Collision of Lysaght Endeavour with yacht Grunter

Outline of incident

On the evening of 16 December 1985, Lysaght Endeavour was proceeding northwards, in ballast, along the southern NSW coast. Shortly before 2200, the Watch Officer saw a single, small white light one point to port & the lookout reported the light shortly afterwards. No target was depicted on the radar screen & as the light remained on a steady bearing, the officer assumed that he was overtaking a small vessel, which was on a converging course. He therefore made a broad alteration to port, then gradually came back to the original course, keeping the other vessel fine to starboard. The white light suddenly disappeared under the starboard bow & Lysaght Endeavour collided with the fibreglass yacht Grunter, which was sailing on a southerly heading & stated to be displaying a tricoloured lantern at the masthead.

Grunter suffered only minor damage & was able to proceed to port unassisted.

The red section of Grunter's tricoloured lantern was found to have degraded to such an extent that it showed a white light. However, doubt was raised as to whether the bulb in the red section was working & that in fact the yacht was displaying the all-round white anchor light.

Conclusions

Grunter was not showing the correct navigation lights, in that it was not displaying a red port sidelight.

Although there was one on board, Grunter did not carry a radar reflector in a prominent position, to enhance detection by radar.

The Watch Officer aboard Lysaght Endeavour misjudged the distance of the white light & resumed the original course too soon.