master’s office; improper anchoring, which includes the insufficient length of the anchor chain, no warping in a protected anchorage; during the absence of the skipper there was insufficient supervision of the vessel etc.). The matter is pending in court.