Roger William Searl is our brother. He died delivering the yacht The Big Hairy to Brisbane for the Brisbane to Keppel yacht race.

The Interim Report on the Capsize of The Big Hairy is on Australian Sailing website . It was caused by a catastrophic keel failure, an issue that while known to some, has not been widely communicated or understood

There are many known keel failure incidents, over many years, yet the knowledge hasn’t been made easily accessible, or actionable for everyday sailors. Roger’s death wasn’t just a personal loss; it exposed a systemic failure in how safety information is shared and legislated within the sailing world.

We are driven by the mission to prevent future tragedies by creating a central, accessible resource on keel safety—starting with an online resource for shared knowledge and progressing toward a broader culture of safety grounded in research and lived experience.

Our mission asks the sailing world not to wait for another death to act, but to demand better answers now—and ensure that “we didn’t know” is never again a reason for loss.

On June 16 2024

On June 16 2024 Roger was delivering a yacht recently renamed The BIG HAIRY—formerly RUNAWAY—from Yeppoon to Brisbane. With him were his mate and his mates son. They were all experienced sailors and had sailed together many times. The yacht, a 11m Jon Sayer design built in 2003, with a good offshore racing history: Melbourne to Osaka, Sydney to Hobart, Sydney to Coffs. It had lost its keel once before, in 2007—close to where it happened again. Lady Elliot Island.

On June 15, 2024, the trio set off to join the Brisbane to Keppel Yacht Race (B2K). Conditions were benign: calm seas, light winds. They expected to arrive in two or three days. Roger had planned to disembark in Brisbane, return to Rockhampton, and take Sunrise—his own beloved yacht—on a family sail around the Keppel Islands. Sunrise was the dream he finally reached in retirement: his own yacht, and the freedom to share sailing with those he loved.

Keppel Bay Marina was home. Yeppoon. Roger was an active member of the Capricornia Cruising Yacht Club: he was a keen competitor and educator, he was a mentor to many, he was a safety compliance officer, a committee member and a Yachting Queensland board member. Roger was also the cheerful barbecue volunteer, flipping snags after club races.

Just weeks before, Roger and I (his sister, Kim) had spent five weeks together, cataloguing our late mother’s artwork. He was passionate about creating a legacy for her great-grandchildren. That moment in time—our shared purpose and quiet joy—would become my last with him.

The Day Everything Changed

We were at Roger and Kerry’s home, helping Kerry with a clean-up. It was the day after my birthday and the day before our mother’s. The relative listed as the EPIRB’s emergency contact had contacted Roger’s son Tom.

At first, we assumed it was an error. But something felt wrong. I called our brother John. He was about to start a race out of Newcastle Harbour. He said usually the boat EPIRB would be activated if the boat was in trouble, and that the personal EPIRB activation meant one thing: someone was in the water.

I felt my chest close.

We phoned Maritime Safety Queensland. As we drove to the skippers family house. It was so damn hard., every passing minute grew heavier. The voice on the phone told us only that they were “aware of the incident.” “What incident?” I begged. “Please—just tell us what’s happened.” I explained how experienced they were. “If anyone could survive this, it’s them.” Ten minutes later, Gladstone Police called back. Two crew members had been mercifully rescued by helicopter. One was still missing.

It was Roger.

Those words have never stopped echoing.

“Who is RWS?”
He is the reason we do this.
A man who believed in people, knowledge, kindness, and safety.
A man whose story is now anchored in the mission to prevent another tragedy.

This website exists because of him.
For every sailor. Every crew. Every life.

So that when keels fail, knowledge prevails.

Roger was a family man. A loving husband, proud father, grandfather, son, brother, uncle, friend and mate. He was a teacher, a vice principal, a principal. He led the Konomie (North Keppel) Island Environmental School in his later years of teaching. His dream job. Going to work via a boat every day! He was a proud ally of the Woppaburra people and their ancestral and ongoing connection to the Capricornia reef and coast.

He loved his family first and always.

He loved Sunrise.
He loved his people.
He loved the water.

Our Vision

Together we educate each other of keel failures, keel safety, safety at sea, and all aspects of safety on the boat. We start with keels.
• To encourage change – to look for those opportunities to learn from each other, and empower knowledge, thus safety.

Our Priorities

• Shine a light on the hidden danger of keel failures.
• Share stories from those who have lived it.
• Provide clear, practical, easy to access info.
• Push for change in design, inspection and accountability