March 6, 2023

Nordhavn SuperYacht Powerless in Arafuru Sea

A 29 meter Nordhavn super yacht titled m/y VivieRae II ended powerless and adrift while navigating in the Arafaru Sea, between North Australia and Papua New Guinea on Tuesday second March. In navigation from the Marshall Islands leaving on 26 February going to Sorong, Indonesia, VivieRae II had a towing line which broke free from an eleven meter tender in tow after it severed off due to very rough conditions and unfortunately got tangled in the prop, which seized the engines.  A search and rescue operation call was initiated on third March, with operations to tow the yacht not being successful on five March, due to bad weather and five meter waves rough seas.  The crew was rescued off the yacht on the sixth at 10:00 morning time by an Australian ship.  The eleven meter tender support chase boat got lost in the rope tangling.  Viverae II also sustained some cosmetic damage to its upper port side when it collided with a 190 meter tanker ship who was trying to tow the yacht but failed due to the rough seas.  On Sunday March 12 a rescue operation with owner Bob Giles and previous captain Gareth Schwegman reached ViveRae II and dived to clear the propellers from the ropes, with port side tangled with the tender line and starboard in a fishing net to port side.  The yachts eleven meter tender was also found near Thursday Island, about 240 nautical miles from the yacht position.  
All ends well with Viverae II arriving on Thursday Island on Monday thirteen March where the yacht will stop for repairs, recover its tender and then continue its around the World journey to the West.
VivieRae II is a Nordhavn 96, hull #3 from 2017 with twin Cat 1000hp engines and accommodation for eight guests in four cabins, and six crew in three cabins.  Designed by Nordhavn chief designer Jeff Leishman, the 96 is based on the 86 extended in length, and has been delivered in nine units since its debut in 2016.  The 96 is the second in size Nordhavn after the 120 model which the Taiwan builder so far sold in only one unit in 2013.  A one off Nordhavn 100 based on the hull on the 96 but with extended low fisherman cockpit was also delivered in 2018.

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