Wind Farm Catamaran Runs Over Yacht

On Sunday, in the Baltic Sea harbor of Barhöft, Germany, the Danish offshore wind farm service catamaran Achiever struck a Hallberg Rassy sailing yacht, straddling it between its hulls and tearing down its rigging.

The sailboat was tied up alongside a dock for refueling, and her owners, a Polish couple, had gone to pay the harbor master for the fuel. 

The catamaran struck the yacht, tore it away from the pier and effectively swallowed it between its hulls. The impact tore away the yacht's forestay, dropping the mast onto the pier, and drove the boat back until it came to rest against another catamaran further down the dock. 

All three vessels sustained varying amounts of damage.

The collision reportedly knocked loose a propane tank, but no explosion or fire ensued. 

Local sources report that the proximate cause of the accident was a technical failure making it impossible for the catamaran to slow down. Her captain hit the emergency stop to kill the main engines, but he could not put her propulsion astern to take off speed. 

The yacht was reportedly assessed as a total loss, with damages estimated at $65,000.

The Achiever is a Danish-flagged, aluminum-hulled offshore service vessel. She was built in 2011 and can carry up to 12 passengers at 22 knots.