At 0235 on 9 May, a Port Phillip pilot boarded the ship for its departure. At 0539, in order to slow the rate of starboard turn, the pilot ordered 5° port rudder. However, the rate of turn to starboard increased so he ordered 10° port rudder, and then 20° port rudder. This was followed by an order of hard-to-port. On each occasion, the helmsman correctly repeated the pilot’s orders but applied starboard helm. Consequently, the ship’s rate of turn to starboard rapidly increased. At 0540, when they realized that the rudder was at hard-to-starboard, both the master and pilot yelled ‘hard-to-port’ to the helmsman. The helmsman then applied the correct helm. The ship, however, was still turning to starboard and grounding was imminent. At about 0541, despite various engine and rudder movements, Francoise Gilot grounded between beacons 18 and 20; about half the ship’s length passed over the toe line 4 of the channel before it came to a complete stop.
